A march designed to encourage men to become role models for schoolchildren has the backing of education authorities, the Government said yesterday. A spokeswoman for the Government said: “The Department of Education has confirmed that Mr Crockwell did request permission from director Llewellyn Simmons for the Men Are Needed Middle School March, set to take place on Monday.“Permission was granted for this event. All approved events have the expressed support of the Ministry and Department of Education, as long as events adhere to the guidelines set out at the time of approval.”The statement came after Desmond Crockwell, an anti-violence campaigner, said on Tuesday that Diallo Rabain, the education minister, and Commissioner of Education Kalmar Richards had not told him whether they supported the march. Mr Crockwell said that Dellwood Middle School, in Pembroke, and the Whitney Institute Middle School, in Smith’s, had both expressed an interest in taking part in the march.The event is scheduled to start at Dellwood Middle School at noon, travel along Angle Street, Court Street and Dundonald Street and end with a rally at Victoria Park in Hamilton at about 12.40pm.Speakers are expected to include Leroy Bean, the gang violence reduction co-ordinator, anti-violence advocate Antonio Belvedere, and Anthony Peets, a school counsellor.