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CAMPAIGNERS accused BP of influencing science education in Britain, after it was revealed that the oil giant could influence the curriculum in a major teacher training programme.
Documents obtained through a freedom of information (FOI) request revealed the details of the relationship between the fossil fuel company and the Science Museum in London.
The museum’s educator programme, which has trained more than 5,000 teachers with more than 500 courses, was funded by BP, internal files revealed.
Initially a research project paid for by BP, Enterprising Science allowed for major decisions to be “validly passed … unless the representative of BP votes in its favour.”
That research project later became the Science Museum’s educator programme — now called the Science Group Academy.
Education campaigners have accused the energy company of having an insidious influence on the teaching of science, technology and maths (Stem) in Britain.
Chris Garrard of the campaign group Culture Unstained said: “BP’s toxic influence over young people’s learning is calculated and insidious.
“We wouldn’t allow tobacco companies to be involved in crafting approaches to education, so why should BP — a company shunning the scientific consensus on climate change by ramping up drilling for oil and gas — be able to buy such an influential and prominent role?”
National Education Union’s (NEU) Helen Tucker said teachers were asking whether they could participate in the Science Museum academy “whose curriculum was developed with oversight from very people who are causing climate change — BP.”
“The NEU will continue to support the boycott of the Science Museum,” she said, until its teacher training programme stops “allowing fossil fuel producers to profit from it.”
The Science Museum faced criticism over its ties to BP and was forced to respond last year after the company announced the abandonment of its climate targets to focus on fossil fuel production.
At least 400 teachers and scientists pledged to boycott the museum in 2022.
The Science Museum dismissed claims of influence, saying that despite BP’s funding of the Enterprising Science project and its sponsoring of the academy, it had “no involvement in the research or educational output.”
“The sponsorship we receive from a wide range of funders, including BP which supports the Science Museum Group academy, is vital to our mission to inspire millions of people every year,” a museum spokesperson said.
BP said in a statement: “The project led to the creation of the Science Museum academy in 2018, which continues to inspire educators delivering engaging Stem experiences in and outside the classroom.”
