The Radical Pragmatist: Daniel Kebede’s High-Stakes Vision for British Schools
There is a striking dissonance in hearing Daniel Kebede speak. On Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, the General Secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) sounds remarkably measured, even gentle, for a man the press frequently labels a militant Marxist. Yet, beneath that calm exterior lies a vision for the British education system that is unapologetically radical. This episode isn't just a political profile; it is a roadmap for the friction we can expect between the teaching profession and the current government.
Kebede’s story begins far from the corridors of power. He speaks candidly about being raised by a single mother who worked grueling hours and his early encounters with racism, including a chilling memory of a teacher telling him he wasn't "in the jungle now." These moments didn't just hurt; they galvanized. His journey from an angry seventeen-year-old confronting the National Front to the leader of 500,000 educators is a masterclass in how personal grievance can be transformed into professional purpose.
Decolonizing the Classroom
One of the most provocative segments involves the curriculum. Kebede argues that the British education system remains institutionally racist, calling for a "warts and all" approach to history. He doesn't want to scrap British history; he wants to expand it to include the anti-racist strikes of Lancashire cotton workers alongside the darker chapters of the empire.
His take on Winston Churchill is a perfect example of his nuanced, if controversial, stance. He acknowledges Churchill’s brilliance as a wartime leader while insisting we shouldn't shy away from his more problematic views. For Kebede, education is about reflecting the reality of every child in the classroom, ensuring that a young Black boy sees himself in the literature and history he studies.
The Looming Strike Wave
While the culture wars grab headlines, the material reality of teaching is where the real fire is. Kebede describes a profession at a breaking point. We hear stories of teachers who stop drinking water during the day because the staff toilets are broken and others who have to negotiate for photocopy credit just to print worksheets.
- The Funding Gap: Kebede points out that education spending has dropped from over 5% of GDP in 2010 to just 3.9% today.
- The Retention Crisis: A third of teachers leave the profession within five years.
- The Ultimatum: Despite a real-terms pay increase from the Labor government, Kebede warns that if material conditions don't improve, industrial action is not just possible, but likely.
Accountability for Big Tech
Surprisingly, Kebede finds common ground with the Tory leadership on the issue of mobile phones in schools, advocating for a national ban. His critique of "billionaire tech bros" is scathing. He views the harvesting of children’s attention for profit as abhorrent and suggests that tech moguls like Elon Musk should face criminal consequences if their platforms facilitate the distribution of indecent images of children.
The Golden Nugget: "Teaching is a relational experience. It’s a relationship between pupil and teacher. It’s not something that can be replicated by a machine."
A New Kind of Union Leader
Nick Robinson observes that Kebede represents a shift from the fiery orators of the past, like Arthur Scargill. He is the softly spoken radical who prefers empathy over shouting. Whether he’s defending the rights of trans people while simultaneously standing up for the free speech of gender-critical academics, Kebede is trying to find a way through the noise.
However, his politeness should not be mistaken for weakness. Whether it is his refusal to back down from his "pound shop Donald Trump" label for Nigel Farage or his warning to the Treasury that classrooms cannot be run on the cheap, Kebede is clearly ready for a fight. For anyone trying to understand why our schools feel like a powder keg, this conversation is essential listening.