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Comment on More Involvement Is Needed from the State for Improvement in the Education System by Toudjidoum Meurdé joel

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Comment on More Involvement Is Needed from the State for Improvement in the Education System by Toudjidoum Meurdé joel

Introduction-
“Education… is the key to unlocking other human rights.” (Katarina Tomasevski, Croatia, UN Special Rapporteur). The main aspect of any human right is education, and the importance of the same is increased on a day-to-day basis in this modern era.

The role of faster evolving technology is such that it involves not only education but also upgrading in the same or different domains. The right to education is a basic and fundamental right and it allows an individual to understand the concept of a civilized society. The system of evolving a fundamental understanding of a civil society is possible only when we have educated citizens.

It is rightly said that to get long term benefits, it is essential to provide or invest in education for the citizen, as quoted by Confucius “If your plan is for one-year plant rice. If your plan is for ten years plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.”.

It has been clear from primitive time that education is the most important aspect of any society, and thereby its individual, and hence it becomes imperative to provide equal rights to education for all.

To provide equal education to all, it is necessary to have the Right to Education as a fundamental right and it should be available or be within reach for all the masses. In medieval times, education was a privilege for the regal portion of the society and common masses had no access to it. The changing times have confirmed that such a situation is not possible in the modern era and with the advent to tech-savvy jobs, it is almost an established fact that one cannot survive without education.

In the modern world, it is an interesting fact that basic education is necessary for day-to-day survival of an individual, and with an increase in the service sector jobs, it is almost certain that most of the jobs are based on education or skills.

In present times, there are many sections of the society, like that of developing countries like African nations, where the education penetration is low. The same trend is followed with the per capita income, so both move together.

In most of the un-educated societies, it is found that many of the individuals have no right to education. Thus, it can be deduced that education is the building block which confers that vicious cycle can be broken.

So even from the economic aspect, it is confirmed that education is necessary for the development of an individual and as a society. In the case of skills-based industries, it is mostly found that many of the new traits are needed each day, and without education as a basic right, it is impossible for the individual to learn new skills and be a better individual.

In this context, it is very well understood that in modern times, the right to education is a necessity.

It was found that many nations are struggling to provide the information on basic education and they do not employ these rights as basic rights.

The economic condition of such nations is not so good; therefore, we should continue to support such nations so that educational rights will not become a regional phenomenon, but it will be available to every human being on this planet.

We may also take the case of many ambassadors of the right to education like Madam Malala. It is notable that she even faced terrorist attacks on herself due to defending educational rights. She survived fatal bullet attacks on her and was under severe medication for many days, but in the end, she came out triumphant.

The main factor in such a story is that still there may be many Malala’s around this world who have never seen the face of schools, and despite having keen interest in the studies it was not possible for him/her to go to school.

Many societies do not pay much attention to education. As a result, even though the children may be interested in going to school, the society does not have the favourable conditions for that to happen. It is usually said that many aspects are to be covered, like basic infrastructure like roads in any area for the building of schools.

In today’s world, there are many regions in the world which are under civil war or are in a war like condition, so it becomes important for the governments to take things into their hands. It is worthwhile to mention that many of these conditions are not permanent in nature and it should be a top priority for each one of us to get involved in the process of building schools and education systems as soon as the disturbance is over in a particular region.

What usually happens is that despite having a huge expenditure in the domain of infrastructure build up, in such cases, very less attention is paid towards rebuilding up of education system, as a result it was found that many of the nations keep lagging even in basic school systems.

The education system is basically divided into two sections –
1. School or elementary education
2. Higher Education

Formal Education should be accessible to all the citizens, and government should provide the basic infrastructure in such case. In many nations the basic education is state sponsored. The main aim in this aspect is that many of the state sponsored schools are in such a condition that it is like that of private schools, and the system is created in a way that imparts quality education so that both types of school education systems can co-exist. This leads to a very efficient system.

In the case of a poverty-stricken family, the state education system can provide basic education for an individual, and if the student is self-sufficient, then he/she can opt for private education system. The main benefit of such a system is that education is continued even if the economic condition of the masses is changing, and many of the nations, usually the developing ones, follow this system.

In such a system, it is usually seen that societal divisions persist due to two levels of education systems, but either can work on its quality and surpass the other and can provide an atmosphere of healthy completion and options among the masses.

Higher education is one of the sectors which needs long term investments and planning but bears maximum fruit for the nation in terms of quality citizens and economic uplift of the masses.

The investment is a bit higher in the sector of Higher Education, but so are the results and the main attribute of this aspect is that many of the new research and development projects are being run in this sector. The only setback of covering higher education is that many new ventures are to be implemented in the society.

The most astonishing fact is that the returns in this field are time consuming and a complete analysis needs to be done, but when the results start coming, then it happens that most of the employees are engaged in this pursuit. This means that there is a steep rise in the overall communication aspect and the interest of the masses increases in this field.

In developing countries, the process of providing the commutation for scholars is extremely low but still we find that many of the new developing countries are venturing into this field.

