- Conference
- 2011 National Black Members' Conference
- Date
- 7 September 2010
- Decision
- Carried
It is already well documented that teachers have lower expectations of Black students than their white counterparts and this can affect their life chances. In 2009 the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) discovered a widening gap between Black and Minority students who achieve firsts and 2:1’s compared to the proportion of white students that do. The difference in attainment and access to University are a result of stereotyping.
Another study at Roehampton University shows that Black and Minority students are more likely to come from lower socio-economic groups than white students. As such Black students find it financially difficult to gain access to university courses, while at the same time universities are becoming more and more dependent upon international students due to the extortionate fees attributed to learning in the UK.
We also know that as a tighter financial structure is applied to University funding from the Government this will inevitably have further impact upon UK Black students being given an opportunity to receive a university education.
This in turn will increase the inequalities that currently exist within education and as a result access to employment.
Conference asks the National Black Members Committee to:
1.Monitor and assess the consequences of Government actions around cuts in education, greater financial burden on Black students and their families.
2.Collate evidence of where UK Black students are being adversely treated in getting university entry.
3.Using information received from individual branches and regions of instances of where clear discrimination against UK Black students exists and that a report be commissioned through the Membership Participation Unit.
Conference asks that this report be made ready and available for National Black Members Conference 2012.