The Black Equity Organisation (BEO) will receive £100,000 from Mission 44 to delve into the barriers to education for Black pupils in the UK and make recommendations on what can be done to dismantle them, to enable children to reach their full potential.
Research by the YMCA shows that nearly half of Black young people in the UK think that teacher perceptions (50%) and racism at school (49%) are the biggest barriers to them achieving at school. In 2021/22, only 34.4% of Black Caribbean pupils in state-funded schools in England achieved grades 5 or above in GCSE English and Maths, compared to 49.6% of the overall student population.
BEO’s ‘Black Education in Britain’ programme will establish clarity about these systemic barriers and what can be done to support Black pupils and their families through the education system. Its focus will be to lay the foundations for change across the education sector, working in partnership with key actors.
“BEO is an exciting organisation that will play an important role in tackling systemic racism in the UK. We’re looking forward to working with them to build a more inclusive education system in which Black pupils can thrive and achieve.”
Founded by some of the UK’s most influential Black leaders from the worlds of business, law, arts and social justice, BEO was formed in response to the murder of George Floyd and the protests in the UK that followed. BEO aims to advance justice and equity for Black people across the country through this new national, strategic race equality organisation in the UK – one that would have the same level of depth and scale as the NAACP in the US.
BEO’s interim CEO and Director of Programmes & Partnerships, Timi Okuwa, said: “This partnership between BEO and Mission 44 is a fantastic opportunity. We are both committed to changing the world for the next generation and this research programme focussing on Black Education in Britain, will help us both gather the evidence and provide potential solutions to make that a reality. We very much look forward to growing our relationship with Mission 44 in the coming years.”
ABOUT MISSION 44
Mission 44 was founded by Sir Lewis Hamilton in 2021 to transform the lives of young people from underserved communities. Through grant-making, advocacy and research, the charity aims to support young people facing disadvantage or discrimination to lead happy, health, fulfiling lives. Mission 44 focuses on creating a more inclusive education system, supporting progression into careers in STEM and the creative industries, and empowering young people to lead positive change in their communities and beyond.
ABOUT BEO
BEO is the UK’s first national civil rights organisation for Black people, launched in May 2022. Its overarching aim is to dismantle systemic racism and achieve lasting improvement for the lives of Black communities in the UK, so that Black people no longer face discrimination and can self determine their lives equitably and with the same level of access to opportunities as White communities.
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