INTERNATIONAL development Secretary Clare Short will ask for global issues to become part of the national curriculum when she addresses the Secondary Heads Association conference tomorrow.
She wants schools to be key players in raising awareness of world poverty.
As she unveils a draft strategy to build support for development she will pledge support for teachers, by providing resources, spreading good practice, and working with the Teacher Training Agency to offer training in development education.
She wants to see every school linked to another in the developing world. Her department has already lobbied the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority about strengthening development education in schools, as part of its review of the national curriculum.
Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett will announce the results of the review in mid May. Citizenship is certain to be introduced as a new secondary subject, and the QCA has recommended that global citizenship be included in the geography curriculum.
The Government’s development White Paper set a target in 1997 of halving the number of people living in extreme poverty by 2015.
