UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD BLACK BOYS CAN PROGRAMME

Early day motion 517, tabled 10 December 2007 by Evan Harris (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 28 members.

That this House welcomes the University of Oxford Black Boys Can Programme which is run in conjunction with the National Black Boys Can Association, the first four year programme of which commenced at St Anne's College, Oxford on 26th October; notes that this builds on previous initiatives between the National Black Boys Can Association and the University of Oxford; welcomes the programme's key aim of encouraging more black boys to enter university education through raising their aspirations and academic attainment, particularly in the national curriculum subjects of mathematics, English and science; notes that programme students are assigned Oxford undergraduate mentors and the parents of the programme student are also engaged fully in supporting their sons' education; notes that the programme students were drawn from black boys in years 9 and 10 from across the UK who have the potential to achieve well above the national averages at GCSE; wishes the 26 students in this year's programme every success; and encourages more higher education institutions in the UK to participate in such schemes.

Signatures by party: Labour 18, Liberal Democrat 8, Conservative 2.