Educational toys are very important tools in the development of a child’s functional skills. Most parents are aware of how important it is for their children to play and have fun. Education plays an equally important part in the development of that child’s personality. Educational toys fulfill both aspects, that of allowing your child to have fun and play, and that of significantly contributing to his or her education and process of learning. From the early stages of their life, children have amazing abilities to learn. Nothing is more appropriate than carefully selected educational toys, even from early ages. A careful selection of the child’s toys, based on criteria such as age, materials and functions, is very important. Such toys, if appropriate for you child’s age, can stimulate the child and engage his or her imagination. Many parents see educational toys as providers of an excellent medium for the education of their children. However, many such toys are too expensive for many people to afford, and so, some parents are restrained from buying them.

Shopping for educational toys online is the answer for all parents. First of all, there are many online shopping stores that you can choose from, and the variety of educational toys is overwhelming. Secondly, the educational toys you can purchase online come with the cheapest rates you will ever find. An online shopping store is where you’ll find the best prices and discounts. Moreover, shopping for educational toys online saves a lot of time. You don’t have to leave your home and spend hours going from store to store. The online shopping stores are easy to browse through, and you will be able to find the desired product in no time. What’s more, some offers include free shipment, which is even more convenient.

In order to be able to make an informed choice, you should do a little searching on the Internet to find out exactly what type of educational toys are appropriate for your child’s age. Once you have done that, you can browse through the numerous products out there and choose the ones that are most appealing to you. Any respectable online store should provide you with detailed information about the educational toys that they sell, such as detailed description or even a picture, learning objectives, price, etc. This will make your job even easier. Nothing can be more convenient than purchasing online, as it is time and cost-effective.

Educational DVDs are yet another excellent medium for stimulating your child and engaging his or her imagination. These educational DVDs are fun to watch and your children will certainly love them. The best part is that, aside from the fun they provide, educational DVDs will also teach your child a lot of useful things, while contributing substantially to his or her education. Be it infant, toddler or preschooler, there are educational DVDs for all age levels. From speech and language development to acquiring spelling and math skills, educational DVDs are a great provider of quality education for your child.

All in all, as a parent, you will always want the best for your child. Education is a very important part of your child’s life, starting from infancy. Educational toys and DVDs are considered the best option, as they contribute to the development of knowledge and encourage playing and fun at the same time.

Visit http://www.clevershoppers.com where you can find a large variety of educational toys and educational DVDs for your children.



By: Groshan Fabiola

About the Author:

Impact of Education on Domestic Violence and Development of Women through Education

 

                                                                                                                                               

 

INTRODUCTION

You can tell the condition of a nation by looking at the status of its women.

- Jawaharlal Nehru

“Literary education is of no value, if it is not able to build up a sound character.”

- Mahatma Gandhi

 

            Education has been regarded as the most significant instrument for changing women’s subjugated position in the society. It not only develops the personality and rationality of individuals, but qualifies them to fulfill certain economic, political and cultural functions and thereby improves their socio-economic status. One of the direct expectations from educational development in a society is the reduction in the inequality among individuals and that is why Education was included as the basic right of every human being in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The constitution of UNESCO also directs its efforts to achieve `The ideal of equality of educational opportunity without regard to race, sex or any distinction, economic or social’.

            Domestic Violence (sometimes referred to as domestic abuse or spousal abuse) occurs when a family member, partner or ex-partner attempts to physically or psychologically dominate another. Domestic violence often refers to violence between spouses, or spousal abuse but can also include cohabitants and non-married intimate partners. Domestic violence occurs in all cultures; people of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexes and classes can be perpetrators of domestic violence. Domestic violence is perpetrated by both men and women, occurring in both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships.  

What Is Domestic Violence?

            Domestic violence is controlling behaviour and includes all kinds of physical, sexual and emotional abuse within all kinds of intimate relationships. The perpetrators of domestic violence or abuse are usually men and the victims or survivors are usually women and children that they know. It includes:

• Punching and slapping

• Kicking and hair pulling

• Biting and pinching

• Pushing and shoving

• Being forced to have sex

• Being beaten or cut with other objects

• Disrespect, neglect and emotional blackmail

• Verbal abuse and swearing

• Being prevented from going out or seeing people – being isolated

• Lying, harassment and putting pressure on you through threats

            1:4 women experience domestic violence at some point in their lives and 1:10 will be experiencing domestic violence today

WOMEN VIOLENCE IN DIFFERENT STATES OF INDIA

            Over 37 per cent married women in the country were victims of physical or sexual abuse by their husbands with Bihar topping the list. Women in Himachal Pradesh faced less violence at home compared to other states in the country. The latest National Family Health Survey-III found that 37.2 per cent women had experienced violence and cited lack of education as the key reason behind their woes. “Women with no education were much more likely than other women to have suffered spousal violence. However, spousal abuse also extends to women who have secondary or higher secondary level education, with 16 per cent reporting abuse,” the survey said.

