Local MP Graham Stuart returned to the classroom as he took part in the “Back to School” campaign at Beverley High School.
Mr Stuart saw presentations from pupils about education around the world, before speaking to them about what the Government is doing to help disadvantaged children across the globe receive a school education.
The Back to School campaign has seen thousands of Parliamentarians and policy-makers from 5 different continents visit local schools to discuss how education provision can be improved across the world.
The pupils at Beverley High School focused their presentations on female education, and the particular challenges that young girls face to go to school and gain the skills they need to find work and escape poverty.
As former Chair of the Education Select Committee in Westminster, and recently having led a campaign for fairer school funding for students across the East Riding, Mr Stuart has a strong record in improving education access at a local and national level.
Following his visit, Graham said: “It was fantastic to meet the pupils at Beverley High and see how engaged they were on the subject of female education around the world. Going to school is something that we all take for granted, but it was great to see that the girls were aware that this is not the case for everyone.
“The Back to School initiative is a fantastic campaign to raise awareness of these issues, and I am glad that the Government is responding positively to the challenge of improving education in some of the poorest countries. In the last two years alone the UK Government has supported more than 7 million children and helped them gain a decent education.
“Yet it is important that we do not forget our pupils at home too. I have been a strong campaigner for a better deal for schools in Beverley and Holderness, and I am delighted to have played a part in the fairer National Funding Formula, which will see schools and colleges in our area benefit from more money as early as next year.”
Laura Stamp, International Co-ordinator at Beverley High School, said: “We are really grateful to Graham for coming back to school to watch the girls present their ideas about how education around the world can be supported.
“It was also a really valuable experience for the girls to hear from Graham about how the government is working to tackle worldwide poverty and education; this helped them to see how democratic processes can improve their lives and the lives of millions around the world.”
