By Margaret Akolo

Nasarawa State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Rebecca Umaru has called on parents to understand that there should be no gender restriction in the educational pursuits of their children.

She stated this at a one-day Home Economics workshop on "Skills Acquisition" organized by the Home Economics Teachers Association of Nigeria (HETAN) Nasarawa State Branch, held at Government Science School, Lafia recently.

She said people were of the wrong belief that Home Economics was offered or meant for only female students pointing out that male students can also become self-reliant through the subject "which goes beyond cooking, sweeping, fashion design and other numerous aspects of science and technology".

The commissioner who was represented by Mrs Christian E. Akolo who is director in the ministry said, Home Economics as a subject was geared towards equipping individuals with saleable skills that would make them self-reliant. She contended that if pupils were provided with adequate Home Economics skills in primary/secondary schools they should be able to effectively meet the challenges of todays and tomorrow world of work.

She also said a good Home Economics programme would be effective "only if it alleviates the problem of the individual, the society and promotes satisfaction brought about by improved situation".

The commissioner further stressed the need for government to come up with practical programmes that would endear the home economics vocation to the heart of not only students but the general public and called on the organizers of the workshop to organize competition that would enable students and unemployed youths internalize the invaluableness of Home Economics for self-reliance and self actualization.

She also called on the state government to remain resolute in it’s desire to do all in its power to develop the state educationally and to enable it take a proper place among committee of Nigerian states.

Earlier in her speech the president of HETA Nasarawa state chapter, Mrs. Betty S. Nasara said the aim of the workshop was to enrich participants with competent skills for advancement and growth of Home Economics.

She said Home Economic was a still-oriented subject "that pre-supposes that every individual has a potential to acquire skills for self-reliance and empowers women to no longer depend wholly on man but rather as a "suitable helper".

Mrs. Nasara observed with dismay that the last time Home Economics received attention in term of equipment supply in secondary schools was in the seventies when the federal government supplied some schools with equipment noting however, that these days technical and science equipment are supplied to our schools frequently whereas applied sciences as Home Economics do not have such supplies.

She then enumerated some areas that government should give urgent attention which include provision of equipment for use in Home Economics department in schools, more Home Economics teachers in all primary and secondary schools and that principals should help support Home Economics teachers financially to enable them conduct practicals with their students.