The last exams for GCSE Gujarati will take place in the Summer of 2018 according to a private email sent by the Oxford, Cambridge & RSA Exam Board (OCR).
Gareth Thomas, MP for Harrow West (and Secretary of Labour Friends of India) is calling on Nicky Morgan to step in and save the Gujarati exam and provide better government support to weekend and community schools who provide the majority of GCSE and ‘A’ Level Gujarati teaching.
Last year, OCR proposed to axe GCSE Gujarati but under pressure in the run up to the General Election the Government intervened and persuaded OCR to extend the GCSE exam for two years.
Gareth has launched an Open Letter to Nicky Morgan and is asking readers of Asian Voice to sign up to support Gujarati and force the Government to intervene to persuade OCR to keep the exam going. He is also working with the Consortium of Gujarati Schools to try and persuade Ministers to offer funding for the professional development of Gujarati teachers.
Gareth Thomas MP said, “The Government should intervene to allow those who want to enter for the GCSE Gujarati exam to be able to do so. It is frankly extraordinary that Ministers should be prepared to consider allowing the downgrading of an exam in what is the first language of Prime Minister Modi.
"This is the time for Ministers to step in once and for all and give proper support to the hundreds of hardworking community school Gujarati teachers who give up their own time to help young people in Britain study an important language."
