I can assure you as a tutor of GCSE students that despite the current political climate, Britain’s education system has not acclimatised to the modern day. This is particularly prevalent in the literature that students are required to read for their final exams.
In terms of encouraging students to explore new genres and styles, the current system falls short in so many ways. GCSE students are typically required to read, study, and write about one of the classics... and by "classics" I mean novels that were written by old, white men. You may think that I'm being overdramatic, but this is exactly the case. AQA is the largest exam board in the UK, based on the fact that it accounts for more than half of the GCSE and A-level qualifications taken in the UK each year. Out of the seven 19th century novels available to study, four are written by white men and two of those novels are written by Charles Dickens. Similarly, the modern text section of the qualification is equally lacking in both gender and racial diversity. It's clear to me and also hopefully to those reading this that England's education system, especially with regards to the way literature is taught, needs to have a revamp.
If I had to choose one novel to add to the current curriculum it would have to be We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo. I was first introduced to African literature and this book in particular in the second year of my undergraduate degree. If I wasn't studying English Literature at degree level, this never would have happened. This novel should be on the curriculum for a number of reasons, the first being that it is an amazing story with so many relatable themes. In light of the recent Black Lives Matter movement, it's become even more prevalent that the curriculum shouldn't avoid literature that draws attention to Britain's uncomfortable history. It's so important that topics like colonialism and slavery are addressed, instead of being brushed under the rug, so that history doesn't repeat itself. Also, by encouraging students to learn about colonialism, individuals are more likely to increase their understanding of other people, other countries, and who we are as a nation.
We Need New Names focuses on Darling and her friends who live in a shanty town called Paradise in Zimbabwe. The people there are desperately trying to hold their lives together despite being torn apart by political upheaval. Darling eventually has the opportunity to move to Detroit to live with her aunt, but finds that living as an immigrant in the US is not what she imagined it would be like as a young girl. In this coming-of-age story, we are given a child's perspective of the "adult world" of politics, death and violence. Although this novel explores complex and what some people may define as "adult" themes, it’s imperative that the current generation is not wrapped up in cotton-wool. They need to be prepared for the adult world and one way to prepare them for this is through reading about it before they actually partake in it.
The social commentary in Bulawayo’s We Need New Names makes it an ideal novel to be added to the curriculum. The heartfelt story and unique characters create an amazing reading experience which is exactly what students need. I’ve learnt the hard way that if I don’t enjoy something, I’m not interested in learning about it and I’m sure this is something that most people go through. Besides, if students enjoy what they read (and it’s hard not to enjoy this book), they may be more empathetic towards people of colour because they’ve read a novel from a relevant perspective.
You may disagree with my choice of novel but I will always argue the case for Bulawayo’s We Need New Names as I believe it would make a wonderful addition to the tired curriculum. However, whatever books students study in school should at least help them to understand the wider world.
By Kay Miller
Featured image courtesy of Pixabay via Pexels
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