Sign up for the View from Westminster email newsletter and receive expert analysis straight to your inbox.
Get our free email entitled “View from Westminster”
Following the outbreak of right-wing extremist unrest across the UK, schools are to teach their children how to recognise extremist content and fake news on the internet as part of a curriculum overhaul.
The Education Minister announced on Saturday that English, ICT (information and communications technology) and mathematics are among the subjects that will be used to “arm” students against “lame conspiracy theories”.
As early as age five, students begin to acquire the critical thinking skills that help them identify misinformation on the Internet, says Bridget Phillipson.
She told The Telegraph: “It is more important than ever that we give young people the knowledge and skills to counter what they see online.
“That’s why, as part of our curriculum review, we will be developing plans to embed critical skills into lessons and arm our children against the disinformation, fake news and disgusting conspiracy theories circulating on social media.
“Our renewed curriculum will always prioritise high and rising standards in core subjects – that is non-negotiable. But in parallel, we will create a broad, knowledge-rich curriculum that expands access to cultural subjects and gives students the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in work and life.”
The new plans come after a 13-year-old boy was due to appear at Manchester Crown Court on Saturday charged with violent disorder in connection with the riots that broke out following the murder of three young girls in Southport.
Numerous false claims about the fatal knife attack, especially misinformation about the suspect, subsequently spread widely online, sparking unrest that in turn sparked renewed debate about tougher action against social media companies.
Government sources said the unrest had highlighted that young people were at risk of being “drawn into dangerous online spaces” and that urgent action needed to be taken.
Ms Phillipson criticised primary and secondary school curricula for not “sufficiently preparing our children for work and life”. She promised to “embed” critical thinking skills in many subjects to teach children to recognise and reject extremist content.
In English classes, newspaper reports could be critically examined and compared with fake news in terms of style and language. In computer classes, students could learn how to identify fake news websites by their design. And math students could learn to analyze statistics in context.
Prof Becky Francis is leading the inquiry and is expected to report back next year, meaning recommendations could be made as early as September next year.
