Abstract
The purpose of carrying out this research was to investigate on the causes of poor enrollment of male students in Home Economics Department in Tertiary Institutions in Oko polytechnic. In order to obtain the required data, the researcher used Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra State with a total population of 110 respondents as the sample size while instruments for data collection were questionnaire, textbooks and personal observation. Three research questions were formulated for the study.
The findings showed that:
Enough equipment is not provided for impacting of the course.
The financial involvement of the course is very high.
Most of the students were not properly guided by guidance and counselors before enrolling into the department.
The researcher finally made some useful suggestions and recommendation on the provision of required equipment for department of Home Economics that Government should come to the aid of tertiary institutions for re-orientation of the minds
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:
Home Economics, simply put is common term for the field of study and profession is Home Economics, although human ecology is a recognized variant for the field of study, in particular at the post-secondary level. Home Economics also suffers from redundancy, as ‘eco’ is derived from the Greek: ????? meaning “house”.
Home economics has a strong historical relationship to the field of human ecology, and since the 1960s a number of university-level home economics programs have been renamed “human ecology” programs, including Cornell University’s program,among others.
Home economics (also known as family and consumer sciences, home ec., and in some cases, human ecology) is the profession and field of study that deals with the economics and management of the home and community.
Home economics is a field of formal study including such topics as consumer education, institutional management, interior design, home furnishing, cleaning,handicrafts, sewing, clothing and textiles, commercial cooking, cooking, nutrition, food preservation, hygiene, child development, managing money, and family relationships. This teaches students how to properly run a family environment and make the world a better place for generations to come.Sexual education and drug awareness might be also covered, along with topics such as fire prevention and safety procedures. It prepares students for homemaking or professional careers, or to assist in preparing to fulfill real-life responsibilities at home. It is taught in secondary schools, colleges and universities, vocational schools, and in adult education centers; students include women and men.Home Economics is also the profession and field of study that deals with the economics and management of the home and community. Home economics is a field of formal study including such topics as consumer education, institutional management, interior design, home furnishing, cleaning, handicrafts, sewing, clothing and textiles, cooking, nutrition, food preservation, hygiene, child development, and family relationships. It prepares students for homemaking or professional careers.
Home Economics is also known as Family and Consumer Sciences. It is taught in secondary schools, colleges and universities, vocational school and in adult education centers, where students include women and some men.
In the 1800s, home economics classes were intended to ready young women for their duties in the home. Classes were first in the United States, Canada and Great Britain, followed by Latin America, Asia and Africa. International organizations such as those associated with the United Nations have been involved in starting home economics programs around the world.
Hence the dire need for the study, the “causes of students poor attitude towards the study of Home Economics in tertiary institutions” with a view of finding out the problems and then solving them.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS:
For quite sometimes now, there has been a decline on the number of prospective school leavers who offer Home Economics in tertiary institutions especially the male ones.
Moreover, a higher percentage of those who apply to read the course nowadays have been observed to be females.
In another development, some students especially male ones offering the course claimed that it was their inability to fit into other various prestigious discipline that made them settle for the course.
This ugly development has continued as a matter of fact to be a source of worry to social scienceand economics educators as well as management of tertiary institutions that offer this course.
It is however envisaged that if this situation continues unchecked, there will be a serious scarcity of efficient and proficient home managers in every part of the country.
In a similar development, most Home management and economist positions demand a masculine hand more often since they balance for strength and rigidity where and when needed in the profession.
It has also been observed that some students do not receive guidance and counseling properly asregards the importance of the course before delving into it.
It is in view of these enormous indispensable and challenging studies of the present day Home economics and management that the researcher delved into the study in order to investigate and analyze the cause for students’ poor attitude towards the study of Home Economics in tertiary institutions in Nigeria with special reference to Oko federal Polytechnic and thus recommended valuable and lasting solutions too.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY:
1. To investigate whether there are enough equipment for the teaching and learning of the course.
- To find out why many students are not interested in Home Economics course.
- To investigate whether students were being guided by guidance and counselors before choosing courses?
- To find out why women have dominated the profession?
- To make suitable recommendations on the major courses of poor enrollmentof male students in Home Economics department in tertiary institutions likeFederal Polytechnic Oko.
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:
In the end of this research work, it is hoped that useful ideas will be proffered to the enable more male students wish to study Home Economics in Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State.
The study will also help to correct the idea that Home Economics is a cheap course for people with low mentality or handicapped in academics.
This study will equally help to make prospective students know that there is no gender discrimination in the course.
This study will help to correct some negative attitude and ginger male students towards applying and reading the course.
The study and the recommendations will encourage the students to have interest in Home economics as a course. This will provide qualified personnel to meet high demand of the discipline for industries in our changing society.
This research work is designed to cover only the causes of poor enrollment of male students in Home Economicsin Federal Polytechnic Oko Anambra State.
- Is the Home Economics department adequately equipped and funded to handle the impacting of skilled knowledge to the students?
- Do enrolling students have career-guidance and counseling before being admitted to study Home Economics in tertiary institutions?
- Why is the career dominated by female?
- What could be the solution to the problem of poor male student enrollmentin the study of Home Economics?