Education blog

By 2020, every Chinese prefecture, prefecture-level city, and every county that has more than 300,000 residents and a large number of disabled children should have at least one special education school for disabled students, says a national education outline.

The Outline of China’s National Plan for Medium and Long-term Education Reform and Development (2010-2020) released Thursday says governments at all levels should speed up development of special education.

“Special education is a fundamental way to promote all-round development of the disabled and enable them to establish themselves in society,” it says.

The government should formulate basic national standards for special education schools and local governments should set their own standards for fiscal funding of each student in such schools, according to the outline.

More funding should go into special education. The government should encourage and help regular schools provide adequate tuition and living conditions for enrolled disabled students, it says.

More financial aid should be allocated to disabled students from poor families. And free senior middle school education should gradually be made available to disabled students, according to the outline.

China now has 1,672 special schools with 428,000 students on campus.

The uncertainty of energy supplies, in particular crude oil, might become a new risk for the world economy, a leading economist said Thursday.

“We think there is enough strength to keep the recovery going. However, it’s still fragile. There are things that can go wrong,” said David Wyss, global chief economist of Standard & Poor’s, a world leading rating agency.

“Leading possibilities right now would be another oil price spike, perhaps caused by geopolitical stress in the Middle East, or that we could get another freeze in financial markets, perhaps triggered by what’s happening in South Europe,” Wyss said during a roundtable meeting with Chinese news media.

Wyss said there are some signals showing that the world economy is cooling off a bit, but he thinks the problem is just a moderate correction.

“I do not see a double-dip recession,” he said.

Growth prospects for China’s economy remains robust but some softening was expected in the coming quarter, largely on the back of problems in Europe, and stimulus measures in some developed economies, Wyss said.

China, the world’s third largest economy, expanded 10.3 percent year on year in the second quarter this year, slower than the previous two quarters, but the cooling down was considered good for economic restructuring.

Political analysts said Thursday Jordan’s cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday was “surprising”, saying it was necessary to restore the government’s popularity that was ” harmed” following a series of crises caused by some outgoing ministers.

The analysts believe that the cabinet reshuffle was a face- saving measure after the government came under heavy fire recently from different sectors of the society including teachers, judges, day-laborers, students and parents following several crises by some outgoing ministers.

The analysts said these crises started to affect the government, which, according to a poll early July, remained popular 200 days after its formation.

The poll, conducted by the University of Jordan’s Center for Strategic Studies (CSS), showed that 64 percent of the public expressing confidence in Prime Minister Samir Rifai and his team.

In the survey, 60 percent of total respondents in the national sample said the government had been able to handle its responsibilities so far, which represented an important jump from the 52 percent of respondents who said so in a poll conducted in March, 100 days after the government was formed.

“The government shake-up was crucial following several crises that some outgoing ministers caused, thus negatively affecting the popularity and the image of the government,” political analyst Fahed Khitan said in an article published in Al Arab Al Yawm daily Thursday.

The analyst said Rifai, who on Wednesday replaced ministers of tourism, education, agriculture, justice, labor and information, sought to defuse the crises caused by several ministers.

“The replacement of ministers of education, agriculture and justice proves that the crises they caused represented a heavy burden on the shoulders of the government,” political analyst and a columnist at Ad Dustour daily Maher Abu Teir said Thursday.

“The replacement of the ministers that caused crises became a demand by the public. Many of the outgoing ministers weakened the popularity of the government, the reshuffle was welcomed and received with a sign of relief,” Mohammad Abu Rumman, a political analyst At Al Ghad daily, said Thursday.

There are serious concerns in Fiji on increasing number of HIV-AIDS cases and Health Ministry officials are calling on people to take action and prevent the spread of the deadly virus after three new-born babies were tested positive for HIV this year.

Fiji’s Health Ministry’s Assistant Media Liaison Officer, Peni Namotu said on Thursday to local media that the ministry wants everyone including religious organizations, teachers and parents to take action and step up to ensure that people take preventative measures.

This after figures were released this week at the first National Advisory Committee on AIDS (NACA) by National Adviser for Family Health.

Fiji’s National Advisor Family health Dr Josaia Samuela said there had been 21 new cases this year taking the total to 354 since 1989.

