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KERALA MONITOR |
Indian Schools
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Norman Gray, Director of the Dubai Men's Colleg--Going Hi-Tech with Compaq HOEY ANNOUNCES CREATION OF SCHOOL SPORTS ALLIANCE The huge cash boost for school
sport from the Lottery and the The Alliance will set a strategic
framework for the funding of sports "Schools are a fundamental
part of our vision for sport. The extra "Whether young people are
interested in sport as a recreation or as a "We all recognise the important
part sport plays in many people's "My Department looks forward
to working with Youth Sport Trust, Sport "The Government is making
a major investment in PE/Sport in schools Vet School Funded to Inaugurate
Nation's First Comprehensive ALAMEDA, CA - November 15, 2000 (INB)
-- Maddie's Fund, a
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47 INSTITUTIONS HAVE SO FAR BEEN DECLARED DEEMED UNIVERSITIES
New Delhi: December 5 Forty seven institutions in 15 States have so far been declared deemed universities in the country. One each in Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal; two each in Jharkhand, Uttaranchal, Gujarat; three each in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, four in Rajasthan ; five in Tamilnadu, six each in U.P. & Delhi and nine in Maharashtra. This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shri Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. It was also stated that the UGC guidelines concerning proposals for granting deemed university status to institutions have recently been revised to make the procedures simple and less cumbersome
FINAL RESULTS OF NDA AND NAVAL ACADEMY EXAMINATION-(I) 2000 ANNOUNCED
The Union Public Service Commission have declared the final results of the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination-(I) held in May, 2000. The successful candidates have qualified for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force Wings of National Defence Academy for the 105th course and Naval Academy 10+2 (Executive Branch) for the 25th course, commencing from January, 2001.
There are some common candidates in the lists for Army, Navy, Air Force and Naval Academy. The total number of such candidates in the three lists is 121. The number of vacancies as intimated by the Government is 204 for Army, 30 for the Navy, 66 for the Air Force and 35 for the Naval Academy.
The results of medical examination have not been taken into account in preparing the roll number lists. The candidature of all the candidates is provisional, subject to their submitting the requisite certificates in support of date of birth and educational qualifications etc. claimed by them to the Defence Authorities, wherever this has not already been done.
Last date for submission of proof of passing the qualifying examination is 11th December 2000. For any further information, the candidates may contact Facilitation Counter of the Commission, either in person or on Telephone Nos. 3385271 or 3381125. The result is also available at Union Public Service Commission Website at www.upsc.gov.in.
Dubai Men’s College Launches Cisco Networking Academy Programme For High-Tech Qualifications
Academy Program. Dubai, UAE – 21 November 2000 – The Dubai Men’s College today opened its new high-tech networking facility, which allows it to offer its students a hands-on knowledge and experience curriculum in networking technology. The course and laboratory equipment were implemented as part of Cisco Systems’ Networking Academy Program.
The new programme at the College will give graduates certification in networking technology, accepted worldwide. Over a two-year course, students will learn the skills needed to plan, implement and maintain sophisticated computer networks. "The Dubai Men’s College has a commitment to give its students the best education possible, both theoretical and practical. The networking facility that Cisco has helped us build allows our students to learn by doing. This, combined with the basic grounding they will have in technology and computer sciences, will produce graduates that can immediately start to contribute to building the UAE," said Norman Gray, Director of the Dubai Men’s College.
Sam Alkharrat, Cisco Systems Technical Director, Norman Gray, Director of the Dubai Men's College, and Joseph Yang, head of the Information Technology Faculty, with some of the students in the new technology facility.
Maroun Naser, Cisco Networking Academy Program Manager, added, "IT analysts predict an IT skills shortage in the UAE of over 30% over the next three years. The initiative of the Dubai Men’s College will go a long way to producing the right kind of graduates to allow the UAE to maintain its incredible growths. Through this initiative with Cisco, graduates of from Dubai Men’s College will be qualified to meet the current needs of the workplace in the UAE, and also be eligible for further industry-standard international certification, offered by Cisco through its training partners.Part of the opening event was the official opening of the College’s new networking facility—a laboratory fully equipped with the latest networking technology. This allows the students to get hands-on experience on the systems they will one day be working with when they graduate.Through the agreement with Cisco, the curriculum of the Cisco NetworkingAcademy Program will be used at the Dubai Men’s College. The Cisco Networking Academy Program is a non-profit educational initiative created by Cisco Systems, designed to help secondary and tertiary education institutions provide students with technology skills that closely corresponds to those needed in today’s Internet economy.
