Teachers held
Amnesty International UK has called for the release of two Congolese teachers who have been arrested in connection with a peaceful strike and held for a week without charge. Hilaire Eyima, head of the French department at the Lycée de la Révolution, was arrested at his home on April 18, and Claude Nzingoula, a teacher at the medical school in the capital Brazzaville, was arrested on April 19. Both are being held at the General Directorate for the Surveillance of the Territory. These are the latest in a string of arrests and harassment of members of a coalition of teachers’ unions in the Republic of Congo called CPRE. Visit: www.amnesty.org.uk
Skills inquiry
The Youth Select Committee is holding an inquiry into the role of the education system and national curriculum in equipping young people with skills for later life. It will look at the support in schools to develop skills such as personal finance, political education and cultural awareness. The committee is a British Youth Council initiative, supported by the House of Commons, and has 11 members aged 15 to 18. The inquiry will consider whether schools get the balance right between academia and skills. The deadline for submitting evidence is June 4. Visit: www.byc.org.uk/uk-work/youth-select-committee
Hong Kong prize
Secondary school 6th form students can win a place on a summer school programme at a Hong Kong university. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London will ask five winning students to share their experiences upon their return. To enter the competition, students will need to carry out research on Hong Kong and present their findings using any medium possible. The deadline is May 20 and the trips take place in June and July. Visit: www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition
Sport survey
Students are being asked to give their views on school sports following last year’s London Olympics and Paralympics. It is part of an inquiry by the Education Select Committee into the Olympic legacy in schools. MPs have already launched a parallel survey for sports teachers and last week they visited three schools in east London as part of the inquiry. The student survey is open until May 24 and is also running on Twitter with the hashtag #schoolsports. Visit: www.parliament.uk/education-committee
SRE resource
A new e-magazine aimed at professionals delivering sex and relationships education has been launched by the Sex Education Forum. The first edition tackles pornography, offering advice and ideas for how schools might approach this topic in lessons. The resource offers further information links and advice for dealing with parents’ concerns and questions. Visit: www.sexeducationforum.org.uk