New Education Minister Michael Gove to give Keynote Address at Festival of Education this weekend

Sir Kenneth Baker and Sir Michael Rake also confirmed as speakers

The new Education Minister, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, has just confirmed that he will be speaking at the inaugural Festival of Education being held at Wellington College this weekend, 3 and 4 July.

This will be one of the first occasions that the Secretary of State has addressed a public audience with a special interest in education. He will be giving a keynote speech at 5.15pm on Saturday, 3 July. Mr Gove will discuss government plans for education and take questions from the floor. Festival goers will have a unique opportunity to quiz the minister on issues such as his new free schools plan, his promised curriculum reform and the exam regime.

Sir Michael Rake, chairman of BT, has also accepted an invitation to speak and will expand upon the comments he made earlier this week when he condemned the level of education standards, calling them a 'disgrace' after receiving 6,000 "illiterate" applications for apprentice scheme jobs this autumn, amounting to nearly 25% of the total applicants.

The importance of vocational skills within education will come to the fore at the Festival with the former Education Secretary Sir Kenneth Baker speaking about his plans to open University Technical Colleges for 14 to 19-year olds, teaching them practical subjects such as engineering combined with academic lessons.

Over 70 leading figures from the worlds of education, culture and entertainment, including Rory Bremner, Germaine Greer, Toby Young and Greta Scacchi, will speak about education from their perspective, in lively debates and discussions. The ground-breaking festival, organised by Wellington College and supported by The Sunday Times, is for parents, students, teachers, grandparents, policy makers, business leaders: anyone who is interested in the future of education in the UK. The agenda is inclusive - state schools and the independent sector, special needs and academia will all be covered as eminent speakers share information, argue policies and challenge opinions on aspects of primary, secondary and higher education.

As well as the packed programme of stimulating debates and cutting-edge presentations, there will be workshops, performances and fringe events with the leading experts and most talented young people in the country today.

Tickets for the Festival of Education are affordably priced at just £27.50 for a one-day pass and can be bought on the Festival's website www.festivalofeducation.org.uk and also on the day.

Among the highlights:

Rory Bremner: what our schools should be doing for dyslexic children
Greta Scacchi: my vision for truly green education
Toby Young: how my campaign to set up my own school is becoming a reality � and how other parents can follow my lead
Prof Guy Claxton: creativity must be at the heart of all educational thinking
Sir Dexter Hutt, head of Birmingham�s Ninestiles federation: why we need better leadership
Prof John Stein: why do 20% of children leave school with a reading age of 11 or lower?
Tim DiScipio, founder of ePals: collaborative learning and the internet classroom

Philosopher AC Grayling and broadcaster Fi Glover will also be appearing.

The Festival programme on Sunday July 4 will conclude with an Intelligence Squared debate. Germaine Greer, Kelvin MacKenzie, Lynn Barber and Felipe Fernandez-Armesto will discuss the proposition: "You don't need a good education to lead the good life". Tickets for the IQ2 debate can be bought separately via their website, www.intelligencesquared.com , or via www.festivalofeducation.org.uk/tickets as part of a Combined Ticket (£35) which includes a pass to the Sunday events.

Dr Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington College, says: "We are delighted that Michael Gove has chosen the Festival to speak about his vision for education. Festival goers will have the opportunity to quiz the minister on free schools, promised curriculum reform and the exam regime. I want the Festival to be the birthplace of a 'great education debate' for the 21st century, which seems so necessary when the future of the UK depends more than ever upon the way in which we educate all our children."

The Sunday Times/Wellington College Festival of Education
Wellington College, Berkshire
Saturday July 3 and Sunday July 4 2010.
Day pass: £27.50

Tickets and information: www.festivalofeducation.org.uk
Queries to edfest@wellingtoncollege.org.uk