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by Hannah Gann
NCDA logo
Amid the heated debates and mounting protests over presidential authority in Egypt, it can be easy to overlook the many ways in which a dysfunctional government can hinder the ordinary lives of citizens, especially those groups who are already marginalized. A recent article in Daily News Egypt highlights one such group: people with disabilities. Although shortly after the January 2011 uprising the government established a National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) and several laws exist to protect and promote the rights of the disabled, Adham Roshdy highlighted how this governmental action often failed to translate into everyday practice.
Many disabled Egyptians struggle to find employment. One young man interviewed said that despite his university education and a national law that sets a quota for disabled employees in all large public or private companies, he was rarely contacted after applying for jobs, even when he was over-qualified. Moreover, transportation issues can further limit or prohibit job opportunities. Public transit in Egypt is not handicap-accessible and only a few non-governmental organizations offer monetary support for purchasing costly modified cars. All of this supports the substantial amount of research demonstrating that education does not necessarily guarantee future employment (ex. Bartlett 2007, Jeffrey 2004). Although many international education reforms that emphasize schooling as a means of spurring development assume this causal relationship, disabilities can be one of several mediating factors that prevent its realization.
Although the article did not explicitly mention education prospects for those with disabilities in Egypt, many of the concerns it raised easily translate into this sector. Inaccessible transportation can prevent handicapped children from getting to schools, whose structures may also prove cumbersome to the disabled. What’s more, some further reading revealed that although the law requiring employment quotas also guarantees vocational training, most public schools cannot serve the needs of students with disabilities. Particularly for students with mental disabilities, private education is often the only realistic option, with costs that exclude much of the Egyptian population. As the article mentioned, mental and physical handicaps are often tied to improper prenatal care, malnutrition, disease, or other problems to which the poor are disproportionately vulnerable. Hence, it is likely that many of the children most in need of specialized education will not have the resources to acquire it.
Students learn at the Special Education for Advancement School, a private institution in Egypt that offers a limited number of partial scholarships
Most of all, this article highlighted the inadequacy of mere policies or agencies in ensuring that a government meets the needs of its citizens. The NCDA was established to advocate for the disabled within the government and enforce adherence to per-existing legislation, but its presence has clearly been insufficient to mitigate the challenges that Egypt’s disabled face. Furthermore, prescriptive laws will never fully address the issues of disability in Egypt unless they are accompanied by deeper systemic changes in sectors such as education, transportation, and healthcare. This is a recurring problem for many education policies; a complex web of systemic obstacles can block the realization of promising legislation in actual schools. Governments must cultivate awareness of and proactive responses to such barriers if they are to truly serve their people.
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Sources:
“Disability in Egypt”
http://dailynewsegypt.com/2012/11/27/disability-in-egypt/
“Egyptian Bill Aims to Protect Rights of Special Needs Citizens”
http://al-shorfa.com/en_GB/articles/meii/features/main/2012/04/02/feature-02
“People with Disabilities in Egypt: Overlooked and Underestimated”
http://muftah.org/people-with-disabilities-in-egypt-overlooked-and-underestimated/
By K. Kothari
Children at the gate of the Kabanga Protectorate Center
Source: Jacquelyn Martin
NPR recently profiled an issue I had never even thought about before – discrimination and persecution of albino persons in Tanzania. Violent attacks on albinos are a serious problem in Tanzania, with more than 100 registered since 2006. Of those attacks, 71 people have died. The article describes some of the common beliefs about albino persons: they “don’t die, they vanish like ghosts,” they do not feel pain, and perhaps most significantly, that their flesh has magical powers. The superstitions have created a market for body parts, sold to witch doctors and converted to mixtures thought to increase crop yield or harvests. The incident rate has declined in recent years, with no killings reported since 2010 as government warnings and publicity have increased. Safety concerns and discrimination for albino persons have led the government to set up boarding schools, such as the Kabanga Protectorate Center.
