The past, the present and the preferred future for home economics education in Hong Kong

Abstract

The future of home economics is a perennial topic on the agenda of the home economics profession. In various regions around the world, the profession as a whole has been eroded systematically as a result of curriculum reform at the compulsory and post-compulsory levels, with the subsequent loss of higher education programmes, and, ultimately, the loss of dedicated professional home economists. This leaching degradation of home economics has implications for the concomitant loss of the unique curriculum of the subject, including the focus on consumer-related issues. Hong Kong has not been exempted from this pattern, leading to concerns about the capacity of society to engage effectively in consumer and consumer-related issues, and the focus in home economics has been relegated to technology. This paper provides insights into the current positioning of home economics in Hong Kong and the likely outcomes of this loss of a preferred future for the profession.