Stories about Education from May, 2010
Africa: Poor African parents and their choices
The debate about poor African parents and their choices continues.
India: Video Giving A Voice To Marginalised Communities
IndiaUnheard is a new initiative involving a network of Community Correspondents around India who will produce video stories about life in their community, and the issues ignored by mainstream media.
Maldives: Divehi Language Or Islamic Studies
We Show The Facts. You Know The Rest blog discusses the plan of the Maldives government to make study of Dhivehi language and Islamic studies as optional in A Level.
Jamaica: Situation Improving?
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...
Bangladesh: What To Miss About The Country
Amanda Ferrandino, an US Fullbright scholar, is finishing her study in Bangladesh and lists 14 things she will miss about Bangladesh when she goes back home.
Trinidad & Tobago: Seeing Sue
“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
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...
India: Things They Don’t Teach At School
Amit Sodha at The Power Of Choice lists 17 things that should be part of the education system, but are not.
Puerto Rico: Violent Confrontation With Demonstrators
Last night, as the governor of Puerto Rico Luis Fortuño held a political fundraiser at the Sheraton Hotel in San Juan, students and supporters clashed with special police forces who arrived to quash a demonstration in the lobby.
Puerto Rico: The University Protest seen through Online Video
The University of Puerto Rico's month long protest against budget cuts is still going strong. Through online video the students hunkered down inside the Rio Piedras campus keep the information flow active.
Brazil: 5XFavela: Art Breaking Social and Cultural Barriers
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...
Lebanon: AUB students’ strike against tuition hike
Lebanese Farfahinne reported the students strike that took place at the American University of Beirut (AUB) against a hike in tuition fees.
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.
Côte d'Ivoire – Ghana: Friends and Foes at World Cup 2010
Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana will be the two nations representing the West African region at the World Cup 2010 in South Africa. For the first time, the World Cup will be hosted on African soil and therefore will provide tremendous incentives for African nations to excel on the brightest of...
Puerto Rico: Second national strike in less than a year
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
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.
Qatar: NYT's article draws fire from locals and residents alike
Shabina Khatri reports on rising tensions between locals and expats as Doha residents extol, protest New York Times depiction of Qataris as coddled, self-indulgent creatures, hated by the foreigners who live amongst them.
China: Is there a place in education for high culture?
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
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...
