Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 06:58 pm
The UK government has announced a revamp of the national curriculum in England, a move in line with the drive to help students identify extremist and misleading online material. Critical thinking skills have been announced as part of the new curriculum in all subjects. This decision will help in better preparing children to challenge misinformation and “putrid conspiracy theories” on social media, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced on Sunday.
Heading 2: Curriculum Changes as Response to Recent Disorder
The review comes in the wake of unrest in more than a dozen English towns and cities amid a tragic knife attack in Southport. An attack linked to 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana saw three children killed. While not being counted as terrorism, online misinformation duly invoked a Muslim immigration background for Rudakubana’s acts.
Phillipson said there is a dire need for students to be agile in assessing online information. “It’s more important than ever that we give young people the knowledge and skills to be able to challenge what they see online,” she related to the Sunday Telegraph.
Heading 3: Detailed Plans and Timeline for Curriculum Changes
Proposed changes would see newspaper articles being analyzed to identify clickbait and manufactured news in English lessons, and an understanding of statistics within context being native to the computer classes. However, this review of the curriculum is not expected to return recommendations until next year, meaning the new reforms are likely to come into effect for the school year beginning in September 2025.
Heading 4: Complementary Measures/Further actions
Education reform will come with stricter controls on social media. Prime Minister Keir Starmer hinted further action on online content and social media regulation is yet to come.