Balanced And Well Rounded Education Education Essay

Balanced And Well Rounded Education Education Essay According to the mission of Singapore Education, the purpose of Singapore Education is to provide our children with a balanced and well-rounded education, develop them to their full potential, and nurture them into good citizens, conscious of their responsibilities to family, society and country. (http://www.moe.gov.sg/about/yearbooks/2005/pdf/mission-vision.pdf) Eventually, they would become the future leader who would make the right decision for their nation in future. Thus, the Desired Outcomes of Educations (DOE) is being introduced at 3 key stages, namely primary, secondary and post-secondary. It acts as a checklist or common purposes for the educators to help students strive towards the mission of Singapore education. To better achieve the desired outcomes of education, Teach less, learn more (TLLM) comes into picture in 2005. At the National Day Rally in 2004, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on our teachers to teach less, so that our students could learn more. (http://www.moe.gov.sg/about/yearbooks/2005/teach.html). This policy is focusing on improving the quality of interaction between teachers and students. The aim of this policy is to drive Singapore education to a direction where teachers only act as a facilitator, nurturing students to become self-directed learners and individuals who are capable of think independently. Teach Less, Learn More is a call to re-examine the fundamentals of teaching and learning why we teach, what we teach and how we teach. (http://www3.moe.edu.sg/corporate/contactonline/2005/Issue13/glossary/glossary.htm#ttml) TLLM reminds teachers that their responsibility is to stimulate the students passion in learning so that students are willing to take up challenges that come to them. Disseminating the information to the students should not be the only way to teach. Teachers should always check for the understanding of students by relating them with the materials. Other than that, teachers should help students learn that they are taught to live the tests of their lives, not to learn that their lives are full of tests. The TTLM initiative also calls on teachers to focus on the whole child instead of the subject. Teachers should put more emphasis on the teaching of good values and attitudes to the students, not their grades. In addition, teachers need to help students learn that the learning process is far more important than the results or the end product. Before jumping into the answers, teachers should treasure the teachable moment by throwing the questions to the students. Let them think and encourage curiosity. TLLM urges teachers to engage student more in learning and depend less on drill, practice and rote learning. Teachers should do more guiding, facilitating and modelling and do less telling so that students could take ownership of their own learning. Every student is different. Therefore teacher should apply various differentiated pedagogies to suit students learning. Student should be accessed more qualitatively over a period of time, and less quantitatively through one-off and summative examinations. Lastly, teachers should promote the spirit of innovation and enterprise among students. I come across one journal that was published in 2005 mentioned that in response to the TLLM policy, MOE was going to provide more time and space to teachers to do the right things for the students. To date, MOE has really made some moves to provide teachers more time; such as assigning a Co-curricular Programme Executives to each school, hiring more new teachers and introduced the adjunct teachers programme. However, we still see teachers rushing for syllabuses and busy preparing students for all sorts of exams. Not to mention the large class sizes and the accompanying heavy marking load, how could teachers stay fit physically and mentally with so many workloads? I do believe that most of the teachers would like to make their lessons livelier and have more flexibility in choosing the materials and teaching methods. I also believe that teachers do not wish their students go for tuitions. Euphemistically, the textbooks, syllabuses and teachers handbooks are said to guide teachers in teaching. As a matter of fact, these materials confine teachers way of teaching. Time allocated to each subject in school is just enough for teachers to run through the concepts and basics due to the tight syllabus. Eventually students would need to sit for the standardized tests, which decide their future. To score high for the standardized test, frequent and repeated practices based on the concepts and basics taught are inevitable. And this is the main reason for the increase of tuition centers in Singapore. A lot of parents have the habit of paving the way that would grant successfulness for their children. These include house moving and become school volunteers to get their children admitted into a good school; send their children to enrichment classes and tuitions in hope that their children could pass standardized test with flying colours. Eventually, their children could get admitted into the university, studying a popular subject which promise good prospect. For most of the students, they bow to the reality at a very young age. Since young, under the influence of the media, friends, community, teacher, school and parents, they got the impression that only by doing well academically; they could have a bright future. If they find the subject or what was taught is not going to help give them promising future, even though they know that is their strength or they have passion on that, they would not pursue them. Students rather give up their passions than face failures. Civic and moral education (CME) is supposed to be the subject that helps students develops their characters and values. Good values, attitudes and characters could also be taught in other subjects; but character development and values education are not their emphasis. Recently, MOE has just completed revising the CME materials, which claim to be more interesting and could engage students more. However, a lot of people do not see the importance of the CME subject; probably because of it is not examinable. Many mother tongue teachers have experienced their CME classes being hijacked by the math and science teachers to rush for syllabuses or to prepare students for exams. The hijacking becomes more frequent especially when the exam period is approaching. School leaders are aware of that but turn a blind eye to it. This indirectly acknowledges that the schools are still more prone to grades-centric instead of values-centric. Thus, it is not surprising that students would have the percept ion that CME