News
British Schools refer 5 Students a day for Anti-Terror Drive
According to a report, five children a day are being referred by British schools to the government’s deradicalisation programme to prevent them from becoming terrorists.
According to a report, five children a day are being referred by British schools to the government's deradicalisation programme to prevent them from becoming terrorists.
UK's National Police Chiefs Council released figures under the Freedom of Information Act that revealed several schools referred 1,041 children in 2015 to Channel the governments deradicalisation programme under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act.
Local authorities/departments including social care and housing reported 284 young people as vulnerable. According to a 190-day school year in the UK, the latest figures equate to more than five children per day being reported.
A UK Home Office spokesperson said : "Like safeguarding mechanisms for other risks such as child sexual exploitation, vulnerable children deserve to have the support they need. Protecting those who are vulnerable and at risk of radicalisation is a job for all of us."
As a part of the UK government's Prevent strategy, Channel seeks to stop British youths getting involved in terrorism. Through rigorous sessions, a person's potentially extremist beliefs are challenged and they're shown that their way of thinking is delusional; it might involve former extremists sharing their experiences.
The Channel allows individuals to withdraw and parents have the right to refuse consent for Channel. In 2012, when Prevent was extended nationally, only nine children were referred.
According to the figures, in further education colleges there were 180 referrals, compared with five in 2012. The health service had 228 referrals and higher education institutions such as universities reported 76 students last year.
Education unions have expressed concerns in the past against the statutory duty to report that was imposed on them. A large number of referrals dismissed by Channel suggested a tendency to over-refer, as reported by the National Union of Teachers.
Image courtesy: londonpo.com