THE PRESIDENT AND MRS. DE MARCO VISIT STATE, CHURCH AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS ON THE OCCASION OF WORLD CHILDREN'S DAY.

President Guido de Marco and Mrs. de Marco this morning visited State, Church and Private schools on the occasion of World Children's Day. This date was chosen by the United Nations to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of the rights of the child by the UN General Assembly. The President and Mrs. de Marco visited the state schools of Hamrun Primary Schools A and B, Maria Theresa Nuzzo Girls School and San Miguel Febres Cordero Special School. He visited also St. Aloysius College and St. Martin's College.

President de Marco spoke to the students in all the different schools. He emphasised the need for education since this, said the President, is the key to the children's future. President de Marco said that education has nothing to do with the status or wealth of the family. He encouraged the students to make full use of their time for study so that they would be able to use their abilities to the utmost both for themselves and for the future of their country.

The Hamrun Primary School Children greeted the President and Mrs de Marco with waving flags, songs and a dance while the secondary school students of Maria Theresa Nuzzo School provided refreshments, which they themselves had prepared. The children of San Miguel Cordero Special School in Pembroke gave an album with their palm prints to the President and Mrs. de Marco after these spent time with these children. The President and Mrs. de Marco paid tribute to the contribution made by the Catholic Church in the field of education when they visited St. Aloysius College. At St. Martin's College, the President and Mrs de Marco were shown around different laboratories in which the students were carrying out experiments. They were also shown an excerpt of the musical The Lion, Witch and Wardrobe, which was brought, up together with students from Church and State schools.