Cookery lessons are to be made compulsory for secondary school pupils from 2011, so that they learn how to make a healthy meal. The move is aimed at finding a way to curb the growing problem of obesity, Schools Secretary Ed Balls explained.
More than £150m has been earmarked to build new school teaching kitchens to be in place by 2011 when the lessons for the 11 to 14-year-olds start.
Announcing the new package, Mr Balls urged parents to get their children, especially boys, into the kitchen at home as well.
"Schools are only part of the solution - at the end of the day parents bring up children, not teachers," he said.
"It will be great if young people had the chance to make healthy dishes from basic ingredients at home, not simply in the classroom."
Mr Balls said everyone should be able to prepare basic nutritious meals from scratch instead of taking pride in being unable to cook properly.
"We”ve lost touch with making basic dishes from scratch, even though there has never been a wider range of food in our shops.
"Celebrity chef cookbooks are best-sellers but for too many people cooking is now something they watch on television instead of doing themselves.
Ministers originally announced plans for compulsory practical lessons in January as part of the Government”s obesity strategy.
The Government has also produced a new free cookbook for 11-year-olds including healthy versions of favourites such as spaghetti bolognese, risotto, roast chicken and apple crumble.
Resource: SKY