There were 43 new cases last year alone and this was an alarming figure for a population with just over 850,000 people.

Samuela said, “Fiji is not eligible to apply for Global Funding for HIV-STI activities for Round 10 because based on latest World Bank classification, Fiji is a now high middle income country.”

Despite this setback, Fiji would continue to seek funding from other donor’s the Pacific Response fund through SPC (through Australian and New Zealand government funding).

“Through this, NACA and other stakeholders can access the five funding streams available.”

Samuela said the status of the draft HIV Prevention, Care and Support Decree was now being looked at by the Office of the Solicitor General.

He said it was discussed in the meeting that there was a need to strengthen NACA secretariat in ensuring the subcommittees ( including the 3 divisional committees) are running and implementing activities stated in the Fiji HIV-AIDS Strategic Plan 2007-11.

He said there were also concerns on turn-around time for testing,testing agents running out and ARV drugs.

The latest statistics show 21 new HIV reported cases for this year as at the month of June bringing the total number of cases to 354.

It has also been suggested that the school system must take sex education and HIV-AIDS awareness programs to younger children.

The 5th Conference on ASEAN- China People-to-People Friendship Organizations (CACPPFO) opened here on Thursday.

More than 300 government officials, political leaders and business delegates from ASEAN member countries and China gathered to discuss opportunities to further strengthen efforts in the five pillars of cooperation in economy, culture, education, health and sports.

Themed “ASEAN-China Cooperation: Opportunities and Challenges”, the conference aims to reinforce strategic partnerships and friendly relations between China and ASEAN countries by promoting multilateral exchanges and dialogues.

Addressing the conference, President of the China-ASEAN Association Gu Xiulian said: “We are happy to see that, with the joint efforts by all the participants, the China-ASEAN (10+1) people-to-people mechanism for friendship and cooperation becomes more and more mature, with more practical friendly cooperation and more colorful activities under the conference.”

Gu said that from the dialogue relations to good neighborly partnership of mutual trust, and to the strategic partnership, relations between China and ASEAN enjoy its development step by step. China can not prosper without ASEAN and ASEAN’s development also needs China.

The Chinese delegation is led by Gu and Singapore delegation is headed by Phua Kok Khoo, president of the Singapore China Friendship Association.

Participants said the event is of great significance as this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China.

There will also be an exhibition titled “Rich Culture and Green Technology” featuring technological products, culture, education materials and software.

The two-day conference is organized by the Singapore China Friendship Association.

A government commission led by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Wednesday approved Russia’s three-year federal budget with a rising deficit.

The government has been unable to cut spending as it had planned before, Moscow’s Vedomosti business daily reported.

In 2011, state expenses will increase from 9.3 trillion rubles (about 307 billion U.S. dollars) as planned earlier to 10.4 trillion rubles (about 344 billion dollars).

In 2012, the deficit will rise from 9.7 trillion rubles (321 billion dollars) to 10.8 trillion (357 billion dollars). And in 2013, it will go up from 10.1 trillion rubles (334 billion dollars) to 11.8 trillion rubles (390 billion dollars), a source in the Finance Ministry said.

Spending will rise 1.7 percent of Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011, the source specified.

At the same time, the budget income will grow due to oil price increases and a sale of state-owned stakes in the country’s 10 largest companies. Still, the extra income will not offset the extra spending.

The Finance Ministry forecast that the budget deficit will amount to 3.6 percent of GDP in 2011, and then decline to 3.1 percent of GDP in 2012 and to 2.9 percent of GDP in 2013.

The first year the deficit goes down to zero is 2015, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said.

Budget expenses are increasing due to more generous defense spending. The government also plans to put extra money into education, environmental protection and state debt servicing.

Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Rifai reshuffled his government on Wednesday with key portfolios of interior, finance and foreign affairs unchanged, said official sources.

In the first reshuffle since the government’s formation in December 2009, seven new ministers entered the cabinet and two incumbent ministers changed portfolios.

A Royal Decree issued by King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday approved the cabinet reshuffle, the state-run Petra news agency reported. The ministers were sworn in before the king at Raghadan Palace.

Rifai, a 43-year-old former Royal Court minister who hails from a long line of family of statesmen, appointed new ministers of tourism, education, agriculture, justice, labor and information.