            The survey showed that countrywide more women face violence in rural areas (40.2) as compared to those in the urban areas (30.4).

            In Bihar, women in urban areas fared worse than those in rural areas. While 62.2 per cent underwent the trauma in urban areas, it was 58.5 per cent women in villages.

            It is followed by Rajasthan (46.3) Madhya Pradesh (45.8), Tripura (44.1), Manipur (43.9), Uttar Pradesh (42.4), Tamil Nadu (41.9), West Bengal (40.3) and Arunachal Pradesh (38.8).

            Among the metros, the fairer sex was better off in Delhi (16.3) and Mumbai (19.5) recorded relatively low percentage as compared to Chennai (40.6) and Kolkata (26.7).

            Nearly, 17 per cent women in Goa have experienced violence, with 17.2 women in rural areas at the receiving end as compared to 16.4 per cent women in urban areas.

            In Chhattisgarh, a total of 30 per cent women suffered at the hands of their husbands, while in Jharkhand, the figure was 37 per cent. About 40.8 per cent women in Jharkhand villages found the going tough as compared to 24.6 per cent in the urban areas.

            In the hill state of Uttarakhand, nearly 28 per cent women experienced violence, with those in villages (29.8) fared worse than their urban counterparts (22.8). After Himachal Pradesh, women fared relatively better in Jammu and Kashmir (12.6), Meghalaya (13.1), Nagaland (15.4), Sikkim (16.5) and Kerala (16.4).

Other states where women find themselves vulnerable are Assam (39.6), Arunachal Pradesh (38.8), Orissa (38.5), Maharashtra (30.7), Andhra Pradesh (35.2), Haryana (27.3), Gujarat (27.6) Punjab (25.4), Mizoram (22.5) and Karnataka (20).

CRIME AGAINST WOMEN IN INDIA

·        One crime against women every three minutes

·        One rape every 29 minutes

·        One dowry death case every 77 minutes

·        One case of cruelty by husband and relatives every nine minutes

·        Once suicide every 240 minutes.

Source: National Crime Records Bureau       

CHILD VIOLENCE

           Children are the nation’s assets. A happy child will make his/her home and the country happy. The future of any country depends upon the right upbringing of its children, for which a congenial environment and adequate opportunities for wholesome development are essential.

According to UNICEF’s  “The State of the World’s Children,” report for 2006, one-third of the world’s children lack adequate shelter, 31% lack basic sanitation and 21% have no access to clean, potable water.  Illness, malnutrition, and premature death are common when children lack the most basic protection.

            A government commissioned survey has found that more than 53 per cent of children in India are subjected to sexual abuse, but most don’t report the assaults to anyone.

            The survey, released last April and which covered different forms of child abuse physical, sexual and emotional as well as female child neglect, found that two out of every three children have been physically abused.

            Parents and relatives, persons known to the child or in a position of trust and responsibility were mostly found to be the perpetrators of child sexual abuse in the country. According to the women and child development ministry-sponsored report, which assumes greater significance in the backdrop of the Nithari killings that brought into focus the issue of children’s safety, those in the age group of 5-12 years reported higher levels of abuse.

            While releasing the survey, Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury said, “Child abuse is shrouded in secrecy and there is a conspiracy of silence around the entire subject. The ministry is working on a new law for protection of children’s rights by clearly specifying offences against children and stiffening punishments.”

            The survey carried out across 13 states and with a sample size of 12,447, revealed that 53.22 per cent of children reported having faced one or more forms of sexual abuse, with Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Delhi reporting the highest percentage of such incidents. In 50 per cent of child abuse cases, the abusers were known to the child or were in a position of trust and responsibility and most children did not report the matter to anyone.

            The survey, sponsored by WCD ministry and carried out by the NGO Prayas in association with UNICEF and Save the Children, found that more than 50 per cent children were subjected to one or the other form of physical abuse and more boys than girls were abused physically. The first-ever survey on child abuse in the country disclosed that nearly 65 per cent of school children reported facing corporal punishment beatings by teachers mostly in government schools.

            Of children physically abused in families, in 88.6 per cent of the cases, it was the parents who were the perpetrators. More than 50 per cent had been sexually abused in ways that ranged from severe such as rape or fondling to milder forms of molestation that included forcible kissing.

            The study also interviewed 2,324 young adults between the ages of 18 and 24, almost half of whom reported being physically or sexually abused as children. When it comes to emotional abuse, every second child was subjected to emotional assault and in 83 per cent of the cases, parents were the abusers.

Children living with domestic violence may:

 

• Express behavioural problems.

• Be more likely to truant or have difficulties at school.

• Turn to alcohol or drugs.

• Self-harm or attempt suicide.

            According to the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) of Children living with domestic violence:

 

Ø      100% are emotionally abused.

