Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) held a collaborative talk discussing "Home Science and Family Welfare Education'' on Monday (15/03/2021). This online collaborative talk is held through Zoom meeting with the agenda discussing the similarities and differences between Home Science and Family Welfare Education starting from history, development and the future.
In Indonesia, a similar field of Family Welfare Education or Home Science in Malaysia is better known as Pendidikan Kesejahteraan Keluarga (PKK). This event was moderated by Dewi Eka Murniati, S.E., M.M and opened by the Head of the Department of Food and Fashion Engineering Education Department (PTBB), Mohammad Adam Jerussalem. Ph.D. While the presented materials was delivered by Anis Binti Zakaria, Ph.D. from UPM and Dr. Kokom Komariah, M.Pd. from Engineering Faculty of Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta.
Basically, the concepts of Home Science and Family Welfare Education (PKK) have similar foundations, with the intentions to improve the quality of life and human welfare. The birth of the PKK in Indonesia cannot be separated from the long-written history, which embody the women's emancipation movement that was led by R.A. Kartini and Dewi Sartika. Their struggle eventually brings results in developing schools for women. Meanwhile, the birth of Home Science at first was to prepare young women to be good and responsible housewives. "Girls are taught how to cook, sew, bake and various other things related to household matters," said Anis Zakaria.
There are eight sub-fields discussed in Home Science, which cover culinary and food, fashion, cosmetology, consumerism, family management, childcare, ID, and gerontology. Whereas in PKK, there are 10 aspects of the formulation that are of concern, there are intra and inter-family relationships, child care guidance, food, fashion, housing, health, finance, household management, physical and mental security, and healthy planning.
PKK has undergone changes and developments during its development to establish pedagogical discipline. PKK as a branch of science focuses its study on family life. Alumnus are expected to be able to provide insight about family and conduct research on family transformation and their environment in order to improve welfare. "PKK alumnus are the leaders who have high leverage for the welfare of the community," said Kokom.
This virtual collaborative talk was attended by approximately 200 participants consisting of lecturers and students from UNY, UPM, UNJ and UNESA. The participants found this event to be very helpful and added insight to understand the discipline of Home Science and PKK. Prof. Luthfiyah expressed her appreciation for this activity, she even said that the material presented was very complete and comprehensive. She also added that material is a very important element in developing Home Science in the future and hoped it to be expanded into a larger scope. (Nurul-Public Relations FT UNY, Tj. Sausan Fauha)
