IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4March 2003
Commenting on the Education Departmentsconsultation document, Aiming high: raising the achievement of ethnicminority pupils, Doug McAvoy, General Secretary of the National Union ofTeachers, said:
The Governments consultation document islong overdue. No teacher wants to see pupils under-achieving.
The NUT has long pressed for thecollection of data across England and Wales on both the employment of teachersand on the achievement of pupils from minority ethnic groups. At the last theGovernment has responded.
Without that information the Governmentdoes not know where to target additional support and resources nor does it knowthe nature or the extent of any additional needs..
The Union remains deeply concerned aboutthe future of the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant which is being cut in realterms over the next three years. All the Unions evidence shows it provideseffective support for young peoples learning and it needs to be increased.
Teachers want to participate in the debateon how to improve the achievement of minority ethnic pupils. The bestconditions for that are in an atmosphere of openness and trust.
E N D Pr.19/03