Children should be taught in schools how to recognise “fake news”, a leading international education expert has said.

In a modern digital age, schools need to teach pupils how to think critically and analyse what they read on social media and news sites, according to Andreas Schleicher, the OECD’s director of education and skills.

He also suggested that social media creates an “echo-chamber” in which users only hear from viewpoints similar to their own, and argued that schools have a role to play in making sure that young people have a chance to debate different views and opinions.

Mr Schleicher’s comments come ahead of the annual Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai, where he will put forward the OECD’s plans to test young people’s attitudes to global issues and different cultures, their analytical and critical skills and abilities to interact with others.

These “global competencies” are becoming increasingly important, he said.

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