Home economics promoted among primary pupils

Over the last two months, a group of first-year B.Ed. (Hons) Home Economics students have been involved in a campaign to promote Home Economics as an option choice among Year 6 children attending state schools.

The campaign was linked to the B.Ed. students' study-unit Principles and Perspectives in Home Economics and aimed to offer them training in communication skills.

Both children and their parents were targeted in this initiative. A multi-coloured "postcard" booklet was produced for the children and a letter and bookmark prepared for the parents. Maltese and English versions of all materials were developed.

The overall goals of the informational material were:

to highlight the general aims and objectives of Home Economics;

¤ to outline the key topics and skills learned during Home Economics lessons;

¤ to explain the different learning methods used within Home Economics;

¤ to list the various Home Economics qualifications which can be obtained;

¤ to highlight Home Economics careers and Home Economics-related job opportunities which exist locally.

Current Home Economics pupils in different forms and secondary schools were interviewed and quotations about what they enjoy and what they learn in the lessons were included in the materials.

A total of 4,007 sets of booklets, letters and bookmarks were distributed to parent-child pairs in all Maltese and Gozitan state primary schools. Distribution was according to the specific needs and requests of the different schools.

As part of the campaign, Home Economics lecturer Suzanne Piscopo was interviewed on Familja Wahda hosted by Lilian Maistre. She described the benefits for young people of a Home Economics education, both on a personal level and also from the vocational and professional career paths perspective.

Another aspect of the campaign involved the B.Ed. students in writing an article for local newspapers with similar goals and themes of the other promotional materials. The Maltese and English versions of this article will be presented to the editors for publication close to World Home Economics Day on March 21.

This campaign was a successful collaborative project involving University of Malta B.Ed. (Hons) Home Economics students and lecturers, the Education Division, particularly Elizabeth Mallia, Education Officer for Home Economics, and the professional association Home Economists in Action, who were the main sponsors.

The students who took part were Anne Marie Bonnici, Joanne Borg, Charlene Caruana, Romina Caruana, Olivia Farrugia, Bernice Galea, Karl Mifsud, Dennis Tabone, Rodianne Vella and Miriam Xerri.