Twickenham MP goes Back to School

5.09.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 19th Apr 2004

Students at several local schools will welcome a classmate with a difference into lessons on 23 April. Local MP (Vincent Cable), will go 'back to school' to discuss with the students why 100 million children worldwide miss out on an education.

During the day Vincent Cable will visit Whitton, Collis, Stanley and Trafalgar schools. Some 1,000 schools the length of Britain are participating in MPs' Back to School Day, part of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) Week of Action. Around the world millions of children in 100 countries are joining in the lobbying effort.

Without an education millions of children face a life of poverty. Bibit in Jakarta, Indonesia, can't go to school. Instead she begs for money to support her family. "If I see other children going to school, I think they are clever and I'm not. I really want to go," she said. Unfortunately Bibit's parents cannot afford the school fees and her country cannot afford to provide free education for all.

Vincent Cable said: "Basic education is a human right. It is scandalous that so many children have never had the chance to go to school. World leaders have promised to tackle this problem but until they pledge the necessary funds, too many children will continue to miss out."

The amount needed to address the educational shortfall is not excessive in 21st century terms. Just more than £3 billion a year would get every child into school; less than a week's global military spending.

MPs' Back to School Day builds on the success of last year's GCE Week of Action when more than two million young people in more than 70 countries broke the world record for the biggest ever lesson.

The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) is a coalition of charities, teachers' unions and citizens' groups from around the world dedicated to making the human right to a basic education a reality for all children.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

If you are interested in providing a photographer at any of the above schools please contact Joan Bennett on 8892 0215

For more information on the national activity please contact Ruth Stockdale on 0121 609 4102 or 07786 660 377 or Charlotte Harding on 01865 312530.

The Global Campaign for Education is a coalition of local and international non-government organisations (NGOs) and teachers' unions from 180 countries including in the UK: NUT, NASUWT, VSO, Save the Children, Plan UK, Education Institute of Scotland, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, Ulster Teachers' Union, Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association ActionAid and CAMFED. The GCE lobbies governments and the international community to act on the Education for All goals. This is the fifth year in which the GCE has successfully co-ordinated a Global Week of Action to voice popular demand for education