Ø      48% are psychologically abused.

Ø      26% are physically abused.

Ø      13% are accidentally injured.

Ø      7% are sexually abused.

Recent figures from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) show that:

v     Globally, 1 in 6 children work.

v     218 million children aged 5 - 17 are involved in child labour world wide.

v     126 million children work in hazardous conditions.

v     The highest numbers of child labourers are in the Asia/Pacific region, where there are 122 million working children.

v     The highest proportion of child labourers is in Sub Saharan Africa, where 26% of children (49 million) are involved in work.

DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN THROUGH EDUCATION       

 

        Education is the process of instruction aimed at the all round development of boys and girls. Education dispels ignorance. It is the only wealth that cannot be robbed. Learning includes the moral values and the improvement of character and the methods to increase the strength of mind.

            Once the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru said, “you can tell the condition of a nation by looking at the status of its women”. This is absolutely true. Woman of any nation is the mirror to its civilization. If women enjoy good status it shows that the society has reached a level of maturity and sense of responsibility while a decadent image conjures up if the opposite is true. The story of Indian women is as old as the history of Indian civilization.

            Kumud Sharma of the Centre for Women’s Development Studies in New Delhi traced the correlation between education and domestic violence to patriarchal attitudes. “Educated women are aware of their rights,” she said. “They are no longer willing to follow commands blindly. When they ask questions, it causes conflicts, which, in turn, leads to violence. In many Indian states, working women are asked to hand over their paycheck to the husband and have no control over their finances. So, if they stop doing so or start asserting their right, there is bound to be friction.”

Female Literacy in India

            According to last census held in 2001, the percentage of female literacy in the country is 54.16%. The literacy rate in the country has increased from 18.33% in 1951 to 65.38% as per 2001 census. The female literacy rate has also increased from 8.86% in 1951 to 54.16%. It is noticed that the female literacy rate during the period 1991-2001 increased by 14.87% whereas male literacy rate rose by 11.72%. Hence the female literacy rate actually increased by 3.15% more compared to male literacy rate.

 

WOMEN UNIVERSITIES IN INDIA

 

Ø      Andhra Pradesh

      Sri Padmavati University, Tirupati

Ø      Delhi

      Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Lajpat Nagar

Ø      Maharashtra

      SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai

Ø      Rajasthan

      Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali

Ø      Tamil Nadu

      Stella Maris College, Chennai

      Women’s Christian College, Chennai

      Madura College, Madurai        

 

            It is necessary to establish some more universities and colleges for women in India. Education is a solution for any type of problem in the society. Education gives strength, power and character. Education helps to improve economic position also in the society.

            The number of women job seekers has increased from 99.3 lacs in 1999 to 106.1 lacs in 2004. Thus the percentage of women job seekers to the total job-seekers has also increased from 24.6per cent in 1999 to 26.2per cent in 2004.

Table 1: Number of Women Job Seekers

Year

Number of Women (in lacs)

Percentage to total

1999

99.3

24.6

2000

104.5

25.3

2001

108.8

25.9

2002

106.0

25.9

2003

107.5

26.0

2004

106.1

26.0

      Number of Educated Women Job Seekers as on December 2004 was 7537.7 thousand. Educated Women at the end of 2004 accounted for 25.8per cent of the total educated job-seekers.

Table 2: Number of Educated Women Job Seekers

Year

Number of Women

Percentage to total

2000

7911.7

27.1

2001

8525.6

28.1

2002

7921.4

26.8

2003

8032.4

26.6

2004

7537.7

25.8

 

Vision of National Commission for Women

 

            Dr.( Miss. ) Girija Vyas took over as Chairperson of the National Commission for Women on 16th February, 2005.

            The Indian Women of Today Culturally rooted, Globally oriented Healthy, Educated, Self Reliant Secure in her Home and Safe Outside With Access to all the Rights of a Citizen With Opportunity to Contribute in all walks of life.

 

MODERN INDIAN WOMEN

 

            The status of women in modern India is a sort of a paradox. If on one hand she is at the peak of ladder of success, on the other hand she is mutely suffering the violence afflicted on her by her own family members. As compared with past women in modern times have achieved a lot but in reality they have to still travel a long way. Their path is full of roadblocks. The women have left the secured domain of their home and are now in the battlefield of life, fully armored with their talent. They had proven themselves. But in India they are yet to get their dues. The sex ratio of India shows that the Indian society is still prejudiced against female. There are 933 females per thousand males in India according to the census of 2001, which is much below the world average of 990 females. There are many problems which women in India have to go through daily. These problems have become the part and parcel of life of Indian women and some of them have accepted them as their fate.

FIRST WOMAN OF INDIA

            Women had played an important role in the Modern World. Here are some of the most successful & first women of the world, who lead a Nation, a Party, a State, etc.

