THIS month, children from York returned to school after the summer. However, 125 million children in poor countries can only prepare to join the ranks of one billion illiterate adults.
These children do not even have access to primary education.
Rich governments have, in principle, agreed to the "Education For All" plan to get every child into school by 2015. But a cash commitment is yet to be made for this plan to succeed.
Even today, many poor countries spend more on repaying debts to rich countries than on health and education. I hope Evening Press readers will join Oxfam in calling on Gordon Brown and Clare Short to ensure that education remains on the agenda at the World Bank/International Monetary Fund meetings later this month.
Rebecca Palmer,
Oxfam campaigns officer for York,
Park Square East,
Leeds.
Updated: 09:26 Friday, September 20, 2002
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article