Investigating the factors that hinder or encourage students to choose Home Economics in Year 8

Abstract

Home Economics is one of the many option subjects being offered from Year 9 to Year 11 in Maltese Secondary Schools. In 2020 students were offered 41 subjects at Secondary Education Certificate level, including Home Economics (MATSEC, 2020). Throughout the years the number of candidates sitting for Home Economics at Secondary Education Certificate level started to decline, possibly due to the introduction of new subjects, such as vocational subjects. In 2015, 804 students applied for the Home Economics Secondary Education Certificate examination (MATSEC BOARD, 2015) compared to only 482 candidates in 2020 (MATSEC BOARD, 2020), implying a drop of 40%. Using a mixed-methods approach, the factors that encourage or hinder the choice of Home Economics were investigated with the aim of identifying what are the influential elements causing this rapid decline. This study was partly conducted through a designated questionnaire which was forwarded to 11 secondary schools around Malta and Gozo, targeting Year 9 students. The questionnaire was aimed at students who opted to take Home Economics as one of their option subjects, as well as those who selected other areas of study. Once the results were analysed, focus groups sessions were carried out with Year 9 students attending one particular State School. These students had a variety of option subjects and this helped the researcher to better understand the perspectives of different students. Throughout the study, the researcher referred to various local and international studies which have all pointed out different factors and misconceptions as to why the popularity of HE has dwindled over the past few years. Through this study, the researcher established that the main factors which hinder students from choosing HE relate to future aspirations as well as lack of information on career possibilities offered by the subject. On the other hand, the principal reason as to why students choose Home Economics seems to relate to its usefulness and practicality for everyday life.