Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01813 · Session 5

Reform the national curriculum to include all African Scottish history

Closed Submitted 9 Jun 2020 Education
Signatures
20
3,366 online signatures with a country
Comments
137
Considered
2 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to reform the national curriculum to include Afro-Scottish history including artefacts of African diaspora, cultural and economic contributions, the role of the British Empire and the benefits to Scotland from colonies of the Caribbean and Africa.

What the petitioner did first

I have contacted my MSP, MP's and local councillors.

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 24 Sep 2020
    Public Petitions Committee
    New Petitions
    1 mention
  2. 9 Dec 2020
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    2 mentions

Signatures by country

3,366 online signatures
  1. Scotland2,383 70.8%
  2. United Kingdom663 19.7%
  3. England183 5.4%
  4. United States45 1.3%
  5. Canada11 0.3%
  6. Wales11 0.3%
  7. Ireland8 0.2%
  8. Northern Ireland6 0.2%
  9. France6 0.2%
  10. Australia6 0.2%
  11. 28 other countries44 1.3%

Comments

137 comments, oldest first
137 comments · showing 1–50
  1. Sean Dowd 25 Jun 2020
    African Scottish history should be taught in schools
  2. George Tah 26 Jun 2020
    Very very important
  3. Christopher Baird 26 Jun 2020
    I believe schools should teach Afro-Scottish history.
  4. Leo Flores 26 Jun 2020
    Yes, I agree.
  5. Elizabeth Oritsejolomi Dudley 26 Jun 2020
    So important
  6. Stephen Cowley 26 Jun 2020
    There is a danger of political indoctrination in using ethno-historical narratives in teaching materials. There should be a stress on critical analysis to reduce this, including critical methods of analysing narratives and original documents..
  7. Chinwe Nnaji 26 Jun 2020
    I'll like national curriculum to be changed to involve Afro-Scottish history
  8. Ann Wanja 26 Jun 2020
    The focus should not only be focused on slave trade but inclusive of the wider political,economic and social cultural dynamics particularly where there are links with Scotland
  9. Michaela Damasus ritucci 26 Jun 2020
    Just happy someone is listening to BAME teachers we just want to contribute.
  10. Nora Wood 27 Jun 2020
    Brilliant exactly the direction we should be going in
  11. Elizabeth Jennings 27 Jun 2020
    Education should be inclusive and Scotland should be actively proud of its heritage.
  12. Helen Hamilton 27 Jun 2020
    Well done
  13. robert love 27 Jun 2020
    Overhaul the whole education system due to the overwhelming disparity between schools in affluant areas and poor areas 10 years plus of failed education policy.
  14. Regina Hopes 27 Jun 2020
    Much needed programme in the Scottish Curriculum.
  15. Eoin William Montgomery 27 Jun 2020
    The history of black people in Scotland is as much a part of our history as the history of white people in Scotland is.
  16. Christine Coutts 27 Jun 2020
    Its important to fully understand our history, good and bad, to fully understand our present and to work for a better future.
  17. Calum Crosbie 27 Jun 2020
    This would increase awareness of the value of African cultural heritage and its subjugation by the west thereby challenging racism within our society.
  18. Sean Grieve 27 Jun 2020
    The Scots have many long and very positive connections with Africans, as confirmed by Mr Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki when he addressed the Scottish Parliament. I do not think the current reactions to an American police officer should be allowed to undermine or overwrite that.

    Catholics, Jews, Trans, Fat, Women, Men and Old people have all been discriminated against and verbally and physically abused in many settings, simply because of what they are. Any new curriculum that focused solely on Afro-Scottish history, to address Ms Eunice Olumide's beliefs, would appear politically inspired and selective, leading to even more ill feeling. How could we explain to the 60,000 domestic abuse victims who seek help annually that their ongoing suffering is of less educational value than Afro-Scottish history?

