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Brussels trip reward for school pupils



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Published Date: 14 October 2008
A GROUP of school pupils who won a national quiz on European issues have been rewarded for their efforts with a trip to Brussels.
The primary six pupils from Edinburgh Academy's junior school were welcomed yesterday by MEP Struan Stevenson, who had promised them the trip if they were successful in the Euroquiz.

Adair Wood, Patrick Christie, Alasdair Gillies, Peter Jacobs and Saul Melvin-Farr were joined by one parent each and their team coach Colin McCloghry on an overnight trip to see for themselves the workings of the European Parliament.

Mr Stevenson said: "I was delighted to hear that the Edinburgh Academy Junior School team had won the Euroquiz competition and that they were able to take up my offer of a trip to the European Parliament. The team's high level knowledge on European matters is staggering at such a relatively young age."

Mr McCloghry added: "I'm incredibly proud of our team.

"They worked hard and thoroughly enjoyed learning all about the European Union."

The Scottish European Educational Trust, which ran the Euroquiz competition, is a charity aiming to provide information about Europe and the EU to schools, colleges and universities.





The full article contains 198 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 14 October 2008 10:30 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Linmal,

Livingston 14/10/2008 12:06:31
Well done to these lads but I think their parents could well afford to pay for their trip - yet more waste of our money, yours and mine, the taxpayer, remember them? Children from a fee paying, privileged school get yet more privileges, now there's a novelty!
2

fresian,

edinburgh 14/10/2008 12:15:09
It will have cost a small proportion of what is normally wasted on rewarding feral scum for their anti social behaviour.
3

Cynicaltalk,

14/10/2008 12:35:47
I'd rather pay for these decent kids to go on this trip, than be stung for sending 'misunderstood' neds to disneyland.
4

Me here,

edinburgh 14/10/2008 13:16:59
Where does it say the trip was funded by the tax payer, why make these assumptions?
5

Linmal,

Livingston 14/10/2008 13:18:27
#2 & #3 - I wouldn't send any of them on a trip funded by my hard earned taxes no matter what the reason. If you are in a position to pay for your kid's treats then you should, if your not, well you just have to do without.
6

Linmal,

Livingston 14/10/2008 13:22:05
#4 "Struan Stevenson who had promised them the trip". Well if he paid for it that's fine, but he's obviously being paid too much money by us the taxpayer. If he didn't pay for it, then that is not fine. No matter which way you look at it the taxpayer has picked up the bill!
7

Shaggy B,

Edinburgh 14/10/2008 13:22:11
And where does it say that the children's families are wealthy? A proportion of pupils at most independent schools will be from less well-off backgrounds but perhaps with an academic or music scholarship, for example. A minority perhaps, but nonetheless one should not make assumptions about the children in the article.
8

The Genuine Mario Antoinette,

14/10/2008 13:30:37
A free trip to Bruxelles ? Oh dear no. Poor things.

And I lived there for 4 years.
9

Jane Plane,

14/10/2008 13:55:07
Parents who send their children to independant schools are generally saving the taxpayer about £3000 per year per child actually and the cost of it to them is around £8500 out of net income. Do the math and see if you think that rewarding well educated children with a one night trip to Brussels is a waste of money. With that point of view, i take it you would ban anyone with an income of more than £100K from playing the lottery as they 'clearly dont need the money'.
10

The Genuine Mario Antoinette,

14/10/2008 14:52:36
9 agreed , but Brussels ?
11

Linmal,

Livingston 14/10/2008 16:40:22
#9 - Of course it is a waste of taxpayer's money. They will have reward enough when they grow up, having had a privileged education and the opportunities which it will open to them and the prospect of a well paid job at the end of it without wasting my hard earned taxes thank you very much.

And as for someone who may win the lottery, on the whole the people who play it would certainly not fall into the category of not needing the money. They are mostly hard working people who have not had the opportunity that these children have had. Instead of a silver spoon more like a plastic one for them!
12

Gorgie_Tony,

Edinburgh 14/10/2008 18:12:59
Kids shouldn't be getting any rewards - we didn't in my day - all we received was hard, physical punishment for the most minor demeanour. Lets get this right - I am paying for these pesky kids a free trip abroad - its an absolute disgrace. Name and shame the kids - lets see their pictures in the press - lets humiliate them for thieving tax payers money.
13

Hardworking Mum,

Edinburgh 14/10/2008 21:17:21
#11 As a hard working mum of an EA pupil am a bit disappointed with your comments! My child was certainly not born with a silver spoon in their mouth. I have worked extremely hard with a lot of overtime throw in and no holidays and extras to be able to afford the "Privileged education". I have paid taxes since I was 16 years old and have saved the government money by sending my child private and not using up resources for state education. You have a very dated image of the type of child that is sent to Private Education these days! Every child should have the prospect of a well paid job at the end of their education if they work hard enough!! Well paid job also equals higher tax payer!!!!!!!!!!
14

Eric D,

Alba 14/10/2008 23:00:29
Maybe they should have given the LOSERS the Brussels trip. Brussel Gare Midi, Scharbeek etc.. and in some ways even worse than Glasgow, such is the great European experiment.
15

Linmal,

Livingston 15/10/2008 08:59:30
#13 I agree, every child should have the prospect of a well paid job at the end of their education but unfortunately I live in the real world where that just doesn't happen. Good for you, by the way, I did without holidays and worked overtime too to give my children the best I could, but I didn't expect any handouts either. This is not the best way to spend tax payer's money. And it is a privileged education, otherwise you wouldn't be so keen to pay for it, now would you?
16

Linmal,

Livingston 15/10/2008 09:00:41
#14 They shouldn't be giving anyone a Brussels trip. A reward is one thing, but an all expenses trip with a parent is quite another thing.
17

Decent,

15/10/2008 09:34:37
Is Gorgie tony for real? Or is he just a wind up? Sounds like he came out of The Viz.
18

Decent,

15/10/2008 09:52:35
And for once I kind of agree with Linmal. I don't think Adair or Alisdair (with a D) or Saul Melvin-Farr had scolorships!
19

Vote UKIP,

19/10/2008 14:42:46
"...European issues have been rewarded for their efforts with a trip to Brussels."

Disgusting brainwashing and propaganda. Dictatorships love to target children because they haven't developed critical thnking yet.

You can bet your life that "European issues" is a euphemism for pro-EU lies.

Get angry, VOTE UKIP!

 

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