Discussion –
The other aspects are that in-spite of the corresponding measures, the input in the field of education is low. The state has a proper channel of funding education, but the concern is ensuring that the education funds get to the correct person and ensuring that the quality of education is improved.

High quality education is a must for all the nations. In many countries, the rate of literacy is high, but the interest in the research is very low. This shows that basic education is dealt with with utmost care, but the other aspects of education are neglected.

In this study, we propose a two-way approach for the education at the primary level and the research level. It is recommended that primary education shall be dealt with by a different section of state or body, and the research level to be administered by another body.

This will allow for maximization of literacy sources in the basic education level and the masses will be at least literate. This functionality has the basic goal of providing maximum support to the body of the literacy governing system so that masses can be literate at the maximum level. The other aspects are that the body governing the primary education shall ensure that masses to be governed.

This can be understood from the case study of Kerala [a state in India]. This state boasts a 100% literacy rate. This accounts for the improvement in the condition of the masses. In this aspect, the study is done to increase the effect of education and literacy. The other aspect is that we need not only trained citizens, but enlightened ones, as well as technocrats.

This condition leads to analysis of a different kind. We need to create opportunities for the production of, not only literate citizens, but the citizens who are crafted for research and development. The need for higher education is felt more & more as we move towards the conformity of a developed nation. Thus, we move on the discussion towards the need for better upliftment modules in the domain of R&D.

The need for R&D level in education is evident. Let us discuss how to achieve a better R&D atmosphere in the county. The key factor towards any educational rights talk is to enhance the level of understanding and outlook of the society. The more consolidated opinion lies on the fact that many of the new aspects are related in this scenario.

The fact noted in such discussions is that even in the advanced counties, more stress is being given based on the conformity of the analysis of research and more percentage of budget allotment is done for the research activities. The involvement of the situation is such that the overall criteria is not just advancement, but the level of future planning needs to be done, and for that, continuous investment in R&D is needed.

The education activists have been more involved with the base mission of primary education to all, but the other involvements are not just for the sake of criteria, but for other modes like breaking up of vicious cycles in any country.

The administration of a country is also easier when the citizens are educated, and they have control over the social aspects. The system convinces the criteria of right to education being favourable to the system itself.

In most of the countries where the educational level of the citizens is high, the economic prosperity of said country is also high. The system, then, is such that it creates opportunity for the whole sector to improve and it leads to many such features which the country needs to be alert about it.

The information related to education as a societal right is present in many articles, but still there are aspects which are different in the approaches. For example, how well it can be seen that a system is adaptive towards the society claiming education as a basic right. The main fundamental rule of such want is that it is directly connected to the corresponding right of equity, and in fact, to the right of justice as well. The main aspect of governing the overall Education Right is simply dependent on the level of insight by the authorities.

In one of the case studies by (Mapuva & Mapuva, 2016), it is mentioned that many of the new aspects are related to the children rights to education and the complexities involved. The case study undertaken is comprised of various such issues which are to be handled with care and collectively.

In next section, we will analyse the aspects like Common Community Level, and a case about the Zimbabwe land reforms will be undertaken.

The Fast-Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) in Zimbabwe was started in 1999 and it gives a unique aspect of Education Rights. In the beginning, it was assumed that many of the land reforms were the need of the hour. This aspect has led to the belief that Education Rights were given equal importance in respect to the other conformities, so in this land reform, it was suggested that education should also be included as basic right.

The other aspect is that the Right to Education is not considered as an isolated right, but the Right to Food, Right to Shelter, Right to Clothing, and Right to Freedom are also attached and intermingles with it.

The movement in Zimbabwe has seen to it that many of the new rights are also to be seen, and encouraged that it starts with the Right to Education. So, we may very well say that there are prerequisites that are involved in this. The other way to see it is that any government must provide the basic facilities to ensure that the right to education is observed. This phenomenon explains the reason for a direct correlation between the right to education and economic upliftment.

The children of former commercial farm workers of Zimbabwe are members of the FTLRP, and it was found that most of the workers in the landless regime have left the children after settling in other countries. This has led to the problem of over accumulation of unemployed youth. This condition has led to the development of a scenario under which the rogue elements have been described as the basic criteria for analysis of the functions.

The other aspect is that many of the unemployed youth are creating problems and civil war like conditions in the country. Therefore, the need for education is prominent. It was found that many of the newly developed countries are to be analysed on the same lines, and it can be understood that despite the presence of various aspects, it was found that for a nation to prosper, it must adopt the right to education as a basic right.

The Right to Education is a serious issue and we all must enlighten ourselves of the same. The main factors which are considered as obstructions in the field of knowledge are issues such as weak political will or uncertainty.

For developed nations, in addition to having the Right to Education being observed, they also maintain quality allocation of resources and facilities to the students. This fact can be seen from various examples. One way to measure this fact is through sporting activities. We have seen the performance of skilled sports personnel in international events and this is possible only when the school level sports facilities are up to par.