·        First woman President of Indian National Congress — Annie Besant (1917)

·        First Indian woman President of Indian National Congress — Sarojini Naidu (1925)

·        First woman Ambassador from India — Vijay Lakshmi Pandit (to USSR from1947-49)

·        First woman Governor of an Indian State — Sarojini Naidu (UP from 1947-48)

·        First woman Minister of an Indian State — Vijay Lakshmi Pandit (UP)

·        First Mayor of Delhi — Aruna Asif Ali (1958)

·        First woman Central Minister — Rajkumari Amrit Kaur

·        First woman Film star to be a member of Rajya Sabha — Nargis Dutt

·        First woman Chief Minister of an Indian State — Sucheta Kriplani (UP from 1963-67)

·        First woman Prime Minister of India — Indira Gandhi (1966-77 & 1980-84)

·        First woman Speaker of an Indian State — Shano Devi

·        First woman winner of the Bharat Ratna — Indira Ghandi (1971)

·        First woman Judge of the Supreme Court — Justice M Fatima Bevi (1989)

·        First woman Chief Justice of a High Court — Leila Seth (CJ of Himachal Pradesh 1991)

·        India’s officially recognized billionth citizen — Aastha (Born on May 11, 2000 at ND)

CONCLUSIONS

            Indian women have mastered anything and everything which a woman can dream of. But she still has to go a long way to achieve equal status in the minds of Indian men. The desire of Indian women can be best summed up in the following lines of ‘Song of an African Women’:

I have only one request.

I do not ask for money

Although I have need of it,

I do not ask for meat . . .

I have only one request,

And all I ask is

That you remove

The road block

From my path.

            Educate all the children in the family. Education is the most powerful instrument for the development of women and children in the society.8th March is observed as International Women’s Day. It is necessary to celebrate International Women’s Day every year in a grand manner. Our present president Pratibha Patil is also a woman. It is the power and credit of woman. It is also very important to celebrate Children’s Day on November 14th and Mother’s day.  

Reference:

1.      National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2001). The National Reading Panel: Reports of the Subgroups.

 

2.      UNESCO Institute for Statistics: Literacy rates, youth (15-24) and adult (15+), by region and gender (September 2006 Assessment).

 

3.   Heilbroner, R. L. (1995) Visions of the future: the distant past, yesterday, today,      

     and tomorrow (New York: Oxford University Press).

 

4.   Child and Women Development Report, (2006), Ministry of Women and Child  

      Development, Government of India, New Delhi.

 

5.    National Family Health Survey, (2006), Government of India, New Delhi.

 

6.    National Crime Records Bureau, (2007), Government of India, New Delhi.

 

7.   Census of India, (2001), Government of India, New Delhi.

 

 

.

 

*****



By: naraginti amareswaran

About the Author:

The responsibility of school health education is to provide the complete positive experience and the knowledge structure to the student, including the establishment of health education curriculum, the creation of school health environment and carrying out the appropriate school health education plan through principal, teacher, guardian and the broad cooperation which leads in the community.

The significance of school health education:  

Health is one of the main factors which affect young students’ learning capability. So the government has the responsibility to provide the best study conditions. This goal can be achieved by school health education. The school health education program can systematically organize all the factors that promote young people’s health.

The significance of school health education is: Young students are in the life preparation time, health education work, may help them to accept systematic health education since childhood. It will be very helpful for young people to establish a healthy life style, strengthen the self-health care consciousness and ability, prevent common disease, frequently-occurring disease, and even adult sickness. School health education builds the good foundation for their life and the effect is lifelong.

The implementation scope of school health education:

School health education is not only limited to the health education curriculum but also through many kinds of health education in young people’s daily study and the life such as food security, nutrition, smoking control, personal hygiene and so on.

The teaching of school health education:  

Health education should be a part of the entire school education system.

1) The health education curriculum: young students may start their health habit since the baby time. But they usually obtain the systematic medicine and health knowledge in school.  So the school health education curriculum should be the main way for students to obtain this kind of knowledge.

There is huge difference in receptivity and thinking mode among the young students of different ages. So the goal, content, teaching style and materials of health education curriculum should be accordant of the characteristics of different age sections. Because our work is to help student to be active learning not non-passive learning.

Healthy behavior instruction:

The goal of healthy behavior instruction is to help the students to have the basic healthcare knowledge and to command the basic skills of self-healthcare. Health behavior instruction helps students to develop a faith of health and medicine, correct judge and the appraisal ability and healthy behavior. Good behavior may affect not only the individual but also the family and the society.

There are two ways of healthy behavior instruction: Collective activity and individual consultation.  Collective activity aims at the existing behavior question among students. Individual consultation helps each individual student who has special health behavior or medical care questions. 

The school health service:

School health service is directly related to students’ health activities. It is also the essential part of the entire school health plan.  The school health service mainly includes: medical examination, dental examination, immunity vaccination, infectious disease control, common disease prevention and the psychological consultation as well. The school should also provide the necessary services to the disabled students.