SETTING UP OF AGRI-CLINIC AND AGRI-BUSINESS CENTRES TO ENSURE REACH OF RESEARCH UPTO FARMERS
The Government of India proposes to take up a scheme for supporting the establishment of a network of agri-clinics and agri-business centres by Agriculture Graduates. The scheme proposes to extend self-employment opportunities to eligible Agriculture Graduates to support agricultural development through establishment of economically viable agri-clinics and agri-business centres of which the selected Graduates would be the owners. Beside providing employment to Agriculture Graduates, the scheme will assist in the reach of Agriculture Research upto the farmers. To begin with, the scheme aims at supporting the establishment of 5000 such clinics/centres per annum at an average cost of Rs.5 lakhs per venture with an outer ceiling of Rs.10 lakhs per individual venture. The Government proposes to extend credit linked back-ended subsidy for these ventures. It is proposed to operationalise the scheme through NABARD re-financing.
Some of the services and activities proposed to be covered under the scheme are testing of soil and water quality as also of inputs by setting up laboratories; pest surveillance, diagnostic and control services; maintenance, repairs and custom hiring of agricultural implements and machinery including micro irrigation systems; seed processing units; micro-propagation through plant tissue culture labs and hardening units; setting up of vermiculture units, production of bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides, bio-control agents; provision of Extension consultancy Services; facilitation and agency of agricultural insurance services; setting up of information technology kiosks in rural areas for access to various agriculture related portals; value addition centres; and post harvest management centres for sorting, grading, standardization, storage and packaging.
After Graduation they will be given internship training for a period of about six months in the field. To provide training 50 centres near the Agriculture Universities/Research centres will be established. The possible locations of the Agri-clinics and Agri-business centres would be primarily decided by the Agriculture Graduate-entrepreneurs themselves, and, therefore, Government do not intend to prepare State-wise distribution of these ventures.
INDIA AND BULGARIA SIGN AGREEMENT ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
India and Bulgaria have signed an agreement on Science and Technology to enlarge and strengthen scientific cooperation. It was signed here today by the Minister for Human Resource Development and Science and Technology Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi and the visiting Bulgarian Minister for Agriculture and Forest Mr. Ventsislav Varbanov. So far, the two countries have been conducting scientific collaboration through the Indo-Bulgarian Joint Commission for economic, scientific and technical cooperation, to which Mr. Varbanov is the co-Chairman.
The areas identified for cooperation include, metal sciences and new materials; alternate renewable energy sources including solar energy; geophysical instrumentation and earthquake engineering including its prediction; laser science and technology as well as astronomy. The two sides have agreed to conclude a new programme of cooperation in science and technology sometime next year.
The agreement among other things provides for the establishment of a joint committee for scientific and technological cooperation. The two sides will also exchange scientists, researchers and specialists besides joint identification of scientific and technical problems.
MORRIS OPENS STATE OF THE ART CITY LEARNING CENTRE IN NEWHAM
London: A new City Learning Centre featuring electronic interactive
whiteboards, a wireless computer network and video-conferencing
facilities was opened in Newham by Schools Standards Minister Estelle
Morris today.The Newham Centre based in Forest Gate School, will also feature 60
fully networked computers and offer Web page creation, graphics
manipulation software, a wide variety of CD ROMs and access to Living
Libraries, an on-line updated reference resource.Initially the centre, which is part of the DomEx project, will
specialise in Integrated Learning Systems which allows users to
access study material in Maths and English, at a level comfortable to
them. This allows teachers to identify areas of weakness and address
them.The centre is in a modern high quality building housed in the school
and will open from 8 am to 8 pm daily Monday to Friday. It will share
facilities and expertise with 15 secondary schools, two sixth form
colleges and 64 primary schools within the education authority.The DomEx project will link together five City Learning Centres in
London boroughs in Excellence in Cities areas, which will act as
bases for developing teaching and learning resources, and provide
high quality teaching and learning experiences for both pupils and
teachers.Ms Morris said:
"City Learning Centres will provide leading edge technology. The
centres will help students develop the skills they need for the
future and have the potential to transform teaching and learning."The centres are at the heart of our Excellence in Cities initiative
and bring together many other strands of the programme, making their
own very significant contribution to raising standards in our major
cities."The link with the DomEx project is clearly innovative and the link
with other CLCs will enable easier integration of ideas and sharing
of best practices in teaching and learning."European Space Agency takes Netdays to the Stars
The European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) are inviting schoolchildren to take part in a Netd@ys Chat on the Netd@ys Europe site on 24 November 2000. "Ask a Space Expert @ Netd@ys" is one of the highlights of the Netd@ys Europe Week, which will take place between 20 and 27 November 200. This is Europe's biggest educational and cultural event involving the new media and is open to everybody.
"Ask a Space Expert @ Netd@ys" is a joint initiative between the European Commission's DG Education and Culture and ESA. On Friday 24 November between 9 a.m. and 12 a.m., a special Chatroom will be opened for schools on the Internet at the Netd@ys Website www.netdays2000.org. Fifteen famous European space experts, including two astronauts, will answer pupils' questions on a variety of subjects.
"Is there life on Mars? How to become an astronaut? How to construct a satellite? What is space tourism? How to protect the Earth? What do we need to send satellites into space?" These are just some of the exciting issues that are likely to be raised. Top experts in different fields, ranging from space sciences to telecommunication at ESA, will meet schoolchildren between 7 and 17 years of age in Cyberspace and give them first-hand information on space related issues.
