FREE seminar hosted by SOAS Centre for Gender Studies as part of CEMVO's 10 th Anniversary Seminar Series :

Professor Gus John “"Promoting Children-Centred Schooling and Education"?”

Wednesday 17th March, 4.00pm-6pm: Lecture Theatre 103, Ground Floor, Engineering Building, UCL, Malet Place, London WC1E 7JE (Opposite Waterstones on Torrington Place; nearest tube: Goodge Street/ Euston Square/ Warren Street

The Department for Children, Schools and Families is rolling out its ‘Back on Track' programme, aiming to ‘modernise alternative provision' for 135,000 under 16's who have voted with their feet or been permanently excluded from mainstream schools. Future provision will be subcontracted to private firms and charities. At the same time, the Conservatives are proposing a hard line approach to education, restoring respect and fear in the classroom through a number of measures including a ‘Troops to Teachers' programme, which will see soldiers train as teachers. Are these developments really in the best interests of children? Do we risk compromising the Rights of the Child? In order to save our schools and promote active citizenship in ‘Broken Britain', Professor John lays out his proposal for a Learners Charter, outlining the rights and responsibilities of each child and teacher- including all parents.

Professor Gus John has been involved in education, schooling and political activism since the 1960s. After working in senior positions at Manchester local authority and the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA), he became the UK's first black Director of Education, working in London's Borough of Hackney. Professor John is a Visiting Faculty Professor of Education at the University of Strathclyde and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Education. He is a member of the Street Weapons Commission and is currently conducting research on the link between young offender's schooling career and offending career. He is Patron of ORIGIN, a London based rites of passage programme for teenage boys of African heritage, and Chair of Parents and Students Empowerment (PaSE). He is the author of several works including Taking A Stand (2006) which explores education, race, social action and civil unrest from 1980-2005

For more information or to make a booking, contact events@cemvo.org.uk

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Pragna Patel, Director of Southall Black Sisters

Cohesion, Faith and Gender: Is the cohesion and faith based agenda compatible with gender equality for minority women?"

with guest speaker from Women Against Fundamentalism


A new government agenda lauds faith based leadership, but what does this mean for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) women? Looking back over years of experience and research, Pragna Patel evaluates the new government policy on cohesion and faith, asking ask whether gender equality for minority women is being undermined; whether religion discriminates against women; and whether gender based violence and abuse are escaping recrimination under the current approach. Ultimately, she asks, should faith based identities be institutionalised and allowed to form the basis of government programmes and service delivery?

Thursday 13th May 5.00-6.30pm
Room G52, School of Oriental and African Studies
Main Building, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG.

For more information or to make a booking, contact events@cemvo.org.uk

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