Tim Hewish: Time to reconnect to our Commonwealth

I am sure readers recall the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last year and perhaps those in 2002 in Manchester. However, apart from the Games, the relevance of the Commonwealth is regrettably questioned. That is despite the fact that it is a network of 2.3bn people, 60 per cent of whom are under the age of 30, spans all habitable continents, and is united by the common language of English and much more besides.

When the Queen reflects on her glorious reign, not just over this United Kingdom and 15 other nations such as Australia, Canada, and Jamaica, 
but also as head of the 53-nation Commonwealth, our report’s polling uncovers a concerning trend in schools.

Only 50 per cent of young Britons could correctly identify the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth, while nearly four in 10 weren’t even able to guess. Added to this just seven per cent of young Britons could identify the Commonwealth flag; nearly 50 per cent said they have not learned about the Commonwealth in school. Only 23 per cent could correctly select three Commonwealth countries from a list; and seven in 10 did not have a friend in a Commonwealth country.

This matters not just because the Queen is at the Commonwealth’s head, but that being connected to others with whom we share a latent bond is crucial in a rapidly changing world.

It is also tied up with identity. The UK has a diverse Commonwealth diaspora. Yet this wider connection is often not explored in the classroom. This is not just learning about the past. I believe that the Commonwealth has DNA-like qualities: it is a collection of our past, our current present and, hopefully, our continuing future. We pass bits down, we add bits. It is always changing and reformulating. New contact brings with it new variations.

Yet the UK is home to over 900,000 Commonwealth citizens who can vote in the forthcoming EU referendum vote. Importantly, these citizens are more likely to have a global identity than just an European one; therefore, these votes are up for grabs for both the In and Out campaign groups.

Yet, despite our ties, we are often too unfamiliar with what goes on in Commonwealth nations, what is important to them and how we might be able to work together. However, technological advancement has made tapping into the Commonwealth network quicker, cheaper and easier.

For this to be realised we take the view that reconnecting with the Commonwealth need not start first in government circles, but in classrooms between its young people. Although how does one do that in schools?

We set out a number of recommendations. The first is to update curriculum resources. It is not simply enough to call for teachers and schools to teach about the Commonwealth. Modern materials that make use of smart boards in classrooms are needed to help teachers as they will not have the time to go researching nor will pupils welcome another 100-page text book. Resources must also fit easily within subjects and have wide availability.

The second is to design a Commonwealth educational app for use in classroom. Current research has shown that more and more schools are using tablets and apps. Many headteachers were supportive is this trend. One said: “Using electronic devices in school are second nature to children…it is a natural and necessary step for teachers to embrace the technology.”

The third is to introduce a modern Commonwealth pen pal scheme to link young Britons with their counterparts across the Commonwealth. The goal is to increase the number of those with a Commonwealth friend and bring schools together. British pupils should not leave school with an isolated or narrowed view of the world. Learning about the modern Commonwealth and communicating with its young people offer a direction and we urge teachers to help join us in this exciting plan.

That is why we have proposed opportunities for young Britons to tap, swipe, and click their way to a great new Commonwealth rediscovery.

Tim Hewish is executive director of the Commonwealth Exchange and aAuthor of Saved by the Bell - UK school children’s understanding of the Commonwealth. See www.commonwealth-exchange.org for further details.