Thankyou Ma'am
Details: Written by Kate Hutchinson
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Celebrating 7 decades of education advocacy
As the world continues to reflect on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, The Skills Network wishes to celebrate her unwavering commitment and achievements toward education.
In her seventy years of dutiful service, Queen Elizabeth II continued to be one of the world’s biggest advocates for education and training. Below, we share some of the most impactful contributions and achievements over the past seven decades from our longest reigning monarch:
CELEBRATING 7 DECADES OF EDUCATION ADVOCACY
- CHARITABLE PATRONAGE - HRH Queen Elizabeth II was associated with over 600 charities - of which education was her most fondly supported area. Fourteen percent of her charitable patronage portfolio was dedicated to education and training causes. In a 2022 survey, UK residents were revealed to be 8% more likely to support a charity with royal patronage; her impact on educational causes throughout the years has been invaluable.
- INCLUSIVE REFORM - In her final opening of parliament in 2022, Queen Elizabeth proposed educational reform to prevent children ‘falling through the cracks’ and would ‘help every child fulfil their potential wherever they live’. The proposed reforms centred around the introduction of a new national register for children who decided not to return to the classroom in favour of home-schooling, after the covid 19 outbreak.
- INSPIRING GENERATIONS - HRH Queen Elizabeth II made countless visits to education and training facilities throughout her 70-year reign. One of her last official visits was to King’s Bruton School in Somerset, where she opened a music centre and spoke to students in 2019. As a longstanding royal patron of schools, Queen Elizabeth II was an inspiring figurehead for many children and adults alike.
- HONORABLE RECOGNITION - HRH Queen Elizabeth II championed and rewarded the achievements of those working and campaigning within the education sector throughout her reign. Awarding royal honours to individuals for their services to education and contribution towards inclusivity, equality and diversity amongst pupils and teachers.
- UNITING NATIONS - As patron of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) since 1986, Queen Elizabeth brought together young minds from all over the world to address global challenges. Through her Majesty’s continuing patronage and scholarship award scheme, the ACU is a future-proof force for good and provides a ‘critical contribution towards sustainable development across the commonwealth and beyond’.
- MODERN MONARCH - The Queen’s life was steeped in tradition but she embraced the vast benefits of technological advances that occurred during her reign. Her own website, which began as www.royal.gov.uk, was set up in 1997 during a visit to Kingsbury High School in Brent, North West London. In her later life, her Majesty expressed great interest on Twitter in learning about children’s coding education initiatives when opening the Information Age Exhibition at the Science Museum in 2014.
- EXEMPLARY TO THE END - Her greatest achievement in education was her exemplary dedication to duty and service- an attitude we can all strive to learn and benefit from. Whether you are dedicating your time to learning a new skill or simply committing to help others, we thank her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for showing us the very meaning of dedication.
Queen Elizabeth II's impact on the world of education has been long-standing and will continue to benefit and shape countless lives for years to come.
We thank her Majesty for over 70 years of remarkable service and for the legacy she leaves behind.