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FORUM GUESTS: From left - George Ruddock, editor of The Voice and chair of the meeting; Dr June Alexis, author and education consultant; Sonia Brown, director of National Black Women's Network; Dr Keith Davidson, author and former head teacher and Dr Dwain Neil, MD of Leriko

EDUCATION EXPERTS have called for concerted community action against a culture that is failing black children in UK schools.

The meeting at London’s City Hall was organised by The Voice as part of its Editor Forums and hosted by Ray Lewis, executive director of Eastside Young Leaders Academy and senior advisor to the Mayor of London.

It focussed on finding solutions to the crisis, which has put black pupils, particularly those from a Caribbean background, at the very bottom of the education league tables. GCSE figures for 2011/12, published in January, revealed that only 54.6 per cent of black children achieved five or more A-Cs including maths and English. The national average is 58.8 per cent.

Lewis said: “Although Mayor Boris Johnson has no direct authority in the business of education, what is clear is he is acutely interested in the whole subject of it.”

SUGGESTIONS: Ray Lewis

He highlighted the importance of ‘beginning a long conversation' and added: “The education system and establishment is notoriously lacking ideas. You look underneath the surface of anything you hear, and you will discover that it is probably something you have heard before.”
Discussions then centred on some of the questions and issues raised in The Voice in recent weeks as part of the Big Question series such as the impact of the family environment and negative perceptions of black students held by those in authority.

Author and education consultant, Dr June Alexis, said teachers had the power to “make or break.”

She claimed children often misbehaved or failed to perform in the classroom because of teachers’ lack of confidence in their abilities.

As the issue of exclusions was raised she added: “I’m sorry to have to say this, but to keep a race down you attack their male.”

ISSUE OF EXCLUSION: Dr June Alexis

Founder and director of the National Black Women’s Network, Sonia Brown, pointed out that many teachers are facing insurmountable challenges.

“Teachers today are like prison wardens, social workers - they are petrified of their pupils,” she said.

The forum also touched upon the sensitive issue of why African students were outperforming their Caribbean counterparts. Figures show that 58 per cent of Black African students achieved five ‘good’ GCSEs including maths and English. For Black Caribbeans that figure is 49.8 per cent.

Dr Alexis suggested that the identity of children of African descent was clearly defined in their culture and language.

“With Caribbean children - our language is a variant and our culture is a variant on the indigenous culture in England, and when that culture rejects you as a person, you don't have anything to fall back on,” she said.

Dr Dwain Neil, managing director of consultancy firm Leriko Associates, agreed that the issue was not so much a lack of self-esteem among black children, but a matter of low or absent “cultural and ethnic esteem.”

He linked this to the black community’s failure to promote its role models and celebrate its accomplishments.

CHALLENGE: Dr Dwain Neil

Brown added: “When we walk down the high street we don’t see ourselves represented in building the economy - apart from hot pepper sauce.”

Dr Neil challenged the group to stop allowing “other people to tell our story.” He felt that in order to convince black children they can succeed, they have to be shown that has been done by people like themselves.

As the forum’s attention turned to solutions it highlighted the role of parents as the ‘first teachers’.

Education consultant and author, Dr Keith Davidson, believed the starting point was to “reposition parents at the frontline of the education process.”

Dr Neil agreed that in order for a child to succeed they must have consistent support from at least one “good, caring adult.”

The experts debated the ability of parents, who have themselves been let down by the education system, to teach their own children.

But Dr Davidson argued that even parents who were not ‘fully equipped” could still be part of the solution – if they were given the right support from community groups such as the church.
He quoted a survey which showed that pastoral and congregational involvement had a positive impact on children’s academic performance.

And on Saturday, Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) teamed up with the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard for the second annual Breaking Educational Barriers conference to help boost the prospects of black pupils winning places at Oxbridge.

PARENTS NOT "FULLY EQUIPPED": Dr Keith Davidson

But Lewis was sceptical about the effectiveness of religious organisations. The church’s power and influence, he said, was thwarted by its obsession with self-maintenance.

He added: “The only vehicle that will save this country is the church, and yet it is the least qualified as it stands.”

Dr Davidson pointed out that there were many groups who were passionate about education reform and stressed the importance of getting them to collaborate for the common good.

Dr Neil said strong, strategic leadership was required to identify ‘the fault lines in the education system’, and organise a community effort that could translate into real change.

He suggested a five-point plan which included more parental involvement, encouraging African and Caribbean children to read and providing extracurricular activities.

Brown highlighted the importance of a communication strategy to ensure the information is filtered down to the masses.

The forum agreed on a reform process, which centred on leadership, family and community groups support, and the establishment of institutions that could offer black children a firm education foundation.

Its vision was a taskforce that would create a model of excellence and influence education policy through its campaign efforts.

The Voice was challenged to keep the spotlight on education, and to organise events to encourage more debate resulting in effective action. George Ruddock, editor of The Voice and chair of the meeting, acknowledged the forum’s findings and committed to continuing the debate.