TWO Blackpool MPs met with pupils from Palatine High School to demand that children around the world get a better education, especially girls.

Joan Humble, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood and Gordon Marsden, Blackpool South MP, met with the pupils on June 9) to coincide with a special international UN conference on women.

The Charity Oxfam's statistics say that of the 125 million children who receive no education worldwide, two thirds of them are female.

The children at the school on St Annes Road, Blackpool had created displays with the help of Oxfam to illustrate some of the problems that developing and third-world countries face in education.

Three year nine pupils, Sarah Smith, Charlotte Duffy and Kirsty White have become personally involved a project in Burkina-Faso.

Joan Humble said she was delighted to see young people taking such an active role in campaigning for world improvements in education.

"It is very important, because it is only by improving the education of girls in these countries can we improve the status of women in the third world and I say this as a woman and the mother of two daughters," she said. "All the evidence shows that if girls are well educated they stand a better chance of getting employment and helping to improve the societies and economy in which they live.

"Educated women also tend to have fewer children, which would help reduce the birth rate, which is a problem for many developing countries."

Gordon Marsden said he too was very impressed with the interest and commitment both the pupils and teachers were showing in Oxfam's campaign.

"I have a very personal interest in state of education in third world countries -- not just because I am the education select committee, but because of my visit to Gambia earlier in the year," he said.

"One school I visited had two of its roofs blown off in heavy winds the year before, but because of lack of money they were still educating the children in the roofless buildings.

"Some of the schools didn't even have any pens."

Katy McDermott, Oxfam's area campaign executive said: "Every child has a right to basic education.

"The UN conference, 'Beijing +5' is one of a number of opportunities this year for world leaders to prove their commitment to implementing the internationally-agreed targets for achieving universal primary education."

For more information call Oxfam's North West offices on (0161) 861 9731 or visit the website located at

www.oxfam.org.uk/educationnow/