50th Anniversary of a Trailblazing BAME Teacher and Moray House Graduate

Saroj Lal, was one of Scotland’s pioneering race relations activists, feminists and equality campaigners in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, latterly as Director of Lothian Racial Equality Council.

She was a trailblazer in fighting for fairness for all, and in particular for disadvantaged and marginalised BAME women.

She was also the first Asian woman in Scotland to be appointed as a Justice of the Peace. Sadly, she passed away in March and since then there have been extensive tributes to her in the press.

On 20 August 1970, following her training at (what was then) Moray House College of Education (PGCE 1969-70), she started teaching at South Morningside Primary School.

When she began teaching, she was not only the first BAME teacher at South Morningside, but certainly among the very first in Edinburgh (and among the earliest in Scotland) and she would have been one of the earliest BAME students on the PGCE course at Moray House.

Today, on 20 August 2020, we join those marking the 50th anniversary of Saroj Lal’s achievements by sharing some of the essays and features about her.

Starting with this brief BBC Radio 4 clip at the link below of Saroj herself talking about multiculturalism and education: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08dxwk2