Biased Educational Program Based on Ethnicity
In the realm of education, a longstanding debate revolves around the ethnocentric curriculum and its potential impact on students from minority ethnic groups. This issue has been particularly relevant in the case of South Asian students, particularly those of Indian descent, who have shown remarkable resilience against the potential negative effects.
The ethnocentric curriculum, a sociological concept, refers to a system of education that reflects the culture of one dominant ethnic group. In the United Kingdom, this has traditionally been a White Eurocentric curriculum, discounting the contributions of various ethnic minorities.
Bernard Coard, in his 1971 work, contends that this ethnocentric curriculum and its concomitant readings are responsible for engendering a poor self-image among Black children, lowering their performance. However, the high academic performance of South Asian students challenges this assumption.
South Asian students, particularly Indian students, have significantly exceeded the academic performance of both Black and White students in the United Kingdom, as documented by Gibson & Bhachu in 1988. This challenges the notion that history lessons on British colonization could be responsible for low student performance.
The performance of Indian children, whose ancestors dwelt in the British Raj, does not suggest a poor self-esteem or poor classroom performance, contrary to Coard's theory. Instead, it highlights the complexity of the ethnocentric curriculum's impact on student performance and self-esteem, challenging simplistic assumptions about its effects.
Stephan Ball (1993) argues that the curriculum seeks to reposition the UK in a mythical golden age of empire and harms multiculturalism and pluralism. However, the high academic performance of South Asian students suggests that the ethnocentric curriculum may not always harm multiculturalism and pluralism.
Kalwant Bhopal and Martin Myers (2009) conducted research indicating that Gypsy, Roma, and Traveler (GRT) students do not view the curriculum as reflecting their interests, and GRT parents hold that their history is inadequately represented. This echoes the concerns raised by some sociologists about Black African and Caribbean students, Muslim students from an Asian background, Chinese students, and GRT children as victims of the ethnocentric curriculum.
Grievances have been raised about school uniform codes contradicting the cultural norms of certain minorities and the timing of vacations coinciding with Christian celebrations rather than those of other religious traditions. These issues further underscore the need for a more inclusive and diverse curriculum that reflects the rich tapestry of cultures within the UK.
The Swann Committee of Enquiry (1985) argued that racism exerts a pervasive influence on institutional policies and practices. As such, it is crucial to continually review and adjust the curriculum to ensure it is fair and equitable for all students, regardless of their ethnic background.
The academic success of South Asian students indicates that the ethnocentric curriculum may not perpetuate ethnic and racial inequality in all subject disciplines, particularly in the case of history. However, it is essential to continue this dialogue and strive for a more inclusive and representative education system that fosters the growth and success of all students.
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