It is good to see the British population finally developing a backbone. As a Canadian living in Aberdeen and then London, I have watched for 10 years as your politicians have stolen your hard-earned money and spent it to further their own perverse political agenda.

Britain is a great country. Your values and traditions have been an inspiration to the world for 400 years. Stand up and defend your values which, besides tolerance and charity, include self-reliance, courage and discipline.

Since when did the Labour Party decide that it represented only those people who didn't "labour" for a living?

Patricia Fraser Roemer, London, UK

I have to concur with Joseph from Edinburgh. For the last few years experts have warned us that its educated middle class types that extremists organizations have been recruiting - these are people least expected by western governments to be suicide bombers. Bit like the Soviets and our top universities in the 40s and 50s !

But since when has New Labour listened to experts ? When has the facts ever got in the way of implementing stupid policies or wasting more of taxpayers money ?

Dave , Swindon, Wilts

Amazing, Brown has done the typical politician thing of visiting a country and then doing the 'when I was ther' routine. Granted there are maany African and developing countries in the world that need better educational infrastructure but his citing of a classroom in Abuja is truly naive. What Nigeria needs is not school books for youngsters but accountancy, good governance, and anti-corruption lessons for public officials. Nigeria is literally floating on oil; revenues from which could easily solve not only the educational crisis but also health, general infrastructure and most other social woes. Brown, as does DFID, needs to focus on the genuinely poor countries. Why do es DFID give +/-£250m a year to India? What that country really needs is help with tax reform and, more importantly revenue collection - which is at woefully low levels. More thoughtful aid is what we need.

Jonathan Lehrle, London,

Gordon Brown has some insight and some very good intentions, specifically that the Madrasses must be countered, otherwise they will be the West's downfall -- But aren't"good intentions" something which paves the road to Hades?. After the government bureaucracies and the unions have done their usual meddling, any program they design will be the usual muddle that amounts to nothing. What about setting up a volunteer private enterprise that owes nothing to anyone but the children? Perhaps the missionaries of the last generations got it right. after all

Bob Benze, Silverdale, WA/USA

Is there a surplus of teachers in all the countries to which Mr Brown vaguely refers? If not where will they come from, and will the cost of their salaries be included in the £10bn figure?

I have friends in Nigeria whose children cannot attend school because they lack sufficient money. I can understand how if the money is in that family's pockets, then the parents may spend it on their children's education. But if it is given in an aid package, I wonder how much will be diverted. If there are good ways around the problem of graft, then the proposal would be more serious.

Michael, Edinburgh,

With the state of our education system in this country, I'm surprised that the African nations say "Well actually our standards are higher than yours..."

Mr Brown, how much is this going to cost us in the long run. Use this money to sort out our educations system in this country first. Which may I remind you is YOUR priority. Once we have sorted out our home affairs then we may be in a position to help others. Your rhetoric is begining to sound like that of your boss.

This is just another grand stand event by the PM in waiting to look cuddly and friendly. Sir we see straight through you as if you were a window.

Roll on the next general election.

Mike , MK,

I have to say that the specified aims are all well and good but what is going to happen when you have millions of educated peoples without the ability to use this education. Africa has more than enough resources to educate thier own people if the leaders would just stop stealing the money.

Corruption in these countries is endemic and giving $10 billion to these countries will mean that $5 billion will become invisible and the rest will be ill used.

If I wish to support other peoples I can give to the numerous charities and do not need Gordon to do it for me.

BTW Most of the suicide bombers are from middle class families and are very well educated and have the time on thier hands to actually see the injustice in the world so this will not help one bit on that score.

Joseph Kellie, edinburbh, scotland

Which of your spindoctors wrote this article really, Gordon ?? Who's money are you talking about ? This is a private donation ? - an act of generosity by your good self ?

Sorry , but I am trying not to sound too cynical.

