Home economics : core component of the NMC

Abstract

1.1 Home Economics and Personal and Social Education within the new NMC. In the new National Minimum Curriculum (NMC), Personal and Social Development (PSD) is listed as one of the core subjects at Secondary level (p. 105), whereas living skills are highlighted as an essential component of Primary level education (p. 103). In the draft document of the NMC, PSD had been specifically explained as including both Home Economics and Personal and Social Education (PSD=HE+PSE; p. 38). In the final document of the new NMC this description was not contradicted. So much so, in the GO9 PSD Working Group, specialists from both a PSE and a Home Economics background have been included. It is disconcerting, however, that this stance is not accepted by all members • of the G09 PSD Working Group. Without there being any official documentation to this effect, several members of the PSD Working Group are understanding that PSD is merely a substitute (though perhaps more dynamic) term for PSE. In this regard, on more than one occasion the signatories of this report had suggested to the PSD Working Group Chairperson to write to the National Committee for the Implementation of the NMC asking for clarification of the term PSD. Butthis suggestion was not followed up. Of note is that in some countries (e.g. in the UK) PSE is not referred to as PSD, but as PSHE: that is, "Personal, Social and Health Education". When this alternative was mentioned during a number of PSD Working Group meetings, the outcome was one of indifference and no reaction. [excerpt from the Introduction]