The aim of this joint initiative is to highlight an example of good practices in the use the new media, especially the Internet, as a teaching, learning and discovery resource. "Ask a Space Expert @ Netd@ys " is a pioneer project based on a genuine "student-expert partnership" as recommended by the pedagogical evalution of Netd@ys Europe, run by the Universities of Helsinki and Athens last year. One of the objectives of the European Commission and ESA initiative is to show learning communities how scientific "mentors" can improve school lessons and motivate pupils to investigate problems.WEST AFRICA: Sahelian countries adopt education strategy
ABIDJAN, 28 November 2000 (IRIN) - Six Sahelian nations on Monday pledged to draw on their own resources to improve education, and urged international donors to follow-up with assistance that would give them greaterindependence in implementing their programmes.Officials agreed to commit half of their education budgets to primaryeducation, and to set aside 4 percent of gross domestic product and contribute 40 percent of debt relief savings to education.
"The heads of state have made some very strong commitments," Ouane Adama, director of UNESCO's institute for education in Hamburg, Germany, told IRIN on Tuesday. "We have a chance now to make a breakthrough."
Adama attended the weekend meeting of education and finance ministers in
Bamako, Mali, and the follow-up summit on Monday. The presidents of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger attended the summit, while other officials
represented Guinea and Senegal.Initially, officials appeared to want to rely on external support to improve
education, but presidents Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali and Mahamadou Tandja of Niger presented convincing arguments for greater self-reliance with external resources as a supplement, Adama said. He said their message to the
international community was: "Support us and let us be in the driver's
seat."Adama said there were several local efforts underway in the Sahel region,
such as fostering the use of indigenous languages (coupled with the official
language) in education in Mali, or using "satellite schools" in Burkina Faso
to reach more children."There are a lot of innovations in the region," he said. "It doesn't have to
be done from scratch. Things are moving."Primary education enrolment in the impoverished Sahelian countries fallsbelow levels for most of sub-Saharan Africa. In 1997, only Senegal had anenrolement rate (59.5 percent) above the sub-Saharan African average of 56.2percent, according to the UNDP Human Development Report 2000. The other fivecountries ranged from 24.4 percent in Niger to 47.9 percent in Chad.Adama said officials would like to make greater links betweenpoverty-alleviation programmes and educational outreach in their countries. Representatives of the World Bank, the United Nations, NGOs and otherorganisations attended the weekend meeting and summit.
COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION MINISTERS CONFERENCE
DR.JOSHI LEADS INDIAN DELEGATION
The Indian Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr.Murli Manohar Joshi left New Delhi today for Halifax, Canada leading an Indian delegation, to take part in the four-day Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers, beginning tomorrow. The six member delegation includes the Minister of state, Syed Shahnawaz Khan and Secretary, Secondary and Higher Education, Shri M.K.Kaw and other officials.
At the Conference, Dr.Joshi is expected to share India’s experience in educating the masses, as also the "Sarva Siksha Abhiyan", the ‘Education for All’ initiative. While doing so, Dr. Joshi would stress the essentiality of the ethical and moral
aspects of education. He will be chairing a Ministerial Committee that will look into Qualifications, Standards and Equivalences, Scholarships, Fellowships and Exchanges.During his stay, Dr. Joshi would be interacting with a number of education ministers from other Commonwealth countries, in particular the British Minister for Education Baroness Black Stone. His meeting with the British Minister would assume significance in the back-drop of British support to District Primary Education Programme especially for West Bengal and
Kerala.The other important engagements of Dr.Joshi would be having bilateral discussions with his Canadian counterpart. Canada has become an important destination for Indian students going for higher education especially technical education at the university level. In comparison, the cost of such education in Canada is cheaper than in United States.
The Commonwealth Conference will focus on the need for educational diversity to meet the expanding range of challenges that will confront education in the new millennium. It will also deliberate upon the theme "Education in Global Era, Concerns and Challenges", as well as commonwealth perspectives.
INDIAN GOVT TO PROMOTE SANSKRIT EDUCATION IN A BIG WAY
NEW DELHI: The Government is to promote Sanskrit Education in a big way. This was disclosed by the Minister for Human Resource Development Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, while delivering the convocation address at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed University) at Ananthpur (AP) today. He said the repository of knowledge from vedic to present time is in sanskrit and therefore, it should be studied in all our learned institutions. As there is an awakening across the country of the importance of sanskrit, the Government is trying to create facilities for large scale learning of this language.
Emphasising the need to espouse the cause of sanskrit he said, the institute has shown a new path of integral education in the area of higher education which lays equal stress on character building and academic excellence. He pointed out that integral education is a process of a free and progressive development of the powers of the body, mind and the soul under the overarching growth and development, which is spiritual in character so that a total harmony of the being can be pursued as a practical goal of all aspects of progress.
