Teaching life skills: up to parents or schools?

More than 25,000 students enrolled for a life skills personal development class across the country in 2017, Ministry of Education (MOE) figures show.

With most parents working full-time, the responsibility of teaching kids about budgeting, cooking, and tenancy agreements has fallen on schools.

‘‘Fifty years ago the school curriculum focused more on individual subjects rather than equipping students with life skills and was designed for students to either take an academic pathway (usually to university) or enter into practical training (such as apprenticeships) or work. Since then the curriculum has changed significantly,’’ Pauline Cleaver, MOE associate deputy secretary early learning and student achievement, said.

‘‘The curriculum sets the direction for our young people to gain the knowledge and life skills they need to become lifelong learners who are confident, connected and actively involved in the world.’’

MOE was working on a School Leavers Toolkit with advice on money and getting a job. At New Plymouth Boys’ High School food and nutrition department, they were trying to prepare students for life after school.

‘‘The chances of mum and dad being able to teach their kids how to cook at home is slowly slipping away because everyone has to work so it’s like all of the other stuff schools are expected to teach now,’’ head of department Adrienne Roberts said.

Ex-teacher Warwick Foy, who runs Taranaki Futures, to help bridge the gap between work and school, believed although schools needed to change what they offer, life skills still fell on parents.

‘‘Every mum and dad are working a lot more hours and there’s not the chance for those skills to rub off so the question is whose job is it? Well, it’s still the parents’. My kids do chores around the house because we told them that’s what they do, so personally, I don’t think it’s that hard but some parents want to be their mate and be cool.’’