There are a few issues I would like to address in this post about the persecution of albino persons in Tanzania; more issues deserve discussion but they are outside of the realm of this blog. First, language is powerful and has implications for identity. Language is not independent of meaning and plays a key role in how we conceive of ourselves and can also influence others’ conceptions. I am trying to make a point of saying “albino persons,” especially as it would seem that in the context of Tanzania the “person” aspect is somewhat omitted and part of the ignorance that perpetuates these violent acts. Albinism is a facet of identity but should not comprise the entire identity. I do not know what the preference is within the albino community but expect it to be similar to the debate related to autism. Please refer here to an excellent blog on the choice of using “person with autism” vs. “autistic person.”
The residential schools and communities set up by the government for the protection of albino persons broadly constitute the second issue. I understand the need for these types of housing and education provisions but wonder how isolating a community actually helps to resolve the misconceptions and conditions that brought them there in the first place. Education opportunities for albino persons are often limited because of social discrimination and many teachers are unaware of vision impairments that may be associated with albinism, further lessening the chances that they continue with their education. Within the Kabanga center, there are also relatively few provisions for education past the primary level. The separation of albino persons from mainstream society and lack of education further reduces their personal and income generating opportunities, and unfortunately maintains their status as “other” within the community. One can draw parallels to issues of caste in India or other human rights offences that systematically reinforce limited opportunities for marginalized groups.
Third, the Tanzanian government is going beyond creating protection centers and prosecuting violations to change perceptions through education systems. NPR reports that the Tanzania Ministry of Education is working to educate public-school teachers and college professors about albinism. Supporting teachers’ knowledge and attempting to affect the classroom environment is very important and hopefully children will change not only their perceptions of albino persons but also gradually affect the perceptions within their communities. There are also two albino members of Parliament actively representing the needs of albino persons to other ministries. The issue has also received the attentions of documentaries and NGOs who help report on violence against albino persons and inform about albinism. However, as Vicky Ntetema, Tanzania executive director of Under the Same Sun, notes “It’s going to be very, very difficult for every Tanzanian all of a sudden to forget about the myths and then believe that persons with albinism are human beings.”
Notes:
Albinism is a genetic mutation that results in the lack of pigment in skin, color, and eyes; it is thought to have first appeared in Tanzania. For more information please see: http://www.albinism.org/
In Tanzania, albinism occurs at a rate of 1 in 1,400; the rate of albinism worldwide is estimated at 1 in 20,000 persons. Statistics referenced in John Burnett’s article for NPR; citation below.
Killings of albino persons have been reported in other countries but the rates are highest in Tanzania.
Sources:
Brown, Lydia. (4 August 2011). The Significance of Semantics: Person-First Language: Why It Matters. [Blog] Autistic Hoya. Retrieved from: http://www.autistichoya.com/2011/08/significance-of-semantics-person-first.html
Burnett, John. (30 November 2012). Tanzania’s Albinos Face Constant Threat Of Attack. All Things Considered on NPR. Retrieved from: http://www.npr.org/2012/11/30/165643518/tanzanias-albinos-face-constant-threat-of-attack
Dukehart, Coburn. (30 November 2012). Portraits of Albinism: Letting An Inner Light Shine. The Picture Show on NPR. Retrieved from: http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2012/11/21/165652046/portraits-of-albinism-letting-an-inner-light-shine
Kimaro, Frank. (23 November 2012). Tanzania: No Albino Killing Incidences in Three Years – Official. Tanzania Daily News. Retrieved from: http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/11915-no-albino-killing-incidences-in-three-years-official
Mulisa, Meddy. (18 November 2012). Tanzania: Kagera Albino Society to Conduct Census. Tanzania Daily News. Retrieved from: http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/11727-kagera-albino-society-to-conduct-census
by Salome R.
Ernesto Sirolli, a prominent figure in the realm of international development, gave a talk in front of TedTV’s audience to share his experiences and his insight on what entails good development work. In the 1970s, Sirolli was involved in development work in Africa through an Italian Non-Government Organization (NGO). Although the motivations behind his NGO’s work were good-intentioned, Sirolli was dismayed to realize how ineffective its practices were and said that all the projects that they set in the continent failed. He gave an example of one of the projects he was involved in that sought to teach Zambians to grow food. Their efforts were not only futile, having the crops eaten and the fields often rummaged by hippopotamus, Sirolli asserted the lack of involvement Zambian locals had in the project. In his talk, Sirolli stressed the damages foreign aid and development has had in the African continent throughout the years, often because development organizations do not properly consult the locals and include them in development work that is supposed to benefit them. This lack of “listening” to those deemed as the subjects of aid makes development work problematic.