Turning to the world economic order, Dr. Joshi said it is another extension of materialism and that the world has become a large market. These concepts have propelled the western world into unmasked exploitation. 800 million people still sleep hungry . One billion suffer from malnutrition. 1.5 billion still under poverty. The consumption levels in affluent nations are going up steeply. Technologies have often led to oppression and wide spread destruction of the ecology and depletion of world’s limited natural resources. He said this calls for sustainable consumption . There has to be a check on uncontrolled consumption. It is the responsibility of all of us to carry on the struggle for achieving the goal of sustainable consumption, he added.
New Delhi: November 10: Two expert committees, one for Kendriya Vidyalayas and the other for Navodaya Vidyalayas are to be set up to examine ways and means of improving and streamlining their management and functioning. The committees would be asked to submit their report within three months. This was disclosed by the Minister for Human Resource Development Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi while addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee of his ministry, here today. Dr. Joshi said that action would be taken on the recommendations of the Committee and see whether they can be implemented before the next session starts. The agenda of today's meeting was "Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan".
Dr. Joshi told the meeting that despite some shortcomings in the functioning of these schools, their results were comparable with that of any private school. He said efforts are being made to evolve the Kendriya Vidyalayas as ideal schools in the country and a model school for the States and other institutions. He said special attention will be given to those in the North-Eastern Region. The Minister informed the committee that measures are already underway to look into the grievances of teachers of these schools including the transfer policy. The minister also disclosed that 20 Navodaya schools have been selected for strengthening their infrastructure to make them the best schools in sports also. Some of these are in the North-Eastern region.
Twenty six more Kendriya Vidyalayas would come up next year and of these six will be in the North-Eastern States, Dr. Joshi said. At present there are 854 Kendriya Vidyalayas, out of which two are located in Kathmandu and Moscow. Encouraged by the success of Kendriya Vidyalayas abroad, more such schools are to be opened in other countries on self-financing basis, the Minister averred.
The Minister revealed that pre-primary education has been introduced in 50 selected Kendriya Vidyalayas on self-financing basis during the current academic year. It is planned to extend the scheme to more Kendriya Vidyalayas in the coming years following their success. 319 Kendriya Vidyalayas have already been supplied with computers. The number would go up to 600 by March next year. The Minister told the members that all their suggestions will be looked into and action taken.
Taking part in the discussions, the members demanded streamlining the functioning of the Kendriya Vidyalayas, a sound transfer policy, better student-teacher relationship, involvement of people's representatives in the management committee, allowing children other than that of government servants for admission in schools where the strength is low, a watch-dog committee for the Kendriya Vidyalayas and improvement of playground facilities. The members who attended include Shri Rajnath Singh 'Surya', Shri M. Sankaralingam, Dr. A.K. Patel, Shri W. Angou Singh (Rajya Sabha) and Shri Y.G. Mahajan (Lok Sabha).
UNICEF is conducting a survey in Sierra Leone of educational activities being undertaken by various agencies in the country, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its situation report of 13 November.
Several efforts are underway to rehabilitate Sierra Leone's devastated
education system. UNICEF has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sierra Leone's ministry of youth education and sports and the UN Population Fund for a combined effort to implement a population/family life education project that aims to benefit more than 30,000 children in 90 schools by the end of 2001, the OCHA report said. Those implementing the project hope to bring about positive behavioural changes among adolescents regarding sexual and reproductive health.The OCHA report also said that UNICEF has provided Action Aid with teaching, learning and sports materials for four schools in the Western Area (near Freetown) and to World Vision International for distribution to another four schools in the southern area of Bonthe. The materials for the Western Area are to benefit 4,260 children.For additional information, see the OCHA situation report at: http://www.reliefweb.int/ocha_ol/index.html
Scientists, schoolteachers and students study physical and life sciences on parabolic flights with the European Space Agency
Experiments in weightlessness will be flown on 21-23 November on the special "Zero-g" Airbus A300 during the 29th ESA parabolic flight campaign, conducted from Bordeaux-Mérignac airport. Three flights of 30 parabolas each are planned for the mornings of 21, 22 and 23 November. Organized by ESA, this campaign includes 11 experiments: four in physical sciences, four in life sciences, two experiments proposed by students and one serving educational purposes for the general public.
Parabolic flights are practically the only means on Earth of reproducing weightlessness with human operators on board. During a parabolic flight, the "Zero-g" Airbus pilot - flying at an altitude of approximately 6000 metres, usually in a specially reserved air-corridor above the Gulf of Gascogne - first performs a nose-up manoeuvre to put the aircraft into a steep climb (7600m). This generates an acceleration of 1.8 g (1.8 times the acceleration of gravity on the ground) for about 20 seconds. Then the
pilot reduces engine thrust to almost zero, injecting the aircraft into a parabola. The plane continues to climb until it reaches the apex of the parabola (8500m), then starts descending. This condition lasts for about 20 seconds, during which time the passengers in the cabin float in the weightlessness resulting from the free fall of the aircraft. When the angle below the horizontal reaches 45°, the pilot accelerates again and pulls up the aircraft to return to steady horizontal flight. These manoeuvres are
repeated 30 times per flight.With Europe and its international partners now building the International Space Station, where research will be carried out for the next 15 years, parabolic flights are crucial to the preparation of experiments, equipment and astronauts, and allow scientists to have their experiments tested before they are actually flown on a space mission. ESA's next parabolic flight campaign, the 30th, is scheduled for May 2001 and will have a mixed complement of experiments in life and physical sciences, again with student-proposed experiments.
