SUSSED

Breamore School’s junior pupils enjoyed a morning’s work on the Send My Friend to School Campaign. Three elpful pupils helped to prepare the hall – seating, blackout and ICT. They enjoyed hearing about the campaign before their classmates and setting out the room.

Pupils were shown slides from Millie Wells and Sam Whittingham’s fact finding discovery visit to Mandanpur Khadar in India during 2013. Children heard how Mandanpur Khadar was a slum district of New Delhi and had been subject to a big clearance and rebuilding project.

The Breamore children learnt about schools in New Delhi. Watching the inspiring slides from The Guardian photographer who accompanied the trip, they saw Year 5 children (like many of the Breamore children) in classes of 80 sitting on the earth floor and copying from a blackboard. Many were shocked to hear that 50% of children get no further than Year 5 and that 80% get no further than Year 8. Furthermore, girls and those with disabilities were particularly adversely affected.

The Breamore children noticed how happy many of the children seemed and learnt about the various groups who advocate for change in Mandanpur Khadar.

With interest fired up and facts at their fingertips, Breamore children moved to the serious task in hand; taking the ‘Send My friend’ card figurines, decorating them and inscribing them with their thoughts and messages from the morning that concerned children denied an education. The figurines will be presented to their MP when he is able to visit the school.