EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CONFUSSED WITH MINORITY

State government’s revised definition of minority institutions seems to have done little to clear the air as the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) itself is confused and has sought clarification from the state.
The Urdu and other Minority Education Department, a part of the DPI, has written to the government seeking clarifications over its July 24 government order that mandates institutions to have over 75 per cent of students belonging to a minority in order to get the minority tag.
A senior official, who spoke to ‘Express’ on condition of anonymity, said there are two major points of disarray that need clarification. “We must understand that there are two types of minorities — religious and linguistic. Which of these types does the new definition apply to? If it applies to religious minority, is a school expected to admit 75 per cent of students from a single minority community or all minorities?”
“The second clarification,” the official continued, “is whether the new definition applies only for the implementation of Right to Education (RTE) Act or is it a general definition?”
These points coupled with a few others forms a part of the letter the department has written to the government over two months ago. However, the official said, “We have not heard from the government.”
The mapping exercise to identify minority institutions prescribed in the GO has not started because of these bottlenecks, the official added. “We have also asked the government to tell us how we can grant minority status to ICSE and CBSE schools as they are not covered under the Karnataka Education Act of 1983,” the official asked.
Prior to the new definition, schools were declared minority on ratio of minority students admitted, which should be more than the minority population in the concerned area or locality. As per this parameter, there are 1,059 minority schools in the state.
The official suggested that the government can make it applicable for implementing RTE. “If the new definition is made general, then the entire system will crumble. We will not have any minority institutions. Can a Christian school be able to get 75 per cent of Christian students?” he said.

TEACHERS WHO LOVE THEIR WORK

Teachers from across the nation recently gathered together in Rockefeller Plaza, and virtually through Facebook, Twitter, and an online chat for the second annual Teacher Town Hall hosted by NBC's Education Nation. One topic that elicited some strong opinions among the participants was that of how to prepare students for the future.www.futurekidseducation.com/ Towards the beginning of the segment, host Brian Williams of NBC asked: "Is your job as educators, as institutions, to educate kids, or to get them ready for the wider world?" Annie Bogenschutz, a community resource coordinator for Cincinnati Public Schools, answered that in her experience, kids come to school carrying all sorts of baggage, whether that be hunger, homelessness, or a lack of support at home, and that in Cincinnati, educators try to align their school goals with resources to help students face the world around them. Kids can't learn when they are grappling with these issues, said Bogenschutz. She explained that her district incorporates services such as after-school programming, health and mental health programs, extra-curricular activities, and mentoring to help kids succeed not just in school, but also in life

But there was a stir in the room when Williams asked why students are unprepared for college. Survey results for the teachers at the summit showed that 52 percent believed it was due to lack of academic prep, 34 percent because of lack of student motivation, and 14 percent due to lack of encouragement. A national survey conducted by Scholastic and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation showed that 41 percent believed it was due to lack of academic prep, while 35 percent thought it to be lack of student motivation and 24 percent because of lack of encouragement.

WHOSE HEAD SHOULD ROLL?

"we talk equality but we impliment differantation so in reality we have a two tiered school system" Dr  Martin Prew, The University of Limpopo is oiling the wheels of the patronage machine around expelled ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema through two multimillion-rand contracts handed to his close associates.
The beneficiaries, Mandla Seopela and Collins Foromo, are linked to the Friends of the Youth League, which Malema and his allies set up as an alternative structure to the ANC Youth League after his expulsion from the ANC The Mail and the guardian was told the higher education department had questioned the awarding of the two university contracts, but the university's senior management, which cited the Higher Education Act as protecting their autonomy,denied it.most people consider the university as taking part in fraud especially because Malema is involved.http://disqus.com/forums/mail-and-guardian/university_of_limpopo_fuels_malemas_mining_revolution/trackback/ :read more

