Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, is taking the concerns of St George’s RC Primary pupils to the Prime Minster after she visited them for the Send My Friend to School campaign’s national Day of Action last week.

Pupils from the Lemington-based school invited Catherine to hear more about why they are backing the campaign, which brings together thousands of children across the country to speak up for the universal right to education.

Send My Friend supporters are reminding world leaders that 58 million children across the world are still unable to attend school, despite the Millennium Development Goal of primary education for all by 2015.

Many children cannot access education because of school fees, the need to work to support their family, the distance to the nearest school, the lack of trained teachers or the very poor standard of facilities. Girls, children with a disability and those living in conflict areas are most at risk of missing out.

In 2000, an estimated 110 million children were not in school. That number has gone down by half but, at the current rate of progress, it will be 2086 by the time every child around the world is in primary education.

During her visit, Catherine was handed a giant petition by St George’s pupils filled with their messages to world leaders about the importance of primary education, which she promised to give to David Cameron.

Catherine said:

‘I’m always hugely impressed by how passionately young people from Newcastle North feel about the rights of other young people around the world.

‘St George’s Primary pupils have clearly thought very carefully about the importance of primary education and the total injustice that some 58 million children still are still missing out on school.

‘As the new Sustainable Development Goals are negotiated later this year, it’s vital that this issue remains at the top of world leaders’ agenda. I’m really pleased to be able to send on the St George’s giant petition to the Prime Minister – and I will keep pushing him to ensure that we redouble our efforts to put this situation right.’

Alison Miller, St George’s Primary Headteacher, said:

‘The children at St George’s are very proud to support the ‘Send My Friend to School’ campaign.

‘Our children have learned that education equals opportunities and they know how lucky they are to go to school every day. We hope that our petition may go some way to changing the lives of the many children around the world who aren’t so lucky.’