Experts’ research shows that nearly 25% of British people, including children, are overweight(超重的). The government is worried and it is looking for ways to solve the problem. Many 11-14-year-old children already do cookery(京任)at school but from 2011, the government is making this compulsory(必修的). They hope that this will encourage people to cook instead of eating ready meals and fast food.
All middle school students will have cooking lessons for one hour a week for one term. They will learn to use simple, fresh food items, and follow simple instructions to prepare healthy, tasty meals, for example, a good tomato sauce for Italian noodles.
And schools are setting up cookery clubs called “ Let's Get Cooking” throughout the country. The clubs will give more children the chance to learn to cook after school. Head Teachers worry about the equipment they will need for the lessons. About 15% of schools do not have kitchens and there are not enough cookery teachers.
The government has planned to train 800 cookery teachers and to give schools 2.5 million a year to help children from poorer families to pay for the food items.