Addressing the dearth of black teachers in urban schools

Church leaders have highlighted the need for Black male teachers in urban schools, who can also act as role models for young pupils from African Caribbean communities, with the suggestion of cash incentive to close this skills gap.

BCLF (The Black Christian Leaders Forum) made the appeal for black men to consider joining the profession after a meeting on Monday with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), where they discussed the need for more
Black teachers.

While 50% of pupils are black in many inner city boroughs, only 16-18 per cent of their teachers are of similar heritage.

BCLF member Dr Joe Aldred, Secretary for Minority Christian Affairs for Churches Together in England, said the country needs more good Black teachers to act as mentors. “It’s crucial for people who have similar backgrounds to these boys to mentor and teach them at the critical points in their lives, particularly when they are young and impressionable at school.”

The BCLF is also encouraging Black Majority Churches to continue building good relationships between their members and local schools.

As far back as 2004, the former Commission Racial Equality chair Trevor Phillips called on the government to consider paying black teachers more to attract them into the profession. The idea of a golden handshake to attract black teachers has also been welcomed from community leaders, who point out it has proved to be a well-trusted method of meeting a shortage of skills - as in maths and science - and there an increasing number of educationalists and politicians who recognise that black teachers are no less important.

The Rev Katei Kirby, CEO of the African Caribbean Evangelical Alliance and a BCLF member, said: “Many churches are already active in this way, but we want them to continue to use their Sunday schools, youth clubs and other educational initiatives to get positive messages to our Black boys and young people on the whole.”

African Caribbean communities, like all other citizens, already pay for state education through their taxes. Many are of the view that they should not have to pay twice through the maintenance and upkeep of Saturday schools to compensate for the consistent failings of mainstream schools, when it come to the education of black children.

The meeting was the first in a series of departmental discussions following talks between the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, David Lammy Minister for Skills in the new Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the BCLF in October, when the Prime Minister pledged support for the group and urged them to continue helping build stronger communities.

Other educational issues were discussed on Monday, included how the Black community can get involved in sponsoring academies and what support is in place for parents and families to address school or social exclusion.

Set up in 2006, The Black Christian Leaders Forum (BCLF) exists to bring together the diversity of hearts and minds of Black Christian leaders who share a common vision for social transformation.

The Black Teachers In London Report published in 2006 provides an update on the numbers and distribution of black teachers in London, with comparative data on the distribution of pupils and the general population.