At a hugely successful Omowale Malcolm X Observance on February 24th, keynote speaker, Sis. Cheryl Phoenix (re) emphasised how harmful the UK education system is for Afrikan children. She asserted in stark terms:
“There’s nothing wrong with the system by way of failure. The system is not failing at all, it’s working absolutely perfectly, it’s working how it has been designed to – that is to get as many of our children into the prison system, the private prison system as possible and to make sure our girls on street corners…” (1)
There a rich vein of research to bear this view out, such as:
- It will take 50 years to close the attainment gap between England’s most disadvantaged pupils and their wealthier peers. (2)
- With regard to attaining A* to C in English and Maths GCSE, only “white Irish Traveller and Gypsy/Roma” scored less than “Black Caribbean” (3)
- For A* to C in English and Maths GCSE The combined “Black” average is the lowest group (i.e. Asian, white, Chinese, mixed) total. (4)
- A black Caribbean free school meals boy with special educational needs and disability (SEND) is 168 times more likely to be permanently excluded than a white British girl without SEND. (5)
- Pupils officially excluded from school at age 12 are four times more likely to be in prison by age 24. (6)
- It would require an influx of 68,000 so-called BME teachers to make schools reflect the population. (7)
- Teachers already in the system report “inherent racism” in schools, resulting in them leaving the profession because of it. (8)
As a measure of how entrenched and global this state of affairs is, Omowale Malcolm X, via the Organization of Afro-American Unity the offered this analysis of the education system in the USA in 1965:
“After enslaving us, the slave masters developed a racist educational system which justified to its posterity the evil deeds that had been committed against the African people and their descendants. Too often the slave himself participates so completely in this system that he justifies having been enslaved and oppressed.” (9)
As a corrective he advocated:
“The Organization of Afro-American Unity will devise original educational methods and procedures which will liberate the minds of our children from the vicious lies and distortions that are fed to us from the cradle to keep us mentally enslaved. We encourage Afro-Americans themselves to establish experimental institutes and educational workshops, liberation schools, and child-care centers in the Afro-American communities.
We will influence the choice of textbooks and equipment used by our children in the public schools while at the same time encouraging qualified Afro-Americans to write and publish the text books needed to liberate our minds. Until we completely control our own educational institutions, we must supplement the formal training of our children by educating them at home.” (10)
Implicit in this programme is the notion that irrespective of whether our children ‘succeed’ in the system or not, this process is imperative.
The Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement have in many respects responded to call by establishing two education institutions: The Alkebu-Lan Academy of Excellence and the Ma’at Academy of Excellence. The former is an Imani-Day (Saturday) school while the latter is a homeschool collective. Both are founded on the Afrikan-centred approach to education. Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka summarises what this entails in his book, Education: An Afrikan-Centred Approach to Excellence, first published in 2004 and based on his presentation at the Diane Abbott organised, London Schools and the Black Conference, two years earlier:
“Africentricity (Afrikan-centredness) recognises that Afrika is the source of Black racial and cultural identity. It places Afrikan philosophy, culture and world view at the centre of the lives of people of Afrikan Heritage, as a source of self-definition, self-empowerment, self-determination.
An Afrikan-centred (Africentric) approach to educating Afrikan Heritage children would therefore:
- Place them at the centre – not the margins – of their universe.
- Positively reflect and celebrate their origin, history and identity.
- Reflect the vital and pivotal role that their ancestors have played in the advancement of human civilisation.
- Provide an Afrikan-centred context for every subject of study.
- Celebrate great Afrikan Heritage achievers and history makers.
- Cultivate the natural genius in each pupil and channel him/her toward attaining excellence.
- Reflect and celebrate their racial and cultural pride in context with learning and achievement of excellence.
- Instil in them a sense of duty and loyalty, to using their accomplishments for the benefit of their community; as well as society as a whole.
- Instil in them their traditional moral and spiritual values.
- Treat them with love, respect and human dignity.
- Empower their parents to participate fully in their education as their primary carers and educators, treating them also with respect and dignity.
- Empower Afrikan Heritage teachers to express their racial and cultural pride and consciousness in their professional practice.
- Extensively involve Afrikan Heritage role models and the community as a whole.
