EFA Week's resounding success

After a tireless week of campaigning, the Global Action Week for education came to an end, leaving the corridors of power resounding with the call to Send my Friend to School. Children and young people in over 100 countries have shown their passion in demanding the basic right of every child to receive a quality education. Politicians have responded to their calls by making firm commitments and pledges on education in countries across the globe.

The Global Campaign for Education would like to send congratulations to all groups who helped to make the week such a success. Meanwhile, the Director General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, sent a message of support and congratulations to GCE campaigners involved in the Action Week: "I congratulate you for reaching out simultaneously to people in villages and politicians at the highest level through civil society coalitions around the world... UNESCO warmly joins the chorus of voices rising around the world to guarantee a place in school to every 'friend' currently denied his or her right".

Below are the latest country highlights - with more to follow in the next few days. Pictures of events and more country highlights can be found on the GCE website - www.campaignforeducation.org

Ireland - Development Minister signs pledge to increase aid to education
The Irish Development Minister signed a pledge to ensure that the Irish government meets its commitment to increase Overseas Development Aid to 0.7% of GNP, in line with UN recommendations, and to increase it's spending on education accordingly. The pledge was a result of months of lobbying by the Irish GCE coalition.

Irish school children have been making cut-out 'friends' since November 2004. The Irish cut-out 'friends' are all being collected during the Action Week to be shipped to the G8 Summit as part of the million 'friends' event. Meanwhile, local politicians have been going 'back to school' through out the Action Week

Pakistan - March by 4,000 children and teachers is followed by an address from the Education Minister
On April 28, 4,000 schoolchildren and their teachers participated in a march to the parliament. They were also joined by the Minister of Education and Minister of State for Education, with an address from the Education Minister given at the end of the event, where he pledged the governments commitment to education. Meanwhile, across regions throughout Pakistan, children have been busy making cut-out 'friends' and inviting politicians 'Back to School'.

Burkina Faso - March with 'friends' to Parliament to hand over declaration to Prime Minister
In Burkina Faso, a march by children was followed by the presentation of a statement on education to the Prime Minister on April 30. Government and education authorities were also brought together in 44 provinces to attend similar events.

Cambodia - Pledge event sees Deputy Minister re-affirm the governments' commitment to education
During a national pledge event on April 26, 3000 children and young people, flanked by their cut-out 'friends', demanded that the Government take immediate actions to enable their 'friends' as well as other children could go to school. Both the Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Sok, and Minister of Education responded to the children's pleas by pledging to reduce poverty and push forward with increased commitment and urgency in their education plan.

The event was also attended by; the Coordinator for Education For All, Minister of Information, Municipality Governor, Secretary of State, NGOs, ambassadors, donors and other senior Government officials.

Bangladesh - Meet the 'Law-Makers' event sees children questioning key political figures
On April 26, children had a question-answer session with law makers of the Bangladeshi National Parliament. The session started with a meeting with the Chief Whip of the Parliament in his office premises in the Parliament. The State Minister of Law and Justice chaired the session, with the Chief Whip of Opposition party of the parliament, the General Secretary of all parties Parliamentarian Caucus on Education also took part in the session.

India - Children "Knock the Doors" Parliamentarians to ask them to sign pledges
April 27 - 28 saw parliamentarians across Delhi, India, woken by groups of children demanding that they take action on education. More than 200 legislative members and leaders of various political parties, were awakened with a knock on their doors early in the morning by over 100 children. The children reminded politicians about the pledges made on education by the Government of India and asked them to sign a pledge to take action on education.

Chile - Performance in capital with 'friends'.
April 29 saw a public performance, with cut-out 'friends', collected from different parts of Chile, in Santiago, the capital of Chile. Hundreds of young people participated together with politicians and education authorities. Similar activities were carried out at the same time in other cities to help build public awareness of the state and quality of education in Chile.

Jamaica - MPs have gone 'back to school' across Jamaica
On April 29, MPs across Jamaica were invited 'Back to School' in all constituencies of Jamaica. On the same day, a televised debate by young people on education also took place, which will be broadcast live by Television Jamaica.