The school health environment:

School health environment stimulates and promotes the student to participate in the beneficial health activities, raises their health consciousness of the external environment, including interpersonal and material environment.

The interpersonal environment mainly includes the school interpersonal relationship between the teachers and students, schoolmate and the other personnel.  

The material environment is related to the school constructions, the ground size, the drainage, the garbage disposal system and so on.

How to provide a harmonious and healthy environment to all the students should be considered by all the school health educators. 

 



By: Yan Huang

About the Author:

Nowadays, pursuing a degree through online education is common, and the value of online degree from a proper accredited university or college is equally weight than the traditional campus-based degree. With both campus-based degree and online education you have more options to choose from if you want to earn a degree for you career advancement. Online education has many advantages that can benefit its students, but it may not be a good option for all students; then what makes online education a better option for you?

Here a 5 signs that an online education might be a better option for you:

1. You want to continue your current job while pursuing a degree

In order to success in both work and study, you need to have a good time management that helps you to stay focus in both tasks. Online education will make it easier for you if you are the person who does not want to give up your paycheck while earning a degree for better career future. The advantages of online education that allows it students to have the most flexible learning environment can benefit a working individual and plan your times that best fit into both work and study.

2. You are managing multiple time commitments

Online education helps to cut down wasted time in traveling to and from school while providing flexible scheduling that can enables you to fully utilize your time. If you are a person with full of time commitments with multiple working around obligations, you will appreciate the anytime, anywhere access of the virtual classroom. Online education will be a better option for you if you have such working obligations while you study:



Frequent traveling for job assignment

Unfixed working schedule / work on shift

Involve in project-based work that need long working hour

Need to take care of your children after work hours



3. You are a visual learner

Traditional campus-based learning style is more emphasis on auditory activities such as lectures and oral discussions while online education learning style is mostly in visual learning format that involves reading, writing with various visual aids found in virtual classroom. Hence, if you prefer to “read and learn” than “listen and learn” type of style, an online education learning environment will be a better option for you.

4. You are self-motivated “Self-motivation” is the key factor to a success online study.

Online classes allow you to logon to the class at anytime and remain in the online class for the duration you prefer, nobody will push at your back to urge you complete you projects or assignments. You may move through the material at your own pace, passing quickly on the area you already familiar with and spending more time to understand new concepts. If you equip with a good “self-motivation” characteristic, then you should have no problem in completing an online education program which makes it a better option for you.

5. You are interest in a specialized degree not available locally

One of the most compelling reasons to opt for online education is you can earn your dream degree offered by any of university in the world as long as the university offers online degree programs. Distance is not an issue for online education because you can reach it with mouse clicks no matter how far it is located from your place. The online education will become a better option for you when the degree you are interested in is not available locally.

Summary

Earning a degree online can have many advantages over the traditional campus-based education. It will become your better education option if the advantages of online education can benefit you while helping you to achieve your education goal in a better way.



By: Jullie Harvard

About the Author:

Basically prior to the coming of the Europeans or more aptly introduction of Western education in Nigeria there were basically two distinct education systems in Nigeria namely the Indigenous system and Quoranic type. Formal or Western education was brought to Nigeria perhaps in 1843, a system which added to the already existing two bring the systems to three. Indigenous system entailed becoming apprenticed in crafts and services in leather works, painting, medicine etc passed down in families. Skills are acquired in this way and utilized. Quoranic system had to do with Islamic education in which a child learns the whole lot of the chapters of the quoran usually by rote and said his prayers regularly as required.

 

Western education in Nigeria as introduced by the Europeans mainly was all about the spread of Christianity and was thought useful and important to evangelism which appeared to reign supreme in the hearts of these Europeans other than the much desired education by Nigerians. Perhaps the Europeans were of the opinion that the combination of education and evangelism was a necessity in achieving their aims.

 

The spread of western education was successful in the southern part of the country were curiosity to learn was considered very high. In the forefront of the introduction of this western styled education were Methodist Church of Scotland Mission, the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and the Roman Catholic. These missionary worked so hard to spread western education particularly in the south. In the north the difficulty of efficiently planting western education was considered not very smooth because the region had already deeply rooted in Islamic education and a host of other reasons, still the missionaries continued to put in their efforts. It should be noted that Islamic education was delivered under the tutelage of Malams and scholars.

 

Some people have argued that the system of education as handed down by the Europeans was ultimately aimed at merely producing Nigerians who could only read and write and no more. They further argue that the subjects taught in majority of the elementary schools such as Scripture, English Compositions, English Grammar, Arithmetic, Geography, Music, Singing, Reading, writing, Dictation, and sewing (Fafunwa, 1974) Prof. Babs Fafunwa may not share this idea though.

