TV presenter Reggie Yates visited a local school this week accompanied by a Government Minister to promote a new Comic Relief education initiative set to help children in Africa. Reggie, also a Radio One DJ, was at Sir John Lawes in Harpenden with Douglas

TV presenter Reggie Yates visited a local school this week accompanied by a Government Minister to promote a new Comic Relief education initiative set to help children in Africa.

Reggie, also a Radio One DJ, was at Sir John Lawes in Harpenden with Douglas Alexander, the Secretary of State for International Development, on Thursday as part of this year's Red Nose Day campaign.

For the first time in Comic Relief history, schools across the UK are being asked to choose how the cash raised in the campaign gets spent to help overcome the barriers that prevent some 35 million children in Africa from going to school.

Some families are too poor to send their children to school, others aren't able to go because they have to help a sick relative and some are so busy fending for themselves that they don't have the time to go to school.

Mr Alexander used new Comic Relief teaching materials to explain the situation in Africa to the pupils at Sir John Lawes and helped them choose one of a number of ways for their fundraising money to be spent.

He said: "I'm urging schools across the country to do something funny for money this Red Nose Day. The Government will match the money raised in the UK to help children in Africa get the chance to go to school. We've set aside an incredible �5 million for this. So have fun, get fundraising and let's make an even bigger difference."

Reggie Yates said: "It's been great to take the lesson today with the International Development Secretary. I've been really impressed to see the pupils choose where their money goes. It empowers our kids in the UK and will make a huge difference in Africa."

Teachers can download teaching resources to help their pupils make their choice from www.rednoseday.com/schools.

For more information about what the Department for International Development are doing with schools around the UK, see DFID, see http://www.dfid.gov.uk/discoveryzone/