UK contribution to world education recognised

The UK has been recognised for the investment it has poured into educating the world's poorest children, in news that may be of note to those interested in teaching abroad.

Praise came from the Global Campaign for Education, which said that the UK had "gone beyond" the part it pledged to play in providing all children will access to education by 2015, reports the Guardian.

According to the newspaper, Gene Sperling, head of the US side of the campaign, told prime minister Gordon Brown that the UK and the Netherlands were the most successful in meeting their targets.

"The UK has already given beyond its commitment," Mr Sperling said.

Mr Brown replied that "education is a moral issue, as well as an economic one".

Also in the conference call was pop star Shakira, who highlighted the role that education has played in her native Colombia and thanked the prime minister for his "strong leadership and consistency".

The Global Campaign for Education promotes access to learning as a basic human right and encourages governments to help provide education for the world's peoples.