Japan's bad education

Under the current education system, Japanese students devote most of their effort to memorizing facts needed to pass exams. Even kindergarten students sometimes go to afterschool cram schools to prepare for elementary school entrance exams.

They have little opportunity to think critically or develop their own ideas. Faced with crushing stress and monotony, students often act out. While outside observers tend to think of Japanese schools as academically successful, the Japanese themselves have long understood their educational system's shortcomings and tried to fix them-albeit unsuccessfully.

In the early '70s the Japan Teachers Union, alarmed by a surge in classroom violence, bullying, truancy and suicides, began to push a new system known as yutori, or breathing space. It aimed to reduce school-related stress by giving students the freedom to freely exercise their imagination, develop intellectual curiosity and grow into valuable talent.

That was a noble goal, but the result was quite the opposite. Many teachers demonized competition, suppressed individuality, punished intellectual rigor and encouraged mediocrity in the name of egalitarianism. At school sports events, students who could sprint faster had to stop and wait so that everyone could cross the finish line hand-in-hand. Textbooks were dumbed down-the mathematical constant pi was reduced to just "3"-and classes trudged at turtle pace, adjusting to slow learners.

In order for the yutori reform to succeed, teachers needed to establish an environment where students could freely ask questions, express their opinions and explore new ideas. But many teachers failed to do so because they did not know how to encourage individuality while avoiding favoritism. Their solution: force everyone to act the same.

via http://newsonjapan.com

Iran: University head announces full gender separation

Allameh Tabatabai University in Tehran has announced that in the coming academic year, all classes at the undergraduate level will be held separately for male and female students.

University president Sadreddin Shariati added that only 2 percent of the classes are currently offered in the coed format due to the small number of students, but all graduate classes are being offered separately for males and females, and 98 percent of undergraduate classes are single gendered as well.

Shariati also claimed that the separation of males and females in university classes has led to a rise in student averages for both genders.

He stressed that female students have been very supportive of the single-gender classes.

via http://tinyurl.com/ktvfbuw

Bangalore undergraduates now on U.K. varsities’ radar

In a bid to woo high school students to study in under graduate courses in universities in the U.K., the British Council organised their first school mission in Bangalore. As many as 11 delegates from the U.K. participated to provide more information on their courses to eight city-based schools on Saturday.

The programme which was conducted this week ended on Saturday with a workshop where the schools were given presentations on various universities. 

 

Stating that there was an increase in demand for undergraduate courses by Indian students over the past few years, Jon Peach, international officer, London South Bank University, said the university had close to 250 Indian students. “Our workshop aims to raise awareness on the courses available at our university. We want to help students make an informed decision by giving them guidance on courses, fee structure and other formalities.” 

Mr. Peach also said that although the courses were expensive in the U.K., students were keen on pursuing courses in the U.K as they had a shorter bachelor’s degree courses. 

James Minhas, international officer, University of Birmingham, said Indian students normally chose their university to study engineering, law, business and economics courses. He said that while courses such as business and law were much cheaper, medicine and engineering were expensive. 

Talking about employability in the U.K after graduation, Mr. Peach said most students preferred to pursue their post graduation as the employability was high after post graduation. He said each university offered partial scholarships, but full scholarships were difficult to obtain. Mary Shirley, a teacher from the St. Germain Pre-University College, said information provided at the workshop would be of help to students as it would help them gather information on courses offered. 

via http://tinyurl.com/n8gquje

Teachers: no-homework rule fails kids in Shanghai

LOCAL teachers have given a zero grade to a draft rule which proposes schools stop giving pupils written homework in order to lower study stress.

This is one of 10 rules drafted by the Ministry of Education, aiming to reduce the burden on pupils. Among targets are excessive homework and extra academic classes outside of school hours.
The trend toward extra classes has emerged where schools and parents are pushing children to get into top middle schools.

However, teachers say homework is essential if children are to develop academic skills
“It is unreasonable for children to have no written homework in literacy teaching,” said primary school Chinese teacher Lu Pei.

While young children learn fast, they also forget fast, said Lu. Homework is a good way to help them remember and consolidate what they have learned in class, added the teacher. Lu’s view is echoed by many teachers and educationists.

“Reducing homework isn’t the same as having no written homework,”  said Pan Zongjuan, principal of Changning Experimental Elementary School.

“What teachers should avoid is assigning repetitive homework if children can learn the lesson points through fewer assignments.” Pan said that even if the schools didn’t give homework, anxious parents would organize out-of-school lessons, fearing their children would lag behind.

Parents of one Shanghai second-grader said they have this year spent nearly 30,000 yuan (US$4,901) on extra classes such as English and mathematics.

An education official said it would be better if the change came through parent attitudes.

“Compared with making rules, it is easier and more effective to relieve children on stress through parents changing their views,” said Qu Jiajie, an official with the basic education department under the Shanghai Education Commission.

Other rules in the draft include no exams for students under the third grade and that senior students should take no more than two exams per subject every semester.

The draft also says primary and middle schools shouldn’t select students based on exams, certificates or awards.

The ministry is soliciting public opinion through emails and online portal. It is not known when the rules will take effect.

Govt. Medical College inaugurated in Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu

Tamil Nadu, where the ruling AIADMK government intends to establish a government medical college in every district, formally got the 19 such institution on Thursday when Chief Minister Jayalalithaa inaugurated the Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College. 

The new facility, in one of the backward districts of the State, will have 100 seats in the current academic year. With this and approvals from the Medical Council of India for adding 310 more seats in other institutions, the total number of medical seats in Tamil Nadu is 2,555. The number last academic year was 2,145, an official release said.