 

It held that the combinations of subjects like these will produce nothing of teachers, Court clerks, Interpreters etc. These may not be a misleading idea anyway but I wish to state that there were other militating factors on the part of Nigerians such as unwillingness to send their especially girls to school. This is still exhibited in some parts of Nigeria today.

 

There is no doubt however that one needs to commend these early European missionaries who left their countries and tirelessly established these schools even though certain drawbacks may have undermined these gestures in so many ways.

 

On the 25 January 1976 the Federal Government of Nigeria acting on the idea or advice of Alhaji Yakubu Adamu the Executive Chairman, kano State Primary Education Board changed from the former 7-5-3 system of education to 6-3-3-4 systm. In 1982, the same Nigerian Governent established the Junior Secondary School (JSS) and senior secondary School (SSS) dividing the system into two i.e. junior and secondary the same Nigerian government argued was aimed at awarding certificates after the first three years of junior school and second years of senior schools. It is however very clear that the Federal Republic of Nigeria erred when it suddenly jumped into the system.

 

Till Today I am yet to see any junior secondary school “graduate” awarded with a certificate in search of job or further educational pursuit. This system will hurriedly replace the West African GCE ‘O’ Level in 1989 is nothing but effort to produce nothing. It is no news that our standard of education has fallen completely to the ground with the Nigerian government fast neglecting the education sector. Public schools are rotting away and now declared a no go area in the minds of the people and by the people.When Nigerian graduates are not employable (Prof. Charles Soludo) How is the system introduced by the Nigerian Government comparable to that operated by the early European Missionaries?

 

Nigerians are now getting accustomed to the establishment of private universities too expensive for the children of the common masses who require education. Church owners in Nigeria have joined the race too. It is now the race to establish, control and spin money using universities. Many of these universities are no go areas for the poor masses. So the question again is who are these universities established for? When Nigerians see these universities and run to Ghana we start asking ourselves what is wrong with these big expensive universities.

 

The Nigerian Government needs to do something about it fast before it gets too late because when education becomes out of bounds for its citizens, the citizens will choose nothing but ignorance. Early European missionaries did better and deserve our praise.  

 

 

 

      



By: Emeka Esogbue

About the Author:

Some educators who are dedicated to excellence in education and devotion to their school, students, and community wish to advance their teaching career and take that next step toward becoming a principal. However, returning to a traditional educational setting in order to reach this goal may not always be easy for some teachers. There are some alternatives to the path of principal licensure. The University of Cincinnati offers a Masters of Education for obtaining your principal licensure that is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) that can be completed online in as little as two years.

The Master of Education In Educational Leadership program, which work in cooperation with the standards of performance developed by the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), is designed to give students the tools necessary to go into administrative roles such as directors, principals, and administrative coordinators in both public and private schools. Your program will begin with Foundations of Educational Administration I & II and as you work towards the completion of the online degree program you will have the opportunity to develop an electronic portfolio that will keep track of your work as you move through the degree program. During your final year of the program (the last four quarters) you will also have an opportunity to complete a Planned Field Experience to help you see the practical applications of what you have learned while working under the guidance of a licensed administrator. In total, the Master of Education in Educational Leadership will include 50 credits of course work plus 4 additional credits for the planned field experiences. The Master of Education in Educational Leadership will give you a very strong foundation in both academic and applied principles to give you the tools and confidence that you need to play an effective role in leading students to meet the high standards demanded by today’s increasingly competitive world.

At the University of Cincinnati your graduate degree is reasonably priced at $404 per credit hour for Ohio residents, and $414 for students who are not residents of the state of Ohio, plus fees and supplies. Since the Master of Education in Educational Leadership is an accredited degree program, you may be eligible for financial aid or student loans that will help you to cover the costs of your degree. The University of Cincinnati has enrollment advisors that can help you in finding out what aid you may qualify for and assist you in obtaining the necessary paper work to apply. Admissions to the Master of Education in Educational Excellence program requires the standard items such as a transcript of undergraduate work, a resume, letters of reference that have been sealed and dated, and a written statement of your personal and professional goals. Additional applicants must submit recent GRE scores (taken within the past 5 years) and have a GPA of at least 2.8 out of the 4.0 scale. The application fee is $40 and there are additional requirements for international students.

With the online degree program from the University of Cincinnati there is nothing holding you back from achieving your career goals.



By: Bailey Smith

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A career in early childhood education can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling for anyone. Early childhood education is the approach of teaching children between birth and the age of six or seven. The focus of education during this period is holistic, focusing on physical development, cognitive skills, emotional growth, and social developments.

In order to teach children professionally, a degree in early childhood education is required. Potential early childhood educators can get their degrees from accredited colleges or universities, or even through distance education or Internet education. An early childhood education online degree is just as valid as that received through a non-virtual educational institute.

If someone is thinking about becoming an early childhood educator, he or she can learn more about what the job involves by reading about early childhood education online. If this career choice appeals to the individual, the next step is to choose an educational institute from which to receive a degree. Depending on the individual, going to an actual college or university may be a better choice than pursuing an online education.

