A campaigner against female genital mutilation (FGM) has criticised Kingston headteachers for failing to read Government advice on combating the practice.<\/p>\n
The Department for Education has sent guidance to schools helping to identify girls at risk of the illegal practice, which can include being taken abroad to be cut.\u00a0\u00a0 But a Freedom of Information request by the Evening Standard showed 23 of the 53 Kingston heads who received the email did not read the online guidance \u2013 and 20 did not even open the message.<\/p>\n
Kingston resident Sarbjit Athwal, who campaigns against honour-based violence and forced marriage as well as FGM, said: \u201cI think that\u2019s appalling. Every teacher should be reading the email. \u201cThere is no reason for them not to go ahead with it. \u201cThe summer holidays are coming. \u201cIt is when people tend to think, \u2018It\u2019s not our business\u2019, that it gets really bad. Somewhere down the line we could save someone\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Siobhan Lowe, headteacher at Tolworth<\/a> Girls\u2019 School, said she was surprised at the figures, but said head teachers at a recent Achieving for Children conference had shown awareness of the issue.<\/p>\n