8. Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: Supporting an Anti-Racist education system

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:59 pm on 7 June 2022.

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Photo of Laura Anne Jones Laura Anne Jones Conservative 4:59, 7 June 2022

I want to thank the Minister for his statement today. We all want to see a fairer, more inclusive and open Wales. We welcome the new categories that have been added to the 'Anti-racist Wales Action Plan'. This new holistic approach is the right one, and we welcome the progress that you've outlined today, Minister. We share your aims in today's statement, and laid out in the document, but I was hoping to see a bit more meat on the bone today in practice, in how they will be delivered.

One of the main aspects I was especially pleased with in the statement and the new action plan was the emphasis on eradicating online bullying and racism, which only keeps growing, as we all know. This obviously affects our young people in and out of school, particularly those with mobile phones. I was just wondering how you envisage looking to try to eradicate—working with the UK Government—racism and bullying online, and when we will see a bit more detail on that sort of aspect, and how you're dealing with it in the education system.

Having a diverse set of teachers, also, across Wales is a crucial part, in my view, of helping to educate children and achieving an anti-racist education system. Black, Asian and ethnic minority role models within our schools are very important, particularly, I would say, in densely populated black, Asian and ethnic minority areas. It's important to ensure that new and all teachers have a comprehensive understanding of race, diversity and equality issues, so I welcome what you're doing in this regard, which you've outlined in your statement. It's so important that teaching staff begin to reflect our local communities. Labour have been in power for 23 years, yet we're seeing black and Asian and ethnic minority teacher numbers falling way short of where they should be. Minister, what plans and strategies do you have in place to ensure that we attract and retain more teachers from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds?

Empowering schools to deal with cases of racism is also fantastic, and a great way of helping to combat racism in our education system, but it also needs to be handled with great care and sensitivity. The last thing that we'd want to see is a single case being used to make a political point, and that having a detrimental and dangerous impact on the community and schools surrounding it. Race is emotive and it needs to be handled with care. So, Minister, will there be significant guidance for school leaders and governors to that effect, please?

Finally, Llywydd, do you agree with me, Minister, that it's important that we begin to see more literature in schools that is reflective of our communities, of black, Asian and ethnic minority communities? Obviously, they form an integral part of where we live. Thank you, diolch.