Education entrepreneurs make hay in downturn
The Economic Times, 22 March 2009

“The liquidity crisis, which ultimately gave rise to a payments crisis has caused every industry to face a downturn of varying severity, be it banking, infotech, hospitality, steel, cement or real estate. However, as the downturn gets worse, the education industry finds more and more takers. It's clearly bucking the downturn. To get a deeper insight, FINANCIAL TIMES speaks to various players of the industry about the industry's status in the days of downturn.” More [+]

A Comparative Study of Teacher Preparation and Qualifications in Six Nations
Richard M. Ingersoll et al., Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE), 2007

“Richard Ingersoll and Rebecca Maynard, both professors at the University of Pennsylvania, led a research study examining the preparation and qualifications of elementary and secondary teachers in six nations and one autonomous region: China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and Hong Kong. International members of the project team included scholars and senior education officials.The study's primary objective was to compare how each system itself defines teacher qualifications and standards and then to address the question: how well are the different educational systems succeeding in ensuring all students are taught by qualified teachers? The study addressed this overarching issue by examining comparative data from the seven educational systems.” More [+]

Parents set to gain more power over proposals to close schools
The Herald, UK, 4 March 2009

“Parents and pupils will have greater influence over schools they fear are being unfairly shut if a new bill, published by the Scottish Government yesterday, becomes law. Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop said the Schools (Consultation) Bill, to be introduced to the Scottish Parliament this week, will strengthen and improve the decision making process by local authorities over closures.” More [+]

Jharkhand govt to link school students with economic activities
The Economic Times, 20 March 2009

“RANCHI: In a novel move, the Jharkhand government has proposed to start an ambitious scheme to link school students with economic activities so as to empower them financially. The directorate of handloom, handicraft and silk, under the department of industry, has proposed to give vocational training to over 30,000 students of 198 Kasturba Gandhi schools in the state so that could be linked to manufacturing of handicraft and other related items.” More [+]

Poverty and Potential: Out-of-School Factors and School Success
David C. Berliner, Arizona State University, 2009

“The U.S. has set as a national goal the narrowing of the achievement gap between lower income and middle-class students, and that between racial and ethnic groups. This is a key purpose of the No Child Left Behind act, which relies primarily on assessment to promote changes within schools to accomplish that goal. However, out-of-school factors (OSFs) play a powerful role in generating existing achievement gaps, and if these factors are not attended to with equal vigor, our national aspirations will be thwarted. This brief details six OSFs common among the poor that significantly affect the health and learning opportunities of children, and accordingly limit what schools can accomplish on their own.” More [+]

Teacher hitting child may become crime
The Times of India, 21 March 2009

“NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is seeking changes in law that would make it an offence for teachers to hit a child. The commission has identified Section 89 of IPC which needs to be suitably amended to give legal cover for a complete ban on corporal punishment in public institutions.” More [+]

Most parents happy with ban
The Times of India, 22 March 2009

“NEW DELHI: Getting caned on the knuckles, kneeling down like a `murga' or being hit by a chalk or duster are schooltime memories for many of us and barely raised any eyebrows at home. But parents are now increasingly asserting that their children go to school for learning and not for getting beaten up." More [+]

What Makes a Principal Great?
Teachermagazine, 18 February 2009

“I've never had the desire to be a school administrator. Not for one second. I've always known that my place is in front of a classroom with chalk in my hand. (OK, times have changed, and there are no more chalkboards. Make it an erasable marker-you pick the color.) Even though I'm a confessed non-administrator type, I may have a message for others who see a school principalship in their future. In my travels as my state's current teacher of the year, I recently had an amazing opportunity to visit a number of school communities in North Carolina and talk to teachers, support staff, parents, and students about what makes a good school-based administrator. When it comes to defining what makes a principal great, I soon discovered that there are characteristics common across school levels and community demographics. Here are the results of my unofficial research on the "Principles of Great Principals."” More [+]

Reading Test Dummies
The New York Times, 22 March 2009

“In his recent education speech, President Obama asked the states to raise their standards and develop "assessments that don't simply measure whether students can fill in a bubble on a test." With the No Child Left Behind law up for reauthorization this year, the onus is now on lawmakers and educators to find a way to maintain accountability while mitigating the current tendency to reduce schooling to a joyless grind of practice exams and empty instruction in "reading strategies." Before we throw away bubble tests, though, we should institute a relatively simple change that would lessen the worst effects of the test-prep culture and improve education in the bargain.” More [+]

Setting benchmarks, CBSE to start accreditation of schools

"NEW DELHI: Setting benchmarks for schools, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will for the first time give accreditation to institutions affiliated to it on the basis of quality of education."
The Times of India, 23 March 2009

India Adult Literacy Rate (15 and over) 2000-2006:

Total: 84 %
Male: 89 %
Female: 78 %

India Youth Literacy Rate (15-24) 2000-2006

Total: 81 %
Male: 86 %
Female: 76 %

UNESCO Education For All Global Monitoring Report 2009

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