In most of the skill developed sports like shooting, it is found that these aspects are to be dealt with utmost case and the main criterion to be developed is that it is to be nurtured at the basic level or age. This is just an example which shows how far reaching can be the effects of Education Rights.

As stated by any activists, we must look at the fact that despite having a large momentum of resources, most of the citizens or youth are educated but still are not employable. This means that despite the new systems in place, the mismatch between the employer expectations and youth training exists.

This problem is most vigorous when we found that this division of the population is not only expecting a high standard of living, but they also need a proper place of work for their personal satisfaction and progress plan. If such a situation exists, then it forces unemployment conditions in the masses.

To improve the economy and avoid mismatching in terms of skills/education versus job expectation/availability, employment should be generated at the same pace that the youth are prepared with the requisite skills for these jobs.

Skill development in the youth is very important and should be developed by introducing technical education from the school level. The modern world has evolved as a ‘warehouse’ for technical jobs. Imparting traditional educational is necessary, but technical education is more important in this time. Skill development needs to be a priority since job requirements are changing with respect to the time and technological requirements.

The Right to Education has benefitted many individuals, especially females like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai, who are making their mark in every aspect of society. It is the power of education that makes them survive the world and lead it from the fore front with works such as “Girls Can Change The World – But We Have To Invest In Them First” – Malala Yousafzai, and “How dare you” by Greta Thunberg. It is the right to education that makes it possible to have quality education that matters, and its effect is that we can find a complete breed of youngsters who have the capability to encounter modern world problems.

If governments were to take the Right to Education seriously, adult continuing education would be possible even after a halt. Many aspects of education have evolved, and many adults would be interested in being informed on these aspects. They may also have a half-completed education, but they can continue in future and get themselves literate.

The Right to Education does not necessarily mean the ‘a right to be degree holder’. Yes, we must create schools, but there must be value in the content and the system available.

The discussion started from basic lacking Educational Rights, but we analysed that the Right to Education is possible only when sustainable goals are developed, and when the educated citizens to assist in making their countries a better place to live.

In this modern world, the challenges have evolved, and the new versions of existing problems are evident. The problem we may find is that educated citizens are more aligned towards the central core issues like climate change and support the government in its endeavour.

The government tends to be more involved in the solution when the citizens show extreme concern for the problems faced, especially in a democratic country. Citizens in these countries can use this fact to push for the Right to Education to be a part of government policies.

In conclusion, the Right to Education is not only relevant for the basic criteria of elementary education, but it can aid in economic upliftment of a country, and it affects other rights and conditions of the citizens of a country, as well as those of the global population.

Sources of Information

Mapuva, L., & Mapuva, J. (2016). The Dilemma of Children’s Right to Education in the Era of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme in Zimbabwe Re-visited. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

http://righttoeducation.in/know-your-rte/about

https://www.longdom.org/articles/fundamental-right-to-education-in-india-an-overview.pdf

http://www.fastread.in/explore?infoID=1222

Comment on Education Empowers A Nation by Toudjidoum Meurdé joel

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Comment on Education Empowers A Nation by Toudjidoum Meurdé joel

Capacity + opportunity = success

A Human right is a pre-state right that can be claimed by every human being as an individual vis-à-vis communities (especially states).

human rights are not provided by the government, but each state must have as its main task the protection of human rights.

biological belonging to mankind is the only criterion that an individual must meet, in order to be able to demand respect for this right.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is published on December 10, 1948, in Paris, by the United Nations. The 26th article of this declaration states that education is a basic human right for everyone and this right has been detailed in the Convention against Discrimination in Education.

Education Issues

Everyone has the right to education. Education must be free, at least as regards elementary and fundamental education. Elementary education is compulsory. Technical and vocational education must be generalized; access to higher education must be open to everyone on the basis of their merit.

Education should aim for the complete creation of the human being personality and the enhancement of respect for human rights and basic values too. It needs to foster awareness, tolerance and friendship among all nations and all races or religious groups, as well as the development of United Nations activities for the maintenance of peace.

Parents have, as a priority, the right to decide the kind of education to be given to their children.

Education a basic human right. Every human being has the fundamental need of education, just like the needs of freedom, food, housing, health, work, social security … and so forth.

However, here are multiple implications of the right to education:

–       Free, compulsory and universal primary education for all.

–       A secondary education, including technical and vocational, generalized and made accessible to all by the gradual introduction of free education.

–       Higher education made accessible to all, according to individual capacities, by the gradual introduction of free education.

–       Basic education for people who have not completed their education.

–       Access to vocational training Education of equal quality, guaranteed by minimum quality standards.

–       Quality training and equipment for teachers.

–       An adequate system of scholarships and suitable material conditions for teaching staff.

–       Freedom of choice in education

The barriers of education

We recognize that education is crucial to the community growth of all the priorities of national future and is at the core of the action plan. Haiti, is recognized as an underdeveloped country, where education is a privilege not a right. Thousands of children in households are deprived of school. In the absence of financial resources, it is also difficult to track individuals for access to education. It must establish schools and professional centers for people economically disadvantaged. The government must act in this way. Education is the secret to progress, education is a significant step towards a country’s economic and social growth.

