Summarised by Centrist
In the wake of recent nationwide riots, according to reports, UK schools will soon teach students how to identify fake news and extremist content as part of a revamped curriculum.
“It’s more important than ever that we arm our children against the disinformation, fake news, and putrid conspiracy theories awash on social media,” said UK Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
Phillipson announced that critical thinking skills will be embedded into subjects like English and maths to help students challenge misinformation online.
English classes will teach students to distinguish between legitimate and fake news, while computer and maths classes will focus on identifying unreliable sources and contextualising statistics. Computer classes could train students to spot unreliable sources, differentiate between legitimate journalism and biased content, and recognize altered photographs.
She noted that the new curriculum will expand “access to cultural subjects” to equip pupils with the “knowledge and skills they need to thrive at work and throughout life.”
The curriculum update comes after violent protests erupted following a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed event, which reignited tensions about immigration in the UK.
The government has also issued warnings about sharing content that could “incite violence”.
The curriculum review aims to implement these changes by September 2025.