THE NEW NATIONAL CURRICULUM TO STRIVE FOR QUALITY EDUCATION AND HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD
DR. JOSHI RELEASES THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK
FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION, MARKING THE CHILDREN'S DAY
The new National Curriculum Framework for school education formulated by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) released here today by the Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi will strive for quality education and holistic development of the child. Among other things, the document speaks of value development at all stages of school education, reduction of the curriculum load, ensuring availability of pre-school education to all children in the country, integrated thematic approach to the teaching of social sciences up to the secondary stage, wide flexibility and freedom in the choice of subjects, vocational stream for enhancing employability and entrepreneur-ship at the higher secondary stage and use of different methods of grading scholastic and co-scholastic areas of learning.
Releasing the document to mark the Children's Day, Dr. Joshi said that it has also made a number of major recommendations for the qualitative improvement at different stages of school education and for the effective implementation of the framework. He said, the document responding to many new societal and pedagogical changes, remains well within the broad parameters of the National Policy of Education framed in 1986 and revised in 1992. Some of the new concerns that lay the foundation of the new framework include building a cohesive society based on pillars of relevance, equity and excellence; inculcating and nurturing a sense of pride in being an Indian, patriotism and nationalism tempered with the spirit of "World as one family", as well as universalising elementary education and linking education with life skills, Dr. Joshi said.
The Director, NCERT, Shri J.S. Rajput said adoption of suitable implementation of strategies for the orientation, participation and accountability of teachers, parents, community and managers of the system are also incorporated in the framework.
The Secretary, Secondary and Higher Education Shri M.K. Kaw released a journal on 'Value Education' brought out by the NCERT. The NCERT organised a community singing programme aimed at promoting emotional oneness, patriotism and tolerance to mark the Children's Day. Ten thousand school children took part in the community singing "Aao Mil Kar Gayen". Dr. Joshi appreciating the programme said such endeavours will help promote national integration and love for one's country.
NIGERIA: IRIN Focus on university reform controversy
LAGOS, 30 October (IRIN) - A plan by President Olusegun Obasanjo to reform
Nigeria's university system with the backing of the World Bank has drawn
hostile opposition from university teachers and students.But government insistence on pursuing the Nigerian University
Systems Innovation Project means a major collision appears inevitable with
two university bodies that have a history of confrontation with previous
military governments. The reform project mainly aims to grant greater autonomy to the country's 47 universities as a potential model for other levels of government.The minister of education, Tunde Adeniran, sought to explain the
government's position at a meeting in October of the Joint Consultative on Education, the
country's highest policy-making body on education. "Government's concept of autonomy for our universities is defined in terms of their freedom to govern themselves, control their student admissions, control their finances and generally regulate themselves as independent legal entities without undue interference from the federal government and
its agencies," he said.But the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the National
Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), also believe a plan is underway to
grant financial autonomy as well to the universities, commercialise
education and charge requisite fees. This would price higher education
beyond the reach of more than 60 percent of the estimated 500,000 university
students.Already there are signs of tempers running over, as a World Bank education
expert, William Saint, recently saw first-hand in Nigeria. Angry students
and lecturers confronted Saint in mid-October at Bayero University, in the
north, and the University of Ibadan, in the southwest.At Bayero University, Saint was greeted with placards reading: "Nigeria has
enough to educate her citizens"; "Education is a human right"; "Take your
loans elsewhere" and "World Bank - the global vulture". Lecturers at the
University of Ibadan shielded Saint from angry students and led him away to
safety in a car."We believe that government can fund university education without
necessarily mortgaging the future of Nigerian students," ASUU president
Dipo Fashina told the students afterwards. "The plan is that eventually
government funding would be withdrawn and universities would be asked to
fend for themselves, which we think is detrimental to university education."Speaking with representatives of universities in the midwest and southeast,
Saint said there were many benefits to be expected from the educational
package his organisation was negotiating with the government. He defended
the World Bank and its projects, saying that "some fundamental changes have
taken place in the way we operate"."At no time did we discuss the need to increase student fees as part of
the World Bank agreement or conditions or eligibility criteria," he said.