I can agree with Sirolli’s concept of “listening” as a method to create effective and lasting change– one that is needed by those who are the targets of change, as defined by them, rather than by “expert” outsiders. Even outside the field of international work, I found that we are often too quick to find/create solutions to problems we may not entirely understand.
The documentary, Good Fortune, casts a light on how international development efforts to create solutions to issues of health, poverty, and education in Africa can often times make livelihoods worse for those people who are supposed to benefit from development projects. Excluding people who are affected by these aid efforts from any process of development would not bring them improvements intended for them to experience in their lives.
I also see the value of listening to others who are affected by my work. As a former teacher, I found that it is very important to “listen” to my students and consider their thoughts, emotions and opinions in order to get them more actively involved in their education. I learned that when students display a lack of involvement in their studies and diminished motivation to do well in their school work, it is either because they find the material to be very difficult that it turns them off and would feel hopeless because of it, or that there are more interested in other areas in their lives outside of their classrooms, especially if it concerns them dealing with issues in their lives. I often found it very important and helpful to start my classes probing for students’ input about how their day is thus far, if they have eaten breakfast/lunch yet, and other information that I think would either help or create a roadblock for them in learning the materials in my class. “Listening” informs me in the course of action that I ought to take in order to help my students progress in their studies.
It is almost natural to be blinded by our enthusiasm to create positive changes in other people’s lives. I think that Sirolli makes a good point in stressing that the first step in trying to help anyone is to listen. Our preconceived notions are not always right. Our judgments are not always right. However, I also think that something needs to happen before the act of listening. If we desire to bring positive changes in other people’s lives, we ought to see them as human counterparts and give due respect, rather than viewing them as deficient in some way. Only then, are we able to fully involve ourselves in listening to them.
Source
Good Fortune, the Documentary
http://www.goodfortunefilm.com/
Sirolli Institute
http://www.sirolli.com/About/DrErnestoSirolli/tabid/110/Default.aspx
By Annie Guo
Recently, China’ s new passports, embossed with a China map which includes disputed territories, has stirred anger across the region, including India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines.
It is really interesting to see reactions from commentators from different countries.
“I think it’s one very poisonous step by Beijing among their thousands of malevolent actions,” – Nguyen Quang A, a former adviser to the Vietnamese government.
“China has ignored the truth and sparked disputes by including pictures of our territory and landscape in its new Chinese passports. It should put aside disputes and face up to reality.” – Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council.
“We are not prepared to accept it, we, therefore, ensure that our flags of disagreement are put out immediately when something happens. We can do it in an agreeable way or you can do it in a disagreeable way.” – Salman Khurshid, the Indian foreign minister.
“Abetted by a rising Chinese nationalism that demands more forceful dominion over disputed shards of territory, Beijing is embroiled in a number of overlapping claims across the Asia-Pacific region, from a desolate chunk of the Himalayas to various half-submerged chunks of rock in the South China Sea.” – Mark McDonald, a new york times commentator.
Obviously, this new passport confronts severe disputations. Ironically, this new passport does not include hotly contested Diaoyu islands, which are claimed as territories by Japan.
Honestly, I am not proud of this new passport issued by Chinese government. Without doubt, this new passport conveys nationalism. Yet this nationalism is degraded by irrational fever and hypocritical patriotism.
First of all, unilateral claim of disputed territories is meaningless and unethical. Making disputed territories on a map does not mean they belong to China.
Second, why does not China put Diaoyu islands on the map? Why does China treat the disputation between Japan differently than that between India, Taiwan and the Philippines? I am afraid this is because Japan is more powerful compared with other countries.
Thus, this kind of nationalism is based on the compromise with powerful countries, and the exploitation of less powerful countries.
If this is the nationalism my country wants to convey to me, I would rather refuse it. I sincerely hope people love China because of national pride instead of being educated with misleading political rhetoric and sham patriotism.