An Educational nation also reduces the risk of juvenile delinquency and reduces the number of juvenile incarceration and deaths. The government must cooperate with international institutions to encourage science and education to identify alternatives in order to promote a global awareness of diplomacy and human rights through individuals and organisations. This project and program must include the ability to learn initiative to inspire and assist children in education, encouraging, mentoring and educating girls, supporting victims of discrimination at work and human rights studies.

Also, Haiti is a country in which the effects of political uncertainty on education are detrimental. In this way, the right to training is not valued because misconception by political leaders and antagonist will discourage or even close for a long time schools and universities. People are exposed to all kind of pressures that discourage students from focusing on their studies. The stress of kidnapping and often, people even get anonymous harassing calls over the phone. In this regards the Haitian education system should also be updated, and online learning approaches should also be used to make accessible teaching and learning.

In order to do that, the country needs to provide power, families need to pay for their internet charges, provide a computer and all the other resources available that students can easily study. In Haiti, it is also important for the organization to learn what human rights are and to know how to defend and promote their rights, training master classes and online courses can be provided

My education, my freedom

Countries have huge challenges to constantly face in order to ensure respect of this human right. For instance, they need to guarantee compulsory and free education for their entire population, eliminate inequalities and disparities in education, fund or subsidise education, establish quality requirements and make promotion of the teaching profession.

As a result, the implications of the right to education, make things really complicated for governments of certain countries, which don’t have resources available to discharge these obligations.

Thousands of million people around the world, with no distinction of age, are still out of school (children and youngsters), illiterate (adults), or lack basic reading and writing skills.

The right to education is a fundamental human right and indispensable for the exercise of other human rights. Quality education is the path to the full development of human beings. It is one of the most powerful tools for lifting socially excluded children and adults out of poverty and facilitating their integration into the society.

With Education, the number of people affected by poverty is subject to decrease. It also enables a reduction of the inequalities suffered by people subject to be discriminated because of their color, origin, religion, sexual orientation and more importantly gender.

Equal opportunities, universal access to education, as well as applied and controlled quality standards are the conditions to be fulfilled for this human right to become a reality for all.

 

REFERENCES

30_basic_human_rights_list_english.pdf (opseu.org)

International Human Rights Principles | Amnesty International Canada

Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations

Comment on A meaningful Right if Modernized by Toudjidoum Meurdé joel

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Comment on A meaningful Right if Modernized by Toudjidoum Meurdé joel

Introduction

I started first grade in 1980, subsequent to a long and tedious war for Zimbabwe’s independence. People who were unable to attend school for years were now able to do so. At age 7, I could see students who were roughly 20 years old, just getting the opportunity to attend grade seven at my school. Bearded men, mother-like grown up women all in the same classroom as younger students who were supposed to be in that grade at their appropriate age. As the new majority government started their reign, one announcement that excited my family was that education was a human right for all and so every child was supposed to be given an opportunity to learn. Despite the fact that the majority of students in my class came from low-income families, it gave us all bright hope that we had the right to learn and that right, no one could take away from us.

Before this era, there were bottlenecks in the education systems of most colonized countries. Due to this, it seemed like the only options natives had were to prepare to be “good subordinates” to the superior colonial systems they wanted to be a part of.

Scholarly Perspectives on Education

I am inclined to agree with the thought that the free-market economy has many advantages, as it promotes the idea of competition that must motivate all parties to be efficient in decisions and actions. Ver Eecke, W (1998) identifies education as, “a merit good in which if the socio-economic dimension is ignored, society will be deprived.” It is now a common fact that education is regarded as a merit good, one that is likely to be under-supplied and under-consumed if everything should be left to market forces. Biesta, G. (2012) brings a deeper perspective to education as he looks at the need to include education as a “public good”. One may not doubt why such perspectives would be brought into question. One reason for this could be the innumerable benefits to society when people opt to take education to the public domain. A market system is deemed to have failures if it cannot efficiently allocate education as a merit or public good.

Jongbloed, B. (2003) sheds light on the issue of supply monopolies in education as a market failure. When I was a teenager, I was only aware of one university in Zimbabwe: the University of Zimbabwe. Consequently, the result of having only one such facility privatized, would only allow for a privileged few who could afford it, to attend.

My Experience

When I completed my Advanced Level education through an external examination body; since Zimbabwe had not yet localized exams by then, I faced great competition to be accepted into a public college. Many students had benefited from the “Education for All Policy”, such that the literacy level of Zimbabwe was climbed to approximately 98%. The number of Ordinary Level students was so high that only advanced level students could be enrolled in public universities. This was a high standard in the region. It became even more evident to me when I visited and started staying in Malawi. All my employers admitted that on average, the education standards set by the new independence government were very high.

