Pupils visit the Prime Minister (From This Is Local London)

Pupils visit the Prime Minister

8:48am Wednesday 5th March 2008 in

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ENFIELD school pupils were part of a delegation to 10 Downing Street yesterday calling for better access to education across the globe.

Bowes Primary School pupils Mustafa Ahmad, nine, and Diana Olaleye, ten, and Broomfield secondary school student Billy Huband-Thomson formed part of the delegation which included school students from East Ham and television presenters Sam and Mark.

The campaigners presented the Prime Minister Gordon Brown with a giant card symbolising the 72 million children in the world still missing out on an education.

Owain James, from the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) - a coalition of unions, schools, charities and development organisations - said: "Now is a crucial time for action if we are to ensure all children experience a primary education by 2015."

There are seven years to go to meet the education Millenium Development Goal which is to ensure all children have access to primary education.

Gordon Brown said: "Thanks to the efforts of millions of campaigners and governments in rich and poor countries alike we have made astonishing progress in getting millions of children into school in some of the poorest countries in the world.

"Now we need to redouble our efforts to get the remaining 72 million into school by 2015 and to improve their quality of learning. That is why the UK has committed £8.5 billion for education and why I am pledging £150 million of extra support to India's national programme for elementary education."

The GCE has produced a report, The Final Countdown, calling for greater and better aid to achieve the Millenium Development Goal.

The report recommends a greater focus on the countries furthest from the target, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan and Somalia, and more attention given to the quality of education and the inclusion of marginalised children, which includes girls, disabled children and children who work.

To get involved in the campaign call Action Aid on 01460 238000 or visit the link below.