is the least important subject and they are less likely learn the subject by heart. Singapore is a country that adopts a highly centralised education system and a strong top-down approach in policy-making. (Catherine Chua Richard, 2007) Changes made at the national level often may be difficult to put into practice at the school level. TLLM is one of them. Catherine Chua and Richard (2007) did a study by comparing the science curriculum between two top schools and two mid-level schools. The top schools appear to exercise more flexibility in their curriculum by introducing a more diverse programme. They are placing greater emphasis on research-based and higher order thinking skills, acquiring beyond the basic knowledge. This is in line with the MOEs initiative. The middle category schools are also embarking on introducing and reinforcing some incentive programmes in their schools, especially for those less able students. However, an important observation shows that there was no corresponding decrease in the number of topics taught in class. On the contrary, the numbe r of periods allocated for the science lessons increased in 2005. They also found that the programmes offered by the top schools are more intensive and research oriented than those offered in the middle category schools. By introducing more intensive programme and increase the number of periods, both top schools and middle level schools actually did not put TLLM into practices. These schools rather play safe by teaching more, and add more to the curriculum. This can has negative impacts on the school climate, as teachers will have less time to prepare, teach and interact with their students. Sooner or later, teachers would develop resistance towards government initiatives. (Catherine Chua Richard, 2007) PSLE test is the ultimate test for all the primary students. This test focus on the end result rather than the process of learning. From time to time, different initiatives, including TLLM are being introduced by MOE to better achieve the purposes of Singapore Education. However, PSLE tests on the whole remain untouched. School principals, teachers, parents and students know that no matter what the changes that will take place, at the end, it is the examination that matters. Thus, when MOE first introduced TLLM, many of the principals and teachers would just take that as another initiative that will come and go. In 2009, MOE announced that semester exams for Primary 1 2 would no longer exist. But later announced that mini test would be in place so that teachers could provide regular feedback on pupils learning to parents. So that is a good change or a bad change? Mini tests are still TEST. They could be the replicas of semester test and could end up having few of them throughout the semester. Students stress over exam is still there and hardly reduced. After six years of study, students still need to sit for the PSLE test. This also means that the pace of preparing the PSLE test would be increased once students step into Primary 3 seeing that the time given has been shortened by 2 years. The aims of education policy are to ensure that students not only master scholastic knowledge, but that they are equipped with the knowledge needed to perform well in the globalised economy (Seaton, 2002). In Singapore Education, the decision-making in curriculum policy always lie in the hands of the government. Thus, we can say that Singapore educational policies are the mirrors of the social, economic and political needs of a society. (Catherine Chua Richard, 2007) From the TLLM policy, we can see that Singapore government would like to mould the future leaders in becoming a confident person, a self-directed learner, an active contributor and a concerned citizen. Although TLLM encourages teachers to teach less so that student could learn more, what students actually learn are still very much depends on what would be assessed finally. We still see some schools hesitating to put TLLM into practice. Thus, I would like to comment that TLLM would be just another MOEs attempt to change the direction of education in Singapore school if MOE still continue its traditional reluctance to let go or downgrade the position of the examination system. Education in Singapore is not education but just a huge examination preparation exercise, namely, the high stakes examination system.

Research Paper: Marjane Satrapi Essay

Beset with the unthinkable, the Islamic Revolution defines turbulent times for many Iranians (Tehran). Numerous females including Satrapi were robbed of their social rights due to westernizing and secular efforts (Tehran). In turn, the Islamic Revolution undermined the younger Satrapi’s ability to come to terms with her own identity; nevertheless, she now writes to share her experience with oppression and her later journey towards cultural integration. It is a historical dispute that woman did not have their share of say in the revolutionaries’ political agenda (Mouri). In the months following the Revolution, obligatory hijabs were decreed (Mouri). Girls of every age rank were forced to wear a veil. Several active Iranian female revolutionists discharged into the street protesting what soon became the law of the land. Their male comrades did not offer support believing that the time was not appropriate. Instead, they simply encouraged solidarity with the new government in order to display a united front before their international enemies (Kar). Consequently, wearing hijab became mandatory, and the lack of it was disciplinary (Kar). Satrapi was 10 at the time, experiencing her first instances of Iran’s social and political transformations. (Kutschera). The compulsory hijab eventually assumed a government-sponsored and aggressive position (Kar). Various female and liberal minded organizations were marginalized and stripped of their supremacy. The regime suppressed these crowds through methods such as coercion, enticements, deportation, and brutal force. Years later, Satrapi was spared the oppression of an Islamic regime at the peak of its worst (Leith). Her lack of unwavering obedience and expressive nature would have caused her immense trouble with government. Thus, afraid she’d be a victim of the regime’s repression and prejudice, her parents sent her to Vienna (Kutschera). Unfortunately, she was challenged with preconceived notions held by Europeans (Leith). While attending a boarding school ran by nuns, Marjane was expelled for calling the chief mother a prostitute when she claimed that Iranians were â€Å"uneducated† (Hattenstone). Marjane’s life eventually plummeted leading her to homelessness, bronchitis, and drug abuse (Hattenstone). Defeated, she escaped the havoc by   home, ultimately surrendering herself to the lifestyle she once rejected (Hattenstone). Unfortunately, the hijab and restricted style options weren’t Satrapi’s mere concern. Upon her arrival home, Satrapi dealt with more prejudice than she had originally anticipated. She was known as the Western Iranian, which made her cultural transition in Iran especially difficult. Her later diagnosis with depression fostered even more mayhem within her life resulting in suicidal attempts. Her early 20’s were indeed tempestuous times as she struggled to establish and integrate herself into foreign customs. The end of the Islamic Revolution didn’t necessarily mean that the essence of corruption and repression were eradicated. In fact, the bitterness lingered for another 30 years shaping a void for many Iranian women. The marriage age for females was lowered to nine, and they lacked the rights to obtain divorce. Meanwhile, their male counterparts were able to assume full custody of their children, obtain unilateral divorce, and have as many wives as they desired. In all, females received a lot of harsh treatment if they failed abide by the restrictive nature of Islamic rule. For a female foreigner like Satrapi, simply bearing a different style of clothing or thought was enough to galvanize unwanted attention. It was remarkably problematic having to assimilate into a culture she had to escape from in the first place. In the end, Satrapi realized that although Iran is her home, the social oppression outweighed that one factor. She eventually returned to Europe to pursue an art degree and take on the next chapter of her life, Persepolis. Persepolis was written in efforts to share her experience regarding the Islamic regime. It is often a misconception that Iranians were religious fanatics versus being traditional, and for that, Satrapi wrote to bring light and understanding into the situation. She wanted to clarify that what people saw in the news didn’t bear the whole picture. Her other renowned writing projects such as Chickens and Plums and Persepolis II also entail political elements along with personal experiences. It is ultimately her way of preserving an evolutionary truth that could have succumbed had she not taken the time to share. Consequently, Satrapi’s story is now one of the most popular books known for embodying a realistic coming of age story during the Islamic Revolution. She undertakes a realistic portrayal of how private life and public life can be drastically assailed by political upheaval.

The Idiots Guide to Topics for an Expository Essay

The Idiot's Guide to Topics for an Expository Essay What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Topics for an Expository Essay People today like to collect and display things which have sentimental value or distinctive appeal. Topics can even include recycling and various items that are recyclable. When you're assigned to compose an expository essay, the very first thing you should know is the way to write it. Quite simply, everything would be determined by verifiable fact an expository essay. Unlike in the majority of other kinds of essay, you don't will need to generate a point or prove your opinion on the subject-matter is accurate. Locate the trustworthy information for the essay topic you are likely to work on. A comparison essay will concentrate on similarities as a contrast paper will concentrate on the differences. The length may vary from essay to essay. Finally let's look at comparison essays. It is possible to always have a look at expository essay examples and have a better comprehension of how the entire writing process is about. What You Should Do to Find Out About Topics for an Expository Essay Before You're Left Behind Your essay is supposed to concentrate on why schools insist their students learn a foreign language and the way it can really help in an individual's overall improvement. In the end, a student can provide short suggestions on the best way to win the game. Explain why you especially delight in a specific teacher. Typically, your teacher will request that you compose an expository essay to prove that you've done your research on a subject. Actually, giving a sample in your essay may be a practical learning experience, and whenever your teacher grades you, you will know precisely where you went wrong which prospective employers aren't going to inform you about. Some ideas, naturally, can be borrowed, but due credit has to be given. The duration of the essay however varies dependent on the topic and a tutor's requirements. Writing is among the most effective modes of self-expression, and it is likewise a remarkably effective method to help your students sort out all their ideas and feelings. The Debate Over Topics for an Expository Essay Look closely at your language as it ought to be eerror-free Imagine your essay is a precious stone and create all its faces shine using an easily readable and authentic language. Quite simply, it's a guide on the best way to do something. From its name, you can guess you should have a very clear picture of a particular thing so as to offer your reader with a crystal clear and concis e explanation. By way of example, perhaps you've chosen to communicate about a renowned battle. It is possible to also bring the part of globalization into play over here. An introduction is easily the most significant part your bit of writing. To begin with, a quick explanation of the game needs to be written. You might have to present the advantages and disadvantages of such a move, then draw a conclusion accordingly. In summary, the primary focus is to explain the facts. Then the next step is going to be to find out more about the expository essay structure. From that point, it is easy to produce the argument that she'll shape future generations. Keep in mind that, regardless of the idea, it has to harken back to your thesis statement. From that point, you're prepared to draft your thesis and introduction. What a thesis cannot be is your private belief. The Topics for an Expository Essay Chronicles Starting off with a substantial occurrence, discovery, or study will supply you with more points in factual research also. Therefore, if you'd like to have nontrivial expository essay topic that demands thorough research, choose something which refers to a technological region of study. Choose the one that you liek to compose an ideal expository essay! A prosperous process essay is going to be detailed enough so a reader will have all the info necessary to finish the endeavor. Still, with other expository speech topics, deciding to demonstrate the details with respect to a spatial order may be your ideal choice. Now it's time for picking a significant area of your research. Yes, selecting a topic isn't uncomplicated. Thus, the topic you select plays a critical function.