Some colleagues disliked this new policy and thought it to be a most unfair advantage to students in our region, which was unfortunate because in no way did it lower the difficulty level of learning the material taught. I remember the rigorous efforts I made in college while I trained for a diploma in education. A colleague from a neighboring country confessed that the Diploma standards that were set in Zimbabwe, could match the degree standards in their country. Another close friend in the Engineering department also admitted to the same thought. He mentioned that the equipment in the department at the same college I studied; donated by the US Government, was far better quality than those at some other institutions.

I am proud to have had the exposure I did during my tenure there as it prepared me tremendously for my degree program.

Online and Adult Education Opportunities

As a zealous student, I am pleased to say that I have completed my Bachelors and Masters degree programs. My degree was completed through a program dubbed the “Block-Release” program where I utilized my school holidays as a teacher to study for an average of four weeks. It was difficult to cover sixteen weeks’ worth of work in four weeks, but the end result was worth it. One thing I learnt is that it is never too late to achieve your goals. As long as there is breath in your body, you have the capacity to achieve.

Another advantage of this program was that it forced us to become computer literate. This was an advantage for us as computers were not in our school system when I was a child. Online education forced me to become computer literate. Even on days when I struggled, I reminded myself of the great right I had to learn and used that to propel myself to completion.

Is education a human right?

While in theory, the right to education is often preached in almost all nations, not enough has been done to realize this for a vast majority of citizens. McCowan, T. (2010) makes this observation, “The universal right to education has been enshrined in a range of international rights instruments. Yet despite the considerable secondary literature on the subject, there has been little discussion of the notion of education underpinning the right.”

Where I now reside, I have witnessed the financial challenges that students at the primary level face even though education is free for all. In my research, “The Marketisation of Education”, I was saddened when the head of a school revealed that the school charges a small development levy of about $0.80 per term but some parents still struggle to find this amount. I visited the school and saw that the majority of classes have no chairs or desks, leaving students to conduct studies on the cold hard floor. My conclusion was that a mindset change, and a paradigm shift must be done since some things that were missing did not need monetary resources.

Modernizing Education

There is a dire need to modernize the education system. African countries, which make up a significant part of the developing world, can learn from developed nations such as the US and the UK if they are to transform the current education system. Courtney, S. J. (2018) outlines how the UK managed to achieve some milestones in modernizing their education system. There is need for investing time, talents and resources to make the right to education a meaningful one. The current generation has much more advantages than those gone before. They have the internet, computers, improved transportation systems, televisions, radios, etc. Proper planning and execution can bring new ideas to life to achieve a better system.

Conclusion

Education is a right and we must be thankful for it. The right has to be taken to where it is needed most – to the less privileged and the disadvantaged potential talents so that our world can be a better home for all. Those in authority in developing nations have an uphill task, especially where the education index is low. Even the so-called developing nations have a right to reach levels such as those in Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Finland, which boast of high educations indices. Records show that an average child makes it to university, while in a low-income country like Malawi, an average child struggles to complete secondary education. The right to education can be reached by all.

Comment on A meaningful Right if Modernized by Toudjidoum Meurdé joel

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Comment on A meaningful Right if Modernized by Toudjidoum Meurdé joel

Introduction

I started first grade in 1980, subsequent to a long and tedious war for Zimbabwe’s independence. People who were unable to attend school for years were now able to do so. At age 7, I could see students who were roughly 20 years old, just getting the opportunity to attend grade seven at my school. Bearded men, mother-like grown up women all in the same classroom as younger students who were supposed to be in that grade at their appropriate age. As the new majority government started their reign, one announcement that excited my family was that education was a human right for all and so every child was supposed to be given an opportunity to learn. Despite the fact that the majority of students in my class came from low-income families, it gave us all bright hope that we had the right to learn and that right, no one could take away from us.

Before this era, there were bottlenecks in the education systems of most colonized countries. Due to this, it seemed like the only options natives had were to prepare to be “good subordinates” to the superior colonial systems they wanted to be a part of.

Scholarly Perspectives on Education

I am inclined to agree with the thought that the free-market economy has many advantages, as it promotes the idea of competition that must motivate all parties to be efficient in decisions and actions. Ver Eecke, W (1998) identifies education as, “a merit good in which if the socio-economic dimension is ignored, society will be deprived.” It is now a common fact that education is regarded as a merit good, one that is likely to be under-supplied and under-consumed if everything should be left to market forces. Biesta, G. (2012) brings a deeper perspective to education as he looks at the need to include education as a “public good”. One may not doubt why such perspectives would be brought into question. One reason for this could be the innumerable benefits to society when people opt to take education to the public domain. A market system is deemed to have failures if it cannot efficiently allocate education as a merit or public good.

Jongbloed, B. (2003) sheds light on the issue of supply monopolies in education as a market failure. When I was a teenager, I was only aware of one university in Zimbabwe: the University of Zimbabwe. Consequently, the result of having only one such facility privatized, would only allow for a privileged few who could afford it, to attend.