The inauguration, as part of which Ms.Jayalalithaa, some ministers, senior officials, including Health Secretary J.Radhakrishnan, participated in a video conference from the State Secretariat, had a student of the college thanking the Chief Minister. 

Besides setting aside 25 acres for the college premises, Ms.Jayalalithaa approved a State government proposal to establish the facility at a cost of Rs.130.88 crore. As part of the project, facilities had been created, incurring an expenditure of Rs.73.16 crore, to conduct classes for the first year. Administrative building, hostels and library formed part of the project.

A total of 192 permanent posts, including those of professors, doctors, nurses, para-medical staff, as approved by the council had been created and filled. The Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, the release said, was also in the process of procuring equipment required for the college at a cost of Rs.16.82 crore.

Tiruvannamalai  is administered by a special grade municipality that covers an area of 16.33 km2 (6.31 sq mi) and had a population of 144,683 as of 2011. Tiruvannamalai has a lot of teritiary sector activities. Trade and commerce and service activities are the major contributors to the economy of the town. As of 1991, 7.93% of the population was involved in primary sector, 21.34% in secondary sector and 70.73% in teritiary sector activities. The town had a female work participation of 11%. Due to the urbanisation from 1971, there has been dip in primary sector activities and a proportional increase in the teritiary sector activities. There is limited agricultural activity within the town limits. The secondary sector involves manufacturing and construction, whose growth has remained stable over the decades. There are a number of oil mills, rice mills and agro based industries within the Tiruvannamalai town limits. The teritiary sector activities of trade, commerce, transport, storage, communication and other services has been increasing due to the increasing number of tourists to the town.

AISA claims 90% votes cast against four-year UG course

More than 90 per cent of the first-year students in Delhi University voted against the four-year undergraduate programme in a first-ever referendum on Thursday. Nearly 20 colleges from North Campus participated in the event.

11,556 students cast their vote, out of which 10,519 voted against the four-year undergraduate programme, 936 students gave positive response and remaining 101 votes were invalid, said president of All-India Students’ Association (AISA).

The AISA organised the referendum by holding an “open ballot voting” outside colleges in order to get response on the switch from three-year to four-year programme. Students started queuing to vote since 10 am.

“The peaceful referendum was disrupted as police and administration snatched ballot boxes and removed polling booths. The principal of Satyawati College confiscated a ballot box. The popularity of FYUP can be figured out by the manner in which the police and principals are colluding to silence the students,” the AISA said.

AISA president Sandeep Singh demanded that vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh should accept the result and rollback the four-year programme. “Students will not accept being treated as guinea pigs with bad syllabus and no infrastructure,” he said.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/koaws9d

Korea trains Afghan teachers

Korea is aiming to help improve the quality of education in Afghanistan by offering Afghan teachers a chance to learn the education system here.

Thirty-two educators, including three women, from Afghanistan are currently participating in a teacher-training program at Hanyang University in Seoul, the school said.

The training is part of a larger program run jointly by the Korea International Cooperation Agency and the university’s Research Institute for Global Education and Leadership as the government moves to expand its official development assistance to the war-ravaged country.

The two-week program is designed to provide Afghan teachers with opportunities to examine Korea’s education system and advanced ICT programs for teaching and learning, according to RIGEL director Mi-lee.

Since the Afghan teachers arrived here on Aug. 10, they have attended a series of workshops and also visited various schools, including Hanyang University Affiliated Primary School, Seoul Robot High School and Sulrin Internet High School. They also had a field trip to Gyeongju this week, according to the director.

This is the second time the center has invited Afghan educators to participate in the teacher-training program. Thirty-five teachers completed the first course in June.

“In the beginning, they appeared a little shy about participating in the training program, but their attitude gradually changed and they became more active. The three women were especially active in discussion, showing their eagerness to learn,” Ahn told The Korea Herald.

Lailuma Khaliqyar, a high school principal from Parwan province, Afghanistan, said her time in Korea had been “interesting and meaningful.”

She noted that she was particularly amazed to see how women actively contribute to education and the economy in Korea.

“I notice that lots of women work in government and schools, and Korean people have much respect for women. I want to tell these things to Afghanistan women,” she said.

“When I return to Afghanistan, I will tell people about Korean women. I think Afghanistan women also have abilities. Like Korea, it will be great to have a chance to participate and work with men in Afghanistan.”

After completing the two-week program on Friday, they will return to Afghanistan to implement their new insight to help improve the quality of education in their home country.

“We hope to continue this teacher-training program to invite more teachers, especially women, to encourage them to improve women’s education,” Ahn added.