WE SHOULD BE RECIEVING CORRECTIONS INSTEAD OF CORRUPTION

People don’t realize that there is as much corruption in the private education sector as in the public sector for the corrupt counter party that offers the bribe or corrupt payment is in the private sector.
There is corruption in all its forms- favoritism, nepotism, bribery and influence peddling in the education sector, which is now taking first place in the Corruption Ranking.
Corruption occurs among many groups of actors from policy makers

at the government level to providers of education at the school level, such as teachers and principals. Corrupt practices in the educational sphere can include bribes, illegal fees for admissions and examinations, examination frauds, preferential promotions and placements for teachers and charging students for ‘tutoring services’ to cover the curriculum needed to pass mandatory examinations and that should have been taught in the classroom. Illegal practices in textbook procurement, meal provision, and infrastructure contracting and so on are other malpractices.
Educationists point out those students who are educated in corrupt systems may not learn the skills needed to take advantage of available opportunities and to contribute to economic and social development. A third impact could be added to this list: corruption’s impact on core values and ethics during the formative years of young people’s lives. Corruption in education may undermine an entire generation’s core values regarding accountability, personal responsibility, and integrity as seems to have been done since the take-over of denominational schools in the early 1960s. Corruption may also affect learning outcomes. Countries with higher levels of corruption tend to have higher dropout rates. In fact, dropout rates in countries with low corruption and highly efficient government services are 26 percentage points lower than dropout rates in countries with high corruption and low efficiency according to studies carried out by educationists.

IS SPECIAL EDUCATION BECOMING TOO EXPENSIVE

Special education caters to the need of children requiring special attention in the form of different types of care and education. Since that is why expenses in providing the special education are high. Some people argue that it is not worth to spend so much money on special education when it can be taught in other simpler ways. Owing to the emotional side related to special education for special children, it remains one of the most challenging issues in education.If students with learning disabilities are favored in any way, there is huge cry of unfair competition by mainstream students. Many teachers and students say that if people with learning disabilities are given different and easier sections to study, it will lead to unfair competence among everyone.

BLACKBOARD THAT SHOWS GENDER EQUALITY ON EDUCATION

All students should be treated with respect and i think there should be more funding to schools that have disable students.

THE CHALLENGE OF TEACHING

Scholars have become tired of framing stringent policies on curbing violence in schools and colleges but it seems that school violence incidents are not lessening at a rate as they should be. Some say it's the fault of burdening educational system while others propagate it to be just the recklessness of youth. Violent movies and effects of violent video games are other major reasons for increasing school violence among kids. School violence and bullying are certainly a reality of today's school and college campus.

These are the most frequently asked questions

• How much homework should student have?
• Should homework be graded?
• What is the role of rewards in education?
• What is the advantage of median grading over averaging?
• Should students be graded on effort?
• Should students be graded on participation?
• How do teachers' experiences as students affect their teaching?

teachingdoneright.blogspot.com/..

RIGHT TO EDUCATION OR WTITE TO EDUCATION

The Bill of Rights, contained in the Constitution, 1996 stipulates that everyone has the right to a basic education, including adult basic education and further education, which
the State, through reasonable measures, must progressively make available and accessible.
Education continues to receive the biggest share of the country's budget with an allocation of R165 billion to the departments of basic education and of higher education and training for 2010/11, R17 billion more than in 2009/1
In February 2010, President Jacob Zuma announced new measures to boost the country's education system. From 2010, all grade three, six and a sample of grade nine learners write annual national assessments that are independently moderated. In 2011, more than 19 000 schools participated.
At the July 2010 Cabinet Lekgotla, government announced plans to get more than 200 000 children between the ages of seven and 15 enrolled in school by 2014 by increasing the number of no-fee schools, while widening feeding schemes. There is also a drive to ensure that teachers are in class and teaching for the allocated school time. WWW.INFO.GOV.ZA/aboutsa/education

SO WHERE TO FROM HERE

Pretoria - Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, facing a clamour for her resignation over the Limpopo textbook debacle, has been given a boost by the country’s nine education MECs, who have presented a united front in support of her.

The Council of Education Ministers said it was unfair for the whole education sector, which had scored improved matric pass rates and pro-poor policies, such as no-fee schools and nutrition schemes, under Motshekga, to be tarnished by the textbook debacle. .