Sources:
A new map in Chinese passports stirs anger across the region. http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/25/a-map-in-chinas-new-passports-stirs-anger/
中国护照的争议（The disputation of Chinese passports). http://blog.huanqiu.com/jiangsuhui/2012-11-28/2646695/
By K. Kothari
In a recent article in The Guardian, commissioned by the newspaper from La Vanguardia, Quim Monzó discusses the future of the Catalan language. This short article states that despite the recent resurgence in the Catalan language, used as the primary language of education instruction, its value is still questioned by many across world and unlike many languages, has no official state to defend it. Mr. Monzó notes that the Catalan language has been in decline since the early 18th century when Philip V of Spain “ordered the Spanish language to be introduced.” The article further describes the success of the Catalan education system with international bodies such as the EU taking note. The continued defense of the Catalan language, especially when answering questions abroad, has an effect on how Catalans view themselves, and as he says “Catalan speakers end up believing that they are to blame for their own maltreatment and humiliation.”
There are many things about this article that we must note to fully understand this article. First, the article was commissioned by the paper La Vanguardia, which is a Catalonian newspaper and known to promote secession from Spain. The article is passionately written and utilizes personal experiences to connect with the reader and experiences they may have had. Phrases like “We’re not aliens with fluorescent green skin” raise emotions and a sense of discrimination for the reader. He then transitions to a poem where the loss of language is akin to the loss of one’s identity. Another facet of the Catalan identity is jauntily interspersed as Monzó references FC Barcelona to say that even when winning there is a need to be cautious, just as there is a need to be wary for the future of the Catalan language.
Source: Jordi Borr S Abell / Jordi Borr s Abell /Demotix/Corbis
The second thing to note about the article is the current political and economic context between Catalonia and Spain. Spain has a form of decentralized government, comprised of 17 autonomous regions.. According to a CNN article, “the regions administer key public services such as health and education, and in Catalonia’s case, also the police and prisons.” The Catalonia region accounts for 16% of Spain’s population but 19% of its wealth, and tensions have been rising since Catalans believe they do not receive proportional funds as their wealth is being used to support other regions. Spain’s regional and national debt has led to spending cuts in healthcare and education in Catalonia. On Sunday, November 25, 2012, the Generalitat government is holding elections and voting on whether Catalonia should secede from Spain and become an independent nation. Catalans seem split on the idea of independence; an important factor may be that admission into the Euro would not be guaranteed, and Spain would be a voting member on such a decision
Monzó’s article about the Catalan language on the precipice can be viewed differently in light of the recent political activity. Since the democratic constitution of 1978 brought back home rule, the Catalonia region only teaches in Catalan, and students are required to learn the language for school entry. Spanish is also taught and Barcelona’s education department says that students will be conversant in both languages upon graduation. An entire generation though, and many immigrants to the region, identify with the Catalan language and presumably, the Catalan identity. I expect that the current cuts to the education system will be seen as a threat to the cultivation and maintenance this Catalan identity. And Monzó’s concerns may not be too far-fetched. The Financial Times cites an incident this past October when José Ignacio Wert, Spain’s education minister, said that “he intended to “Spanish-ise” Catalan pupils he suggested were being brainwashed into separatism by the Catalan language.” Without doubt, it will be interesting to see what happens in the coming weeks.
Sources:
Burgen, Stephen. (21 November 2012). Immigration and Catalonian separatism. The Guardian. Reprinted in Dawn. http://dawn.com/2012/11/22/immigration-and-catalonian-separatism/
Goodman, Al. (25 November 2012). Spain’s Catalonia region votes; move for independence remains major debate . CNN. http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/25/world/europe/spain-catalonia-elections/?hpt=hp_c2
Gardner, David. (21 November 2012). Separatists reawaken Spanish nationalism. The Financial Times. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b3e6cd00-2f52-11e2-b88b-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz2DFMSCyhd
Kuper, Simon. (23 November 2012). A question of identity. The Financial Times. http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/34783668-3370-11e2-aa83-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2DBjZWUTf
Monzó, Quim. (23 November 2012). The Catalan language is still in danger, despite its resurgence. The Guardian.http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/nov/23/catalan-language-in-danger
Readers’ Panel. (20 November 2012). Would Catalonia be better as an independent nation? The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/20/readers-panel-independent-catalonia-spain
RT Staff. (25 November 2012). Catalonia votes: President-elect to mull secession from Spain. RT. http://rt.com/news/catalonia-elects-new-parliament-485/
by Hannah Gann
A recent story on NPR discussed the difference between how American and Japanese students respond to challenging intellectual work. After observing Japanese classrooms, U.S. psychologist Jim Stigler designed a study that tested the responses of first-graders in both nations when they were given an impossible math problem to solve. On average, American students worked for less than thirty seconds before admitting defeat, whereas most Japanese children grappled with the challenge for the full hour allotted. Stigler attributes the sharp contrast to cultural attitudes about learning: in “the East,” he says, struggle is an integral part of the learning process, while in “the West” it is considered a sign of weakness.