Long Story of The Amazon Company Success Free Essay Example, 2750 words

John Bezos is a member of the Bilderberg Group. Consequently, he attended a conference organized by the group dubbed the Swiss 2011 Bilderberg Conference, which took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland (Byers 2006, pp. 46). The character traits of Jeffry include the following: he carries an attitude of not giving up and he is a visionary. He has never gloated over his immense success, he always aspires for more; he has never focused all his attention on short term profits; he always stands by his word; he has a strong faith in the concept of low pricing, and he believes in building trust. Furthermore, Bezos is well known for his sharp and intelligent style of leadership, a quality that has seen him successfully set up Amazon. com, a successful contender to a well-established giant like Barnes Noble (Byers 2006, pp. 47). Jeffrey Bezos set-up Amazon. com Company in 1994. This was after discovering that Internet usage had been growing at a pace of 2300 percent every year. Working from an office whose size was less than 400-square feet in Seattle, Bezos launched the Amazon. com Company on the Internet in July of 1995.We will write a custom essay sample on Long Story of The Amazon Company Success or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page Among the most prominent developments were: In May 1997 the company held its first public offering of common stock totalling 3 million. The money generated from this undertaking was spent in settling existing debts, while the remainder was invested (Spector 2000).

The Challenge - Original Writing Essay - 1008 Words

The Challenge - Original Writing In life, I am absolutely positive that we all face challenges at a certain point. In fact, life itself has always been a challenge to many, and I will not deny that fact. However, it is the various challenges and how you overcome them that make each challenge a special part in your life. I have been through good times and bad times. Yet all my life, I have never backed down from an obstacle in my life, yet this time, I wanted to fall asleep and never open my eyes again. This was a challenge that in my opinion was virtually impossible to overcome. It had all happened to quickly†¦ It had been just another lazy Sunday morning. The sun shone brightly through†¦show more content†¦My mother put down the plate she was washing, as we headed to the door to find out who the ‘mysterious guest’ was. As the door creaked open, we could see the silhouette of a frail middle-aged woman standing outside the gate. She looked vaguely familiar, and beared a striking resemblance to someone I knew, but I could not pinpoint who exactly. I quickly dismissed the thought as I saw my parents’ jaws drop wide open, as they stared at the woman in recognition. A sense of foreboding eased its way to the pit of my stomach as I wondered who the woman was, and why did my parents have such a strong reaction upon seeing her? Something was amiss, but I was not sure what. â€Å"Can I come in?† the woman queried in a surprisingly loud voice. After recovering from their initial shock, my parents looked uncertainly at each other, before nodding their heads reluctantly. From the way my parents were looking at each other, then at me, I was positive that something was definitely wrong. As my mother’s voiced boomed with amazing similarity to that of the woman’s, I was ordered to go up to my room. And from the worried yet serious look in her eyes, I knew my mother was not joking. This was something serious. Daring not to defy her, I made my way up to my room, racking my brain, with only one question in my mind – ‘Who was she?’ As I tried toShow MoreRelatedJames E. Porter’s Idea of Originality in Intertextuality and the Discourse Community778 Words   |  4 Pagesmoment I see myself focusing much more on paraphrasing and not committing plagiarism than the quality of the ideas that I am writing. However, I hav e noted that most of my ideas and opinions are probably based on somebody else’s work I might have read before. Therefore, is it not plagiarism? In the article â€Å"Intertextuality and the Discourse Community,† James E. Porter challenges the idea of what plagiarism truly is. He states that it is almost impossible to write without committing some sort of plagiarismRead MoreThey Say I Say, By Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, And Russel Durst1266 Words   |  6 PagesGerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst outline strategies writers can use to avoid common mistakes often seen in academic writing. The book thoroughly outlines the different components that make up academic writing, such as initially summarizing what others have said before, responding with original ideas, proving a purpose to the writing, and connecting the writing in a logical and eloquent manner. The first part of They Say I Say focuses on how to properly introduce what others are sayingRead MoreThe Effects Of Television On The Entertainment Industry925 Words   |  4 Pagesestablished television networks in North America. Since screenwriters are writing for television networks and not themselves, they are not always able to create content that is meaningful and relevant to them. This essay will argue that screenwriters for television shows in North America struggle to produce creative content that is attractive to and will not be regulated by television networks. First, the essay will examine the challenge screenwriters face when approaching networks with creative contentRead MoreSubjective Reality in Anne Carsons Autobiography of Red Essay1233 Words   |  5 PagesSubjective Reality in Anne Carsons Autobiography of Red Anne Carsons Autobiography of Red is a world of subjective reality. Carson explores the relationship between subject and object through a reworking of an original Greek myth. The original myth is of Herakles, whos tenth labor was to kill Geryon, a red winged monster who lived on an island, and steal his cattle. Carson takes the insignificant character of Geryon and creates a story based on his life, as if set in modern times.Read MoreAn Internship Program With Evan Guthrie Law Firm1437 Words   |  6 Pagesand put our rules and standards into force. Like jobs in any other field, to work in the field of law requires expertise. Trained experts are the most desirable to be hired by organizations, tasked to manage justice, to direct their operations. By writing articles for the legal website, I learned to assess law enforcement situations orderly. I learned to make use of the basic legal and management theories to analyze the situations. I got the opportunity to show my understanding of the key process inRead MorePortfolio Reviewers : My Experience Before English 2201 Essay1294 Words   |  6 Pagesan A+ on that research paper. I wrote every subject in great detail to meet the page length criteria; Stayed after school for tutoring. Requesting feedback in my sentence sense of direction, and sentence structures. The processes of successfully writing research papers never change. No matter what grade level or institution you are in. Research is always the first step. One must have a clear understanding of what angle they want to take; How they want to format