Almost a quarter of British children do not know the meaning of the word “refugee”, according to a new survey, amid mounting evidence of a growth in negative sentiments and scepticism towards those seeking asylum in the UK.
Just over half of teachers (52 per cent) spoken to by the British Red Cross (BRC) said they had witnessed “anti-refugee” sentiments in their pupils and almost a quarter of children (24 per cent) did not know what a refugee was.
The poll of 750 primary and secondary school teachers across the UK also showed that 54 per cent believed media, including social media, was a contributing factor to the children’s negative sentiments.
The figures were released as the nation marked refugee week with hundreds of festivities inviting people to explore the lives of refugees living in the UK.
Source: Independent
