BUSINESSES should do more to help improve the district's schools.

That was the message from one boss at a public forum to discuss the Bradford Education Covenant, drawn-up last year to highlight what needed doing to bring about improvements.

Frank Clayton, head of group learning and development at Ilkley-based NG Bailey, pointed out that just two of the 100 people in attendance at the meeting were from the business sector.

"We need to ask how we can get more interested in improving education," he said.

"It seems like education isn't an important enough issue for businesses, and it should be.

"We need to give them a more compelling commercial reason to get involved."

The covenant asks the business sector to play its part by providing more apprenticeships, allowing employees time to volunteer in schools and offering more work experience.

It also calls for charities, parents and the community to play a much bigger role in improving results.

Some of the suggestions raised in the forum looked at ways to get parents more involved in their children's education.

One proposal was that charities and community groups use school buildings more, getting families used to the idea of being involved with what goes on in their children's schools.