In context, what Afrikan Heritage children need is:
At best – Afrikan Heritage schools with an Afrikan–centred curriculum, or,
At least – an Afrikan–centred curriculum, infused into the mainstream of the British Education System.” (11)
The headline issues listed earlier are a strong indication that “an Afrikan–centred curriculum, infused into the mainstream of the British Education System,” is highly unlikely yet there still seems little documented appetite for the former. (12)
But arguably, the journey is a process rather than an event and process of building a range of institutions, around a nation building agenda might be the vehicle to facilitate this. Such a vehicle was that proferred by the interim National Afrikan Peoples Parliament (iNAPP) in it’s 2015 manifesto:
- “Empower parents and the community through establishing Afrikan Parents-Teachers Community Associations.
- Devise and promote a comprehensive Afrikan-centred education curriculum (from primary to tertiary) and train teachers in Afrikan-centred models of education.
- Establish Rites of Passage Programmes to prepare our children and young people for manhood and womanhood and the adult responsibilities of family, community and nation.” (13)
(1) Cheyl Phoenix (24/02/19) Black Children: What’s Our Agenda. Message at Omowale Malcolm X Observance 2019.
(2) Ashley Cowburn (02/08/17) Schools need 50 years to close attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their richer peers, finds study. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/england-disadvantaged-pupils-richer-poorer-education-attainment-gap-equality-schools-study-a7873651.html
(3) Department for Education (10/10/17) A* to C in English and Maths GCSE attainment for children aged 14 to 16 (key stage 4). https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/education-skills-and-training/11-to-16-years-old/percentage-achieving-a-c-in-english-and-maths/latest.
(4) Ibid.
(5) Whitney Crenna-Jennings (21/12/17) ‘A black Caribbean FSM boy with SEND is 168 times more likely to be permanently excluded than a white British girl without SEND. Why?‘ https://www.tes.com/news/black-caribbean-fsm-boy-send-168-times-more-likely-be-permanently-excluded-white-british-girl
(6) Ibid.
(7) David Rhodes (13/07/17) Schools need 68,000 extra BME teachers to reflect population. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-40568987
(8) Rachael Pells (06/07/17) Black and minority teachers face ‘inherent racism’ in UK schools, report warns. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/bme-teachers-racism-uk-schools-black-minority-ethnic-education-nasuwt-runneymede-trust-a7827131.html.; Hannah Al-Othman (14/04/17) Black Teachers Are Leaving The Profession Due To Racism. https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahalothman/black-teachers-say-they-are-quitting-their-jobs-because-of?utm_term=.vdqEZX7Bn#.emkqMLPpB
(9) The Organization of Afro-American Unity (1965) Program of the OAAU. https://www.malcolm-x.org/docs/gen_oaau.htm
(10) Ibid.
(11) Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka (2004) Education: An Afrikan-Centred Approach to Excellence. Soul Force Promotions. p. 20.
(12) Kehinde N. Andrews (2010) Back to Black: Black Radicalism and the Supplementary School Movement. PhD Thesis. p. 137.
(13) ) iNAPP Interim National Organising Committee (28/11/15) MANIFESTO: Working Draft For Community Consultation. interim National Afrikan Peoples Parliament.
(15) Nick Duffy (11/01/17) Tories vote to block compulsory LGBT-inclusive sex education, but promise reform. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/01/11/tories-vote-to-block-compulsory-lgbt-inclusive-sex-education-but-promise-reform/
we ask the question:
Can we build our own education system the UK?
- Is it really delivering the outcomes it is supposed to?
- Why do other non-white groups achieve better grades that the “black” group?
- Is it possible to infuse Afrikan-centered values into the UK school system?
- Do we really have an appetite for Afrikan-centered education?
- What would we need to have in place to build our own education system the UK?
Our very special guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and UNIA-ACL Ambassador for the UK, national co-Chair of the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament and a leading Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 30 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Guide To Excellence.
Sis. Amitiye Lumumba: is a veteran activist, community historian and teacher. She has been involved in setting up and teaching in a range Supplementary Schools in the community and currently teaches in the Alkebu-Lan Academy of Excellence.