"It may be your government that has raised the question of student fees for
its own reasons."But most Nigerians remember that the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund backed the economic reform programme under a former military
ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, beginning in 1987. It included devaluing
the national currency and curtailing subsidies and social spending. Worst
hit by these measures was Nigeria's emerging middle class, who saw its real
income severely eroded.The consequences were equally severe in the education sector. With income
unable to cope with surging inflation for most Nigerian families, the
percentage of drop-outs soared at all levels of education to
pre-independence rates. The educational system also suffered a massive brain
drain; some of the most competent and accomplished people moved to better
paying jobs in other sectors, or abroad.As the reform programme took its toll and military misrule and repression
deepened, university teachers and students were the only vocal opposition
left, challenging the military governments through strikes and protests.Successive military regimes in the 15 years preceding Obasanjo's election in
May 1999 saw the universities as bastions of opposition, so they starved
them and the entire education system of badly needed funding. The nation's
educational capacity fell drastically in qualitative and quantitative terms."It is precisely because the education system is yet to recover from the
haemorrhage it suffered during those years under the military that we think
that the timing of the proposed reforms is wrong," university teacher Eche
Ndukwe told IRIN. "Furthermore, our previous experience of World Bank
intervention in Nigerian university education was not salutary at all."Educational projects promoted by the World Bank between 1991-92, which
involved the provision of a US $120-million loan for the universities, ended
on a sour note. Apart from the excessive interest rates allegedly charged,
most of the educational equipment supplied under the programme was declared
obsolete, and the loan was cancelled after only US $45 million had been
disbursed.Saint acknowledges the earlier problems, saying that transactions then were
not transparent and the views of stakeholders in the education sector were
not taken into account. What was provided then was also a loan and not the
grant being now negotiated. This time around, he said, "there'll be no
secret documents. We are trying to be transparent, we are trying to do
better".
10 November, 2000
TRAVELLER EDUCATION SERVICES - RAISING STANDARDS IN BRITISH SCHOOLS
The essential role played by education specialists working with
Traveller children in schools has been recognised by the findings of
a new report, "Working towards inclusive education: aspects of good
practice for Gypsy Travellers pupils".The report confirms that where the commitment of senior managers and
school governors to an inclusive ethos and equal opportunity is
matched by high teacher expectations and the inclusion of Traveller
issues in the curriculum, Traveller children can share in the
Government's drive to raise standards for all.Published today by the Institute of Education at the University of
London the report stresses the all-important role that schools play
in the education of Traveller children. It says that effective
practices in schools need to incorporate equal opportunity policies
to cater for their educational needs.Speaking at the National Association of Teachers and Travellers
annual conference in Leicester, Schools Minister Jacqui Smith
welcomed the report saying:"Specialist teachers, assistants and education welfare officers
working in Traveller education services have a crucial role to play.
They are supported in their work by the #15.7 million we are spending
on Traveller education in 2000 - 2001 and the emphasis we place on
the raising of standards in education for Traveller children to make
sure they benefit in the same way as other children."The research shows how professionals working in Traveller education
services benefit schools by providing effective in-service training,
supporting Traveller children's families, helping to secure school
places and devising induction material to help parents and children
alike with the continuity of their education."This research will add a great deal to our knowledge of all the good
practices which provide additional educational support to Traveller
children. Local Education Authorities and Traveller education
services will be able to use its valuable information and guidance to
develop relationships for their schools that will support all
children including Traveller children".Jacqui Smith paid tribute to the dedication of all those involved in Traveller education services who undertake demanding work in challenging circumstances.
New EU science prize of € 1 million to be awarded
Brussels: And the winner of the prize is… ? Tomorrow afternoon the winners of the René Descartes Prize will be known. Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin will award the new prize to international research teams that have been selected for the scientific excellence of their work and for their international teamwork. "Scientific excellence, although a reality of modern science, is not rewarded enough in Europe", says Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin.
"This new prize is based on an appreciation of cross-border teamwork and European networking, which is often a determining factor of outstanding quality of science in Europe, but not normally a selection criterion in scientific prizes." The jury, which will select the winners is composed of 10 internationally renowned personalities, chaired by Yves Michot, the designer of the Concorde.
INDIA AND CHINA AGREE ON GREATER COOPERATION IN EDUCATION
India and China have agreed on the need to have greater exchanges between the educational institutions in their countries. This emerged at a meeting between the delegations of the two sides headed by the Minister for Human Resource Development Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi and the Chinese Minister for Education Madame Chen Zhili in Beijing today. Institutional linkages and revival of educational protocol are understood to have prominently figured during the talks.
The Chinese Minister Madame Chen Zhili saw prospects of cooperation between the two countries in information technology particularly training and software development and English language training. She said the Vice Minister Dr. Wei Yu will visit New Delhi soon to study India's educational system especially distance learning. Madame Zhili told Dr. Joshi of how China is merging existing universities and promoting multi disciplinary education.
Dr. Joshi calling for greater interaction between the two sides in education information, management and systems administration said, both the sides have a lot to learn from each other's experience. He said both the countries which are ancient civilisations while using modern science simultaneously aim at retaining their distinctive cultural identities in this era of globalisation.
