Well done everyone for taking part in 1GOAL – Send My Friend to School.

An amazing 9,000 schools signed up and 1 million young people have been taking part all across the UK. You are part of a global movement involving 14 million people!

More than 90 schools hosted a visit from their local MP and this has really paid off with lots of parliamentary discussions about the campaign including Prime Minister’s Questions, International Development questions, debates and even a parliamentary petition!

Your actions also contributed to a decision by our Minister for International Development, Andrew Mitchell MP, to travel all the way to South Africa on 11th July to meet with world leaders about the need to take action on education for all.

World education summit

Andrew Mitchell met with leaders from Kenya, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Togo, Zimbabwe and the Netherlands at a summit hosted by Jacob Zuma, the South African President. President Zuma called for global action and a lasting legacy from this year’s World Cup. President Zuma told everyone,
“The most important investment in the future of any nation is in education. No legacy could be higher than that.”

Mr Mitchell spoke to journalists at the event and said that Britain would continue to support universal primary education around the world but that it could not increase spending without making savings in other areas.

He suggested that all governments should reassess their spending priorities and said that if Britain were to change its plans and not build two new aircraft carriers, it could single-handedly afford to achieve education for all!

12-year-old Soweto school pupil and 1GOAL education campaign ambassador, Nthabiseng Tshabalala, was also there to hand over a letter to world leaders present urging them to ‘do everything they can’ to deliver primary education for all children.

In the letter, Nthabiseng said: “I enjoy going to school very much and my favourite subject is English.

”When I was seven years old my mum died. I realised how important it was that I got the best education I could, to make a better life for my family, and to make my mum proud of me.

“There are millions of children in Africa and around the world who can’t go to school. As leaders you had your opportunity to go to school. Please make sure that 72 million children get theirs.”

Meanwhile, in the UK...

Thousands of beautifully decorated supporter scarves have been arriving at 10 Downing Street. The picture is from Ysgol Pen Y Bryn in Colwyn Bay, who were invited by their MP to deliver their 20 metre knitted scarf in person! We’re hoping that some of our young supporters will have a chance to meet the Prime Minister later this month – so watch this space!

Lots of schools have been telling us what they’ve been doing including visits from their MPs. Here’s what two very important members of the government had to say about 1GOAL:

The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg told learners at Mylnhurst School in Sheffield,
"I am delighted to visit Mylnhurst School to support the 1Goal - Send My Friend to School initiative. This wonderful initiative does a brilliant job in highlighting the need to provide a decent standard of education for all children, no matter where they live in the world. Every child who is involved in this campaign should be incredibly proud of speaking up on behalf of those who are less fortunate than themselves and championing access to education for all."

The Foreign Secretary, William Hague travelled to Bedale High School in North Yorkshire and he told pupils there,
“This is a great campaign and I’m very proud that the pupils in Bedale have all taken part and with such enthusiasm. We will do our very best to extend primary education to every child in the world.”

Read more stories from schools here.

What's next?

Watch a short 'Thank you' film made for 1GOAL supporters all around the world!

This September world leaders are gathering at the UN to assess progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Our Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg MP, will be going along as the Prime Minister is likely to be on paternity leave. We'll let you know what happens at this curcial summit through our email updates. Sign up here for our email updates.

By the way if you haven't done so already please help make 1GOAL count by adding your school to our Scoreboard, where you can collect your FREE certificate.

Secondary schools might also like to put forward candidates for our Steve Sinnott Award in 2011. Winners will go on a fact-finding mission to Bolivia to explore barriers to education. Click here to find out more.