It is extremely important to examine the effects of education and the impact of what is taught in schools, to understand the role that racism plays in the early stages of life, particularly in the UK.
Firstly, the education system has a big role to play in the upbringing of these children and the knowledge that they have regarding British history. One example is how WW1 and WW2 are taught and which soldiers are left out of the general teachings due to the more westernised and white approach to history in general. Previously Nigeria was part of the British colonies and they only gained independence from the UK on 1st October 1960 (Independence Day (Nigeria) 2021), meaning that they fought for the British Empire in both world wars, however, the specification and the society in general fails to recognise the importance of their participation; this leads to wider problems and a rise in ignorant attitudes regarding what British history entails.
A smaller example of institutional racism that can be noted in everyday school-life is the lack of inclusivity in the syllabuses, particularly English GCSE. It is evident that white authors and poets are generally elevated in the system, as two out of fifteen of the poets included in the GCSE poetry anthology ‘Power and Conflict’, were people of colour. On a deeper level, the failure of the exam boards and the governments national curriculum to make sure that the specification is inclusive, leads to a general ignorance regarding the reality of British history.
Therefore, as a generation, we must push forward and fight for change in every aspect of our lives-including what is taught in schools.
