Madam Kutum Comfort Madah elected as Vice-President of Ghana Home Economics Association

The Head of Department of Home Economics Education, UEW, Ms. Kutum Comfort Madah has been elected the Vice-President of the Ghana Home Economics Association. The event which took place at the 42nd Annual General Meeting of the Association (GHEA) held at the All Nations University College in Koforidua in the Eastern Region of Ghana was on the theme “Home Economics Literacy: Skills for Families and Consumers”. It was held from 18th- 20th August, 2016.

Brief History of the Association

The Ghana Home Economics Association was founded in April, 1965. It is a professional organization devoted to: Promoting the status of Home Economics in Ghana, Providing opportunities through conferences, symposia and seminars to discuss developments in Home Economics and related fields, Providing better living standards in the home and community, Maintaining high professional standards of its members, Encouraging research and studies in Home Economics at all levels, Promoting relations with national and international organizations working for the improvement of home and family living Vision. The Ghana Home Economics Association leads and supports members in providing excellence in Home Economics for the improved quality of Life of individuals, families and communities in Ghana.

Home Economics Education has seen a lot of transformation especially in the change of name. Many colleges and universities have changed their names to such titles as Human Sciences, Human Ecology, Consumer and Family Sciences just to name a few. The new names sought to better position the profession within the academic communities and to further illustrate the actual majors in the profession.

Fifty years after the founding of the professional organization in Ghana, Family and Consumer Sciences/ Home Economics professionals continue to practice in many venues including secondary teaching, college and university teaching and research and outreach through cooperative extension programs. Many practice in the human services areas working with children and elderly. Nutritionists, consumer specialists, housing and textiles specialists continue to provide for a better quality of life for individuals, families and communities.

There is still much to be accomplished by GHEA after 50 years, especially regarding issues of nutrition and obesity, elderly care and gerontology as well as environmentally related issues. The next 50 years will challenge the best and the brightest in the profession to continue a leadership legacy that commenced over 50 years ago. Young students in colleges and universities are stepping up in remarkable ways to continue a legacy that lives today.

The bulk of the membership consists of teachers at the first and second cycle educational levels within the Ghana Education Service. There are also some lecturers and researchers at the tertiary education sector who form part of the membership. Home Economists are found in the Ministries of Education, Ghana Education Service, Agriculture and Women in Agriculture Development (WIAD), Hospitality industry among many others. There are 10 regional branches of the Association in Ghana and has some international affiliation, including being a member of the International Federation of Home Economics (IFHE). Other Member Organizations in Africa include: Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia.

GHEA SONG Home Economics,
For Family Survival Home Economics,
For Every Home Home Economics,
For every Nation Home Economics,
For Us All

Source: Madam Kutum Comfort Madah