Academia Discriminates Against People Of Color!

February 03-2007:

Discrimination may be to blame for lower class degrees among black students!

My Response:
With regard to the concern about the sub-standard merits given to Black and other Minorities Of Color graduates in the UK universities. Here is my take on this issue:

I have discerned this trend in most societies where the pre-dominant ethnic group, or ruling class ethnic group, determine who gets the merits when it comes to academia. This happens in India, with their historic caste system entrenched, in Africa, where ethnic and tribal rule and divisions still permeate that continent, The Caribbean, Central & South America, The USA, and The UK.

This is an endemic cultural trait that one has to recognize as reality, and find ways reconcile or curb these practices at institutions of higher learning. It is also reflective of the general cultural prejudices, and those who have the power to decide who gets what, when and how, within the social strata or hierarchy!

Derryck S. Griffith.
New York City.

Discrimination may be to blame for lower class degrees among black students!

// 02/02/2007 // Deborah Gabriel // Copyright © www.blackbritain.co.uk

Last week the DFES reported that black and minority ethnic students are less likely to leave university with a first class degree because of "an unexplained difference." Could racism be a factor?

The new study by the Department for Education and Skills (DFES) virtually mirrors a study two years ago which was reported on Black Britain. More black and minority people attend university yet they end up with lower class degrees, which obviously places them at a disadvantage in the job market.

The participation rate for white students at UK universities is 38 per cent, compared with 61 per cent among black students, 60 per cent among Asian students and 49 per cent among Chinese students. Yet despite this all students from black and minority ethnic backgrounds are less than half as likely to get a first class degree.

In 2004 whilst 10.7 per cent of white students gained a first, only 2.9 per cent of African Caribbean students did and 3.3 per cent of African students. And whilst 48.9 per cent of white students gained an upper second, only 32 per cent of African Caribbean students managed to and 27.5 per cent of African students.

Yet 16.5 per cent of African Caribbean students were awarded a 3rd class degree, 23.5 per cent of African students whilst only 9.4 per cent of white students were awarded a third. Given the premium that higher class degrees carry in the job market, black students are clearly at losing out. But why?

Emy Onuroa of the BME Education Network told Black Britain that it is not surprising that BME students are under-performing at higher education level as this mirrors their experience at other levels of the education system, especially at secondary level.

But the surprise is that Chinese students, who are always assumed to be higher academic achievers are, along with African and African Caribbean students least likely to leave university with a first class degree. This is despite the fact that Chinese students outperform white students at GCSE level.

"More work needs to be done on why that is the case, clearly higher education is having a negative effect on their performance levels" Onuora said.

Higher education institutions are not reflective of world culture and the body of academic knowledge is based entirely on a Eurocentric view of the world. It is any wonder that when many revered academics claim that blacks are less intelligent than whites that they are gaining lower class degrees within the same higher education system?
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For more on this story go to: Black Britain News
For other stories and more go to www.blackbritain.co.uk Courtesy of blackbritain.co.uk, part of Colourful Network.
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