Posted 27 Mar 2009
A nine-year-old boy from the Democratic Republic of Congo is at the centre of a school battle with the government.
Tony Lola, who currently attends Didsbury Church of England Primary School, has been told he must return to his native country despite living in the UK for three years.
His mother, a political activist, has also been told her asylum status will not be renewed.
School friends and staff have reacted to the news by penning letters to schools secretary Ed Balls and organising an online petition appealing for the Home Office to reverse the decision.
His teacher, Chris Briggs, told the Guardian: "When we were told the [deportation] letter had come, I had to explain about it to the whole class and they were stunned into silence.
"The next day they started asking questions and the class said they wanted to talk about it. It brought a lump to my throat thinking about the impact, not just on Tony, but on his peers."
In related news that may interest TEFL teachers, communities secretary Hazel Blears recently announced new measures to help schools tackle foreign students who are struggling to learn English.
Ms Blears hopes money raised from a special tax levied on anyone outside the European Union applying for a student or work visa will help local authorities struggling to cope with the impact of immigration on schools and health services.
Category: Teaching and Learning
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