Northern Ireland's Education Minister has pledged to tackle the problem of racial harassment in the North's schools. Martin McGuinness said that he was concerned about the findings of a report by University of Ulster which revealed that racism is a regular feature of life in the workplace and schools for many ethnic groups in the North.
The study published today showed that two-thirds of Northern schoolchildren from a minority ethnic background have been taunted by other pupils about their race, while 14% have suffered assaults. The authors found that a more subtle form of racism occurred in the workplace, with racial harassment and ignorant comments being made. Among those who have experienced problems are the Chinese community, who feel they are limited to seeking work in the catering industry because of language difficulties and the attitudes among the majority population
The report is also based on interviews with the African, Indian and traveller communities.
