Are your learners from ethnic minority backgrounds still losing out?

In the last few decades, significant progress has been made in addressing racism – more learners from ethnic minority backgrounds are progressing to higher education, for example. However, disproportionate numbers of young people from these backgrounds are unemployed and underemployed. Isn’t this a contradiction?

Between November 2011 and February 2013, ROTA delivered the Shaping the Future seminar series across London, which considered this contradiction and the overarching questions: Is there an elephant in the room? If we live in a post- racial society, why do certain ethnic groups continue to experience disadvantage?

The seminars found that racism and race discrimination still exist in British society, and are frequently evident in the school system and in higher education.  Racism and race inequality persist in new and emerging forms and in a denial of racism that sees it as ‘no longer an issue’.

Their report summarises the broad ranging discussions that took place along with the solutions posed by participants to some of the key challenges identified. Recommendations are made for several organisations including initial teacher training institutions, Academy chains, and Ofsted.

To read the report, click here