My Experience

When I completed my Advanced Level education through an external examination body; since Zimbabwe had not yet localized exams by then, I faced great competition to be accepted into a public college. Many students had benefited from the “Education for All Policy”, such that the literacy level of Zimbabwe was climbed to approximately 98%. The number of Ordinary Level students was so high that only advanced level students could be enrolled in public universities. This was a high standard in the region. It became even more evident to me when I visited and started staying in Malawi. All my employers admitted that on average, the education standards set by the new independence government were very high.

Some colleagues disliked this new policy and thought it to be a most unfair advantage to students in our region, which was unfortunate because in no way did it lower the difficulty level of learning the material taught. I remember the rigorous efforts I made in college while I trained for a diploma in education. A colleague from a neighboring country confessed that the Diploma standards that were set in Zimbabwe, could match the degree standards in their country. Another close friend in the Engineering department also admitted to the same thought. He mentioned that the equipment in the department at the same college I studied; donated by the US Government, was far better quality than those at some other institutions.

I am proud to have had the exposure I did during my tenure there as it prepared me tremendously for my degree program.

Online and Adult Education Opportunities

As a zealous student, I am pleased to say that I have completed my Bachelors and Masters degree programs. My degree was completed through a program dubbed the “Block-Release” program where I utilized my school holidays as a teacher to study for an average of four weeks. It was difficult to cover sixteen weeks’ worth of work in four weeks, but the end result was worth it. One thing I learnt is that it is never too late to achieve your goals. As long as there is breath in your body, you have the capacity to achieve.

Another advantage of this program was that it forced us to become computer literate. This was an advantage for us as computers were not in our school system when I was a child. Online education forced me to become computer literate. Even on days when I struggled, I reminded myself of the great right I had to learn and used that to propel myself to completion.

Is education a human right?

While in theory, the right to education is often preached in almost all nations, not enough has been done to realize this for a vast majority of citizens. McCowan, T. (2010) makes this observation, “The universal right to education has been enshrined in a range of international rights instruments. Yet despite the considerable secondary literature on the subject, there has been little discussion of the notion of education underpinning the right.”

Where I now reside, I have witnessed the financial challenges that students at the primary level face even though education is free for all. In my research, “The Marketisation of Education”, I was saddened when the head of a school revealed that the school charges a small development levy of about $0.80 per term but some parents still struggle to find this amount. I visited the school and saw that the majority of classes have no chairs or desks, leaving students to conduct studies on the cold hard floor. My conclusion was that a mindset change, and a paradigm shift must be done since some things that were missing did not need monetary resources.

Modernizing Education

There is a dire need to modernize the education system. African countries, which make up a significant part of the developing world, can learn from developed nations such as the US and the UK if they are to transform the current education system. Courtney, S. J. (2018) outlines how the UK managed to achieve some milestones in modernizing their education system. There is need for investing time, talents and resources to make the right to education a meaningful one. The current generation has much more advantages than those gone before. They have the internet, computers, improved transportation systems, televisions, radios, etc. Proper planning and execution can bring new ideas to life to achieve a better system.

Conclusion

Education is a right and we must be thankful for it. The right has to be taken to where it is needed most – to the less privileged and the disadvantaged potential talents so that our world can be a better home for all. Those in authority in developing nations have an uphill task, especially where the education index is low. Even the so-called developing nations have a right to reach levels such as those in Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Finland, which boast of high educations indices. Records show that an average child makes it to university, while in a low-income country like Malawi, an average child struggles to complete secondary education. The right to education can be reached by all.

Start-up founder Mary-Brenda shares how learning can empower you to discover a world without limits

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Start-up founder Mary-Brenda shares how learning can empower you to discover a world without limits

Meet Mary-Brenda! She is an entrepreneur and founder of a social impact start-up focused on expanding access to affordable, clean energy throughout Nigeria. She is also a lifelong learner with ambitious academic goals and a thirst for new skills and knowledge that she can apply to make a positive impact in the world. She ultimately decided that she wanted to earn a degree, and with the benefit of a stellar academic record, she was accepted to many universities in the UK. However, she didn’t want to leave her social impact start-up to pursue her studies abroad. She found the ideal solution in the online Bachelor of Computer Science program offered by Goldsmiths, University of London. After seeing the program’s combination of quality, affordability, and flexibility, she felt like it was made for her. In her story below, she shares her passion for social good, her excitement around transformative new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and virtual reality (VR), and her vision for how she can take what she’s learning to scale her impact. 

I first came across Coursera when I heard about the University of London’s Virtual Reality Specialization. Through enrolling in those courses, I began to learn about machine learning and artificial intelligence––two subjects that really caught my attention. This technology cuts across so many sectors and I read amazing stories of people using AI and ML to improve people’s lives. There’s one man in Kenya who invented smart gloves that allow people who are mute to turn sign language gestures into audio speech. This opened up a world of possibilities for me and made me start imagining how much change and impact I could make with the right skills and technology. 

