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School children must be taught about immigration: UK watchdog

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Press Trust of India London
The UK's anti-discrimination watchdog has called on compulsory school education on the country's history of immigration and its positive impacts on the society to tackle racial injustice.

The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) feels that educating children on the topic of immigrationwould "tackle prejudiced attitudes" and build community links by helping children understand people's different backgrounds.

"Immigration has played a large part in the history of our country, from ancient times right up to the debates during the Brexit referendum. As classrooms become more diverse, it is important that children fully understand the role immigration has had in shaping our communities," said David Isaac, chair of the EHRC.
 

"Teaching immigration will instill shared values, help tackle prejudiced attitudes, and foster community cohesion, allowing our young people to fully participate in a democratic society," he said.

The advice forms part of the Commission's response to the recently released Race Disparity Audit, which highlighted inequalities between different ethnic groups in the UK.

British Prime Minister Theresa May had admitted the statistics were uncomfortable reading and that Britain had a "way to go" to create an equal society.

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First Published: Oct 15 2017 | 1:48 PM IST

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