Page 2 - ELG1601 Feb Issue 433

ELlanguage news
Page 2 February 2016

Senate Spanish parents

probes focus on safety

suicide

ANDREA PEREZ have been inspected by the British
writes Council since January 2014 have
A SENATE committee in the been checked for child protec-
Philippines has held hearings on WITH CHILD sexual abuse tion, which means that about half
the suicide of Liam Madamba, making headlines in Spain fol- the accredited centres have been
a British School Manila (BSM) lowing the introduction of the checked. Although members of
student who jumped to his death country’s first register for sex Aseproce are audited by an outside
from a sixth-floor window after offenders, and the rape and mur- agency, the tradition of Span-
being disciplined by a teacher. QUESTION TIME UK Prime Minister David Cameron der of a 17-month-old baby by a ish agencies of refusing to name
Liam’s mother Trixie Mad- Reuters speaks to English language learners in Leeds in January Spanish teacher, child protection the course provider but focusing
amba has filed an ‘obstruction of is becoming increasingly impor- instead on the boarding school
justice’ complaint at the Depart- Muslims ‘must learn English’ tant to Spanish parents looking or university premises where the
ment of Justice (DoJ) against the to send their children abroad to course takes place makes it almost
English-medium school, alleging learn English. However, Spanish impossible for Spanish parents to
they allowed Natalie Mann, the UK Prime Minister David Cameron has announced £20 million in funding for agents seem unclear on how the get an accurate picture of the child
expatriate teacher who disciplined teaching English to ‘isolated women’, mostly aimed at Muslims. Speaking on BBC system works. protection arrangements.
Madamba, to leave the country. Radio, Cameron cited census data that claimed 38,000 Muslim women spoke A search of the websites of ten Even agents representing
According to the Sun Star, ‘hardly any English at all’. He also suggested that as many as 190,000 ‘speak it language travel agents, all mem- boarding schools can be mis-
Madamba was accused by Mann very badly’, linking this to their patriarchal society which had made them bers of association Aseproce, leading. One Aseproce member,
of plagiarism and was made to ‘traditionally submissive’. did not once mention child HSEngland, advertises academic
write an apology letter without Cameron also confirmed that from October this year spouses will be tested after safeguarding or criminal record year programmes in English
his parents being informed. This they have been in the country for two and a half years, and will face deportation if checking either for teachers or boarding schools – three of which
letter – finally shown to Ms Mad- they don’t meet the English language requirements. host families. Most did not even have told the Gazette they have
amba two months after Liam’s A social media storm broke out as the prime minister appeared to suggest that state whether UK centres were never heard of the agency. One,
death – was described by her as mothers who didn’t speak English were linked to pro-Isis sentiments in their accredited by the British Coun- Wellbeck Military College, is
an exercise in ‘humiliation’. children. The attack was led by former government minister Baroness Sayeeda cil, the main body checking child designed primarily for students
Ms Madamba demanded the Warsi, the first Muslim to be deputy chair of Cameron’s Conservative Party, who protection in language schools, who have enrolled in the armed
resignation of Mann and also the tweeted, “My mum’s English isn’t great, she inspired her girls to become a lawyer, and at least one agency was forces and does not allow any
school principal and chair of the teacher, accountant, pharmacist, cabinet minister.” The story kept trending as advertising a boarding school student to stay for less two years.
governors. Her campaign led to British Muslim women went on line using the hashtag #TraditionallySubmissive. which lets its premises out to an Spain’s new law is based on
a hearing before the Committee The amount announced for the English classes was also cause for much unaccredited school – which left an EU directive on child protec-
on Education of the Senate last comment. In the original interview the BBC journalist reminded the prime minister the British Council scheme after tion. Within the EU, currently
May. In October she brought a that the government cut money from immigrant English classes in 2011 and being placed under review. only the UK, the Netherlands
complaint to the DoJ based on withdrew it entirely in July last year. Asked to explain the asso- and Lithuania can exchange
child protection legislation, as Since 2008 £160 million has been withdrawn from immigrant English classes. As ciation’s positon on child information from their national
well as obstruction of justice. economist Tim Harford pointed out on the BBC, the £20 million doesn’t do much to protection, Aseproce said, ‘We child protection registers.
The complaint was adjourned remedy the situation, as it works out as less than £100 per Muslim woman, enough ask all Spanish group leaders As we went to press, Spain
in January after BSM missed a for some twenty hours of teaching. The figure that would drop dramatically if other for a criminal record check, but had yet to form a government
hearing, having not received migrants were included. the Spanish agencies, which nor- over forty days after inconclu-
copies of the complaint, accord- Cameron emphasised the £20m for Esol was aimed at ‘not just Muslim women’ mally only work with accredited sive elections in December,
ing to the Inquirer. As we went but for those ‘in the greatest danger of isolation’, regardless of ethnicity or faith. schools, trust the British schools which may affect the timetable
to press, an adjournment had to make their own checks.’ for implementation of the child
been granted until February. n In fact, only centres which protection law. n