Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has confirmed that the government will resume the procurement of £7 million in funding aimed at tackling antisemitism across schools, colleges,
and universities.
This decision follows a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents nationwide, with reports more than doubling in the first five months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. On university campuses, incidents surged by a staggering 465%.
The allocated funds will be used to raise awareness about antisemitism and strengthen the ability of educational institutions to combat antisemitic abuse effectively.
Marking the anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel's history, the Education Secretary is visiting a Jewish school in North London to show solidarity with the Jewish community and engage with students and staff.
Of the £7 million, £500,000 has already been awarded to the University Jewish Chaplaincy to enhance welfare support for Jewish students in universities.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Phillipson emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to addressing antisemitic abuse.
She said: “It is completely unacceptable for Jewish students to feel they cannot fully participate in university life out of fear for their safety. All students, regardless of race or religion, should be free to focus on their studies rather than worry about their safety.”
Part of the funding will go toward training teachers and university staff on how to address antisemitism effectively. Additionally, an innovation fund will be created to combat misinformation and build resilience in educational settings.
Phillipson stressed the importance of equipping educational staff with the skills to identify and address antisemitism swiftly. “It is vitally important that our education system's staff have the confidence and skills to act quickly when antisemitism arises,” she said.
To further support this initiative, the Department for Education will launch a broader innovation fund aimed at tackling antisemitic misinformation on social media. This will complement ongoing curriculum and assessment reviews.
The Education Secretary also expressed her concern over the spike in Islamophobic incidents following the Southport attacks earlier this year, with anti-Muslim incidents tripling after October 7.
She emphasized the need for education to combat all forms of hate, stating, “With a foundation of knowledge about history and the world, critical thinking, logical reasoning and empathy, we can build children’s resilience not just to antisemitic hate, but all other forms of hate too. A child who is equipped to dismantle antisemitic conspiracy theories is ready to reject Islamophobic ones as well.” Photo by Quinn Dombrowski from Berkeley, USA, Wikimedia commons.