their creation. Taking notes on theRead MoreNarrative Writing : High School917 Words   |  4 Pagesrequired a freshman writing class, I was irritated and dreaded the experience so much that I delayed taking the course to second semester. Very confident in my writing ability as my high school featured a grueling English department and having received high grades on my history and sociology essays in first semester classes, I presumed that I wouldn’t learn anything in FWS. Though I struggled with the drafting process, as my preferred method of essay writing involved writing the entire piece to perfectionRead MoreThe Importance Of Professional Writing Throughout A Nurse s Career823 Words   |  4 PagesNurses utilize writing every day in clinical practice, making the attainment of professional writing skills an important goal for students. Scholarly writing is form of communication which exchanges health information amongst professionals and consumers. Professional nursing literature is formatted according to the American Psychological Association (APA) formatting standards. Producing well-written nursing documentation or publications helps nurses enhance their professional respectability alongRead MoreFirst Quarter Reflection Paper1571 Words   |  7 Pagestried including the best supporting evidence in my writing. In the past, I have had trouble coming up with examples to support my main point. This quarter I tried thinking of more points and picking the best points instead of just the first ones that come to mind. This has proved to be a good strategy with positive results. Overall, I feel that I have become a better writer and more hardworking student this quarter in APLAC because I took writing to anoth er level. I have gone into more in depth inRead MoreHow Can Technology Play A Role?1128 Words   |  5 PagesConduct an online search to find information about the challenges related to business writing. Write an essay that describes your findings. At a minimum, address the following items: - What are the challenges you identified? - Identify at least one of the challenges that you experience in your own writing efforts. - How can technology play a role in addressing these challenges? In every business perspective many people would say business writing can be one of the most challenging endeavors one could

Education Policies Free Essays

string(123) " commission was appointed to advise the government on the formulation and interpretation of national educational policies\." Education is so important in any given society. For this reason, it forms a major part of any government’s plans. The plans that any government wishes to implement as regards their education system is determined by existing policies. We will write a custom essay sample on Education Policies or any similar topic only for you Order Now Factors which influence formulation of policies form the subject of this discussion. For orderly presentation, the essay is divided into three chapters namely the introduction, the main body and conclusion. The introduction gives definitions of key terms used in the essay as well as conceptual frame work, the main body outlines and discusses major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving their independence and lastly the conclusion draws a summary of the essay. 1. 1 Statement of essay purpose This essay aims at discussing the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after their achievement of independence. The essay will outline these factors and later give a detailed discussion of each factor. 1. 2 Definitions of terms In order to make this discussion meaningful, it is imperative that definitions of key terms that are involved are done. The key terms involved in the discussion are education, policy and independence. The definitions of the terms are as given below Education According to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Culture Organisation (1975:1), education is defined as â€Å"organised and sustained communication designed to bring about learning† Thus education in this context involves a lifelong process by which an individual is incorporated into the group and made capable of behaving in the ways expected by the society for an individual of a particular age, sex or status. Education can take place formally, non formally and informally. However, in this context the emphasis is on formal education. Policy A policy is defined as a deliberate plan of action which is put in place to guide decisions and achieve intended outcomes. Policies differ from rules or laws. Rules or laws are established to compel or prohibit certain behaviours while policies guide actions towards desired goals. This discussion, however, focuses on education policies. Bartlett and Burton (2012:134), define an education policy as the â€Å"rafts of laws and initiatives that determine the shape and functioning of educational systems at both national and local levels. Therefore, education policies give direction to the functioning of an education system. Independence This is defined as the freedom from being governed or ruled by another country. African countries in this discussion acquired the freedom to rule themselves from colonial mast 1. 3 Conceptual Framework Blackmore (1999), states that there are three models of policy making namely popular participation, decree and delegation models. This discussion will refer to these three models in outlining and discussing the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving their independence. These models are discussed in detail below. (a) Popular Participation Policy making model (b) In this model, everybody is given an opportunity to contribute to the formulation of policies. People in African countries were given opportunities to make suggestions on changes to make to the education system. For example, Zambia’s educational reforms of 1977. (c) Decree Policy Making Model In this model, the head of state makes pronouncements on the direction to be followed in a given education system. (d) Delegation Policy Making Model This involves appointing a commission to review the education system of a given country. For example the Onide Commission was appointed to review the education system of Kenya in 1963. Policies are made with respect to the findings of the commission. CHAPTER TWO 2. 