According to an article I found titled “Why is Home Economics an Important Subject for High

Schools” written by Kristine Tucker she says, “Home economics is a valuable addition to
a high school curriculum because it teaches students practical skills for daily living.” The
problem with that is that schools are now
Home economics teaches them how to adjust to living with someone else in such tight spaces.
It teaches them how to respect each other's privacy and how to divide various tasks like
cleaning, setting up the room and shopping for grocery items. Lastly, home economics teaches
us basic life skills.

HEALTH&LIFE

The Importance of Home Economics

The first thing that comes to mind upon hearing the words “home economics” is
generally muffins, cakes and sewing equipment. However, the above statement is a
common misconception we all have about home economics. Home economics is the
only academic discipline incorporating in its curriculum various pertinent life skills that
help individuals succeed, independent of their chosen career path.

I firmly believe that home economics bears a significant position in our education
system today. Its subject matter prepares a student not only for the present but also
helps them to continuously grow in the future as it emphasizes on personal
development, intrapersonal skills, effective decision making and social-communicational
skills deemed critical for occupational success.

Home economics is not a subject meant only for homemakers. Households on an

average generate 4,000 kilograms of garbage per year not knowing the effective use of
the three Rs- reduce, reuse and recycle. The obesity rate in the present generation is
continuously growing, young adults are incapable of handling finances and are
drowning in massive debts, and the growth rate of STDs is enormous. All this is
because a subject like home economics is neglected and not given importance to.

The various essential skills that home economics discusses includes financial planning,
cooking and nutrition, safety, and overall skills in life. In today’s world, financial planning
is a skill that everyone needs to know, no matter what professional background they
come from. The consumer debt over the years has been growing at an increasing rate
as most people lack an understanding of handling finances accurately.
Home economic classes teach students how to use a debit or credit card. It teaches
them how to open a checking or savings account or write a cheque. Students are also
taught about their future, and how to effectively handle all their finances and how to
avoid financial mistakes that could potentially be very stressful in the near future.

Apart from personal finances, home economic classes also educate students on
matters such as investment and taxes. It teaches students how to choose good stock
markets to invest money into or what would happen if you do not pay your taxes on time
and so forth. It is extremely critical to be well versed in such matters to live in the world
today.

Cooking and nutrition is also a particularly important topic that home economics offers
to us as well. It is not necessary for students to know how to prepare a five-course
gourmet meal before leaving for college but it is indeed important to know how to cook
more than Maggi. Nutrition and cooking are in correlation with each other. People know
that Maggi is not healthy, but if they knew how bad it was, maybe they would put in the
effort to learn how to make some real food. If we are educated more about health
adversaries related to food and nutrition, the obesity rates will go down as the
consumption of highly processed foods would also decrease.

One of the biggest obstacles that families face today is how to eat healthily, but not
spend all their savings on trying to purchase grocery items for the same. If such things
are taught at an earlier age, there can be many problems avoided such as health
defects, obesity, lethargy and a lot more. Safety is something that seems obvious but is
a very relevant topic that is taught in home economics. Students are taught about how
to establish a safe environment around them. They learn about what to do in case of a
fire, how to perform CPR or use a first aid kit, how to treat an open wound or prevent an
injury from spreading.

They are also taught critical, essential factors about working in the kitchen such as the
most effective way of holding a knife, or what material of clothing should not be worn in
the kitchen, making sure the stove is always attended, at what temperature should food
be stored at and how to clean up after you have finished cooking. When students are
not educated about such things, there are so many possibilities of dangers in and
around us.
Good behavior and manners are also valuable skills to learn about. Yes, most children
are taught to be polite, speak clearly or to respect adults since a very young age but is
that enough? They need to learn how to talk smart or how to give orders and not sound
discourteous while doing the same. They need to be taught how to converse, sit and
dress during a job interview.

After high school, most students go to college and end up sharing an apartment or a
room with another person. Home economics teaches them how to adjust to living with
someone else in such tight spaces. It teaches them how to respect each other’s privacy
and how to divide various tasks like cleaning, setting up the room and shopping for
grocery items.

Lastly, home economics teaches us basic life skills. Our world is so vast and developed
today that it would be nice to have a handbook on how to go about it. Home economics
does not provide us with a manual handbook of course, but it covers most of the topics
that are important to survive today. It educates us on how to repair small things, or how
to live independently and how to maintain a safe and clean environment at home.

There are things that we should discover ourselves and not be given on a plate, but
basic things are necessary to have a smooth transition from high school to
college.Teaching home economics to high school students could also be a solution for
various problems in the twenty-first century. It would produce a new generation of
young, forward-thinking and confident adults.