Nadhim Zahawi (PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)The ethos of grammar schools is “fantastic” and their DNA should be spread throughout the school system, the education secretary has said.
Nadhim Zahawi praised the selective schools, saying he wants them to be protected as increasing numbers of schools join multi academy trusts.
Speaking as he launched the Schools White Paper at Monega primary school in Newham on Monday, he said he wants all schools to have joined, or be in the process of joining, a strong multi-academy trust by 2030.
Asked if he would be open to more grammar schools being set up, he said: “We’ve got 165 grammar schools.
"Their ethos is fantastic; their DNA I want to spread in the system.
"Many of them have already joined us on this journey, many are already in high-performing multi-academy trusts.
"We will continue to make sure that they feel that they can join that journey and be protected as well."
In the long-awaited white paper, which sets out Mr Zahawi’s long-term vision for schools, he wrote about his personal education journey after fleeing Iraq as a child.
He admitted that he was a “disruptive influence” who needed help to “learn how to manage my energy.” He added: “I know myself what it is like to feel that a bright future is a long way away. I have been the child at the back of the classroom, terrified that my English teacher will ask me a question.”
In a speech to teachers and parents at Monega primary school today he said he can identify with Ukrainian families fleeing the war.
He said: “I know what that feels like.
“My parents had to flee a tyrant who lashed out at his neighbours - Saddam Hussein - and our family fled here to start afresh and rebuild our lives.
"We are, my friends, on a mission I hope to give every single child, wherever they are, wherever they live, an outstanding education in the right place at the right time.
"We’ve made huge strides but we have not gone as far as we wanted or as far as we need to go."
When joking about the role of "education tsars" in his department, Mr Zahawi alluded to Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding: "There’s one tsar I would like to get rid of now - but that’s up to the Russian people."
Speaking on Times Radio before the event, Mr Zahawi said pupils should be taught about the benefits of the British Empire.
It comes after equalities minister Kemi Badenoch argued as well as the “terrible things” that happened under Empire there had also been “good things” and “we need to tell “both sides of the story.”
Mr Zahawi agreed, saying: “Let me give you an example. You know that my parents fled Iraq because of Saddam Hussein. If you asked Iraqis before the Ba’athist regime came into office — Saddam’s cronies and criminals — Iraq was left a legacy of a British civil service system that actually served the country incredibly well for many, many decades.
“That’s the sort of thing that actually children should be learning about, and, of course, all aspects of Empire. And I think that’s important.”
Britain seized control of Iraq from the Ottoman Empire during the First World War and ruled by mandate until 1932, when Baghdad won independence.