Elaborating upon Indian academia's integration with R&D and industry, Dr. Joshi invited China to send self-financed students to study at centres of excellence in India, where the cost of world-class education is lower than elsewhere. He apprised the Chinese side of inter-disciplinary centres being increasingly established in various Indian universities. He also spoke about Indian complementary system of primary education i.e. formal and non-formal and said India places stress on high-tech education such as information technology, biotechnology and micro-electronics
10 November 2000
JACQUI SMITH OPENS UP SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS TO VOLUNTARY SECTOR
Voluntary groups for the first time are able to bid for cash for
projects from a central fund designed to support children in the
classroom with special educational needs. The new SEN Small
Programmes Fund is backing partnership projects with the voluntary sector.The fund is making #1 million available this year. The projects being
funded will have a practical and direct impact on pupils and teachers and improve the quality of education for children with special needs. They will also help with solutions to the challenges teachers face in providing for pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools.The fund is designed to encourage voluntary groups and organisations to play a more strategic role in supporting pupils with special educational needs. It encourages them to forge stronger links with schools, LEAs and each other to maximise the benefits for pupils and their parents.
Speaking at an inclusion conference organised by the East of England Regional Co-ordination Project, Jacqui Smith said:
"The Government values the important role voluntary groups play in helping pupils with special educational needs. Until now there has
not been a central fund for voluntary groups involved with SEN
projects."Today's establishment of the SEN Small Programmes Fund underlines our commitment to working with voluntary organisations and to helping different sectors and agencies come together to better support pupils and their parents"."I am confident that the projects we are supporting will make a
difference. They will provide practical advice and solutions. For
example teachers will benefit by sharing good practice and drawing on expertise from the Teachers' Network being set up by the Down Syndrome Association; the East of England Regional Co-ordination Project's work to support schools using the Index for Inclusion will
maximise its impact by enabling schools to share what has worked and identify barriers more easily; and Rathbone CI's project will reach out to support and empower Asian parents to enable them to play a more informed role in their children's education"."Many of the projects are linked to the network of regional
co-ordination projects being sponsored by the Government. The
projects are beginning to bear fruit and the early messages from the
evaluation of the network are encouraging. The Initial Impressions
report concludes that the projects have the potential "to make a
difference" to the educational experiences of pupils with special
educational needs."The work being undertaken by the projects will yield tangible
benefits in the foreseeable future and help reduce the variation in
response that pupils with similar needs receive."
INDIA AND CHINA POISED TO ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL TIESDR. JOSHI'S VISIT BEGINS
New Delhi: India and China are poised to enhance educational ties between them. An eight member delegation headed by the Minister for Human Resource Development & Science and Technology, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi is leaving New Delhi tonight for Beijing to have discussions in this regard with Chinese leaders. Among others, the delegation comprises Shri K. Venkatasubramaniam, Member, Planning Commission, Shri M.K. Kaw, Secretary, Secondary and Higher Education and Dr. Hari Gautam, Chairman, University Grants Commission.
During the five day visit Dr. Joshi will have talks with the Chinese Minister of Education, Mr. Mme Chen Zhili and other senior officials. He will be visiting a middle school, Beijing Normal University, Qinghua University, and a Vocational Training Institute. Dr. Joshi will also have a meeting with leaders of Shanghai Municipal Government. The Shanghai Government will host a reception in honour of Dr. Joshi.
During the talks with the Chinese leaders, commercially marketing Indian Universities in China, University to University or Institute to Institute linkages and reviving the educational protocol are expected to figure prominently. The possibilities of setting up an Indian Cultural Centre in Beijing would also be explored during Dr. Joshi's discussions with the Chinese side.India and China have been having annual exchange of scholarships and Chinese and Hindi teachers. There has also been regular interaction between the Indian Council of Social Science Research and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
SIERRA LEONE: Progress in education sector
Children of war-wounded people may soon have a chance to catch up on their
education as UNICEF considers an appeal to provide teaching and learning
materials to a special school in Grafton. In its situation report for 24-30 October, UNICEF said the school for this category of children would be set up sometime in November by the NGO World Relief. Some 2,000 people will be transferred from an amputee camp to thenew facility. In other projects, UNICEF will work next year with GTZ, a German NGO, to rehabilitate schools and with the UNHCR on education for returnee/refugee and IDP children. A joint team of the Ministry of Youth, Education and Sport, Action Aid and UNICEF visited two schools in the Western Rural Area that are being rehabilitated by Action Aid with UNICEF support. A new Complementary Rapid Education for Primary Schools project will target 1,800 over-age children enrolled in 11 schools to be staffed by 40 teachers.UNICEF and the Ministry of Education will provide school furniture and other material.
Arab Financial Institution planned for Scienctific Research and DevelopmentThe Arab countries are contemplating a plan to start new financial institutions and mechanisms to provide medium and long term loans to finance various joint projects in the proposed Arab Common Market. According to informed sources, there is also a proposal to establish a joint Arab financial institution devoted exclusively to finance Research and Development (R&D) activities in the Arab world. Special plans to extend loans for small and medium sized private business enterprises in the Arab world are also known to be under consideration.
