Aiming high: raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils (2003)

This consultation, non-statutory document issued in March 2003 by the Department of Education and Skills (DfES) led to the announcement of a national strategy in October 2003 to lift the achievement of under-achieving minority ethnic pupils. The government plans include:

■ training for primary teachers to enable them to better support bilingual learners;

■ the establishment of a national specialist qualification for teachers who work with bilingual learners;

■ focused work in 30 secondary schools to raise African Caribbean achievement.

(DfES, 08.01.2004c)

In the conclusions of the consultation document the government states:

Our vision is simple: real equality of opportunity and the highest possible standards for all pupils in all schools. We have argued the case here for seeing the needs of minority ethnic pupils as an integral part of all mainstream policies and programs, rather than simply an addon (DfES, 2003a)

Discussion

Do you feel that the present governments vision as noted above (DfES, 2003a) is in total agreement with the way other bodies such as the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) see the focus for equality of opportunity in education?