MINISTER OF ADUCATION:ANGIE MOTSEGA

Yet at the 91^st birthday rally of the South African Communist Party on Sunday, the secretary of the Young Communist League Buti Manamela said that firing Motshekga may not be a smart move since the rot actually lies deep in her department. 
In an interview with Daily Maverick, he said that he did not specifically call for the DoBE minister to be fired because this was really the prerogative of the president. “[Zuma] has commissioned a report on the matter and he will decide what action to take based on that report, whether it is a rap on the knuckles, or redeploying [Motshekga], or whatever,” Manamela said.

EDUCATION CAN BE FUN!!!

Educational video games are considered a type of serious game, as these games have a strong purpose other than pure entertainment. Some people call these types of games edutainment because they combine education and entertainment. An educational computer game can be defined as an electronic medium with all the characteristics of a gaming environment that have intended educational outcomes targeted at specific groups of learners.

Educational computer games

Video games have historically received more criticism than other forms of recreational learning because they are often perceived as being mindless entertainment and as encouraging sexism and consumerism, and turning players into social recluses^. Many children today also find these "educational" games to lack much interesting content to them, as they are considered by older children to be "for preschoolers" However, a shift from pure entertainment to educational tool has emerged in recent times. Children growing up today can benefit from educational video games because they are already exposed to a society that is increasingly dependent on digital technology.soduku is known as one of the best educational game,it is played all over the world but it is originally from china.

LIFE ORIENTATION IS MORE THAN A SUBJECT AT SCHOOL

The Department of

Education has realised the scope and intensity of the problem and has endeavoured

through the introduction of Outcomes-Based Education and in particular

through the Life Orientation (LO) learning area, which was introduced

to make a difference in the lives of a new generation of learners.

Many children in South Africa, including those in biological families, reconstituted

families, foster-homes, safe-houses, and street children, are at risk

because of inadequate opportunities for harmonious socialisation in their

communities (Richter, Brookes, Shisana, Simbayi & Desmond, 2004). They

are not adequately guided towards positive self-concept formation or the realisation

of their potential.  Consequently, they grow towards irresponsible and

unfulfilled adulthood where they may never experience the joy of harmonious

relationships with their fellowmen (Prinsloo in Landsbergh, 2005:33). They

have little respect for their own dignity, suffer from negative self-concepts,

refuse to accept authority and show little respect for the value of others or for

their lives and possessions. In adulthood they adopt anti-social attitudes and

habits and often lapse into criminal activities (Prinsloo in Landsbergh, 2005:

29-30). Their lack of emotional stability contributes to the bad attides so this new curriculum in schools that has life orientation is basically implimented to help all individuals.

HUNGRY FOR EDUCATION

Desparate children in India still get their education under the treee.  These students are taught by a government appointed teacher, who takes his regular class with the help of a blackboard and runs this 'open air' school.

According to Charkha Features, this flies in the face of the government's commitment for 'education for all', which is meant to impress upon the people its commitment to support and promote education as an independent policy and not riding the bandwagon of the Central Government's intent and initiative clearly spelt in the scheme "Right to Education". This crisis is not affecting india only it is still experienced in many countries like South Africa stats shows that many pupil still go to "school" meaning under the tree.

. This raises a question on how different government operates,becauce african countries are still in need of help to build the school..www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/raghubabu.if you have money or materials please donate.

FROM FINGER LOOKING GOOD TO FUTURE LOOKING BRIGHT

Kntucky fried chicken has just proved that it is not only a food frenchise.A California high school girl has won herself a R20,000 university scholarship... by tweeting about KFC.
Amanda Russell, 17, was selected from more than 2,800 Twitter entries for a scholarship offered by a foundation for the Louisville-based KFC restaurant chain.
The teenager was awarded R142 per character and she reached the 140 character limit in her tweet about the late Colonel Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Friend Chicken.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1335374/Twitter-Amanda-Russell-wins-20-000-scholarship-tweet-KFC.html#ixzz1sr9ih2ho
The creative tweet read: 'Hey Colonel! Your scholarship's the secret ingredient missing from my recipe for success!
'Got the grades, drive, just need cash!'
Ms Russell, who attends Long Beach High School, is now planning to study biology and hopes to become a doctor or medical researcher.
She has managed to achieve a 3.9 grade point average, but has not chosen where she will go to university.