The Arab Business and Investors Congress, which was held in Tunis recommended that the idea of a new Arab Financial Institution for industrial projects would be part of a broader plan to set up an Arab Free Trade Zone and increase in investments in the Arab countries.
A report in the Commercial Bulletin (January 2000), an official publication the Arab Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Development, also indicate that plans are on to set up an Arab financial institution for R&D and industrial finance. The Arab League of States, the Inter-Arab Investment Corporation, the General Union of the Arab Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, the Tunisian Federation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts etc. were the major organisers of the Arab Business and Investors Conference on promoting Arab investment in an Arab Free Trade Zone milieu where the idea was proposed.
Investment prospects in several Arab countries like Egypt, Bahrain, the UAE, Libya, Morocco and Jordan. The creation of an Arab Free Trade Area will help to increase the inter Arab investment flow and implementation of joint investment projects. The proposed financial institutions are expected to make a qualitative change in the flow of investment to the Arab world.
The proposal assumes added importance as the Congress was attended by leading Arab leaders including His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Deputy Governor of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry of the UAE, Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Ghanoushi, Ossama Jaafar Fakeeh, Saudi Minister of Trade, Bakhti Balayeb, the Algerian Minister of Trade, a large number of Arab businessmen and investors from all over the Arab world. Representatives of a number of Arab financial institutions. According to recent media reports, a number of leading Arab scientists have recently visited the UAE rulers and held discussions on improving Arab science and technology.
SCHOOL EDUCATION STORY FROM THE GCC
Canadian "Neighbourhood Corners" in the West Bank
September 12, 200 Winnipeg - Canada's Minister for International Cooperation, Maria Minna, and Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced a $1.7 million initiative which will rovide basic infrastructure and educational activities for children, youth and women in six refugee camps in the West Bank. The announcement was made during the International Conference on War-Affected Children being held in Winnipeg from September 10 to 17.
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will disburse the funds to XFAM-Quebec to create spaces called Neighbourhood Corners. These spaces will include small playgrounds, women's centres, libraries, or other recreational and cultural facilities established with the help and input of the local communities. They will offer a variety of development activities and programmes for children, youth and women in a positive environment.
Women and children refugees need better access to training, employment and education," Minister Minna said. "These facilities will help refugees - especially girls - receive the different, but critical services they need to improve the quality of life for their families and their community." "As Gavel of the Refugees Working Group, Canada has worked to improve the economic conditions of the Palestinian refugees without prejudice to their political rights and future status," said Mr. Axworthy.
"Investing for solutions will benefit Palestinian children now and will protect them in the future." Approximately 4,000 people between the ages of 4 and 22 will benefit from the announcement that will allow the establishment of six new Neighbourhood Corners in refugee camps located in the Northern West Bank. They will be located in areas where social services are limited to offer constructive activities for children and youth to develop their creativity, leadership and team-working skills. The activities especially target girls, but children in general will benefit from the educational facilities, equipment, playgrounds and recreational activities. Members of the local community will be trained to manage the Neighbourhood Corners.
CENTRE ACCORDS HIGH PRIORITY TO CREATION OF SKILLED LABOUR FORCE
New Delhi: Indian government has accorded a very high priority to the creation of a skilled labour force in the country, stated the Labour Minister Dr. Satya Narayan Jatiya while addressing the meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his ministry here today. He said the Prime Minister has several times emphasised that upgrading the skills of labour force is essential to help them take advantage of globalisation process. Seeking the cooperation of the industry in this regard Dr. Jatiya said that it has become imperative to modernise and improve the quality of training to keep pace with technological changes taking place all over the world. He said said this is essential to improve efficiency and ensure relevance of training system to labour market requirements. The Labour Minister said that at present the country has a network of 4,172 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) which constitute an important base for creating a skilled workforce. He said that 1575 ITIs are in government sector run by the state governments, many of whom face a resource crunch. The Labour Minister called for a shift of responsibility in terms of financing and management of vocational training from government towards employers. Emphasizing on greater industry-institute interaction Dr. Jatiya said that industry needs to replace its advisory inputs into ITIs with managerial inputs. Dr. Jatiya said that our endeavour should be to create a trained workforce that could take a job anywhere in the world. The Minister of State for labour and Employment Shri Muni Lall stressed on the importance of modern training for self-employment. He said this would help in solving the problem of unemployment particularly in rural areas.
The Labour Secretary Shri Vinod Vaish said that government is concerned about improving the health of ITIs. He said that training methods and means need to be changed to be in line with changing technologies. Shri Vaish said that the Labour Ministry would, for greater impact, interact with other Ministers and Departments involved in building skills.
Mr. P. Rajandaran, M.P. said that education should be made job oriented and everybody must be given an opportunity for ensuring full growth of ones talents. He said that globalisation process was initialed without preparing the industry for it.