School staff should provide more global issues teaching, argues GA

School staff should ensure that pupils have more opportunity to learn about global issues, it has been argued.

The wish to learn more about the wider world was expressed by 93 per cent of 11 to 14-year-olds questioned in a poll commissioned by the Geographical Association (GA).

And the body has used this information to emphasise the need for those in teaching jobs to focus more on this subject.

More than 90 per cent of those responding to the Ipsos Mori poll highlighted as important the need to learn about people, societies and cultures.

However, 63 per cent said that school staff do not spend enough time teaching them about these topics.

Chief executive of the organisation David Lambert called on those in teaching jobs to be given the opportunity to respond to these findings.

"We need to trust teachers again to engage with the discipline and young people to create a curriculum for the future: exciting, relevant and with a heart," he stated.

Geography teachers in all schools will be able to take advantage of a new online resource launched this week by the Met Office.




Published On 17/04/2009