Boys Learning Domestic Chores In Home Economics Class: About Time

A Spanish college has apparently taken the initiative to include home economics in the regular school curriculum. The institute is Colegio Montecastelo in Vigo, a North Western town in Spain. Moreover, not only are regular teachers here involved in the home economics lessons, some of these student's fathers are also involved in instructing them for the same. This initiative faced a bit of resistance in the beginning. But after its implementation, it attracted applauds from parents as well as others.

In most homes across the world, the burden of household chores still falls on women, even in the 21st century. How are we to liberate and empower women when we cannot even re-divide this burden of household duties equally among the two genders? How can we ask our boys to respect women when we still do not tell them that tasks like washing and ironing clothes, sweeping and doing the dishes aren't beneath them? As we are increasinlgy teaching our girls to be financially independent and not rely on anyone to look after them for the rest of their lives, why not teach our boys to be independent too? Why must they depend on someone else to cook their meals or fold their clothes, all of the tasks they can do by themselves?

But can this be involved in the Indian School Curriculum too? We asked Parents, Teachers and Students as to what they think about this extra home economics subject.

Is This A Good Idea Considering The Present Generation

"My husband and I have to leave for work and hence the household chores too are divided between us. Introducing these domestic chores in curriculum would be nice. Because as we are heading towards the future, this will be the general scenario. Hence it is good to include this in the regular curriculum too.", says Ashmita Thakkar, who works at a telecommunication company and is the mother of a 12-year-old child. Women are matching their footsteps with the men in every field and this poses the possibility that Ashmita talks about. Thus, the general perception in our society, that the domestic chores have to be done by the women only, can be changed only by including home economics in the education.

The general perception in our society, that the domestic chores have to be done by the women only, can be changed only by including home economics all in the education.

The Idea Is Nice But Needs To Be Implemented Only At The Basic Education Level

" The idea is nice but we need to take care that it is only limited upto a certain level of education only. Because then the home science might affect other subjects too, and including it in the upper level of education might affect other areas. So yes, it should be included in the basic education. Because that's the point where the character building starts, where the mentality of a child begins getting shaped.", says Nupur Kumari, biology teacher at the Alok Bharti Vidyalaya, Kanpur.

What Do The Students Say?

" I remember we had a subject named Home Science till class 8. But I didn't hear my brother reading any such subject. That's the difference that ingrains in them the perception that girls are the ones who should do domestic chores. So if for us, why not for them? This Home Science as a subject should be definitely introduced in our curriculum, for both boys and girls.", says Niharika Tandon, a student from Fatima Convent School, Kanpur.

Picture Credit: East Coast Daily

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Anushika Srivastava is an Intern with SheThePeople.Tv