Practical Life Skills Coverage and Assessment in Lower Secondary Food and Consumer Education Curriculum and Review of Components

Dr Hamid Razak asked the Minister for Education (a) what outcomes and assessment frameworks are used in the lower secondary Food and Consumer Education curriculum to ensure students acquire a balanced set of practical life skills, including food preparation, basic sewing and simple household repairs; and (b) whether the Ministry will review or enhance these components.

The Food and Consumer Education (FCE) curriculum equips students with the knowledge, skills and values needed to make informed food, health and consumer decisions in today's world. The subject covers nutrition and health, financial and consumer literacy, and food science. The subject has widened beyond its earlier focus on home management. Basic sewing and simple household repairs are not part of the current curriculum.

In FCE, students are assessed on how well they understand the content and how they can use it in real-life situations. Assessment includes tests and coursework. Students also complete an Applied Module project, where they study a real food or consumer issue and propose practical solutions, which they present as part of the project.

The Ministry of Education reviews the FCE curriculum regularly to keep it relevant. The most recent update was completed in 2024.