International 'Make Schools Safe' Campaign

Posted at 10:05 am on 15th January, 2019

Wellacre and Kate Green MP Unite

Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, joined Wellacre in December to hear from students calling for the UK government to play a key role in making schools across the world safer. Thousands and thousands of young people across the UK are taking part in the Send My Friend to School campaign.

Jayne Irwin, Teacher of Humanities, at Wellacre said:

"It’s been a fantastic opportunity for our Co-Curricular Justice League students to act upon an injustice in the world, which they can relate to and then take their concerns directly to their MP to raise in Parliament on their behalf. It has been democracy in action!”

“To get our MP’s attention the students have been writing persuasive letters and creating eye-catching paper safety signs. On one side they depict the dangers that schools can face, and on the other they show schools as they should be: a safe haven. They have decorated the signs and added their own messages about why they think the UK should sign the Safe Schools Declaration. They will be giving these to Kate Green and asked her to take the message to the government.”

Year 7 student Sean, added:

" ‘Make Schools Safe’ is a good campaign because it will help children across the world who are not safe at school and face daily threats. It meant a lot that Kate Green came to meet us; we now know that people in power will listen to us."

Following her visit to Wellacre, MP Kate Green wrote to Harriett Baldwin, the Minister of State for International Development, to call on the government to sign the Safe Schools Declaration, which received an immediate response.

Kate Green MP said:

“I’m pleased to note that the government has endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration and the Department for International Development has pledged its commitment to support children and young people affected by conflict and crisis.”

Wellacre’s Justice League students have joined thousands of young people calling on the government to defend education by signing the Safe Schools Declaration. This is an international political commitment made by countries to do more to protect students, teachers, schools and universities during conflict. The declaration has been signed by 71 countries including the UK’s allies France and Canada. However, the UK has not yet signed. Students at Wellacre want to ensure that the UK government signs the declaration and so have been getting creative to get their MP’s attention.

Ema Jackson, Campaigns Manager for the Send My Friend to School campaign said:

“Schools should be safe havens for children. Unfortunately for millions of children around the world, school can be a place of danger and 246 million children are experiencing violence at school every year. So I am delighted that pupils at Wellacre have engaged with Kate Green to demand the UK signs the Safe Schools Declaration. They are joining thousands of young people across the country - we are expecting MPs to be inundated with thousands of these creative safety signs covered with important messages! We hope this will push the government in to action.”