· April, 2011

Stories about Education from April, 2011

Bhutan: Bonded Teachers

  28 April 2011

Tshering Tobgay criticizes a recent rule in Bhutan that teachers will never be able to apply for other government posts.

Brazil: School Bullying and the Realengo Massacre

  28 April 2011

On 7 April 2011, twelve adolescents at the Tasso da Silveira City School in the west of Rio de Janeiro were shot dead. The culprit was ex-pupil, Wellington Menezes de Oliveira, 23, who then turned the gun on himself. The growing speculation about the killer’s profile, in both the blogosphere and traditional media, raised the issue of bullying in Brazilian society.

Armenia: Pseudo-patriotism and flag burning

  28 April 2011

Unzipped comments on the creation of a Facebook page by some students in Armenia calling for the “virtual burning” of the flags of Azerbaijan and Turkey. The blog says it considers the move one that can only lead to more hatred between Armenia and its two estranged neighbors and is...

Malaysia: Obesity in schools

  28 April 2011

Nuraina A Samad from Malaysia reminds authorities that addressing the obesity issue also requires a review of the physical education and fitness programs in schools

Malaysia: Boot Camp to “Help” Effeminate Boys

  26 April 2011

Based on their effeminate tendencies, 66 schoolboys from the state of Terengganu in Malaysia were recently sent to a boot camp aimed at "helping them behave in a proper manner". The boys were identified by their schools, who were instructed last year to identify students who displayed feminine qualities. The blogoshere in Malaysia is divided over this issue.

Malawi: Political Science Lecturer Talks About Blogging Academic Freedom

  22 April 2011

When Malawi's Inspector General of Police Peter Mukhito summoned political science senior lecturer Dr Blessings Chinsinga over an example he gave in the lecture room, he had no idea that the incident will appear on Boniface Dulani's blog. Victor Kaonga wanted to hear from Dulani about his blogging experiences especially following the Chinsinga episode which has turned into a movement fighting for academic freedom.

Costa Rica: Climate Change Affecting the Cloud Forest

  20 April 2011

The Monteverde Now project documents the stories of 11 members of the Monteverde Community through short video interviews where they explain how their life has been transformed and how they are adapting to sustaining their diverse and delicate ecosystem in the face of climate change.

Bahamas, U.S.A.: Economic Empowerment

  20 April 2011

“The best way to address poverty and fairness in our society is through a radical overhaul of our failing education system”: Bahama Pundit sees some parallels with the U.S. regarding debt and income inequality.

India: Higher Education, An Opportunity Lost

  19 April 2011

“Higher Education in India, in particular, is a game of political privileges and cronyism; consequently, Indian institutions fail to make it to global top table and also fail to equip its 2.9 million graduates a year with basic employment skills,” comments Supriyo Chaudhuri at Sunday Posts.

Trinidad & Tobago: Autism Awareness

  19 April 2011

“It wasn't until 1994 that Asperger's syndrome was officially recognized by the American Psychological Association. Fifty years. T&T's already behind the curve”: Blogging at Outlish, Nicole Greene “hope[s] it doesn't take us another 50 years before we're finally ready to properly support the autistic community among us.”

Pakistan: Text Books Being Updated After 11 Years

  15 April 2011

Faisal Kapadia at Deadpan Thoughts welcomes the steps by the Education Ministry of Pakistan to update the text books and supplementary materials for both students and teachers of primary and secondary schools, which were pending for so long. In states like Sindh & Baluchistan they were not revised in the...

Malawi: The Power of a Blog Post

  14 April 2011

The two-month old stand-off between the university lecturers in Malawi and their employer has led to the closure of the University of Malawi's main colleges. But no one would have known that things were so bad if one blogger, Boniface Dulani, had not written a post titled "Mutharika's dictatorship hits a new low: Unima's Blessings Chinsinga summoned by Inspector General of Police" on February 12, 2011.

Colombia: Citizens Reject Proposal to Reform Higher Education Law 30

  12 April 2011

Colombian President Santos' proposal to reform the Higher Education Law 30 has not been received well. Despite some accepting it, the loudest voices heard, online and in the streets, have been the opposition. This past April 7 a national march was held; at the same time, netizens share their concerns on blogs, videos, web pages and other social media.

South Koreans Baffled By Five Consecutive University Suicides

  12 April 2011

South Koreans are buzzing over recurring suicides which occurred in one prestigious university. The school's unique penalty tuition system which was adopted by the president of the school also went under fire for driving students to extreme stress, even to the death.

Singapore: Debate on ‘Pampered’ Soldiers

  9 April 2011

Are Singapore soldiers ready for battle? This is one of the many questions raised by netizens who are reacting to the photo of a young serviceman whose backpack is being carried by someone believed to be their family domestic helper

Egypt: Remembering Bahr El-Baqar Incident

Forty one years ago, the Israeli Air Force raided a primary school in the Egyptian village of Bahr el-Baqar. About 30 of its students died, over 50 were severely wounded, and many were left with disabilities. And after all those years, Egyptians still remember the massacre.

Cuba: Exam Fraud

  8 April 2011

“Fraud in Cuban schools is a deep evil, almost endemic,” says Iván García, who explains that “on a greater or lesser scale it’s been happening since 1970.”

South Korea: Four Students Committed Suicides in KAIST

  8 April 2011

Four students at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology(KAIST), South Korea's one of prestigious universities, have committed suicides this semester, reportedly because of the pressure of competition and KAIST's penalty system which charges students extra fee for underachievement. Net users have filed an online petition[ko] urging the KAIST...