Dave , Swindon, Wilts

Whilst all very laudable, the fact is that after 10 years of "education, education, education" (or should that be ("edukashun, edukashun, edukashun") the education system in this country is a mess. My wife and I will have to pay for schooling for our young daughter unless our local schools can achieve in the next four years what they have failed to deliver in the last 10 - notably pupils who can read, write and add up. Our local comprehensive is still on special measures and manages a dire 18% of pupils achieving 5 GCSEs. Still why should we complain, Gordon Brown has only TRIPLED the education budget for virtually no improvement.

Kevin Egan, Chelmsford,

If Gordon Brown wants to "educate every child" then he needs to do more to:
a/ help SEN funding - ie reverse the budget-crushing policies which have closed dozens of SEN schools during NuLab's rule, and
b/ do something about discipline in schools - ie the uncontrollable feral children who (via disruption and lack of school powers to control) ruin the education of others.

Interestingly, Gordon Brown was silent on the issue of Ruth Kelly finding the state education system inadequate for her SEN child; also the massive problem of (lack of) discipline in schools.

Catherine, stockport, UK

Very noble. How about a little attention to our very own state education system, Mr Brown? It may well be free but there's not a lot else going for it, is there? A little attention closer to home, wouldn't go amiss. Though I guess there'll be some tax that has to go up for that to happen...

Helen, London,

I'm glad that we have politicians with a sense of duty to the future of mankind, and the ability to reason a well balanced and long-term approach to dealing with these issues.

Reading the comments, however, I'm disappointed with regards to the self-centred & narrow minded responses some individuals continue to hold.

C'est la vie.

Mark, Woking, UK

It's clear this manipulative dreamer has never set foot in some of the schools here where there's a daily battle to educate the children of this country. I work in a large comprehensive in the SE, we have children coming up from primary school with reading ages of six - some of them can't read at all. And thanks to a curriculum prescribed by meddling politicians we have to try and teach these children a foreign language when some of them can't even name the four seasons, let alone put them in order. He needs a reality check.

Susie, Berkshire,

ha ha ha ha ha

paul corrigan, bourg st maurice, france

TEN YEARS this Government has been in power.Education, education, education? Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, Mr Brown. BILLIONS poured down the drain, hundreds of thousands dead.It is far too late,even for the gullible and stupid british electorate,they won't get fooled again.
Labour has ruined the chances of millions of people even to consider buying a home of their own;just look at the mess,do the decent thing and just go away.

Mike Rigby, Blackburn, England

There are much better and effective ways to educate poor children and discipline them against radicalism than by giving Gordon Brown billions of pounds of taxpayer's money, all to create a new massive bureaucracy and annoint himself St. Gordon, Saviour of the world's children.
Given the state of the education system in our own country, and the fact that social mobility under 10 years of Labour Government has both materially and intellectually stopped, this is just the final insult!

James, Sunderland,

How can you condem Gordon Brown for what he is outlining in this article? This plan of education for all is exactly what Africa needs to develop over the future generations, if nothing is none now, it will never happeen... People need to realise that there is a world out there that is a lot worse of than our little social bubble that worries about state v private schools, a few truants and schooling 'vouchers'. Get a grip, stop being so selfish and get yourselves alert to the bigger picture. We need to back this movement, encourage it and make sure Brown follows through on his pledge.

Mike, Durham,

Who are you going to steal from to fund this Mr Brown?
The English - with their piss poor education system - thats who you are going to steal from, to fund your "white mans burden" megalomania, while African dictators still sit on their looted billions in Swiss bank accounts.

Here's a thought - why dont you do your MacCavity the Cat trick and disapear off back to Scotland. Try robbing from them.

The sooner ENGLAND is free of thieving lying Scots like you the better.

ghost of john trenchard, London, England

Here in California, the schools have gotten progressively worse as they have received more and more funding. Private schools are educating children with far less money spent per child.

Linda Starr, Chatsworth, CA

Mr Brown,
Perhaps you should spend part of the money you intend to "waste" on Trident for this project of yours and the rest on making good the pensions scandal? and as someone has pointed out already, the cash would only end up being wasted by corrupt government officials on arms and lining thier own pockets..(im talking about the Africans here).

