Planned curriculum changes to food-related subjects were discussed at the Home Economics Technology Teachers Association (Hettanz) annual conference in Dunedin yesterday.
The government’s proposed changes would make the food and nutrition subject part of the health curriculum, while hospitality would only be available from year 12 and become part of social science.
The changes were planned to be phased in from 2028.
Hettanz life member Sue Parkes worried the plan to absorb food and nutrition into health could reduce the subject to a series of modules within health.
There were students who did not know how to use a knife and fork, who had never entered a cafe and who were growing up not eating any fruit, she said.
‘‘Life skills are not being taught in the home — some children don’t know what a kitchen plug is, it’s heartbreaking.’’
Good nutrition and knowing the importance of eating well needed to start as early as possible and food and nutrition was crucial to teaching children and teenagers skills they may not be learning at home, she said.
On Wednesday, Hettanz representatives would be going to Parliament to submit their petition in support of retaining food and nutrition as a standalone subject.
Food and nutrition, formally home economics, had been part of the curriculum in New Zealand since 1911, Ms Parkes said.
It had evolved into a interdisciplinary field focusing on wellbeing.
It was a pathway for future doctors, nurses, health and community services professionals, scientists, tourism and food production workers, Ms Parkes said.
‘‘Home Economics is about flexible, responsive, nutrition-based cognition and human centred complex problem-solving in real-life day-to-day contexts — practical food preparation is to industry standards and safety falls within industry standards that are irrelevant to home economics.’’