By Oh Kyu-wook

Source: http://tinyurl.com/my6h9d4

Calculated move: Interest in ‘soroban’ picks up

The “soroban,” Japan’s traditional abacus, is drawing renewed interest as a tool to promote the development of children’s mental capacities and to help fight dementia in the elderly.
At a soroban class in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward, early elementary school children practice a mental calculation technique known as “anzan,” or blind calculation. Students are taught to visualize a soroban in their heads to perform calculations with the help of a computer that prompts them with instructions and shows numbers and a scaled-down five-bead abacus on its screen.
“The soroban helps children improve not only their calculation ability but also their ability to concentrate and memorize because it requires them to use their eyes, ears and fingertips at the same time,” said Kazuo Kayama, who teaches soroban classes.
One nonprofit organization, I.M. Soroban, is promoting the tool with the aim of enabling children to improve their ability to calculate and think on their feet.
They teach students to use the soroban for converting measurements or currencies and to solve written puzzles about speed, time and distance.
The NPO has worked out a certification examination adopted by 11 soroban schools nationwide.
According to Hiroya Araki, a leader of the organization, which is promoting soroban both at home and abroad, lessons merely designed to improve calculating ability are becoming “less attractive due to the widespread use of computers.”
The soroban has “returned to the mainstream of education, where it was in the Edo Period (1603-1868), to enable children to think on their own and find solutions to their problems,” he added.
Otona no Gakkou (literally “schools for adults”), a day-service provider for the aged, offers soroban lessons, along with Japanese, arithmetic and other classes, to prevent elderly people from developing dementia.
Sachiko Suzuki, 88, who goes three times a week to a school run by the firm in Tokyo’s Minato Ward, used a soroban there for the first time in nearly 80 years. “My fingers moved naturally,” she said happily.
“Elderly people used the soroban in the past and so accept it without hesitation,” said Tomoe Fujimoto, president of Tomoe Soroban Co., an abacus maker that conducts soroban classes on behalf of Otona no Gakkou. “They feel the pleasure of learning because it stimulates their motivation.”
According to the League of Japan Abacus Associations, the number of applicants for the national soroban certification examination has been rising moderately in recent years, with more than 210,000 people taking the exam in 2011.
Still, the number remains about 10 percent off the peak mark that was hit in the early 1980s, suggesting that people are paying attention to the soroban because of its usefulness rather than the pursuit of certificates.

Source:  http://tinyurl.com/lk6lq55

The Science Express arrives in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: The Science Express, a 11-coach train showcasing the country's rich biodiversity, arrived in the city on Tuesday, giving residents an opportunity to explore the eclectic natural manifestations across India. The exhibition is a joint initiative by the department of science and technology and the ministry of environment and forests.

The first coach of the Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS) displays the richness of India's variety pertaining to grains, herbs and produce. There are about 50,000 varieties of rice, 1000 varieties of mangoes and 500 pepper varieties. A collage of charts and photographs describe the numerous species, breeds and varieties pertaining to our flora and fauna.

Moving on to the next coach, visitors get some exposure to the biodiversity in the Himalayas. The exhibit on the snow leopard was especially crowded with children fascinated with this creature equipped to survive in extremely cold regions. Other animals of the region include double humped camels and Tibetan woolly hares. Unfortunately, many of these species face threat of extinction due to man-made reasons.

The Gangetic Plain hosts a variety of plants and trees, fruits, vegetable and grains. Medicinal plants including the Arjuna herb and Ashwagandha have thrived in the region for more than 1000 years. Student visitors are most fascinated by the Shorea Robusta tree which grows up to 40 meters and was once used by the British to make sleepers in trains.

There is a coach displaying the diversity in the North East. There is an exhibit on the Majuli in Assam, the largest river island in Bhramaputra. Anjane Dey, a 'science communicator' says there are many such islands in the North East. "There are so many things I have learned today. I was fascinated by the dessert foxes," said H Anamaik, a class 12 student.

Raghav Pandya the manager of the Science Express says that the response has been overwhelming. "Students from around 45 schools came on the first day itself," he said. They have added 2 extra coaches demonstrating how science and maths can be made easy. The exhibition is open to all from 10am to 5pm till this Friday, August 23.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/mudcgvc

No midday meals in schools from today in Pune

PUNE: Students in government-run schools will not get their daily midday meals from Wednesday, as principals across the state will go on strike demanding a separate mechanism to implement the scheme in all schools.

Principals of almost 33,000 schools across the state will participate in this protest.

Subhash Mane, president of the Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools' Principals' Association ( MSSHSSPA), said, "We conducted a meeting with all the parents and headmasters in Pune on Monday. We informed them that we will not provide midday meals to students Wednesday onwards."

The association has also threatened to boycott government duties if their demands are not met by September 5.

Mane said, "If anything goes wrong with the meals, which are cooked outside the schools in centralised kitchen sheds, we should not be held responsible. Most school principals have visited the kitchens where the food is cooked. However, it is not possible to check every day. A separate mechanism should be established to conduct these checks and to supervise (the process)."

He said about 10 lakh students in the state would be affected due to the strike.

Mane said the principals' work was restricted to schools and related works. "The government has to find another way of quality control (of midday meals). If the government does not take any decision by September 5, we will boycott teachers' day and all such celebrations. We will teach students, but we won't get involved in any government functions. We will wear black bands as a mark of protest," he said.

Meanwhile, Suman Shinde, deputy director of education (Pune Division) said, "I had a talk with the association and I requested them to withdraw the strike as a lot of students would be affected. Despite this, the association has decided to go ahead with the stir. A decision on this issue will be taken at the earliest after a discussion with the officials of the education department."

Source: http://tinyurl.com/km4rszh

LG Electronics opens school in Kenyan slum

LG Electronics has opened the LG Hope School in Nairobi, Kenya, to provide the local children with a better learning environment, according to a company statement.

This is the first time the electronics maker has built a school in Africa.

More than 100 people attended the opening ceremony on Aug. 12, including Kenyan Education Ministry director Richard Belio Kipsang, the United Nations World Food Program’s Kenyan office vice head Paul Turnbull and LG Electronics’ Kenyan office branch head Kim Jung-jin.

LG initiated the project in Kibera, Africa’s biggest urban slum, in partnership with the U.N. WFP and the Kenyan government last February. Its aim is to provide a better learning environment for local students who were studying in poor conditions in a building with a collapsed roof and no lighting.

The school will accommodate 480 students with diverse amenities including computer labs, water storage and a kitchen. Learning materials such as computers and monitors were also provided by the company.

“We will continue our corporate social responsibility activities to give hope to local children, and to help youths’ dreams come true,” said LG’s Kim Jung-jin.