President of University of Jordan Khalid Karaki was named as deputy prime minister and minister of education.

Jordan’s Minister of Information and Communications Affairs Nabil Sharif was replaced by Jordan’s ambassador in Israel Ali Ayed.

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Maha Khatib was replaced by Suzan Afaneh, a former presenter at Jordan Television and head of communications department at Zain Telecom Company in Jordan.

Suheir Al Ali, a former minister of planning and international cooperation, was appointed as minister of state.

Mazen Khasawneh was appointed as minister of agriculture, replacing outgoing minister Saeed Masri.

Hesham Al Tal was named as justice minister, replacing outgoing Justice Minister Ayman Oudeh.

Samir Murad was named as minister of labor, replacing Ibrahim Omoush who was named as minister of state for prime ministry affairs and legal affairs.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Tawfiq Kreishan changed portfolio to minister of parliamentary affairs.

Cabinet reshuffles are common in Jordan, but Wednesday’s was the first under Prime Minister Samir Rifai, who had pledged to fight corruption and carry out reforms when took office last December.

Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Rifai reshuffled his government on Wednesday, according to official sources.

In the first reshuffle since the government’s formation in December 2009, six ministers left and a seven newcomers joined the cabinet.

Rifai, a 43-year-old former Royal Court minister who hails from a long line of family of statesmen, appointed new ministers of tourism, education, agriculture, justice, labor and information and created a seventh portfolio.

Jordan’s Minister of Information and Communications Affairs Nabil Sharif was replaced by Jordan’s ambassador in Israel Ali Ayed.

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Maha Khatib was replaced by Suzan Afaneh, a former presenter at Jordan Television and head of communications department at Zain Telecom Company in Jordan.

Suheir Al Ali, a former minister of planning and international cooperation, was appointed as minister of state.

The number of fee-paying international students in New Zealand increased by 7 percent in the first four months of the year compared to the same period last year, Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce said on Wednesday.

International education contributed 2 billion NZ dollars (1.5 billion U.S. dollars) a year to the country’s economy and future development of the sector would help economic growth and provide additional income to tertiary institutions, Joyce said.

The revenue from international students grew by 10 percent in 2009 to 664 million NZ dollars on 2008.

Private training international student numbers rose 8 percent in 2009, public tertiary 7 percent, primary schools 6 percent and secondary schools 4 percent.

The rise in public tertiary education enrollments was largely driven by polytechnics that were up 15 percent, universities reported a 4 percent increase in international student numbers.

International students make up around 13 percent of the student roll in New Zealand universities compared with 20 percent in Australian ones.

Joyce said New Zealand universities must keep on developing their revenue streams if they were to compete with Australian universities for top academic talent.

Education Minister Anne Tolley said international students added to the understanding of other cultures by New Zealand students.

Summer in Canada means fun in the sun and for a lot of children this means excitement-filled days at summer camps.

While some parents send their offspring to summer schools so that they won’t fall behind in an increasingly competitive world, others are of the mindset that kids need to be kids. The summer holidays, usually about 10 weeks in Canada, is a break from academia and also an important part of their development.

Instead of subjecting a child to year-round academic overload, something child development specialists are divided on, many parents believe summer is a time for their kids to interact with other children, participate in sport and other activities, learn important life skills, go on family vacations and in general, relax.

In Surrey, British Columbia, a commuter city outside Vancouver, the Surrey SPCA (Society for the Prevention and Cruelty to Animals) has been operating its popular summer camp for more than 15 years. From mid June through August, the organization holds five-day sessions for “campers” aging from eight to 12 to educate them about animal welfare issues of the wild, domestic and farm variety.

With the shelter sitting on a five-acre spread where urban development is increasingly encroaching on the once-remote site, the 22 campers attending the current session have first-hand interaction with dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, horses, llamas, gerbils, hamsters and even a rat.

Cradling a guinea pig in her arms, 10-year-old Caitlin Glover called the camp a wonderful experience and ideal for her future goal of becoming a veterinarian. The grade-five student said she had two dogs at home: Murphy, a one-year-old Shitz Zu, a breed originated in China; and Archie, a 12-year-old Cocker Spaniel.