Stories about Education from July, 2012
St. Lucia: The Power of Words
David Cave writes a tribute to his mentor, the Saint Lucia poet Kendel Hippolyte: “Indeed, Kendel showed me first hand that there is real power in words. Words evoke emotions, conjure images, analyse, interrogate, bring back memories, experiences and transport and even return a student to his mentor and friend.”
Guatemala: Microsoft and the University of San Carlos
Blogger Josue Ortega [es] attended a university event which invited students to develop a project to help communities with very little access to technology. However, students were told to develop the project using only Microsoft technology. One of Ortega's friends inquired about using open licenses, but the idea was immediately...
Hong Kong: Tens of Thousands Rally Against ‘National Education’
The new “red” elementary school curriculum controversy continues to ferment. In the past week, parent groups have joined in with concerned student and teacher groups to stop the government from introducing the new curriculum this September.
Cambodia: Social Media and Education
Nayheak Khun discusses the role of the internet and social media in improving the delivery of education in Cambodia
Kenya: Schoolgirl Skirts-How Short is Too Short?
Kenyan Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo defense of schoolgirls who want the length of their skirts reduced has sparked a debate about culture, modernity and morality in Kenya. Kenyan media quoted the minister saying, "These girls do not want to be nuns; they want to be modern like Mutula!"
Indonesia: EngageMedia's Video4Change Retreat on Video for Social Change
Indonesia was the host-country for Video4Change, a week long retreat where different organizations came together to discuss how video can be used for social change and also come up with solutions for the resource gaps.
Bangladesh: Despite Obstacles, Girls Outshine Boys in National Exams
According to the recently published results of the Higher Secondary examinations in Bangladesh girls have done better than the boys. In the past few years there has been a rise in the success rate of female students in public examinations due to several steps taken by the government.
Colombia: Scientific Community Concerned Over Resignation of Top Official
The resignation of Jaime Restrepo Cuartas, director of the Administrative Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Colciencias, has raised concern among the scientific community about the future of Colciencias (the main source of funding for most Colombian scientists) and the future of research in general in the country.
Mexico: Combating Water Crisis by Climbing Mountains
The Challenge is to raise awareness about the water and sanitation crisis all over the world and raise money to ensure safe water for people. The founder of Challenge 21, Jake Norton, means to do this by climbing the top of the 3 highest peaks in each continent. A couple of videos allow us to look into how he's doing, including the climb up Mexico's Pico de Orizaba.
Colombia: A Lab for Social Sciences
Blogger Luis Ángel Pérez writes about wanting to create a lab for Social Sciences, just like there are labs for chemistry or physics. He imagines the lab [es] with many sofas and good music. “Social Sciences are about our home and its history,” he concludes.
Greece: Fake Dyslexia Certificates for Children
In ‘Where Everything Is Possible‘ [el], blogger Theodoris Georgakopoulos criticizes the news that Children's Hospital employees in Athens, Greece, have been involved into issuing fake documents certifying dyslexia. He mainly puts the blame on those parents who labelled their children with a disability to facilitate their final high school exams. @Haris_Nk...
Tajikistan: Young People Learn to Blog
Matrix [ru], a Central Asian youth TV project focusing on Internet and new technologies, has produced a video [ru] about bloggers in Tajikistan. While few Tajiks presently run blogs, some local organizations teach young people how to start blogging.
Mozambique: Scholarship Students Kicked Out of Sudanese University
An open complaint letter published on social media by a group of scholarship holders from Mozambique at the International University of Africa, in Khartoum, Sudan, regarding their precarious social and financial situation, led to five of them being expelled and sent back to their home country.
Thailand: University Launches E-Bookstore
Chulalongkorn University, Thailand's oldest university, has recently launched an e-bookstore as part of its program to become a digital university within four years
China: Netizens Reaction to National Education in Hong Kong
Ministry of Tofu reports on mainland Chinese netizens comment and discussion on the debate about national education in Hong Kong. Many of them are sympathetic with the students and criticize the brainwashing nature of the new curriculum.
Croatia: 2.8 Million “Inappropriate” Books “Purged” During the 1990s
In “Libricide,” Ante Lešaja has documented the process of “purging” of “unsuitable” books from Croatian schools and public libraries by the right-wing HDZ government in the 1990s. According to a Jutarnji List interview [hr] with Lešaja, the “purging” was based on ideological and ethnic criteria and affected books “written in...
Africa: Social Media Skills for African Youth With Disabilities
African youth with disability around the continent took part in a social media workshop in Dakar, Senegal early this month. The workshop was organized by Disability Right Initiative and Open Society Foundation, Haute Haiku reports.
Chile: Citizen Campaign Seeks to Eliminate Tax on Books
A citizen campaign to remove the value added tax ("IVA" for its initials in Spanish) on books in Chile has sparked an online debate. Netizens are sharing their views in favor and against the campaign through blogs, and on Twitter they are discussing the issue with the hashtag #LibrosSinIVA.
Video: From Colombia, Versión Beta Makes a Recycled Organizer
Using two empty plastic bottles and a zipper, the Colombian Version Beta Show [es] uses a video to teach viewers how to make a storage container.
Puerto Rico: Bilingual Schools Revive Debate on Language
The government of Puerto Rico wants to gradually replace Spanish with English as the official language of education in the country's public schools. The measure has provoked strong reactions from supporters as well as critics, reviving the old debate on language and culture in Puerto Rico.
Hong Kong: New “Red” Elementary School Curriculum Flames Concern
Under pressure from mainland China, Hong Kong's elementary schools have to start a new curriculum on "national education." Recently revealed, its module on the "China model" is full of political propaganda, such as the claim that one party dictatorship is more effective than any other democratic political system.