0 Main Body This chapter outlines and discusses the major factors that influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. These factors are as given and discussed below. Education for Economic Development The consideration given to education as an important vehicle for economic development is one of the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Investment in formal education was considered as an essential precondition for economic growth. African countries learnt lessons from developed countries that a high basic platform of education was a catalyst to rapid economic development. There was a belief among developing countries that the modernisation, industrialisation and wealth of developed countries were the direct consequence of their educational systems. Coombs (1970) argues that during the 1960s education in developing countries was regarded as a sort of intellectual yeast which would ferment and transform pre industrial societies by promoting knowledge, skills and attitudes which were favourable to economic and social development. Therefore, education policies in African countries after the achievement of independence were directed at promoting education pro vision expansion in order to achieve meaningful development. In fact an argument is advanced by Anderson (1965), that analysis of evidence from major developed countries such as Britain, France, United States of America and Russia that in general terms, a thresh hold male literacy rate of 40 percent was required before there be any significant take off of economic development. To this end, African countries directed their policies on education after attaining independence towards increased access to education in order to reach the required thresh hold of literacy. Therefore, in the 1950s and 1960s, demand and plans for investment in formal education by African countries increased. Education was regarded to be a principal weapon in achieving economic growth. To this end rapid quantitative expansion of the education system became the order of the day in newly independent African countries. Man power Shortages After attaining independence, African countries were confronted with shortage of manpower in various sectors of the economy. As a result of this scenario, they experienced economic stagnation. Man power shortages were heavily felt in technical and managerial fields. Thus, education policies in most African countries were directed towards resolving the man power shortages experienced. This situation was evident from what obtained in Kenya. As Eshiwani (1993:26), observes ‘’at independence in 1963, Kenya found herself with a high shortage of skilled manpower to run the economy. In order to solve this problem, a commission was appointed to advise the government on the formulation and interpretation of national educational policies. You read "Education Policies" in category "Papers" † Therefore, it can be stated that man power planning in newly independent countries of Africa gave a direction to the formulation of education policies. Consequently, the governments of newly independent countries of Africa saw it paramount to expand the education systems of their countries in order to produce more graduates from the education system that would fill the manpower gaps which were experienced in various sectors of the economy. Most technical and managerial jobs at independence in most African countries were occupied by foreigners. Therefore, the aim of most African governments was to decolonise the education systems, produce more output from secondary and higher education so that manpower to participate in national development could be realised. Fafunwa (1974), Contends that education development in African countries like Nigeria was treated as a national emergency for the reason of curbing manpower shortages in crucial areas of the economy. In order to meet the requirements of manpower in various sectors of the economy, the policies of African countries after independence were directed at increasing school enrolments, especially at the post primary level. Rapid expansion of secondary and higher education was considered as a pre requisite for sustainable economic growth. Enhancing education as a basic human right Newly independent African countries were confronted with a task of providing to every child their basic, essential right to education. The kind education that was to be provided was supposed to be relevant to the child in his or her African setting. For this reason, most newly African countries had massive capital and recurrent budgets towards the financing of primary education for all. The provision of education especially at elementary level to citizens of newly independent African countries was prompted by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights in which education is enshrined as a basic human right. As Bishop (1989:1), postulates, â€Å"Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. †Therefore, from the foregoing, newly independent African countries were compelled to provide education especially primary education on the grounds of human justice and equity. The newly independent African countries were supposed to consider primary education as the birth right of every child. This was due to the fact that education was seen as an effective way to give all children regardless of sex or family background an equal start in life. Furthermore, the leadership of newly independent African countries considered education to be the great equaliser that would help to narrow the wide disparities which were apparent in conditions of living in rural and urban communities. Before the attainment of independence, education in most African countries was a preserve for the elite. In order to correct this, African leaders made radical changes to their education systems to make them more accommodative to everyone. As Carmody (1994:23), contends â€Å"As in most African countries, from the early days Africa’s leaders viewed education as a powerful, often the most powerful vehicle for social transformation. Thus, as the UNIP government assumed power, among its immediate priorities were the elimination of racial segregation in schools and expansion of education provision. Tuition and boarding fees were abolished. † A point was also made by Bishop (1989), which in the days of the 1950s and 1960s massive expansion of education provision was regarded as the best means available for rooting out old prejudices and socio economic injustices. Therefore, education was regarded as basic human right which everyone needed to enjoy as provided in the foregoing arguments. In the pursuit of providing universal primary education, newly African countries set for themselves benchmarks. For example, the Addis Ababa conference on the development of education in Africa held in 1961 recommended that primary education was to be universal, compulsory and free by 1980. The conference further recommended that secondary education was to be provided to 30 percent of the children who completed primary school. Similarly, the conference of Arab states which met in Tripoli in 1966 also set 1980 as the target date for achieving universal primary education. To this end, it can be argued that one of the factors that influenced the formulation of education policies of African countries after achieving independence was related to the consideration that education was a basic human right which every citizen of a given country was supposed to enjoy. Hence, massive investment in the provision of education was undertaken by African countries after attaining independence in order to promote the achievement of universal primary education. As Court and Kinyanjui (1978:14), comment on the provision of Universal Primary Education in Tanzania. â€Å"President Nyerere had the choice of expanding the number of classes at grades V to VII so that those children entering primary education received seven years of schooling instead of four†. It can be concluded from the foregoing statement that the decision was arrived at because it enabled finances to be spent on the provision of 7 years of education to one child which helped him or her to become a useful member of society. African countries aimed at improving the access to