The Internet serves as a wonderful resource for communication, entertainment, and education. Because it is so widely used, it only makes sense that the Internet would eventually become a common venue for receiving educational degrees. However, because elearning is so convenient and economical, there is room for fraud, as with many Internet based endeavors.

When thinking about pursuing an online college degree, one should always confirm the legitimacy, accreditation, and validity of the Internet educational institute. Many online degree programs are offered through accredited universities and colleges, however there are many others that are not valid at all. More and more online Bachelor degree programs are being ousted as diploma mills.

Once the student confirms that the online educational institute is valid, the student can safely pursue his or her education online without worry. E-learning is a very economical and convenient way of receiving a college degree. Students save money on dormitory and travel expenses when they engage in online education.

Earning a degree in early childhood education online is the first step to obtaining a long and fulfilling career in childhood education. Educators touch the lives of many people. When it starts as soon as early childhood, the rewards to the teacher could never be better. Starting this journey with an online college degree one could be influencing young students in just a few years.



By: Kevin Pederson

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Attaining an online education degree has opened opportunities for many students, especially those who find paying for traditional full-time courses outside their reach. But as much as acquiring an online education degree has many benefits over traditional learning, many factors play a role in order to make it successful for online students. Because of the differences in the way that online education is disseminated and acquired, some amendments in approaching this mode of learning need be put in place to make it a success.

1. Choosing the right accredited online college or university - The first step is to select the right institution to provide for your online education degree. Do your homework before starting school, and make sure the school has been accredited by the appropriate accrediting agencies. Unfortunately, without that educational stamp of approval, the degree will not be worth the paper on which it is printed. In fact, “diploma mills” offer substandard, or no education with the promise of a quick (but worthless) degree.

2. Analyze cost vs. benefit - Some students enroll in a distance learning program without considering the cost. Generally, the cost per credit hour is fairly expensive. However, decide whether the education will translate into better income opportunities down the road. Only after assessing the true benefits can students appreciate the rewards of obtaining an education online degree.

3. Degree validation by employers - No wonder many employers are wary of online degrees. With bogus institutions literally selling degrees, employers have good reason to be doubtful and cautious. Therefore, immediately alleviate any potential misgivings by your prospective employer by offering verification of accreditation through an agency sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Education and CHEA.

4. Practice discipline, time management and be determined to succeed - During the course of learning, many students simply lack discipline and are unable to focus. This makes it difficult to keep up with their online lessons and coursework, it is thus crucial for students in pursuit of online education degree to have a great determination to succeed. It is very easy to lose focus and motivation when studying alone. Exercising good time management and keeping in constant touch with classmates would increase the morale to succeed.

5. Utilize all the facilities provided by your college - Many education degree online courses provide online lectures and email access to facilitate communication among students, lecturers and administration staff. It’s important to take full advantage of these services as they keep you “connected” with your accredited online college. It helps further your motivation in your studies when you make use of these facilities to stay in touch.

6. Make use of credit transfers - Many online education degree colleges allow students to transfer their credits from courses they took in previous colleges, whether online or traditional. By doing this, it means students don’t have to repeat courses they learnt before. For this to be effected, it’s important for a student who intends to pursue an education online to make sure they get transcripts and results from their previous universities or colleges and make them available to their accredited online college so they can be passed as transfer credits.

7. Using Educational technology is essential - The only way to facilitate an excellent online education degree is to take full advantage of all the educational technology available. Virtual libraries generally have all the information necessary to complete research projects and other assignments. The online materials have been factored into the cost of the course. The convenience is another reason for using this benefit to the fullest.