    I think Afro-Scottish history could be part of a much larger subject that examines how we should treat other human beings at home and around the world, and how our children could make more ethical choices. Looking at the benefits we all currently enjoy from Chinese slave labour and political prisoners, while we completely ignore the human and ecological cost, it would seem incongruous, backward looking and racist to focus only on any past benefits from Africa.
  19. Cameron Gazzola Black 27 Jun 2020
    Our Scotland has many faces and many shapes and colours. They must all be reflected.
  20. Angela Reilly 27 Jun 2020
    I wholeheartedly agree with this proposition and would like it noted that it is WELL overdue.
  21. George Shanks 27 Jun 2020
    Why just Afro-Scottish history? What about eg Asian Scottish history? Make it all encompassing and make the curriculum include BAME-Scottish history.
  22. Angela Heaney 28 Jun 2020
    Yes I believe that the national curriculum should include afro-scottish history
  23. Michael Reid 28 Jun 2020
    Education will stamp out ignorance
  24. Jayne Finch 28 Jun 2020
    Yes
    - absolutely. History should be inclusive of everyone and not just from one ethnic point of view.
  25. Soraya Bishop 28 Jun 2020
    Finally!
  26. Ireoluwa Arowolo 28 Jun 2020
    I feel that the full truth behind black history Should be taught more as well as other minorities
  27. Garry haldane 28 Jun 2020
    This is a very important move to help area dictate tacism
  28. Naseem Akhtar 28 Jun 2020
    Agree
  29. Pat Doran 28 Jun 2020
    Scottish history and modern studies should include recognition of how the white population currently benefit from the dreadful treatment of black and minority populations. And how our streets, buildings and parks are named after the slave owners and oppressors. But also how what was regarded as perfectly acceptable and reasonable behaviour then is now rightly illegal and immoral. And whilst we can't hold our predecessors to the standards of today, we can and should change our futures.
  30. Fiona Jamieson 28 Jun 2020
    Information on all aspects of our history should be available to all school age children to provide a rounded view of how our nation was shaped.
  31. Tania Pramschufer 28 Jun 2020
    So important to start somewhere and this new addition to the curriculum will help educate and enrich.
  32. Cameron Boyle 28 Jun 2020
    I deeply support all efforts to clarify the role the United Kingdom carried out in the Atlantic Slave Trade as well as other global atrocities in order to rectify the false image often portrayed in glorifying it's quest for global wealth at the fatal expense of others.
  33. Sean Lamb 28 Jun 2020
    Include british colonialism
  34. Samba Sene 29 Jun 2020
    Looking forward to seeing more Africans in the Scottish Parlement and Goverment.
  35. Emily Mnyayi 29 Jun 2020
    This is a huge gap in our history and should be taught
  36. Esther Wright 29 Jun 2020
    As a teacher I feel that it is extremely important that our schemes of work reflect the diversity of our communities.
  37. Thomas Eric 29 Jun 2020
    We need change in our education system.
  38. Christina Bell 29 Jun 2020
    We can no longer white wash our curriculum. It is time for schools to teach out true past and how is systemic racism is engrained in our society, in order for next generations to be educated, informed and actively anti racist in life. Change is now.
  39. margaret mukundwa 29 Jun 2020
    Its very important for children to learn proper history of what happened to black people and where the wealth of this country came from
  40. Funmi Akanmu 29 Jun 2020
    This is a very important topic for focused consideration. In order to see an end to racial discrimination and systemic shortcomings in the area of diversity and inclusion of African people and our place in history we need to start by giving accurate information of such through education and curriculum.
  41. Lauren wyper 29 Jun 2020
    Well Done Eunice
  42. Ranaa Ahmed 29 Jun 2020
    It is important to teach about slavery and colonialism and the part Britain had to play. I also feel that pupils should be taught about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict stretching back to 1896 so that they have an understanding of what is happening in the Middle East. This is an important world issue and it is a failure of the Education system that most young people do not have a clue what it's all about.
  43. Ranaa Ahmed 29 Jun 2020
    It is important to teach about slavery and colonialism and the part Britain had to play. I also feel that pupils should be taught about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict stretching back to 1896 so that they have an understanding of what is happening in the Middle East. This is an important world issue and it is a failure of the Education system that most young people do not have a clue what it's all about.
  44. Ruth Goto 30 Jun 2020
    African Scottish history is very important for us all to understand where we came from.
  45. Carole Alubaid 30 Jun 2020
    Please teach our young people the awful truth of our deep involvement in slavery. Please care about those who died in horrific circumstances and expose our shameful past.
  46. Ada Fraser 30 Jun 2020
    As s person from both a Scottish and Kenyan heritage- this is important in educating children on all aspects of African history so that Scottish children of all backgrounds can gain a better understanding of their history and help tackle racism in primary and secondary schools.
  47. Colin Campbell 30 Jun 2020
    Children should be taught how Scotland profited and was shaped by the slave trade and just how brutal and inhumane the slave trade was.
  48. Nic warrilow 1 Jul 2020
    Seems odd to be signing a petition asking for the truth to be told. Best of luck with it tho...
  49. Franciscah Rufaro Hoffman 2 Jul 2020
    Knowledge of all the people in Scotland can only serve as a way of developing tolerance and acceptance
  50. Rebecca Marsland 2 Jul 2020
    Let's examine the "special relationship" with Malawi in this as well.