education by increasing the number of school places which was facilitated by expanding already existing schools as well as construction of new schools in different parts of their countries. Promotion of Modernisation African countries formulated their education policies with respect to the purpose of attaining modernisation. In order to influence modernisation in their countries, there was massive investment in education. This was a result of the belief that schooling would assist in the inculcation of modern ideas and attitudes. Bishop (1989), postulate that evidence seemed to indicate that schooling influenced the development of modern traits and ideas. To this end, schooling had some impact on modernisation. This was manifestated in higher levels of modernity among urban people and lower modernity among rural people. Consequently, many African leaders in newly independent countries felt modernisation of attitudes and behaviours was an important pre requisite for their countries’ development. According to Carmody (1994), education should socialise a nation’s population into modern values, attitudes and personalities. For this reason there was more emphasis on the expansion of education systems in newly independent African countries in order to enhance the access levels. Increased access to education meant increased modernity levels within a given country. In studies which were conducted be Inkeles and Smith (1974), indicate that education was the single most variable for modernisation. The studies indicate that each year of schooling improved a person’s score on their modernity scale by about 2 points. Education was also very effective in the development of positive attitudes and values. For this reason, formulation of education policies in newly independent African countries was influenced by the idea of modernisation. Modernisation was to be attained by every citizen in the newly independent African countries through education. Ensuring Citizens’ Political Participation The citizens’ participation in political affairs of their countries could be seen as one of the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Political participation of citizens of a particular country was linked to the notion of modernisation. This was due to the fact that knowledge was regarded as power. For this reason, many political leaders of African drafted educational policies which were responsive to the promotion of political participation of citizens in nation matters. This was highly evident in the content of education which was offered to the citizens . Again this could only be realised through the wide spread of education in African countries which most leaders promoted through the expansion of the education system. Cowan (1965), stressed that any political principle which governed education policy in independent African countries was supposed to regard as a top priority the provision of an education that would establish the most vigorous form of self government and independence. Therefore, extending schooling to a larger population would make more people politically and socially conscious and more active in the process of nation building. Thus, if equal political rights were to be enjoyed by everyone then everyone ought to have at least an adequate primary school education to participate more fully in the political process of their country. Promotion of Social Equality and Removal of Divisions The attainment of social equality is among the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Education was regarded as an instrument of social equality which was critical in the upbringing of social responsibility. Therefore, education policies which were put in place by African countries after attainment of independence were directed towards the promotion of social equality within their countries. Consequently, more and more school places were created in most parts of African countries to bring about the issue of equality within their countries in the provision of education services. Equality in the provision of education was called for as it ensured that child was provided with varied and challenging opportunities for collective activities and corporate social services. Furthermore, Eshiwani (1993), points out that the promotion of social equality in the formulation of education policies in African countries after achieving independence helped young people to acquire positive attitudes of mutual respect which enabled them to live together in harmony and to make a positive contribution to the national life. This contribution to national life was not supposed to be extended to every part of the country, hence the need of social equality in the provision of education. Respect and Development of Cultural Heritage The formulation of education policies in African countries after achieving independence was influenced by the need for promoting respect and development of cultural heritage. Education policies were directed towards the promotion of respect, fostering and developing the rich cultures which African countries have. For this reason, policy formulation as regards this situation was clearly addressed in the content of education which African countries were to provide to their people. The content of education was adapted to the culture of the people in any particular African country. In support of this assertion, Eshiwani (1993), states that the commission which was assigned to review Kenya’s education system in 1963 recommended that Kenyan schools were to respect the cultural traditions of the people of the country, both as expressed in social institutions and relationships. Similarly, Damachi et al (1978), reports that education policies in African countries after attainment of independence were influenced by the need to enhance every aspect of human development which included the promotion of cultural heritage. Consequently, African countries were to state clearly their language of instruction in their education system both at lower and higher levels. This was done with the sole aim of promoting the preservation of cultural heritage and national unity. To this end the education policies which most African countries drafted after the attainment of independence were geared towards learners understanding of past and present cultural values and their valid place in contemporary society. Education for Self Reliance The education policies of African countries were influenced by the need for the curriculum offered to respond to the attainment of self reliance. Thus the recipients of such education were supposed to engage themselves in self employing activities. The curriculum of African countries emphasized practical subjects in order to ensure the acquisition of self reliance by learners. It was realised that the kind of education which was offered in some countries in Africa was too bookish and academic. The education system in most African countries separated manual work from learning. Thus theory was separated from practice. This situation further alienated young people from their societies. Therefore, education reforms in most African countries were inevitable so as reverse this trend. As Bishop (1989:116), reports â€Å"By the mid 1950s it was being argued once again that schooling should be reformed