Stories about Education from December, 2008
Cuba: Wishing for Freedom
Cuban blogger Retazos [ES] shares some of her wishes for 2009.
Bahamas: Students & Drugs
“In the Bahamas, the average age for male and female students who peddle and smoke weed/drugs is age 13 and 14, respectively”: Adrian Gibson at Weblog Bahamas says that “the illicit drug plague has ripped our social fabric and will unremittingly haunt the history of our island chain for many...
Paraguay: Literacy Programs To Arrive
After Paraguay president Fernando Lugo attended a celebration in Bolivia, in which it was declared that the country was free of illiteracy, he stated that the Venezuelan and Cuban teachers would soon arrive in Paraguay to do the same. Edgar Ruiz Diaz of Las Preguntas de Venerando [es] believes that...
Japan: Un-hiring fresh graduates
Job hunting for fresh graduates in Japan is an intense trial called shushoku katsudo or shukatsu for short. University students in their third year start shukatsu during the winter in hopes of receiving several naitei (informal job offer/promise of employment) in May at the earliest, to start their new jobs on April 1st of the following year.
Northeast Asia: 2008 Review
The northeast Asia region is becoming more integrated politically, economically and socially. State leaders from China, Japan and South Korea recently signed a Joint Statement for Tripartite Partnership to address the serious challenges in the global economy and the financial markets. Peace talk between North and South Korea continues, while...
Caucasus: 2008 Blog Review
Last year ended with a state of emergency declared in Georgia, but few could imagine that the events of 2008 would eclipse those of 2007. Three presidential elections, a war, and yet another state of emergency defined the South Caucasus this year, and bloggers were there to document events from...
China: Interview with Journalism Professor
ESWN translated an interview with associate professor Hu Yong of Peking University, School of Journalism and Communication at Tianya forum.
Philippines: Music Teacher's Memoirs
A young music teacher from the southern Philippines shares her experience on teaching musical expression to children.
Russia: Patriarch; Yoshkar-Ola; Stalin's Legacy; Protests
A selection of recent posts from Window on Eurasia: a “Ukrainian” metropolitan who may or may not become Russia's next patriarch; Hungarians react to the Russian authorities’ suggestion to rename Yoshkar-Ola, the capital of Mari El, to Tsaryovokokshaysk, the city's pre-1917 name; some Russian history teachers’ efforts to educate students...
Ghana: Upcoming conference on communication education
Communication, Culture, Democracy & Development in Nigeria announces that the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE) is organizing a conference to take place at the University of Ghana from the 4th to the 8th of August 2009 under the theme “Communication education and practice in Africa: a social contract for...
Caribbean: 2008 in Review
From natural disasters to lightning bolts of the athletic kind, 2008 was a busy one for the Caribbean blogosphere. Here are some of the highlights...
Haiti: Photo of the Year
Haiti Innovation reports that the UNICEF “Photo of the Year” features the plight of Haiti, while the photographer, who has her own blog, says of her win: “It’s not only great because my work as a photographer gets recognition, but also and much more important – eventually many people will...
Korea: Teachers who have been fired
Recently, some Korean teachers were fired because they were opposed to a new test that the government initiated, Ilje Gosa (one-type test, a nationwide scholastic achievement assessment). It is a test that all students take with the same questions and the same date, so that students can be compared across...
Chile: Regional Library of Aysen
The Regional Library of Aysen recently opened in Coyhaique, Chile, which will also house a computer lab. Máximo Moreno Grez describes the newest facilities complete with photos [es].
Azerbaijan: Linguistic University Recollections
Sheki, Azerbaijan remembers studying 15 years ago at the University of Languages in Baku. The blog says that corruption was rampant at the university during the Soviet era, but that post-independence reforms in the admission system have improved the situation. It also remembers one lecturer who was sent to Siberia...
Cape Verde: Success Stories From Peace Corps Volunteers
Christopher writes about a Peace Corps Volunteer who is working with community members in Cape Verde to start a sustainable internet cafe business.
Video: Costa Rican Artist takes on the Fine Art Classics
Francisco Munguía, a Costa Rican cartoonist and artist has interpreted the Fine Arts classics and is currently doing a show in the Costa Rican Children's Museum. However, you don´t need to travel to Costa Rica to see his work: it is uploaded on YouTube in a gallery style presentation.
Korea: Teenage Rape and Parents’ Responsibility
A teenager who has suffered from attention deficit disorder raped a seven year old girl. Having a previous record, the 18 year old was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the court. An interesting decision that the court made this time was to make his parents responsible for not...
Bhutan: Teaching History in Dzongkha
Tshering Tobgay writes about the problems of teaching history in Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan.
Barbados: Nature Sanctuary Closes
The Bajan Reporter calls the closing of Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary a “sad day for [the] Government of Barbados and Bajan tourism.”
China: Nationwide Teachers’ Strike
Since this October, teachers in Sichuan, Chongqing, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong went on strike, demanding a salary raise. According to local media report, the strike started from Sichuan Pi Region (陴縣) in Sep 23, teachers demanded local government to follow national law (such as Teachers Law) and raise...