► 3:00► 3:00

WHAT WENT WRONG?

university is a place were people or students get an opportunity to further their studies.Most student call university" mom dad cannot see me."they see it as an opportunity to explore different substances or find themselves,what about the death of students, is it the university's fault or the students fault? universities provide councelling and they educate their students with every difficulty or challenges they may face.universities accomodate each and every student from different backgrounds and they try by all means to support their different needs.
these are the difficulties students may find themselves in:

• alcohol abuse
• drug abuse
• unplanned pregnancy
• peer preasure
• money or finance problems

what is the solution to this problem that affects our nation and our upcomming presidents

HOW MUCH ARE PARENTS WILLING TO INVEST IN EDUCATION

A typical township parent will throw a party for a four year old child but have they thought about their childs future and a prediction of how much it will cost, they willing to spend thousands of rands for a birth day partythat their child wont even remember at the age  of 19 when they off to study further at university/college but can't  because of no funds and therefore blame the government. parents can afford the lattest labels and gadgets for their kids but how many of their kids go to private schools or that pay their own tuition without any financial assistant from government. what message does it send to their kids and what does this say about society. how many of our well known celebrities who have children talk about how important education is?

The willingness of a household to invest in education is affected by a number of factors which

vary considerably between Member States and even vary down to the level of individuals http://ec.europa.eu/education/pdf/doc274_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/education/pdf/doc274_en.pdf

Parents are urged to start saving now for their children's tertiary education in order to give them the best chance of overcoming the cycle of unemployment and poverty afflicting the country

which one is more important?

IS EDUCATION REALLY THE KEY TO SUCCESS?

Government policies provide the funds to study but do not necessarily provide platforms for one to enter the work place as a student via internship programs. After grueling years of blood, sweat, tears, sleepless nights all seemingly place a student with the idea that all efforts are in vain in trying to find a big break or opportunity in the field of study. The Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa) and The Accelerated Growth and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (Asgisa) have not managed to alleviate this issue at all. Instead, most graduates, specifically from the Humanities, are left destitute with an oversaturated job market forced to emigrate with their skills (Pauw, 2006: 4). Government red tape placed at every corner stone where there are proposed opportunities makes it near impossible to be granted a position to harness skills attained whilst completing the degree.http://www.elle.co.za/intern-at-elle/   The researchers identified various reasons why students remain unemployed after graduating. ‘‘The wrong types of graduates are being produced; there too few technical graduates,’’ the report stated http://ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=47427

Unemployment among South African graduates grew from 6.6 percent in 1995 to 9.7 percent five years later, according to a 2007 working paper titled ‘'Graduate unemployment in the face of skills shortages: A labour market paradox'’ by the University of Cape Town's Development Policy Research Unit (DPRU). The unit researches labour markets, poverty and inequality.
This translated into 36,000 jobless people with degrees and 165,000 unemployed holders of diplomas and certificates.

WHO TO BLAME?

The level of unemployed graduates in South Africa displays a cause of urgent concern for South African Government. High School students coming from both advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds that have been granted the opportunity to study have been automatically placed in a predicament where finding work may just as challenging as completing the degree itself. Universities, Technical Faculties and Colleges annually send thousands of young and hopeful graduates into South Africa’s job market, in hopes of finding work in their field of study.

It is unfortunate that graduates have to face the fact that government cannot provide jobs or working experience.why should student study while there is no work?

A daunting, startling, and unsettling reality awaits most undergraduates. The gap displayed between the funds provided by government by financial aid schemes and loans to study and not being able to find a job to repay these funds back to the supplier (whether it be a local bank or government) poses a challenge that many South Africans are facing.An important question is:

is it  the governments fault that the unemployment rate is so high?