Commemorative book ‘could be an inspiration’
SEEING SCIENTISTS such as Sarah Gilbert included in a commemorative book for pupils to mark the Platinum Jubilee will help inspire girls to go into science, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has said.
Mr Zahawi visited Manor Park Primary School in Sutton, south London, yesterday to meet Year 5 pupils and read them excerpts from Queen Elizabeth: A Platinum Jubilee Celebration, which features the Covid vaccine developer and other high-profile figures.
He said it was “wonderful to see their interest, but also their eyes light up” as they read the book, which the children described as “modern”.
“It’s so important for this generation to realise the strength, resolve, the resilience that Her Majesty has given in her service to the nation, and through some pretty tough times over that period. I mentioned Sarah Gilbert and then I asked the children how many of them would even think about being a scientist, and literally, it’s a small sample, but nevertheless the majority said they are thinking about science, and that’s a great thing, and I’m in many ways just over the moon.”
When he asked how many pupils want to be scientists, four out of six raised their hands.
“I really believe that we all need, as I did when I was growing up – you know my back story, I came here as an 11-year-old boy without a word of English and understood the value of education. I think at this young age, to be able to, through this book… to bring it home to you, to make it real for you through knowing someone who’s done it before, Sarah Gilbert, will then I hope give young girls the confidence to be able to say ‘I can do that’. And of course, being inspired by Her Majesty as well.”
One pupil asked Mr Zahawi what part he played in the vaccine. He said it was a “privilege, probably the most important job I will ever do, because we were losing lots of people in many, many families”.
On the Jubilee, he told them: “It’ll be huge fun. I’m so excited. I’m doubly excited because it falls on my birthday – I was born on June2.”
He told pupils their English teacher is clearly “also brilliant because your reading is fantastic”, and one pupil, Anay, said the school is “the best school in the world”.
Four-and-a-half million books celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will be delivered to 18,000 primary schools.