Sam, winchmore hill, England

This campaign is a disaster. Throughout India, Asia and Africa, small entrepreneurial local schools have springing up to meet local demand for cheap effective education:

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/egwest/research/privateschools.html

Brown's plan will shovel money taken from UK taxpayers into the incompetent and corrupt State sector of various third world countries and kill off the entrepreneurial schools in the process.

Julius Blumfeld, London,

Nice try Gordon but you can't deflect our attention from the damage you've done to the UK pension system. You've also shown a worrying lack of political nous raising this subject only days after your £100 billion raid on pension schemes has received so much negative attention. You really are building up to the local elections nicely!

Chris, London, UK

Sir,
Charity begins at home. End of story. It might seem a good idea to sort out the disgraceful inequalities in the post code lorttery in both health and education which you have presided over before casting your eye over your latest grandiloquent foreign scheme. Spending taxpayers money in order to wreath yourself in the Emperor's New Clothes of a World pseudo-Statesman will lead you to the ranks of the unemployed sooner than your hubris allows you to believe.

Karl Massey, London,

Is this supposed to show Brown's soft and fluffy side? Are we all expected to go all cuddle-up at this warm hearted gesture? I don't begrudge a penny of it - my God, Africa needs help but Brown is incapable of endearing himself to the electorate - we are just tax milk-cows with worthless opinions.

Sam Davis, Bristol, UK

Brown is bloody good at taxing us till the pips squeak and spending our money on his own pet projects. It might be a good idea if he dipped into his own pocket on this one - why should we pay for his global education ego trip.
I would personally like to start a make Brown history fund
If I thought it would make any difference I would put the remnants of my final salary scheme in as the first contribution to rid us of this miserable parasite.

philip, Ipswich,

Do you think that after ten years of "education, education, education", people will think you capabale of educating an entire continent?

Compulsory charity is rather sinister.

Ed, London, England

" O what a tangled web we weave, when first we 'semble to deceive " Apologies to author. I like all the previous remarks. Is it not amazing that the way to get things done is to use someone else's money. The line about Al-Queda was pure theatre. People do not value what they can have for nothing. Even a modest amount gives them a feeling of accomplishment. It might help if the teachers knew a thing or two. I think we may have to build ' education ' camps. NOT re-education camps!!

Desmond Taylor, Houston, USA Texas

This article is several days late; it was April1st last Sunday.

How can this man have the nerve to presume that, following the demonstrable failure of his Government to educate UK citizens to a level anywhere close to a satisfactory standard, whilst wasting £billions, he has any credibility whatsoever to define education policies in other countries? I'd have more faith in North Korea funding free, democratic elections in Zimbabwe.

Alan Murphy, Egham, Surrey,

We can't even educate our own children adequately, so why preach to other countries?

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

If you want to save the world, go and work for the many notable charities, they are sure to have you and leave running this country to someone who cares about the welfare of its own citizens. Beware though, the employees pensions are not what they were 10 years ago.

Gladys Knight, Paris, France

How we can liberate every child in the world
Gordon Brown
Sir I respect you when you talk of Bank overdarfts and the pension fund fall sick. Do you want to make alll the miilions of the children sick of waiting for your promise to come to reality. Half will die of the news. Then other half will wait for the scholarship forms, the other half will not believe you.
It is terrible these days is it not. No one wants to beleive the politicians. Why????

Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania

Can somebody tell me who Gordon Brown is? He sounds like a damn fool to me.

John Backhouse, Leicester,

As with most of the people who have responded to this article must be doing, I am desperately hoping that Brown is not so delusional to see that whilst a contributory position to the rest of the world - in particularly third world countries in need of the equality - is a moral obligation of those more fortunate, it is impossible to achieve if your people have no confidence at home.

