Union wants to improve awareness of food production and farming as a career
The NFU has called on the government to strengthen the UK’s food security for the future by improving the quality of how food and farming is taught in schools.
With the curriculum under review for the first time in over a decade, the NFU has urged ministers to update subject content to better reflect the realities of modern farming and food production, particularly within STEM subjects such as the popular GCSE Biology award.
Better education will not only support healthy, informed food choices from a young age, but also help close the skills gap by opening up new career pathways for young people at a time when the sector urgently needs skilled professionals in science, engineering and environmental management, the NFU said.
The union’s key asks of the government include calling for an urgent review of GCSE Biology subject content and related subjects to better reflect food, farming and food security. It also wants to see a commitment to improving the quality of food education in all schools.
NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos said: “The NFU is proud to call for an education system that gives the next generation a wider awareness of where their food comes from and the exciting career opportunities throughout the farm-to-fork journey.
“The government has repeatedly said that ‘food security is national security’. If it truly believes that, now is the time to act. This curriculum review is a once-in-a-generation chance to improve how young people learn about food and farming, and we want to see that reflected across subjects like Biology, Geography and Food Technology.
“By improving the quality of food education now, we can secure a future where our children become the scientists, engineers and innovators who drive sustainable food production and environmental management.
“Young people deserve to leave school with a fair understanding of the many benefits British farming has to offer. We know this is a view shared both by teachers and by tens of thousands of people across the country who stand behind us too. It’s time the curriculum caught up.”
