Wales has recently announced that all school children in the country will have to take mandatory courses about racism and the contributions of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) communities to Welsh society.
According to the government, the curriculum change aims to help young people grow into “ethical and informed citizens”. The content of the new courses is being determined by a working group led by Prof Charlotte Williams. Their preliminary report issues several recommendations for the education system including mandatory anti-racism and diversity training for all teachers and history courses focused specifically on BAME histories.
They also recommend the creation of scholarships to support more increased diversity in teacher training programs as well as an increase in mentoring and social support for teachers from BAME backgrounds. The Welsh government has committed to allocating £500,000 to implement these recommendations.
Williams told the BBC, “Education alone cannot address the social, cultural, and structural factors that sustain racial inequality. However, education can take us a long way forward in producing the ethical and informed citizens of the future.”