The one thing that can give you the ability to carry out these worthwhile activities is by having a public who have confidence enough to vote for you. In a democracy the method for doing this would be by proving to the voting populous that the money you spent would be used efficiently by having a proven track record in efficient spending at home. Like most of the British people, I do not believe that the culture of creating administration and dangling the money-carrot at problems is tantamount to efficient use of public money. Statistics are nothing if nobody believes them Gordon, START WITH BRITAN.

Alistair Kipling, Birmingham,

Quite apart from the immorality of fleecing UK taxpayers yet again, all Brown's global edu-slush fund will achieve is to feather the nest of thousands of bureacrats and edu-politicos.

What Brown needs to understand is that real, cheap and effective education doesn't come from corrupt and bloated Governments - it comes from grass-roots entrepreneurs providing small cheap private schools that meet local needs.

Maybe he should try a web search for "E.G.West centre". He might learn a few things.

Julius Blumfeld, London,

"Education is essential to the economic development of the poorest countries".

That is a proposition on which we can all agree. The dubious proposition that you are making is that the Socialist Government of Liberal Britain can assist in that process. Will there be a "global curriculum" attached to this money? Will difficult subjects be watered down to improve exam results? Will Catholic and Protestant schools be forced to close if they fail to teach in accordance with the Liberal agenda?

Kevin, London,

Just $10 billion a year, Gordon? Oh, all right, send me the direct debit form. Do you want an Easter egg too? Seriously, if we can't educate the black people who live in this country (and we can't), why bother trying over there? Do the denizens of Abuja etc. pay income tax, council tax or VAT in the UK? If not, why should our education budget, stretched as it is, be used to provide social services for them?

David L, Leeds, UK

A very Noble and Worthy Cause, but I agree with the previous contributor about cahrity beginning at home. If The british Tax payer is to fund free education for african children, why can't the British Taxpayer fund free eductaion for it's onwe children. Last Sepetember I took my 2 youngets children to school for their first day. By the time I'd paid for 'Uniforms, essential text books, milk Lunch etc I was out of pocket to the tune of over £160.00 added to that bus fairs for my youngets son run to £20.00 per week on top.
My Oldest Children go to University and between fees and subsistence I reckon it will cost each around £6000 a year. Now bear in mind once qualified these young people will earn more than their counter parts who didn't go to university ( hence more income tax and NHI) , and make a significant contribution to British Society. So How much free education could British Children have fo £10bn?

Nik, Newcastle, UK

I think that such sentiments expressed as a personal belief are fine. I love the idea of thinking of others, humanity. However, when such beliefs are used by people like Mr Brown and in his position then I fear the worst. We have enough rules, we have enough unnatural intrusions into everyday life that are supposed to create balance but only create prejudice. For instance, too many well off people are going to university? Is this a social phenomenon or something to do with the way that we educate people? Rather than examining itself Labour immediately charges off and changes the world to try and produce the results required by its emollient words. Society is unequal and getting more so. For now we not only have the old inequalities but also a string of laws and caveats that do not depend on personal goodwill or rely on a natural inclination to do the right thing, but the sense that we have passed our ability to judge and to adapt to the Government and that is a power too much.

malcolm turner, Alsager, England

Good to see Mr. Brown is not ruffled by at all by his past failures , which have come to light recently. As expected and in line with past rhetorics on limited international issues, Mr. Brown is resorted to the safe moral issue of poverty stricken children in Africa. Has some one in his advisory committee failed to tell him that there are poor children in this country as well and there is radicalisation going on here as well? Then again that would be scaring away reliable labour vote-bank. It is also heartening to note that Labour has added education in its long list of failed projects legacy. In case that list slipped their notice it includes - NHS, cuts in defence budget, pensions, IT projects, PFI/PPP, debt-led economy, dome, casino, environmental taxes, tuition fees, escalating council tax, stealth individual taxes and of course burgeoning public sector. I just can't wait for the coronation.

Prabhat, UK,

OMG! Brown really is a bigger comedian than Blair. We have plenty not getting a free education here because they truant, the education system being the mess Brown and his incompetent cohorts made it. Then there are those paying twice to avoid the New Labour mess. Brown wont let you have vouchers to pay for state OR private education because it would clearly show which one is a failure and by implication that the government is a failure. He clearly believes we don't know it already. Please Kirkcaldy, rebuild your ice rink and DON'T have Brown as your MP.

