HIGH ranking officials from Malawi met youngsters in Glasgow during an official visit.

The High Commissioner for Malawi Bernard Sande visited Hutchesons' Grammar School on the South Side.

Mr Sande was joined by Mufwa Munthali, trade counsellor of the Malawi High Commission, and Dr Peter West, the Hon Consul for Malawi in Scotland.

During his visit the Commissioner took a tour of the school, which has strong educational and fundraising links with his country.

Pupils Eilidh Naismith and Billy Davidson travelled to Malawi with ActionAid last year as Young Ambassadors for the Global Campaign for Education.

And in 2012, Hutchesons' raised £30,000 for Glasgow charity Mary's Meals, which funds school-based feeding programmess in Malawi.

The Commissioner took time to speak with a pupil action group for global equality and fairness, who gave him a petition of more than 900 names asking the government of Malawi to increase access to education.

Mr Sande said he was delighted with the children's commitment and agreed to present their petition to President Joyce Banda.

Geography teacher Calvin Clarke said: "The High Commissioner shares our view of the paramount importance of education."