Introduction

Multicultural education is a system of education which, in an ethnically complex society, attempts to meet the cultural, cognitive and self concept needs of groups and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds. In addition, such education aims to promote equality of educational achievement between groups, mutuality of respect and tolerance. The ultimate aim is equality of status, resource access and economic power between different ethnic groups within British society. Thus, the focus in educational provision initially moved towards the design of programmes intended to promote unity whilst allowing for diversity. Such programmes sought to meet the ‘special needs’ of ethnic minority children in the British educational system.