Malcolm Bruce MP supports "My friend needs a teacher" campaign

11.11.41am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 7th Jun 2006

Malcolm Bruce MP with school children on a recent visit to Malawi

Local MP Malcolm Bruce will be visiting two schools as part of the Global Education Campaign this Friday 9th and Monday 12th June.

He has been invited to speak at Logie Durno School on Friday 9th June at 1.30 as part of the Global Campaign for Education, a worldwide coalition working to end the injustice where approximately 100 million children throughout the world get no school education.

World leaders have promised to provide free basic education for all children by 2015 as one of the Millennium Development Goals. At least 15 million teachers are needed to make this promise a reality.

The campaign is called "My Friend needs a teacher".

He will also be opening and taking part in The Gordon Schools Multi-Cultural Event Day at 9am on Monday 12th June. As part of the event and part of the Global Campaign for Education's "My Friend Needs A Teacher" campaign the school will present Mr. Bruce with a cut-out teacher illustrating the desperate teacher shortage around the world. The event also includes dance, drumming, art, and storytelling workshops, which Mr. Bruce will be seeing as part of his visit.

Gordon MP, Malcolm Bruce 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."

Mr Bruce will be answering questions from the children and explaining the role that politicians can play in increasing the provision of education to children throughout the world.

Mr Bruce is chairman of the International Development Select Committee in the House of Commons. He has recently visited Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya and he will be sharing with the children his experience of visiting schools in these countries and the problems that they face.

ENDS

Note: The Global Campaign for Education includes the Scottish Education Trade Unions and charities including Oxfam in Scotland and Save the Children, as well as many other trade unions and organisations from around the world. For more information view: www.campaignforeducation.org