My core values have always been service, family, and excellence. I am motivated by the desire to improve the lives of others—that’s why I founded Grassroot Solar in the first place. We’re helping to provide affordable, clean energy to people in Nigeria. These same values are why I wanted to earn a degree, and I included that in my application. I want to learn new skills and apply them to improve people’s lives.

I saw the degree program as the best possible way I could expand my capabilities in order to create more impact in the world and in my community. I’m not afraid of hard work. I really don’t care what it requires as long as it gives me the capability to accomplish amazing things—anything from curing diseases to solving the energy crisis. Once I see the end game and I see that it’s going to lead to change for the world, for communities, for Africa, I’m down with it and excited to learn whatever skills, knowledge, or tools necessary in order to make it happen.

To be honest, I never saw myself in computer science, but after discovering and learning about AI and ML, and then eventually enrolling in the degree program, I knew I had found my next calling. I’m loving the program. I’m realizing things I never thought I could accomplish. I learned about data visualization and created a map that visualizes COVID-19 cases around the world. In our first semester, I built a 2D game and learned how to build websites. I also recently built a bot for a cryptocurrency trading simulation, and I’m now applying machine learning to literary analysis.

I feel good about this decision to enroll in the bachelor’s program because I’m discovering things I didn’t think I was capable of, things that if I didn’t decide to go on this journey, I would never have known.

I can really feel my perspective changing. I’m thinking about how I can use what I’ve learned to solve problems on a global scale. And, even as I’m discovering what’s possible for myself, I’m also thinking of how girls in my community can also get on board with CS and AI. I’m a big advocate for helping girls see themselves in computer science. We need more women in tech, but we don’t have many girls even thinking of CS as a possibility—it’s not an option that gets mentioned to you when you’re a girl. 

Sometimes I have to caution myself to stop seeing the barriers and to stop limiting myself––it’s hard. There’s no difference between boys and girls when it comes to intellectual matters, and you can’t keep limiting yourself. If you do, you’ll never discover what you could have been or could have gone on to achieve. So I encourage girls everywhere to take that step, explore the world of computer science, and discover the possibilities for themselves.

For myself, I just keep discovering something new all the time. I’m excited to share that I recently got a six-month software engineering internship offer from Microsoft! I’m hoping that I’ll learn a lot from that experience and be better positioned to more specifically identify those overlooked, challenging, real-world problems where I can apply my skills, knowledge, and experience.

Thank you Mary-Brenda, for sharing your story! We can’t wait to see where your learning takes you next, and we look forward to seeing all the amazing ways you’re going to keep making positive contributions in the world!

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Weekly News Quiz for Students: Winter Storms, Mars Rover, Tennis Champion

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Weekly News Quiz for Students: Winter Storms, Mars Rover, Tennis Champion

Brutal winter storms on Feb. 14 brought snow and ice to a large part of the country, resulting in power outages, car accidents, disruptions to vaccine distribution and more than 50 deaths. Almost a week later, nearly half the population of remained under boil-water advisories after freezing temperatures overwhelmed systems providing clean water.

Word + Quiz: vernacular

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Word + Quiz: vernacular

noun: the everyday speech of the people (as distinguished from literary language)

noun: a characteristic language of a particular group

adjective: being or characteristic of or appropriate to everyday language

_________

The word vernacular has appeared in 122 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Dec. 18 in “How New York City Vaccinated 6 Million People in Less Than a Month” by John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro:

In front of news cameras, Dr. Weinstein vaccinated Mayor O’Dwyer, who had already been inoculated four times in the Army. President Harry S. Truman also got into the act. His visit to New York on April 21 was accompanied by news reports that he, too, had rolled up his sleeve.

“In today’s vernacular, O’Dwyer and Truman were influencers,” said Lisa Sherman, president of the Ad Council, the nonprofit group working on a campaign for the Covid-19 vaccines. “They could deliver important information that people wanted to hear. They were trusted messengers.”

_________

What ‘Old’ Technology Do You Think Is Cool?

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What ‘Old’ Technology Do You Think Is Cool?

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

Do you think “old” technology is cool? Do you appreciate vinyl records, for example, or Polaroid cameras? Eight-track tapes or printed newspapers? What do you find appealing about these items that our modern world has already made — or may still make — obsolete?

In the 2016 article “Why Vinyl Records and Other ‘Old’ Technologies Die Hard,” Nick Bilton wrote:

For a glimpse of what teenagers are into these days, all you have to do is visit Abbot Kinney Boulevard in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. On weekend nights, the half-mile shopping drag is packed with style-conscious kids who traipse past coffee shops, ice cream parlors and boutiques, often while taking selfies.

Yet one of the most popular destinations for these teenagers is a white, single-story building with big pink letters on the roof that spell “Vnyl.” The store sells vinyl records, and the kids who gather there are often in awe.

“I’d say half of the teens who hang out in my store have never seen a record player before,” said Nick Alt, the founder of Vnyl. “They will walk up to the turntable, and they have no concept where to put the needle.” But once they figure out that the needle goes into the outermost groove, those smartphone-toting teenagers are hooked.

