TheLoop21.com

By: Annie Gldzhyan (follow this member)
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 10:46

The U.S. Secretary of Education has called on historically black colleges and universities to raise their graduation rates and take the lead in training a new generation of minority students — especially black males — to teach in public schools, The Herald Sun reports.

"It is time for every institution of higher education to take stock of where it stands," Arne Duncan told more than 400 educators and administrators gathered at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel for a two-day symposium on the future of HBCUs. "Every institution should have measurable goals for increased college completion -- and create a plan to achieve those goals."

HBCU graduation rates are significantly lower than those at non-HBCU two-year and four-year institutions, Duncan told the audience gathered for the final event of N.C. Central University's year-long centennial celebration.

With higher graduation rates will come more diversity of teachers in our schools. Our public schools are in need of black male teachers. Only two percent of the nation’s 4.8 million teachers are Black men, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In the following video, President Obama is joined by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and General Colin Powell as he announces plans to help reduce dropout rates and prepare students for college and careers.

 Annie Gldzhyan is a student at California State University, Northridge and the editorial assistant at TheLoop21.com.