EyeSee, MK,

Kindly undertake to return the money you took from millions of pensioners around the country, including myself.

If I then wish to give to African charities I will then be better placed to do so.

Dom, York,

Its nice to see you have a 5 year plan for the third world too.

Given that your party has systematically destroyed what was left of the british education system I find it laughable you can talk of schooling abroad.

Its also amusing that you worry about indoctrination in schools abroad. What they need are citizenship lessons comrade.

MatG, london, uk

You already steal money our money to fund your pensions and perks; to fund the International bloody Health Service and now you want to start educating the world when most of the products of the UK state education system are almost unemployable.

Is it any wonder that so many want to get out of, or have already fled, the third-rate country Bliar and you have created ?

RM, Madrid,

And just who do you plan to rob to pay for this grandeo scheme Mr Brown?

D Case, Newquay, UK

All very worthy, I am sure. Just make sure that when you hand over our money, yes, our money, Mr. Brown, although you always seem to presume to pre-emptive rights to it, it is not frittered away in bureaucracy and local corruption.

Even without African levels of corruption, most of the extra taxes that you have levied for "investment" in the public sector in the UK have been squandered to no useful effect when measuring educational outcomes.

Gervas Douglas, Andorra la Vella, Andorra

Glad to know that incumbent uncontested leader of Labour party has lined up Education also in the long list of failed Labour projects, restrained by management incompetence and central fiscal diktat by Treasury. Another badge of honour along with NHS, ID cards, pensions, PFI/PPP, cuts in defence budget, escalating council tax, IT projects and of course larger than ever public sector.
I can't wait for the coronation now.

Prabhat, UK,

What about Zimbabwe Gordon. A bit quiet aren’t you? Cross to the other side of the road on Zimbabwe. 2000 years ago the parables would have used your name crossing the road before the Samaritan came along.

jj, Cambridgeshire, uk

When I saw the headline of Gordon Brown's article, I hoped that he had realised the problems in the education system in Britain and was proposing to do something to solve them. Instead he intends to throw more taxpayers' money around in Africa, to play the big man on the international stage.

Brown has no mandate to do this, even if the Labour party does elect him to replace Blair. British people are known to be very generous in giving to the charities of their choice and those who choose to support education in Africa will contribute accordingly. We all know now what happens to money given to Africa at government level, so don't waste any more of our cash, Mr Brown.

As a Scot I have to say, Roger Sykes, that Scotland doesn't seem to want Brown either!

Sheona Hutcheson, France,

I would be more impressed with Gordon Browns grandstanding in this area if we had any evidence from the huge sums of money spent in this country that our children are better educated.

Paul Allkins, Chelmsford, Essex

What a fantastic aim, and what a sensible non-violent way of tackling the extremists.

Martin, London, UK

Remember the old proverb, Gordon. "Charity begins at home".

First teach the English (and, yes, the Welsh and the Scots) - as an absolute minimum - to read, write and do basic sums before they leave school at 18. Get the British up to the educational level, say, of the Poles, and you will have something to crow about.

Once you've done that, and should money still burn a hole in your pocket, be original for once and spend it on the British: after all, they pay your salary.

Tom Katz, Weybridge, UK

I don't know whether I am more angry with Mr Brown or the comments from Alex from Sheffield. I am in one of those people who has been affected by the pensions theft by Gordon Brown. Because of the PPF rules I am going to lose out by approximately £4000 a year. If anyone is rude about Mr Brown it's because they can see through him. It has nothing whatsoever about him being Scottish but all about the damage the man has done in the 10 years he has been at the helm in the Treasury.

Brian Parsons, Lydney, Gloucestershire

As a worthy goal of potentially universal benefit, inclusion of such a wide mandate in a government’s policy seems to be almost unprecedented as a force for good. With English as already the major global language of commerce, the possible benefits to the UK education industry might in time be compared with the present significance of London to international trade and finance.

