· May, 2010

Stories about Education from May, 2010

Jamaica: Situation Improving?

  27 May 2010

Four days into the state of emergency imposed on the Jamaican capital, the situation is becoming clearer - not simply in terms of statistics - but in understanding the chain of events that led to the current impasse. There are also reports that life in the capital city may slowly be returning to normal.

Russia: Last Day of Classes in Moscow

LJ users zyalt, medar, martin-sqare and alex-i1 (RUS) team up to photograph Moscow high school seniors celebrating the last day of classes on May 25. MoscowMom posts this observation: “Most Russian eleventh graders wear Soviet school uniforms (with the skirts MUCH shorter than they ever would have been prior to...

Trinidad & Tobago: Seeing Sue

  26 May 2010

“Sue, the 67 million-year-old-Tyrannosaurus Rex, is currently visiting our shores”: MEP Caribbean Publishers thinks “this is a great opportunity for the public not only to learn more about this dinosaur, but to see and experience the size of this ancient predator in person.”

East Timor: Portuguese Language in Debate

  23 May 2010

A heated discussion is taking place in the Timorese blogosphere regarding the implications of the adoption of Portuguese as one of the official languages in East Timor, along with Tetum. Kirsty Sword Gusmão, Goodwill Ambassador for Education, and spouse of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, reacts showing her concerns about education...

Brazil: 5XFavela: Art Breaking Social and Cultural Barriers

  21 May 2010

5X Favela is a social and cultural project that resulted in a feature film about the country's favelas being presented this week at the Cannes Film Festival. It is the first Brazilian feature film of its kind to be made by slum-dwellers themselves. But before traveling to the festival, Felha, one of the directors was randomly humiliated by police, showing that we still have some way to go in altering this stigma of Brazilian society.

Slovenia: Student Protest Turns Violent

Borut Peterlin posts photos from the May 19 student protest in Ljubljana, which turned into a riot. Sleeping With Pengovsky writes: “What Ljubljana witnessed yesterday was not an outpour of crisis-fueled rage or misery. These kids go to school, do their homework, take tests and have crushes. They are not...

MENA: International Day Against Homophobia Celebrated

May 17th marks the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO). The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is still a region for concern according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (IGLA), as homosexual acts are still legally punishable in all MENA countries with the exception of Israel. Despite this, there are associations in the region which openly and passionately celebrated IDAHO; Katharine Ganly takes a look at some of the major events in the region.

Puerto Rico: Second national strike in less than a year

  18 May 2010

The student movement and the strike they have sustained for almost a month at the main campus of the state-run University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and in 10 of the 11 campuses has catalyzed a massive social movement that has convened a national strike for today, May 18, 2010. As...

Puerto Rico: In Solidarity

  17 May 2010

Repeating Islands reports that “public figures including musicians, singers, and sports personalities from Latin America and Spain” have sent messages of support to the students who are on strike at the University of Puerto Rico.

China: Is there a place in education for high culture?

  14 May 2010

Is there a place for liberal education in today’s modern society, where competition for jobs is fierce, and occupations are increasingly specialized and technical? An April issue of the Southern Metropolitan Weekend published a letter written by a Year 3 university student from Tianjin, a major metropolis in Northeast China:...

Puerto Rico: Tensions arise at the student strike

  14 May 2010

It has been over 20 days since the students of the largest campus (in Río Piedras) of the state-run University of Puerto Rico (UPR) paralyzed the academic operations in order to protest against a $100 million budget cut and the proposed elimination of certain registration and fee waivers [EN]. Ten...