In a Style article from this past weekend, Hannah Selinger writes about the demand for old VHS tapes:

The last VCR, according to Dave Rodriguez, 33, a digital repository librarian at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla., was produced in 2016, by the Funai Electric in Osaka, Japan. But the VHS tape itself may be immortal. Today, a robust marketplace exists, both virtually and in real life, for this ephemera.

On Instagram, sellers tout videos for sale, like the 2003 Jerry Bruckheimer film “Kangaroo Jack,” a comedy involving a beauty salon owner — played by Jerry O’Connell — and a kangaroo. Asking price? $190. (Mr. O’Connell commented on the post from his personal account, writing, “Hold steady. Price seems fair. It is a Classic.”)

If $190 feels outrageous for a film about a kangaroo accidentally coming into money, consider the price of a limited-edition copy of the 1989 Disney film “The Little Mermaid,” which is listed on Etsy for $45,000.

The article explains why VHS tapes are special to the people who collect them:

“Anything that you can think of is on VHS tape, because, you’ve got to think, it was a revolutionary piece of the media,” said Josh Schafer, 35, of Raleigh, N.C., a founder and the editor in chief of Lunchmeat Magazine and LunchmeatVHS.com, which are dedicated to the appreciation and preservation of VHS. “It was a way for everyone to capture something and then put it out there.”

There is, Mr. Schafer said, “just so much culture packed into VHS,” from reels depicting family gatherings to movies that just never made the jump to DVD. Mr. Schafer owns a few thousand tapes himself, and his collection, he said, includes “a little bit of everything,” including other people’s home videos.

Michael Myerz, 29, an experimental hip-hop artist in Atlanta, who has a modest collection of VHS tapes, finds the medium inspirational. Some of what Mr. Myerz seeks in his work, he said, is to replicate the sounds from “some weird, obscure movie on VHS I would have seen at my friend’s house, late at night, after his parents were asleep.” He described his work as “mid-lo-fi.” “The quality feels raw but warm and full of flavor,” he said of VHS.

For collectors like April Bleakney, 35, the owner and artist of Ape Made, a fine art and screen-printing company in Cleveland, nostalgia plays a significant role in collecting. Ms. Bleakney, who has between 2,400 to 2,500 VHS tapes, views them as a byway connecting her with the past. She inherited some of them from her grandmother, a children’s librarian with a vast collection.

Ms. Bleakney’s VHS tapes are “huge nostalgia,” she said, for a child of the 1980s. “I think we were the last to grow up without the internet, cellphones or social media,” and clinging to the “old analog ways,” she said, feels “very natural.”

Students, read both articles, then tell us:

  • What technologies from the past hold the most interest for you? Why?

  • Why do you think there is still so much interest in obsolete technologies like Polaroid instant cameras, record players, Atari game systems or VHS tapes?

  • Would you ever want to collect old tech like vinyl records or CDs? Why or why not?

  • In your opinion, what old technologies are likely to make the biggest comeback in the future? Why?

  • The two articles discuss the role that nostalgia plays for many collectors. Do you think you might be nostalgic for any technology from your own childhood in 20, 40 or 60 years? What tech, and why?

  • In your opinion, which is better: today’s technology or that of the past? Why? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?


About Student Opinion

• Find all of our Student Opinion questions in this column.
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• Learn more about how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

What’s Going On in This Picture? | Feb. 22, 2021

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What’s Going On in This Picture? | Feb. 22, 2021

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

1. After looking closely at the image above (or at the full-size image), think about these three questions:

2. Next, join the conversation by clicking on the comment button and posting in the box that opens on the right. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)

3. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the “Reply” button or the @ symbol to address that student directly.

Each Monday, our collaborator, Visual Thinking Strategies, will facilitate a discussion from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time by paraphrasing comments and linking to responses to help students’ understanding go deeper. You might use their responses as models for your own.

4. On Thursday afternoons, we will reveal at the bottom of this post more information about the photo. How does reading the caption and learning its back story help you see the image differently?

Word + Quiz: torpor

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Word + Quiz: torpor

1. a state of motor and mental inactivity with a partial suspension of sensibility

2. inactivity resulting from lethargy and lack of vigor or energy

_________

The word torpor has appeared in 18 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Sept. 8 in “These Hummingbirds Take Extreme Naps. Some May Even Hibernate” by Veronique Greenwood:

Hummingbirds live a life of extremes. The flitting creatures famously have the fastest metabolisms among vertebrates, and to fuel their zippy lifestyle, they sometimes drink their own body weight in nectar each day. But the hummingbirds of the Andes in South America take that extreme lifestyle a step further.

Not only must they work even harder to hover at altitude, but during chilly nights, they save energy by going into exceptionally deep torpor, a physiological state similar to hibernation in which their body temperature falls by as much as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, as dawn approaches, they start to shiver, sending their temperatures rocketing back up to 96 degrees.

_________