“LG Hope School is a program to improve children’s education and health, a main policy goal of the Kenyan government,” said Kipsang. “It is meaningful in that this does not simply provide funds but gives real help to children.”

LG Electronics has carried out diverse CSR activities in Kenya including free artificial limbs surgeries for 150 children, building playgrounds and wells at 29 schools, and financing surgeries for eyesight recovery for 30 children.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/mxz9bln

Certificates of Madarasa Board equivalent to CBSE Certificates

Hyderabad, August 20:

Certificates issued by State Madarasa Boards are recognized equivalent to CBSE certificates. It was indicated in a reply received from the Ministry of Minorities Affairs. So far, 17 Muslim concentration areas have been excluded from the implementation of “Literate India Scheme”, under this scheme, out of 88 Muslim concentrated areas, only 61 districts have been covered. In 33 districts, education is being provided by public educational institutions. After the implementation of this scheme an increase of 29-44% enrollment was registered at primary level. This increase was 67% at higher elementary level.
In primary education in 2008-09, the enrollment increased from 1.97 to 2.55 in 2011-12. In higher Primary level of education, the enrollment of Muslim students increased from 43 lakh to 72 lakh from 2008-09 to 2011-12.
The ratio of enrollment among the girls and boys increased from 0.98% in 2008-09 to 1.05% in 2011-12.
For the implementation of quality education in Madrasas, the scheme has been divided into two categories. It includes better salaries for teachers, computerization and financial assistance. A sum of Rs.182.49 was sanctioned for payment of salaries to 23,146 teachers working in 9,905 schools.
As per the Government Scheme, financial assistance is given to schools where the Muslim population is 25% or more. In 374 backward districts one model college is proposed to be set up. In 2012-13 sanction has been accorded for establishing 10 such model colleges.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/kphbltd

Aspiring medical students flock to China

Johnce Joseph, an 18-year-old from the southern Indian state of Kerala, has only ever wanted to become a doctor.
But Johnce, a class-topper with a 97-percent score in high school exams, found that the only way to follow her dream was to leave India, where a demographic bulge has made competition to get into a medical college as high as the fees.
Next month, she is packing her bags and leaving family and friends to pursue a medical degree at Wuhan University. Her degree from China will end up costing her 3 million rupees (US$48,803), versus 8 million rupees (US$129,768) in India.
Johnce is one of a growing number of international students flocking to China to study medicine, drawn by lower fees, English-language courses and increasingly cosmopolitan campuses.
“My cousin is studying there and I know doctors who have studied in China and working in India,” she said.
In 2011, China hosted more than 27,000 foreign students doing degrees in Western medicine, up from 20,000 in 2009, according to Chinese media reports.
They hail mainly from Africa and Asia, with a handful from the United States and Europe.
Singaporean Keith Sun, 28, who is studying medicine at Fudan University, was drawn by factors like Fudan's reputation and lower fees compared to medical schools in the U.S., Britain or Australia.
For instance, tuition fees for the English-language Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) course at the Shanghai-based Fudan is 75,000 yuan (US$12,264) a year, compared with AU$40,000 (US$36,760) or more at Australian universities.
To be sure, degrees from universities in China are still not as widely recognized as those from British and American universities.
Singapore recognizes only eight Chinese universities, compared with 34 from the U.S. and 22 from Britain, according to the Singapore Medical Council.
For Indian students, there is an added reason to seek out a foreign degree. India has a 1.2 billion population, with half under the age of 35, so the competition to get into college has never been tougher.
In China, the number of students taking the national college entrance exam has dropped as more go overseas to study.
Each year in India, an estimated 700,000 students take a centralized test for 31,000 spaces in some 350 private and government medical colleges. An MBBS in India costs anything from 5 million rupees to 9 million rupees.
The number of Indian students going to China each year has grown by 10 percent to 20 percent, education specialists say.
Of the 9,200 Indian students now studying in China, 90 percent are doing an MBBS course.
“The main advantage is the similarity in the Chinese degree to what is offered in India,” said Neyas Mohammed, head of consultancy firm Asian Educational Consultancy, based in Kerala. The second has to do with cost, according to Mohammed, who added that Chinese medical colleges also have better facilities.
China is seen as a safe option for Indian students — especially girls — wanting to study abroad.
“In China, universities offer separate housing for girls and boys which also makes parents happy,” said Mohammed.
His consultancy has helped send 1,500 students to China. A thousand have since returned to practice in India.
So many Indian students are scrambling to make it to China that Indian missions there are warning them about unscrupulous agents.
The missions also issue guidelines on student life in China, from raising awareness of Chinese customs — greet people with “ni hao” and remember that the surname comes first — to warning of the rise of petty theft in southern China and blacklisting institutions offering poor quality education.
“There have been instances of middlemen cheating (them),” said an Indian official. “We ask students to do their homework before going.”
Jolly Jogadiya, 26, is pursuing a postgraduate diploma in gynaecology and obstetrics from Patankar Hospital in Pune in India, after completing her MBBS at Tianjin Medical University.
“I had a great time,” said Dr Jogadiya. “There were so many international students, so it was a very cosmopolitan atmosphere which I liked. But I did want to come back to India because a doctor's salary in China is very low.”
Back in India, she had no problems getting into the postgraduate course.
Friends and colleagues are still surprised to hear of her stint in China. “People still don't know too much about China and the kind of development there is over there. So many say, 'you studied in China?.' I say, 'yes, China!'” she said.
“Then they ask me, 'why China?' and I say there was no option. It was within my budget plus the education was good.”

