Colby School and Norman Lamb visit Downing Street!

4.32.03pm GMT Thu 24th Jun 2004

Norman Lamb today took five children from Colby School in Banningham to present a petition to the Prime Minister. Matthew Cole-Wilkin, Hannah Rebbeck, Harry Riddleston, Tia Curry and James Fiddeman, aged 10 and 11, presented Number 10 with two life-size cut-outs they had made: a happy child who goes to school and a sad child who can't go to school.

Norman Lamb visited Colby School, near North Walsham, on 23rd April for the 'MPs Back to School Day', and talked to the children about how important going to school is. "Without education, people cannot get a good job and look after themselves and their families", explained Mr Lamb. "Children round the world are being condemned to a life without opportunities because they have no access to education."

Mr Lamb also pointed out that the UK has signed up to the Millenium Development Goals, one of which is providing Universal Primary Education by 2015. "Education is not just key to helping people get out of the poverty trap in developing countries", said Norman Lamb today. "Ignorance is a major factor in the growth of extremist movements around the world, contributing to the terrorism which puts all our lives at risk. Investing in education, so every child worldwide has the opportunity to go to school by 2015 will help create a more secure world for everybody. It's clearly the right thing to do."

"I am really pleased that the children here at Colby School have taken on board the message that learning to read, write and count is vital for people in developing countries across the world to improve their lives," added Mr Lamb. "Getting schools involved across the UK makes a real difference to the campaign. With their help we can keep the pressure on the Government to achieve this goal."

More than 100 million children of primary school age around the world cannot go to school; of those, over 60 million are girls. In 2000, 189 governments, including the UK's, signed up to achieving primary education for all children worldwide by 2015; and parity in education for girls by 2005. 'MPs Back to School Day', held on April 23 2004 in conjunction with several international development charities, was part of the Global Campaign for Education's Week of Action, 19-23 April 2004. For more information, visit the www.campaignforeducation.org website.