Although Stigler is perhaps overzealous in generalizing his findings to all Eastern and Western nations, his work does raise important considerations for schools. Ideas about learning within different cultures can shape not only attitudes that students bring to the classroom, but also various education practices and policies. For instance, Stigler noticed that Japanese teachers were much more likely to give students work that challenged them than teachers in the U.S. Furthermore, Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology promotes a campaign for “Lifelong Learning,” which emphasizes to citizens that learning is a never-ending process and there is always room for growth. Thus, the manner in which students, teachers, and policymakers consider the learning process all impact the education system.
Notably, recognizing that these attitudes are culturally constructed also implies that they are malleable, especially as globalization leads to more cross-cultural sharing of education policies. If curriculum and policy in the United States were designed to promote the notion that intellectual struggle is valuable component of learning and a mark of strong character, might students be more likely to persist when faced with a challenge? Conversely, do certain Eastern cultures over-emphasize struggle? In response to Stigler’s work, Chinese psychologist Jin Li noted that she often hears educators question if students work themselves too hard (indeed, concerns about school stress were a major factor behind China’s new physical education policy).
In Japanese classrooms, Stigler noted, often students who got a problem wrong were invited to show their work on the board, allowing the class to watch them work towards the correct answer.
Regardless of the possible merits or drawbacks of different attitudes towards learning, it is important to recognize that they are always shaped by culture. This speaks to both the importance of considering cultural context in education policy, but also the potential value of intercultural dialogue surrounding education. If the trend of setting education goals on an international scale continues, surely the best approach is to draw from the strengths of many diverse nations, rather than adopting one cultural model as the ideal. Especially with an issue as powerful as attitudes towards learning — which can impact the work ethic, self-esteem, academic success, and overall happiness of students — we can no longer afford to be trapped in a singular cultural mindset.
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Sources:
“Struggle for Smarts” heard on NPR Morning Edition
(transcript: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/11/12/164793058/struggle-for-smarts-how-eastern-and-western-cultures-tackle-learning)
Overview of Lifelong Learning Program from MEXT website: http://www.mext.go.jp/english/lifelonglearning/1303769.htm
Picture from Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/_molly_/127539926/
By Annie Guo
I have read one piece of news concerning citizenship education in November, which stressed the importance of citizenship education. The author believed that citizenship education is the cornerstone of an organized society, healthy politics and a promising future. In this article, it was said that government officials in Ghana worked under the theme “Promoting citizenship education to enhance election peace, transparency and credibility in Ghana”.
Indisputably, citizenship education assumes great responsibilities in helping young generations to build neutral values, understand human rights and enjoy democracy. However, is it enough to heavily depend on citizenship education to change the established values and systems of a society? I suppose citizenship education suffers unbearable heaviness of its being. People expect too much from citizenship education. Unfortunately, citizenship education is not panacea.
Without the reform of political system, can citizenship education only “enhance election peace, transparency and credibility in Ghana” ? I highly doubt that. Wonderful citizenship education does not equal democracy. For example, the ruling class can easily control the working class by educating them with “citizenship education”. In another word, there is no ultimate standard of citizenship education. Government officials can take advantage of it to train obedient citizens. And this is on the opposite direction of democracy.
Even if people in a society are educated with relatively benign citizenship education, it does not guarantee the political system in this society is healthy. Building and maintaining a good political system requires financial support. If a society is too poor to develop its economy, how can it invest money to develop its political system to promote democracy? A telling example is most undeveloped ancient societies were lack of democracy.
