Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Schools minister rebuffs calls to decolonise English curriculum

Schools minister rebuffs calls to decolonise English curriculum

Nick Gibb says no reason why children from ethnic minorities should not study work of a ‘dead white man’
The Schools minister, Nick Gibb, has pushed back against calls to decolonise the curriculum in England and has warned that what pupils learn in the classroom should not be tailored to any one particular group.

Amid mounting pressure to make the teaching of black history mandatory in schools and to diversify the national curriculum, the minister said there was no reason why children from ethnic minorities should not study the work of dead white men.

In a speech to the Social Market Foundation thinktank on Wednesday, Gibb said a “knowledge-rich” curriculum taught well was “inclusive and diverse” and would ensure that pupils learned about the struggles and achievements of people from all races.

He said: “We will not create a more harmonious, tolerant and equal society through promoting a curriculum based on relevance to or representativeness of any one group. Nor will we do so by being ashamed of who we are and where we came from.

“A curriculum based on relevance to pupils is to deny them an introduction to the ‘best that has been thought and said’. And, of course, there is no reason why the work of a ‘dead white man’ is not appropriate for children from ethnic minorities to learn about.”

The Department for Education has resisted calls to make the teaching of black history mandatory, insisting that the curriculum already allows for teaching black history and includes black and ethnic minority voices and experiences. Black history will be be mandatory in Welsh schools from next year to help pupils become “informed citizens of the world”.

Gibb also expressed concern about reports of what he described as “violent and angry protests” in schools around the country, sparked by recent events in Gaza. Escalation in the Middle East conflict triggered a wave of pro-Palestinian protests by pupils, some of whom later complained they were accused of antisemitism and subjected to disciplinary action.

He said young people should be given all the facts to help them understand the situation in Israel and Palestine and warned: “We must be on our guard to ensure that schools don’t become centres of one-sided propaganda, or a hostile environment for young people of any faith or religion.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×