Source: http://tinyurl.com/lhrwe6j

Hurdles in learning

Anjana Thadhani analyses the kinds and causes of learning and behavioral problems in children and proposes some ways to detect, remedy and handle such issues.
Parenting amidst today’s scenario is definitely challenging. The dilemmas for the parents are numerous. There is a constant buzzing of questions. Is my child hyperactive or just overactive? Is he learning enough at school? Will he be able to stand peer pressure? Is the anger in my child normal?  Where do they look up for the solutions - Internet? Friends? Family doctor? Teacher?

Problems like hyperactivity and aggression in children are on rise and are not uncommon.  Behavioral problems sometimes could be a purely attention seeking. If left unchecked the child may use aggression or tantrums for material gains or attention constantly. Parenting and environment at home plays a major role in most of the cases.

Research indicates that increase in aggression on television, electronic media, and computer games could be a cause for the same. The change in the social structure with nuclear families and often a single child leaves the child incapable of finding an appropriate emotional outlet. Aggression and arguments at home show them the path of intolerance and distorted assertiveness.

When do we take a particular inappropriate behavior seriously? 

In most of the cases, it could be a transient phase. However, the measures to curb the behavior need to be taken instantaneously. It is important to consult your doctor or take the help of a professional counselor. Such behaviors are easy to handle and can be dealt effectively with parental counseling and simple behavior modification techniques at home.

But the key is to start early so that the behavior does not become a part of attitude and personality for the child which is much more difficult to correct.

Some common yet serious conditions like ADHD or Autism require special consideration with reference to hyperactive and aggressive children.

n Hyperactivity: Hyperactivity or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder.  There is much discussion about ADHD and also some common misconceptions. ADHD is a neuro-behavioral condition and is seen in 7-8% of school going children and about 60-80% of children may continue to have features of ADHD even in adolescence and early childhood as per American Academy of Pediatrics.

Indian studies also show similar prevalence of 8-10% of ADHD in school going children.  The children may be inattentive or hyperactive or a combination of these symptoms found in them. Most of these children with hyperactivity require help or medication during the initial years but usually settle by early adulthood. Diet modification in the form of reduction in chocolates, junk food helps.

Medications are safe, effective and are easily available but require proper evaluation and prescription.

n Autism: Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neuro-developmental condition seen in children. Initially thought to be a disorder of the west with a prevalence rate of two percent, it is now diagnosed quite commonly in Indian children also. Most of the children with this condition may appear hyperactive or weird or aloof.

The manner in which these children behave is quite different and represent a spectrum of symptoms from mild ones, which are considered as shy to the real aggressive ones. The younger children with autism usually will have speech delay along with hyperactivity while older children lag behind in studies at an early stage because of inability to follow classroom instructions.

Parents may notice soft subtle signs of autism like poor eye contact and that these children are happy alone and have difficulty while playing and interacting with other children. They also may have some motor movements like hand flapping and rocking, which are repeated over and over again.

They have difficulty in learning new skills and understanding instructions. However, children with milder problems do well with support and conventional therapies but severe cases may be difficult to manage and require medications. It is important for parents not to ignore a typical behavior in the child.

Early detection of this condition with proper treatment can go a long way in normalizing the behavior. Closing your eyes is not going to take the problem away but the child looses on the benefits of early treatment.

n Poor performance: Another stressor for the parents is poor performance at school. With the implementation of Right to Education Act, we do not see failures and promotion for children is on auto pilot mode till 8th standard. Awareness about this Act has made life simple and stress-free for students, teachers and parents.

How do we know if the children are learning? Or else we are merely postponing our problems. 

n Standard of living: Another factor for low motivation in children is high standard of living and unnecessary clutter of expensive things around them. Most of the youngsters have no drive to work hard today as all their material needs are fulfilled so early in life. Even if we negate the above mentioned issues, some may still struggle to cope up academically. We still need to understand learning disorders and rule out the possibility in cases of persistent difficulties in learning as seen in early years.  

n Learning disabilities: Dyslexia or Learning Disability is a well-established neuro-developmental disorder related to information processing. It is known to run in families and a genetic basis has been suspected as one of the causes along with any minor insult to the growing brain during pregnancy, birth or even later in life. This disorder hampers formal learning and leads to excessive stress on the child and the parent.

Most of the children have difficulty in learning to read and write. They have spelling mistakes and errors in grammar and punctuation. Their handwriting is untidy and at times illegible.  Simple mathematical problems may take a long time and constant repetitions.  However, these children have normal intelligence and have normal behavior that it is difficult for parents and teachers to understand their inability to learn.

It is very important for the child to undergo proper evaluation before we start penalizing the child.  Some children may have mild problems with vision and hearing which may interfere with learning and therefore it is worthwhile to check these in all the children of learning concerns. A formal test for checking his/her intelligence and level of educational achievement would help to understand the weaker area.
The intervention consists of counseling, remedial education and support at school. Educational boards also provide certain concessions for these children in the form of extra time, reader, writer and use of calculator. 

A child with learning problems needs to be understood so that appropriate help and support can be extended to him. Most of these children do very well if timely intervention is provided.

(The writer is a consultant developmental pediatrician.)

Source: http://tinyurl.com/m43ldho

Looking for a training solution for management and business skills needs in the Agricultural Sector?

The Association of African Business Schools Agribusiness Consortium (AAC),  the Ghana Institute of Management & Public Administration (GIMPA) and Lagos Business School have launched the Ghana and Nigeria editions of the Agribusiness Management Programme (AgMP).
This ground-breaking programme with an innovative and practical approach rooted in the agribusiness context helps you to develop the skills you need to become an effective Agribusiness Manager and take your organizations growth to the next level.
 PROGRAMME FEATURES

• Modules cover the entire Agribusiness Value Chain from Strategy rooted in an approach to provide strategic capabilities and tools and transform knowledge to performance
• Learn by Doing with Action Learning Projects – real life projects to solve problems or explore opportunities in the sector
• Engage with leading international and local facilitators in a learner centred approach that features case studies, simulations and group exercises
• Gain first hand insight from Industry Experts and Guest Speakers on a wide variety of topics
• Become part of a powerful network of Agri stakeholders across Africa and the world

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Company executives and project managers from : Development Organizations/NGOS, Agribusiness Companies, Policymakers/Government Agencies, Entrepreneurs,  Financial Institutions & Value Chain Players.