In some parts of Africa there could be inertia problems of implementation. Although there is no doubt of the insatiable thirst of the young, some controlling elements might perceive free access by all to education as a threat, as has been the case in the past. This might have been a hidden agenda to much past instability and bloodshed.

There are cost-effective ways to support these ideas. Many leaders in governments of developing countries acknowledge the contribution to their education and English language skills made by the BBC World Service.

dr venables preller, Warminster, UK

Shouldn't we look after our own problems first, of which there are many. When will the Government see, acknowledge and start to fix problems in the UK instead of trying to save The World. It's not a legacy we're after, just a better life.

Phil, Frinton, England

What's your next trick to be Gordon? Five loaves, two fishes, and ten thousand people?

Rita Cleary, London,

I am glad to see you are not distracted by the unfair and relentless campaign waged against you.

The attack has often been very personal and it would not be surprising if it has affected you but please do not give in to the campaign.

Comments such as the one from Mr R Sykes above make me think at least some of the criticisms are because of your Scottishness and hence contemptible.

Alex, Sheffield, uk

So the money you've stolen from British pensioners is to be used to educate children in Africa? Why don't you stand for parliament in some other country Mr. Brown. Scotland might suit you.

Roger Sykes, Christchurch, New Zealand

I cannot agree that that the solution to Africa's problems is further patronising meddling by the West to counter the Islamo-imperialism of the madrassas. African nations must finally be treated like adults and traded with as such. Push the EU to sign free trade agreements which will do far more to end the grinding poverty and bad government that Africa endures. Dreadful socialist governments and guilty Western handouts got Africa to the state it's in; only the embrace of capitalism will rescue it now from the Islamists.

Dan Crow, London,

Mr Brown, I am witnessing my four grandchildren aged between 11 and 14 going through a kind of education 'processing'. Over the years they have been going to school, they have gradually lost any deep inquisitiveness, taking no interest in what goes on in the world and why, because they are not taught to 'think' only to pass their exams.

Last week we watched a programme together about child slavery throughout the world, which they found extremely interesting, however, when I queried them the next day if the programme had been discussed in class, 'NO' not one teacher had raised the matter. Apparently, no discussions at all take place in school about 'real' issues.
But I expect they'll make good fodder for manipulation when they're grown up.

shirley bowen, Blackpool,

Mr Brown, I am witnessing my four grandchildren aged between 11 and 14 going through a kind of education 'processing'. Over the years they have been going to school, they have gradually lost any deep inquisitiveness, taking no interest in what goes on in the world and why, because they are not taught to 'think' only to pass their exams.

Last week we watched a programme together about child slavery throughout the world, which they found extremely interesting, however, when I queried them the next day if the programme had been discussed in class, 'NO' not one teacher had raised the matter. Apparently, no discussions at all take place in school about 'real' issues.
But I expect they'll make good fodder for manipulation when they're grown up.

shirley bowen, Blackpool,

All very noble Mr Brown, but I was under the impression that this is what charities are for. I give to the charities of my choice, at my discretion. The tax I pay is not to be sent around the world on any pet project of your choosing. I think there's more than enough to be done at home before you contemplate saving the world.

Neil, Brighton, England

Mr Brown, why don't you focus on your own country, on the people you were elected to serve, and while your at it, why dont you free the British pensioners from poverty, give them back the money you have stolen from them!

Nigel Williams, Sevenoaks, England

Why dont you spend the money on our pensions that you managed to ruin.

I am living in poverty because of you.

Ken Mason, Cheltenham, U.K

You live in Paris - what money are you being asked for exactly????

xNJSx, London,

Well clear off and make it happen.
The office of Uk premiership is no place for one
with such huge world ambitions.
I am weary and sick of the likes of Brown and
their assertions of altruism and consciene by proxy.

wayne, HUNTINGDON,

Do what you want; just don't ask me for any more money. Tx

Sam Young, Paris, France