THE Scottish Greens are to set out proposals for pupils to be taught a “decolonised” account of UK history alongside a focus on the climate crisis across the Curriculum for Excellence.

The party says it has put forward the policy after young people voiced concerns over not being taught about the extent of the climate crisis, or what action can be taken to solve the problem.

Last year’s Black Lives Matter protests and growing calls for the removal of statues linked to slavery across the UK also led to charities and campaigners calling for fuller awareness of Scotland’s historic involvement in the slave trade and British Empire.

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This prompted discussions around the idea of decolonising the curriculum by teaching an accurate and honest account of the country’s links to slavery, and giving more weight to experiences and perspectives of people of colour.

Last year the Scottish Greens won majority support in Holyrood for the establishment of a National Slavery Museum, similar to Liverpool’s International Slavery Museum.

Ahead of the party’s manifesto launch, Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer said they had been listening to young people and climate strikers.

“School climate strikers have told us that they feel unequipped to deal with a climate crisis which will define their adult lives and far too many young people of colour have told us that they simply do not feel represented at all in the curriculum,” he said.

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“That has to change, so the Scottish Greens’ manifesto will include both ‘Teach the Future’ and ‘Teach the Past’ proposals, designed to embed climate education, decolonise the Curriculum for Excellence and ensure that young people in Scotland have an accurate understanding of our country’s history, both good and bad.”

Teach the Future, the youth-led campaign for climate education, said they were “pleased” theparty had taken their ideas on board.

“We believe that climate action and thus climate education policy must be at the forefront of the election as the education system is currently not preparing students and pupils for the challenges we face now and in the future nor is it empowering students to fight for climate justice,” a spokesperson said.

The policy comes after Downing Street prompted fury when a government-backed report argued the slave period was not only “about profit and suffering”.

The Number 10 study, set up in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, concluded that there is no evidence of institutional racism in Britain, though there is evidence that “overt” prejudice exists.

Tony Sewell, the chairman of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, denied racism is structural and argued there is data showing some ethnic minorities are doing well in the jobs market and education.

Across the UK, education should focus on elements of the “Caribbean experience” that demonstrate how “culturally African people transformed themselves into a remodelled African/Britain”, the report said.

It argued education on the British Empire should put a focus on how “Britishness” influenced former colonies.