principally through curriculum reform to include more practical and vocational studies’’ Similarly, Carmody (1994), reports that Zambia’s First National Development Plan pointed to the need for increasingly relating secondary education to the needs of the country by diversifying the secondary school syllabus into technical and commercial fields and giving a new place to agriculture. Therefore, it can be pointed out that education policies in African countries were supposed to address the concept of self reliance. Academic schooling was to be placed side by side with technical and vocational training in African countries. Improvement of Education Efficiency The education policies of most African countries after achieving independence were influenced by the need of improving the efficiency of the education systems. In education systems of African countries, it was felt that there was no correlation between inputs and out puts as well as between costs and returns. Education policies were centred on the need of making the systems of education to be more efficient. That is, the education systems were supposed to achieve their output at the lowest cost and also get the greatest return for a given cost. According to Bishop (1989), most education systems in African countries after achieving independence were inefficient, particularly at secondary and higher levels. The inputs such as expenditure per student or teacher training did not seem to have the effects on test scores which educators anticipated. Therefore, education policies were designed in a manner that would make the education systems in newly independent African countries to be more efficient. Additionally, education in many African countries was dysfunctional. It relied heavily on rote learning and led to an inappropriate reverence for paper qualifications. Furthermore, most curricular in African countries were irrelevant to pupils’ future lives and created an imbalance with many school leavers unemployed. Consequently, African countries formulated policies which were aimed at addressing the challenges which were faced in education systems. Education as a means of fostering international consciousness Education policies in African countries were influenced by the need to foster international consciousness in learners. Education policies as complimented by the content of education provided to learners was supposed to ensure that positive attitudes towards other countries as well as the international community were upheld. This was emphasized because no country existed as an island. Each country depended on others for its prosperity. Therefore, it was essential that learners were provided with education that would instil international consciousness for the purpose of promoting cooperation among countries. CHAPTER THREE. 3.0 CONCLUSION Education policies in African countries after their achievement of independence were influenced by a number of factors. Some of the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries included manpower shortages, recognition of education as a basic human right, consideration of education as a tool for development, modernisation, improving education efficiency, need for citizens’ political participation, and promotion of international consciousness among learners as well as self reliance. Changes in education policies were inevitable due to the fact that African countries experienced change in government. A change in government is associated with an ideological shift, thus aspects of the education system in a given country will be in a continual state of reformation. Hence, changes occurred in education aspects such as content, teaching methodologies, assessment and structure. How to cite Education Policies, Papers

Of Anger Essay Example For Students

Of Anger Essay To seek to extinguish anger utterly, is but a bravery of the Stoics. We have better oracles: Be angry, but sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your anger. Anger must be limited and confined, both in race and in time. We will first speak how the natural inclination and habit to be angry may be attempted and calmed. Secondly, how the particular motions of anger may be repressed, or at least refrained from doing mischief. Thirdly, how to raise anger, or appease anger in another. For the first; there is no other way but to meditate, and ruminate well upon the effects of anger, how it troubles mans life. And the best time to do this, is to look back upon anger, when the fit is thoroughly over. Seneca saith well, that anger is like ruin, which breaks itself upon that it falls. The Scripture exhorteth us to possess our souls in patience. Whosoever is out of patience, is out of possession of his soul. Men must not turn bees; animasque in vulnere ponunt. Anger is certainly a kind of baseness; as it appears well in the weakness of those subjects in whom it reigns; children, women, old folks, sick folks. Only men must beware, that they carry their anger rather with scorn, than with fear; so that they may seem rather to be above the injury, than below it; which is a thing easily done, if a man will give law to himself in it. For the second point; the causes and motives of anger, are chiefly three. First, to be too sensible of hurt; for no man is angry, that feels not himself hurt; and therefore tender and delicate persons must needs be oft angry; they have so many things to trouble them, which more robust natures have little sense of. The next is, the apprehension and construction of the injury offered, to be, in the circumstances thereof, full of contempt: for contempt is that, which putteth an edge upon anger, as much or more than the hurt itself. And therefore, when men are ingenious in picking out circumstances of contempt, they do kindle their anger much. Lastly, opinion of the touch of a mans reputation, doth multiply and sharpen anger. Wherein the remedy is, that a man should have, as Consalvo was wont to say, telam honoris crassiorem. But in all refrainings of anger, it is the best remedy to win time; and to make a mans self believe, that the opportunity of his revenge is not yet come, but that he foresees a time for it; and so to still himself in the meantime, and reserve it. To contain anger from mischief, though it take hold of a man, there be two things, whereof you must have special caution. The one, of extreme bitterness of words, especially if they be aculeate and proper; for cummunia maledicta are nothing so much; and again, that in anger a man reveal no secrets; for that, makes him not fit for society. The other, that you do not peremptorily break off, in any business, in a fit of anger; but howsoever you show bitterness, do not act anything, that is not revocable. For raising and appeasing anger in another; it is done chiefly by choosing of times, when men are frowardest and worst disposed, to incense them. Again, by gathering as was touched before all that you can find out, to aggravate the contempt. And the two remedies are by the contraries. The former to take good times, when first to relate to a man an angry business; for the first impression is much; and the other is, to sever, as much as may be, the construction of the injury from the point of contempt; imputing it to misunderstanding, fear, passion, or what you will.