HOW TO APPLY
Download applications for Ghana from www.gimpa.edu.gh or www.aagri.net
Download applications for Nigeria from http://www.lbs.edu.ng/agribusiness-management-programme or www.aagri.net 
View attached flyers for more information.

agmp_ghana_flyer.pdf

agmp_nigeria_flyer.pdf

Country: 

GHA

Source: http://tinyurl.com/me657g2

Chinese Calligraphy

Evolution of Chinese Calligraphy through the Ages

Dong Qichang (1555-1636), Eulogy on the restoration of the great Tang Dynasty in running script (section) ca. 1605-1610
Chinese calligraphy has played a very significant role in the history of Chinese art. Functional and artistic considerations all came together to shape the development of various styles in the different stages of its evolution.

In the beginning, writing styles were dominated by social appeal and the development and improvement of writing tools. When standard Chinese scripts were established, calligraphy was no longer confined to the realm as a functional form of writing; instead it became a way of artistic expression for calligraphers.

Large Seal Script – The Origin of the Chinese Character

The Shang (ca. 1600-1100B.C.) and Zhou Dynasties (ca. 1100-256B.C.)
According to Chinese mythology, Chinese characters were first created by Cang Jie (dates unknown) under the teaching of Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor) (dates unknown). Archeological finds show that the earliest Chinese characters are known as the “Oracle Bone Script” of the Shang Dynasty.
“Oracle Bone Script” refers to the characters engraved on tortoise shells and animal bones which were unearthed from the Shang remains at Xiaotun Village in Anyang, Henan. Most of these inscriptions are records of divinations and omens.
In the Zhou Dynasty, people inscribed historical texts on large numbers of bronze vessels. The characters are known as “bronze scripts” (inscriptions on bronzes).
”Bronze Scripts” are found on bronze wares of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and Spring Autumn and Warring States periods, which were usually records of important political events or wars. As the characters on bronzes were engraved by awl (or casted), the strokes often appear as long and sharp lines.

The Calligraphy of Wangxizhi

In the Spring Autumn and Warring States periods, different states had developed their own writing manners, thus a great variety of styles were created. These scripts are known as “large seal scripts”.

Small Seal Script – Standardization of Seal Characters

Qing Dynasty (221-206 B.C.)
The Warring States period came to an end when Emperor Shihuang (259-210 B.C.) of the Qing conquered all other states and China was then governed by a central authority.
The Emperor ordered his Prime Minister, Li Si (?-208 B.C.) to sort out all different systems of writing that were prevalent in the former 6 states and to standardize the written language and styles according to the rules of the Qing system. This new script is known as “small seal script” which is typified by simplified and systematic forms.

Due to tremendous workload and government orders, it was quite inconvenient to use seal script in writing, therefore the government scribers developed a more easily written script by further simplifying the seal script. This new script is known as “clerical script” (lishu) in reminiscence to the founder, Cheng Miao (dates unknown), who was a prison warden. (Literally, “li” corresponds to a prison officer or a prison office).

Clerical Script and Wooden and Bamboo Slips of the Han Dynasty – Inscriptions on Stones and Slips

Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220)

Clerical script became the official writing script in the Han dynasty. It was extensively used for engraving monumental stelae, replacing the former seal script. The popular use of Chinese brush led to the conversion of writing styles. A more suitable and cursive style of clerical script was then devised and generally used.

As this type of cursive clerical script is mostly found on the excavated wooden and bamboo slips or silk fragments, they are known as “slip writing style” and “silk writing style”.
The Development of Regular Script, Running Script and Cursive Script– Stelae Style of the Northern Dynasties; and Manuscript Style of the Southern Dynasties Wei, Jin, Southern, and Northern Dynasties (220-589)
The present regular script is always square in form with a balanced structure, which was modified from the clerical script of the late Eastern Han period and commonly used in the Wei-Jin period.
During the Northern and Southern dynasties, people in the North adopted regular script in engraving steles and yet the flat structure and angular strokes of the Han style script could still be traced. This transitional style of script is attributed as the “stelae style”.
In the south, the great calligrapher Wang Xizhi (303-361) of the Eastern Jin dynasty posed his idea that calligraphy should be treated as a means of artistic creation rather than just for functional use.
In later times, manuscript and writing of those literati calligraphers were often transformed into engravings on wood or stone for making rubbings and copies in order to preserve and make use of stylistic essence of these masters.

The Cradle of Regular Script and Cursive Script

Sui (581-618), Tang (618-907), and Five Dynasties (907-960)
With the full maturity of the regular script styles in the Tang dynasty, calligraphers succeeded in establishing their own creative styles. Among profound calligraphers of the Tang period, Ouyang Xun (557-641), Yu Shinan (558-638, Chu Suiliang (596-659), Yan Zhenqing (709-785), and Liu Gongquan (778-865) were the most acclaimed.

The Calligraphy of Yanzhenqing

Principles of regular script gradually became basic rules in learning and practicing calligraphy.
Representative works in cursive script by Zhang Xu (act. Ca. 700-750) and Huaisu (725-799) of the Tang dynasty are written in an extremely expressive manner. Structures of characters and brush manners are modulated and abstracted to show the unrestrained freedom of calligraphy art.

