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Somali GCSE success
• I AM extremely delighted with the revelations that from the next academic year Somali and other non-Somali students will have the opportunity to take up Somali language GCSE at Camden schools.
I believe this is the start for a much needed transition into British society and will produce a higher scope of communication between Somali parents and their children.
As chairman of Somali Youth Development Resource Centre in Kentish Town, I have worked hard to ensure that Somali youths get the best possible education in Camden schools.
Every year we award more than 90 students who have done extremely well in SATs and GCSEs.
But now that Somali students can take a GCSE in their mother tongues is welcomed and supported by the Somali community.
I must say that the Camden Labour group have worked tirelessly to ensure this happened and have lobbied the government.
Asha Kin Duale and Councillor Theo Blackwell have worked tenaciously to structure a coherent narrative towards a need for Somali GCSE and have been successful in achieving this.
Two crucial points arise from this, the first is that this will create more jobs for the Somali community, something which I have worked hard in ensuring happens.
The second is the heightened communication between parents and children, which will help in the so called “lost generation” debate in acquiring a sense of identity that links with their parents’ history.
I never had the opportunity to do GCSE Somali but I am extremely delighted with the Labour group’s hard work and commitment to the Somali community and I welcome the developments.
Furthermore, Camden is setting the trend to other heavily concentrated Somali areas such as Tower Hamlets, Tottenham and Sheffield, who are considering the proposals providing that Camden does well in achieving its goals for the Somali community.
Awale Olad
Chairman SYDRC, NW5
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