Therefore, I find overemphasizing citizenship education to change political system unsound. Education is indeed powerful in many aspects. Yet without appropriate system and financial support, education is like ideology. We need extend education to practical fields in order to develop productivity. Therefore, for societies without democracy and healthy political systems, I believe top-down reform may be more efficient than bottom-up educational approach.
Sources:
Political tolerance is key to peaceful polls – NCCE. http://politics.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201211/97400.php
MOOCs. While you may not be familiar with that term, you likely have heard about distance learning. MOOC stands for ‘massive online open courses,’ led by names like Coursera, EdX, and Udacity. In the past, much of online education was tied to a single university or academic institution. Now MOOCs represent collaborations between universities and a commitment to make course lectures and materials available to anyone, anywhere and usually free of charge. The proliferation of these opportunities is calling into question traditional education delivery and what global access can mean for individuals, institutions, and nations.
Coursera boasts courses from 33 institutions (most within the US) and is now in talks with the American Council on Education (ACE) to accredit their course offerings. TechCrunch discusses the possibility of this “School-Less Revolution;” accreditation could mean that the first two years of higher education, usually core introductory courses, could plausibly be completed online and at nominal cost. Similar to Advanced Placement courses, ACE accredited work could be accepted at over 2,000 institutions in the US. Online lectures not only could reach more students but change the teaching model of many universities which have historically touted their low student to teacher ratios as a sign of quality.
So what does this all mean? Well, I think it means that the way higher education is conceived is changing. Institutions, already global brands, will continue their international reach and shed national identities. For many students, the limiting factors in pursuing further education are access and cost, especially for students coming to the US, as they are not eligible for financial aid. Cost has implications for both domestic and international students as private universities are often prohibitively expensive. If you only need to fund 2 years versus 4 then it might be in the reach of a broader audience.
From what I have read, institutions seem to be mixed about the potential effects. Universities like MIT, Harvard, and Stanford are committed to opening their resources to the global community. However, I think the accreditation discussion will challenge them more than just sharing resources. Some institutions may feel threatened by the MOOC offerings, worrying about their enrollment numbers and budgets. Beyond altering the domestic landscape, MOOCs are increasingly being accessed by students across the globe.
In August, Coursera posted in its blog that 61.5% of its enrolled users were based outside the US. The BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) are all in the top 7 for enrollment but students have logged on from a total of 196 countries (including the US). MOOCs, especially coursework accredited MOOCs, will change the way the world interacts with higher learning. Currently many courses offer a certificate of completion which can beneficial in the job market, especially abroad. NPR recently reported about a student in Kazakhstan who after completing some Stanford coursework received multiple job offers in the capital, Almaty.
How will institutions outside the US view platforms like Coursera? Well, these platforms could be seen as an opportunity or a challenge to the identity of national institutions. Universities might be very reluctant to accept credit for distance learning, seeing them as a threat to their institutions or as translating Western values. There also might be the consideration that this will assist students in leaving the country, another form of brain drain. If students can access materials and instruction online – and free – then what would draw them to the local university? I would hope that these resources, together, will strengthen a broad range of academic institutions. But we will have to wait and see. MIT’s Technology Review recently published an article about a Professor in El Salvador using the EdX online platform to supplement his institution’s offerings, holding hallway experiments to further demonstrate online lessons. He discusses that, especially in the technical fields, what might be locally offered is outdated compared to other international curriculum. This professor, acting like a local course teaching assistant, is doing so without the explicit backing of his university, and the article expresses the concern that these online offerings may be threatening to less competitive institutions.
For my purposes, I am likely to use online courses as a supplement and a means of continuing education. The opportunity to explore interests and mold coursework around busy schedules is too tempting to pass up. However, I am a committed face to face learner and I don’t think online courses can ever fully replace the experience of being in the physical classroom. The ad hoc discussions, late night study benders, and receiving help from classmates when visibly distressed are some of the features hard to replicate online and have been instrumental in becoming who I am in and out of the classroom.
