148,000 reasons why we fail to cherish nation’s children equally

THE teachers knew that Timmy was supposed to be starting school, but they were too busy with the new intake of kids to notice that he never turned up. Not the first day, nor the second, nor the third.

His mum had been to the school to enquire about what he needed, and she had seemed absolutely determined to bring Timmy herself. One of the teachers knew the family, and when she saw Timmy's mum on the street, she stopped her to ask why Timmy hadn't started.

That's when Timmy's mum started to cry. She couldn't send Timmy, she said. She hadn't the price of the uniform, and she couldn't afford new shoes for her son. And because the teacher was sympathetic, it all came out. She was being terrorised by a moneylender. Ever since Timmy's dad had left, she just hadn't been able to keep up with the bills.