Future classroom schedules for students in Britain may look something like this: First Period, Math; Second Period, Food Preparation.
Recently, the British government announced that by 2011, Food Preparation would become a required subject for all students ages 11 through 14. According to a spokesperson from the Education Ministry, elementary students are already learning nutrition and food-preparation skills.
But the situation in Germany is different. Neither elementary school nor high school curricula require instruction in food-preparation skills or on how to run a household. Only occasionally will a high school offer these subjects as electives.
Sadly, the number of children who are taught food-preparation skills at home is continually declining. Scientists bemoan the loss as more and more students grow up without the necessary skills for running a household.
This is where Aid Infoservice came into the picture. It has instituted a program of instructional building blocks for elementary students by establishing a "Nutrition Competency Driver's License."
The core of this curriculum, comprised of six or seven two-hour classroom sessions, focuses on practical experiences with food ingredients and kitchen tools, but does not include experience in an actual kitchen lab.
Dr. Margareta Buening-Fesel, CEO of Aid.Infoservice, states, "It is our goal to incorporate the Aid-sponsored Nutrition Competency Driver's License into the curriculum throughout Germany. The fostering of health must become part of the curriculum at each school.”
But Dr. Buening-Fesel stops short of saying an actual cooking class is needed, and, indeed, it may not be practical. Nevertheless, she maintains that nutrition education and consumerism must be offered, and also integrated, into all school subjects.
“The whole concept of education must be geared beyond classroom learning and toward the fostering of health and well-being,” she states. This would extend to snack and drink offerings during lunch.
The British government had instituted strategies several years ago to improve the quality of school food. Also, beginning in September 2008, all British school students could elect to take cooking classes.
But qualified teachers are lacking. As part of the national strategy, “Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives,” plans were made to train 800 teachers over the next three years.
The British government aims to reduce the proportion of overweight and obese children to 2000 levels by the year 2020. To achieve this goal, the government is planning to invest EU$500 million (approximately US$735 million).
Further information:
"Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Cross-Government Strategy for England,” www.dh.gov.uk/en/publicationsandstatistics/publications/publicationspolicyandguidance/DH_082378
Read original article in German
