Did you know almost 36% of students in Britain are from minority ethnic backgrounds? However, the national curriculum does not reflect this reality.
There has been an ongoing call to action from students, teachers and from many organisations and activists: Our curriculum needs diversification, but there is no national requirement to do so.
To this day, we are underrepresented and our voices are still being ignored. We, the young people, are not willing to be sidelined or have our voices being ignored any longer.
Enough is enough.
Diversity is inherent to British society and our curriculum should reflect this. Promoting understanding and social cohesion is needed now more than ever. A representative curriculum would promote inclusion and and cohesion, and broaden the educational experience for all students in the UK. We need a curriculum that represents us truthfully.
We are not just stereotypes, we are British citizens. We urge all political parties and policy makers to take action and pledge to take action and pledge to:
- Instruct exam boards to set texts by writers that represent the diversity of Britain’s student cohort at examination level (GCSE’s, BTECs, A-Levels).
- Tell schools and exam boards to update syllabuses to include the negative impact of Britain’s imperial history on colonised people and countries and to celebrate the contributions and and sacrifices of people of colour.
If we truly care about all the British young people, we should represent everyone, including the 36% who are currently underrepresented in our national curriculum.