Appearance of Personal Creative Styles

Song Dynasty (960-1279)
Calligraphy interpretation of the Song Dynasty often define it a “romantic and liberate style”. It means that the Song calligraphers always tried to free themselves and broke the restricted codes of the Tang calligraphic styles to create their own. It’s no surprise to find that the most influential Song calligraphers like Su Shi (1037-1101), Huang Tingjian (1045-1105), and Mi Fu (1051-1107) established their own style with superb creativity.
The “slender-gold style” of Emperor Huizong (1082-1135) also marks another successful pursuit of personal character in the art of calligraphy.

Renewal of Ancient Styles

Yuan (1271-1368) and Ming Dynasties (1368-1644)
Masters such as Zhao Mengfu (1254-1322) of the Yuan Dynasty, Wen Zhengming (1470-1559), and Dong Qichang (1555-1636) of the Ming Dynasty dedicated themselves to study the classical Jin-Tang calligraphic styles, in particular those of collectively known as the Two Wangs, Wang Xizhi and his son Wang Xianzhi (344-386).

Folk Calligraphy

A rich amount of calligraphy works collection in existence can be found in the Jiangnan regions; calligraphers were able to study the treasures of old masters and accomplished huge artistic achievements. Revisiting tradition was in vogue and soon extended nationwide. Calligraphers learned from the original works as well as the wood-block rubbings (tie), marking the golden period of the so-called “model- calligraphy school”.
Wen Zhengming (1470-1559)
Poems on fallen Flowers in small regular script (section) 1504

Growth of the Stelae School of Calligraphy

Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)
From the late Ming to early Qing period, some calligraphers progressively lost interest in learning from wood-block rubbings and turned to the archaic Han stelae styles.

Learn Calligraphy

Influenced by the studies of the mid-Qing period, calligraphers began to draw inspirations from the more ancient seal script styles. Writings of seal and clerical scripts were therefore revived and calligraphers further adopted the characteristics of seal and clerical scripts in writing regular and running script. This new tendency of calligraphic art is known as “stelae school of calligraphy “or “bronze and stelae styles”.
Assimilation of the Past for a new Rendition: The Development of Chinese Calligraphy in the 20th Century
The latest archeological finds such as Han bamboo slips, silk writings, and Dunhuang Sutras, the publications of works of various major masters, create considerable impact on the development of modern Chinese calligraphy. Major influences from the past are constantly assimilated into modern techniques and styles, creating contemporary new visions and creative experiments.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/kttl3r7

Win for wildlife as careers look rosier

PUNE: On a moonless night, deep inside the forest in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, Aamod Zambre set up camp at Sessni - a steep rock face rising above a deep valley. The breeding season for fireflies happened to peak that night and Aamod saw what looked like thousands of them performing a Mexican wave over a two-three km of the rock face.

"It made me realize why I do this," said Aamod, who was an undergraduate student studying frogs and snakes in Arunachal Pradesh then. Today, he is a research fellow at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

A career in wildlife conservation, till recently an option that attracted only a few, is drawing students willing to venture into the wild. Both the Centre and state governments have been showing increased interest in funding wildlife research projects as have international agencies and NGOs which translates into opportunities for young environmentalists, said experts.

The sky is the limit for those who work on projects related to environment assessment and conservation action, said Ankur Patwardhan, head of the department of biodiversity at Abasaheb Garware College. "The gap between acquiring a degree and actually working on a project that gives students hands-on training is what matters," he added.

The prospect of spending her entire career inside a laboratory appeared daunting to Apoorva Sahasrabudhe when she was pursuing her B Sc. So when she was selected for a course that allowed her to spend ten days a month on the field, she grabbed it.

Her MSc dissertation was based on the conservation of sacred groves in the Western Ghats, funded by the ministry of environment and forests. She won the first prize at the national level 'Anveshan' competition organized by the Association of Indian Universities and Tata Institute of Social Science. Sahasrabudhe is now a research fellow on the same project. "For my MSc I studied just one sacred grove in Velhe village, now we shall be studying eight to ten such sites," she said.

Her senior Monali Mhaskar had always been interested in plants. A Department of Biotechnology funded project on mapping and distribution of woody species in the Western Ghats, gave her a chance to travel extensively in Koyna, Chandoli and Radhanagri.

There has been no looking back. Mhaskar was recently selected for the Centre's women scientists' programme. She will study the ecosystem services people can obtain from natural resources

The city offers courses that help students. Since it was first started in 2003, the M Sc in Biodiversity programme - the first such course in the University of Pune and perhaps the country - Patwardhan and his colleagues have been scripting success stories.

Many students are now research fellows-- some at the department itself, others in other institutes both in India and abroad. A significant number have also been placed in various NGOs while some entered academia. A small fraction has also found jobs in developing green infrastructure or eco-restoration.

"There is nothing quite like going into the wild and observing nature up close. The experience that students with field work and reports validate their applications when they apply for admissions," said Anirudh Chaoji, director of Ecologics, a city-based NGO.

For the last eight years, Ecologics has been providing undergraduate students with opportunities to participate in projects for such an experience. Chaoji said it works both ways. When students participate in projects, they develop interest and look at it as a career and to build their resumes.

"Many science graduates end up in the corporate sector. The general belief is that the only opportunities in science are either teaching in a classroom or conducting research in a laboratory. We want to take students to the field to motivate them to take up a career in conservation," he added.

Efforts have met with some success. For three successive years, every batch of the Master's programme at National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore has a member from Ecologics. This year, two young ecologists trained by Chaoji have joined the Master's programme at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun.