Sources:
For an overview of MOOC history, check out Forbes’ article here: Crotty, J.M. (14 November 2012). Distance Learning Has Been Around Since 1892, You Big MOOC. Forbes. Retrieved fromhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesmarshallcrotty/2012/11/14/distance-learning-has-been-around-since-1892-you-big-mooc/
Coursera Blog. (9 August 2012). Coursera hits 1 million students across 196 countries. [Blog]. Retrieved from http://blog.coursera.org/post/29062736760/coursera-hits-1-million-students-across-196-countries
Ferenstein, G. (14 November 2012).The School-Less Revolution: Free Online Courses Being Considered For College Credit. Tech Crunch. Retrieved from http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/14/the-school-less-revolution-free-online-courses-being-considered-for-college-credit/
NPR. (30 September 2012). Online Education Grows Up, And For Now, It’s Free. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2012/09/30/162053927/online-education-grows-up-and-for-now-its-free
Regalado, A. (12 November 2012). Online Courses Put Pressure on Universities in Poorer Nations. MIT Technology Review. Retrieved from http://www.technologyreview.com/news/506336/online-courses-put-pressure-on-universities-in-poorer-nations/
Image Source: http://www.idf.org/regions/africa
by Salome R.
U.N. officials have reportedly stated that most African countries are behind on their progress in meeting the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The 2015 deadline for all members of the global community to contribute to the reduction of poverty, improved child and maternal health, improve access to quality education and other MDGs will most likely be a far reach for most African nations to achieve. Education development is one key target that African nations are attaining, with its citizens completing primary schooling. However, Deputy chair of the African Union Commission, Erastus Mwencha, stated that although Africa is making improvements and reaching other MDGs, it is lagging behind in health, sanitation, and nutrition-related goals and will not make significant contributions in those areas. The economic downfall that many countries around the world are experiencing is said to have been the cause of the slow progress, especially since foreign aid to African nations has shrink. Population growth and scarcity of resources also factor in the equation.
In light of Mwencha’s statement, Africa’s continued “underdevelopment” is likely a product of its dependency on foreign aid. This view is not, however, without giving thought to the casualties of colonialism and the imposition of capitalism on the continent. Africa, like many other “third world nations”, was subjected to the exploitation of its environmental resources in order to benefit the industrialized Western nations. However, the inability to create a self-sustainable economic structure independent from foreign aid only adds injury to the insult. Reliance on foreign aid to accomplish development objectives only perpetuates the political and economic domination of the West. One can also argue that a nation’s acknowledgement of or adherence to a set of goals defined by unified institutions of the global community, such as the U.N., can be perceived as a reenactment of colonialism (or a new form of it) if the targeted global goals supersede or do not match the dire development needs of the country itself.
Jeffrey Sachs (2005) argues that in order to end global poverty, poor nations must be take this matter seriously and devote more of their resources to it, rather than expending them on war, corruption and political infighting, and that rich nations ought to help poor countries to development. Sachs (2005) also believes that poor nations fail to develop not because of their lack of abilities, but because their economies limit them from achieving development goals. If more foreign aid is poured into poor countries’ development, the more likely they will produce improvements. I cannot say that I am an advocate of this perspective. Just because more aid is poured into a development project does not mean that it will inevitably result to intended outcomes. Take for instance, the misappropriation of millions of dollars worth of aid to Sri Lankan tsunami relief in 2004. However, with respect to Sach’s argument, it goes without saying that countries need to be supported in order to achieve the MDGs, and this support might come from outside of their own nations. Without proper aid, these nations will continue to fail meeting those set goals. It is like a teacher expecting his/her students to complete an assignment when the students lack the required tools to achieve the objective. If the U.N. sets MDGs for countries to achieve on a deadline, it has to be able to provide the economic support for nations to adequately meet those expectations.
Sources
Altbach, P. (1984). Servitude of the mind? Education, democracy, and neo- colonialism. In P. Altbach and G. Kelly (Eds.), Comparative Education. (pp. 469-484). New York: Macmillan.
HuffPost World: Africa behind on millennium goals
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20121116/af-ethiopia-un-goals/?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=green
News.com.au: Sri Lankan tsunami aid misappropriated – watchdog panel
http://www.news.com.au/world-old/sri-lanka-tsunami-aid-misappropriated-watchdog-panel/story-e6frfkyr-1225813871006
Sachs, J. (2005). The End of Poverty. The Economic Possibilities of our Times. Penguin. Pp. 266-287
United Nations Millennium Development Goals
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml
Image of Child with Africa on Face
http://www.idf.org/regions/africa
nasciinternational 