Brown to be UN envoy for education

Former prime minister Gordon Brown is to become the UN’s special envoy for global education.

The role will see the ex-Premier lead a campaign to meet the Millennium Development Goal for every child to be at school by the end of 2015.

He will accompany UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on a tour of Asia next month. Mr Brown said his appointment was a great privilege.

He said: “Ensuring every child in the world has the opportunity to go to school is a long-standing passion of mine, and I aim to learn from other special envoys such as President Clinton, Kofi Annan and Ray Chambers.

“Education breaks the cycle of poverty and unlocks better health and better job prospects.

“Enrolling an additional 61 million children and ensuring a quality education for all by the end of 2015 will not be easy - but it is a goal which, working together, we can achieve.”