Parents and local residents have overwhelmingly backed the head teacher of a Devon school where a young child was reprimanded for upsetting a classmate by telling her she would "go to hell" for not believing in God.

The case of a Sikh pupil suspended from a Welsh school for wearing a wrist bangle is now likely to go to judicial review after the school concerned refused to adopt a more flexible dress policy and is seeking further legal advice.

Trying to make workplaces religion free is no solution to human fears about 'the other', says Simon Barrow, reflecting on recent cases of controversy involving religious dress and symbols in schools and companies.

African children are the future of the continent. Their education is key to future economic growth and lasting democracy, leading to greater stability and improved standards of living. The current state of education in Africa, however, is plagued by a lack of funds, teachers, textbooks, and equipment. Click here for Oxfam charity gifts

School dinners encourage children living in poor communities to go to school and learn to read and write. The lack of food in places such as East Africa, though has meant children have gone without education. Click here to vist the Oxfam Unwrapped Gift Collection

Literacy remains a major barrier to the development of African countries. Despite the progress achieved since 1990, the absolute number of African adults who cannot read or write has increased to 136 million. Click here to vist the Oxfam Unwrapped Gift Collection