Patwardhan said interest was picking up. "When we started the course, there were three applications for every seat. Today, there are at least five for each of the 24 seats," he said.

Patwardhan pointed out that there are many reasons for this.

Of course there are many more opportunities today, he said. Citing a personal example, he said that when he had completed his graduation in 1995, there were fewer organizations funding research in this field.

But he also credits the influence of television channels like National Geographic and Animal Planet that has drawn young ecologists to the field.

"Today children develop an interest in conservation and believe they can create a career in this field," he said citing the example of one of the students from this year's MSc. Batch who had made his first inquiries about the course as soon as he had passed his X standard exams.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/myu8qe3

A P J Abdul Kalam all praise for India's history dotted on 7m sheet

VADODARA: Despite his hectic schedule, former president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam during his visit to the city took out time to go through a unique work of art prepared by the students of Muslim Education Society (MES) School at Nagarwada.

As soon as Kalam arrived in the city on Saturday night to attend two programmes scheduled on Sunday, he met four students and an art teacher of the city even though their meeting wasn't scheduled.

The People's President was delighted to see the seven-metre long sheet which depicts India's history with one crore dots.

"He was so delighted to see this painting that he spent nearly 15 minutes talking to us at the Circuit House despite his busy schedule," Shoeb Narmawala, the art teacher at MES School, who had begun the project in 2004.

Year after year students from standard VIII to standard XII have pitched in with their contribution to prepare this painting using dots in water colour.

"The students had begun the project with the Mughal period and chronicled events up to the Indian freedom movement, and major news events like Kargil War, Cricket World Cup, Bollywood, major natural calamities, as also Indian festivals," said Narmawala. The drawing teacher has also taught cricketers Irfan and Yusuf Pathan and has been conferred with Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy Award twice.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/m3spz8w

25 govt degree colleges may get autonomy soon in Karnataka

The Department of Collegiate Education (DCE) is preparing a proposal to grant academic autonomy to more than 25 first-grade government colleges in the State. The autonomy will be on the basis of various parameters and conditions.
For example, some of the requirements are for colleges to have a National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation and a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.5, be known for commendable results and academic performance, good presence of a permanent faculty and sound infrastructure and facilities.

“Among all other conditions, a very important requirement is for colleges to fall under Sections 2f (recognition and affiliation) and 12b (Central assistance and grants) of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956,” said DCE director B S Bhagyalakshmi.
Two teams from the department have been dispatched to do the rounds of various autonomous colleges in the City, such as National College and Mount Carmel College, with the aim to study them and check their functioning under an autonomous status. Another team has been sent to Government College (autonomous) in Mandya.

The rationale behind the move is to empower these colleges and give them academic freedom in order to carry out their own plans and programmes.

“Colleges will be able to initiate changes in their own syllabi, introduce new courses in line with the latest demand, get some freedom in finances and even be able to constitute their own academic council. Overall, the aim is to improve quality, time management as well as efficiency of colleges,” said Bhagyalakshmi.

“Besides government funds, there is also the possibility of the UGC granting special funds for this initiative.”

Once this plan falls in place, there will be a review committee to gauge the progress and performance of the colleges under their new status. Based on the recommendations of this committee, it will be decided whether or not to further the autonomy of the colleges. The colleges themselves will have to prepare a progress report of their achievements and initiatives.

“This committee will review the kind of changes that a college has brought in, whether these are progressive or otherwise and areas where finances have been used. It will also make suggestions for improvement. A review of this committee will be held probably every five to seven years,” said Bhagyalakshmi.

Under the conditions laid down for autonomy, it is no surprise if better-established government colleges like Maharani College, Government Science College, RC College of Commerce and Management in the City get autonomy. Other well-known government colleges in Hassan, Chitradurga, Bidar, Kadur and Chikkaballapur may also be chosen.
Government Science College principal K S Venkateshappa is of the opinion that the move will greatly help colleges in the timely conduct of academic activities.

Students under Bangalore University have time and again been bogged down by delays in evaluations and declaration of results. “If we had autonomy, results would have been declared within eight days of the examinations. Academic autonomy will truly be a boon for colleges, as they will be able to conduct their own evaluations, have their own board of examinations and even declare their own results,”  Venkateshappa said.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/k2hojmw'

New Chinese school to combine soccer, kung fu training

A SOCCER school still being built will be teaching new kinds of kicks to its students — kung fu kicks.
The school, being constructed in Dengfeng City, Henan Province, is only kilometers from Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of kung fu. More than 10,000 students are expected to enroll upon its completion in three years.
Construction of Shaolin Jianye International Football School was launched earlier this year and Shi Yanlu, its founder, said it will integrate the spirit and skills of kung fu into sports.
The school is being funded by the Ruling Circle of Song Shan Temple Monks Training Base Mission Education (Group), a local institution founded in 1997 that focuses on martial arts teaching, and Henan Jianye Football Club, a former Chinese Super League team relegated in 2012.
The two sides will invest 2 billion yuan (US$324 million) in the school, which will include a stadium and two gymnasiums.
“The grasp of attack and defense in Chinese kung fu will benefit soccer players a great deal,” said Shi, a former disciple of Shaolin Temple abbot Shi Yongxin.
Future students will see their time split between soccer training, martial arts practice and general knowledge courses, Shi said.
Five-hundred soccer players have already been chosen out of 15,000 teenagers from the group’s martial arts school, Shi said.
Wang Zhongren, spokesman for Henan Jianye Football Club, said the school will help popularize sports.
Teenage players who perform well and have potential are likely to join the club’s reserve team, Wang added.
A Shaolin monk said the temple was not affiliated with the school.


Source: http://tinyurl.com/kj6xs4r