By: M. Jackson

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Why do many people like to go on a study tour to UK colleges and Universities? What do you know about education system in UK? Like many other countries United Kingdom has developed and diversified education system foe school graduates and those who want to get further or higher education. The incredible number of colleges and universities offers thousands of courses and subjects to study. Thus, it is very important to be well-oriented in education institutions diversity to choose the right one which will suite your interests and further career best. First, there is a difference between further education and higher education. Further education is provided by colleges and gives a number of special qualifications such as Business Study, Engineering, Catering etc. They are specially designed for basic knowledge study, which is an integral part of further education and special subject study. Often further education students are able to combine a few subjects and get two or three certificates accordingly. Most further education students are adults who are above 21 years old. They prefer to study part-time and go to work while studying. Anyway, it is your choice whether you will study full-time or part-time. Usually part-time jobs allow further education students cover their tuition fees expenses. UK educational institutions are divided into state and private colleges and universities. Some decades ago state colleges and universities considerably differed from each other, especially in education funding system and costs. Nowadays both types of institutions have high tuition fees and smaller amount of grants, University Access Funds and student loans assistance programs. Universities UK provide a wide range of subjects and qualifications to study. Education programmes at universities include lectures, seminars, workshops, trainings and practices. Some of them even organize working experience for a year or less. High tuition fees cover access to university books, software and computers. Be aware of ALL university facilities before applying for study: you must know well what you will have for your big money! Although higher education requires much study, research, writing and reading the most study process is independent; lectures, seminars and workshops take much less time than self-research and study. Of course you will be signed your own individual tutor who will guard your study and control your results, but be ready to become a self-organized student who plans his education process himself. All universities and even further education colleges in UK have specially assigned consultants who provide all information which you need. They are happy to consult you even in your private matters. However, it would be better to check the university or college environment by yourself. For example, such aspects as social environment, college/university city or town society, availability of night clubs, sports clubs or beaches play a significant role in our life. City/town living standards will help you count your accommodation and living expenses; remember, you are going to spend a couple of years there! Each year both private and state universities reduce their financial assistance, state and university grants cover only about 10 percent of education fees. Find out as much as possible about financial aid availabilities, at least you can apply for student education loans system. This system is the easiest way for funding education in UK now. However, you should remember it is repayable and sometimes has high interest ratio which expands to 20 years for paybacks to be affordable.



By: Daniel Jowssey

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South American Educators Meet to Redefine Their SocioPolitical Role

Soon, teachers and educators across Latin America and Spain will be attending the Fifth Ibero-American Conference of Teachers, Educators and Researchers ((Quinto Encuentro IberoAmericano de Colectivas y Redes de Maestros que Hacen Investigacion e Innovacion Desde Su Escuela y Comunidad). One of their objectives is to make teachers and educators authors of and protagonists for the emancipation of the educational process. The hope is that teachers can expand their influence beyond the limits of their school rooms; that they can mobilize and organize to the extent that a pedagogy of emancipation can spread beyond school walls and influence the socio-educational and political realms.

Participating in this year’s event will be representatives from Argentina, Spain, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, and Brasil. Representatives and teachers from Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador and Nicaragua are also expected to attend and participate. The Venezuelan chapter will host the event this year. Its National Coordinator is Professor Mirna Sojo Sojo. She will be assisted by Maritza Lopez, Arturo Perez and a host of other dedicated and forward thinking educators.

While discussing the conference with Professor Sojo and when perusing the informational materials that have been distributed, the theme of emancipating the educational process is a recurring one. But emancipating it from what, some might ask? Could the answer be status quo governments? Many in the United States are convinced that the educational process is not geared toward developing people but controlling them and preparing them to perform tasks that serve the interests of government and big business. Apparently this train of thought is prevalent in other countries as well. Could it be that progressive educators in the United States can look to educators in South America for a measure of guidance?

The aims of the conference include deepening the interchange of experiences among teachers from the participating countries, strengthening the learning experience and teaching techniques, recognizing the teaching experiences that promote forms of organization, articulating proposals that perpetuate the production and sharing of knowledge between teachers and communities, recognizing the educational experiences that spring from the communities and empowering the conference’s mobilization movement within the participating countries.

The central themes that will be covered during the conference are various but interrelated. They include:

(1) Exploration of what goes into making a teacher or educator. Taken into consideration are the teacher’s personal, practical and preparatory experiences, and how they influence his or her ability to relate to and interact with those who are being taught;

(2) Exploration of practical and innovative teaching methods. The construction and development of curricula take front stage during this segment;

(3) Exploration of political projects that focus on what actions teachers can take to emancipate the formal educational process. How can teachers harness their power so that formal education is made more responsive to the needs of individuals within a community as opposed to the needs of governments and corporations? What can teachers do to facilitate the incorporation of multiculturalism, ethnic experiences, multiple languages and other such factors that tend to be neglected or trivialized by status quo educators and administrators;

(4) Exploration of emerging educational techniques and experiences; and

(5) Exploration of scientific and occupational initiatives.

The conference, which is held every two years, will begin on July 13, 2008 and continue until July 20. The organizers have separated Venezuela into fifty expeditionary school district routes. For the first four days, each participant will stay in one of these districts. Each district will accommodate between 15 and 25 participants, who will be able to meet with teachers and members of the community, interchange ideas and objectives and discover how to make community objectives a more integral part of the education process. Participants from other countries will thereby have the opportunity to actually experience what teachers and community members experience and emancipate the educational process by augmenting the role and relevance of community priorities. Attendees will spend the final three days in or near Caracas, attending workshops and meetings that bring most of the participants together.

In the words of Professor Sojo, “As a consequence of this conference, we want to produce a document that makes a strong case for an educational alternative free of neoliberal and capitalist influences. A high quality, free education that is beneficial to our communities can be provided.”

The Fifth Ibero-American Conference of Teachers and Researchers is open to participation by non Spanish speaking educators, and translators are in place to accommodate them. For more information google keyword redcires.



By: Mba Mbulu

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