Over six lakh candidates to take TET
The Hindu, 12 March 2012

Over six lakh candidates are expected to appear for the State government's first Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) scheduled to be held on June 3. With the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act that demands large-scale recruitment of teachers, the Teacher Recruitment Board, designated as the nodal agency, is gearing up to conduct the exam. The exam is mandatory for secondary grade teachers and graduate assistants appointed for government, aided and unaided institutions on and after August 23, 2010, in accordance with the guidelines framed by the National Council for Teacher Education.

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500 schools under PPP mode set to come up
Deccan Herald, 12 March 2012

In a move to provide “high quality” education to children at the block level, the Centre has initiated efforts to set up 500 model schools in public-private-partnership framework across the country. The schools, proposed to be opened under the Human Resource Development Ministry, will operate Classes VI to XII with minimum infrastructure and facilities of standards available in existing Kendriya Vidyalayas. The ministry has invited applications from private entities including corporate houses to participate in the implementation of the programme.

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ICT revolution to solve India’s education crisis
Financial Chronicle, 09 March 2012

It is only a matter of time before technologies come in to replace teachers entirely. The song Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd is perhaps best remembered for the lines that exhort the teacher to “leave us kids alone”. That captures the state of education, in terms of content and delivery, for millions of us who have been through ‘the system’. In a country like India, which is perennially short of funds for education, often critically so, it is well nigh impossible to train teachers adequately and in numbers to service a large number of children who need to be educated.

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Born to penury
The Hindu, 07 March 2012

Children living in slums are among the least likely to attend school, says UNICEF's latest report. Aphorisms we have been inured to from lore and literature such as child is the father of the man and a babe is always a bundle of joy uphold the dignity and pristine innocence of children the world over. But as urbanisation has spread far and wide, the attendant ramifications are ravaging to say the least to children of lesser means and least luck to state the truth in all its jarring reality. This is what has been captured with clarity and solemnity in the State of the World's Children 2012 of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) released recently.

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South Africa education crisis fuels state school exodus
BBC News, 12 March 2012

South Africa's education and finance ministers are being taken court over poor standards at state schools. The BBC's Karen Allen investigates the education crisis and why some parents in Eastern Cape province are opting to send their children to private schools despite the cost. "We are not a flashy family - I'm just an ordinary kid," says Simanye Zondani, 17, as he pores over his maths homework in the subdued light of his home.

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NGO spots 60 kids for RTE seats; UT fails to respond
ExpressIndia, 09 March 2012

Chandigarh Underprivileged children in the city are, indeed, a disadvantaged lot. For, while the Chandigarh Administration is “struggling” to find economically challenged students to fill the seats reserved under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, an NGO has identified 60 such children. Consider this: On February 15 the NGO sent the list of 60 underprivileged children to the Administration but to no avail. While Education Secretary V K Singh maintained that he is “not supposed to personally enquire about the children”, parents of these underprivileged children are a harried lot.

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Victoria-India partnership boosts teacher training
The Times of India, 07 March 2012

MUMBAI: Maharashtra's Minister for Higher and Technical Education, Rajesh Tope and Victoria's Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business, Louise Asher discussed new opportunities in Vocational Educational and Training (VET) for teachers in Mumbai recently. Asher emphasised on education as a key sector for future mutual prosperity and increasing business and cultural ties between India and Victoria.

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Kids benefit from partnership
The Signal, 09 March 2012

In 1990, President Steven D. Lavine of the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia established a program to give underserved youth ages 8 to 18 in Los Angeles County a chance to experience the arts in a college setting. The goal was to take the innovative teaching style created by Walt Disney at CalArts and share it with children who otherwise may not get that opportunity.

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Study Time and Scholarly Achievement in PISA

Authors: Kuehn, Z and Landeras, P
Abstract:

We take a dierent look at the PISA 2006 data set considering time input as the main ingredient for scholarly achievement. Across countries, absolute time spent studying is negatively related to scholarly achievement, while a larger fraction of total study time spent in the classroom is associated to better performance. We find that compensating for less class time or lower socio-economic background by individual study time, is enormously time-costly or even impossible for students in Spain, as well as for students in the three best and the three worst performing OECD countries.

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Digitisation of educational content is the way forward
There are approximately 50,000 private schools and a shortage of a good 1.5 lakh schools in the country. Click here to read more

South Africa: Government Faces Court Action Over Crumbling Schools
After two years of attempting to get the National Department of Basic Education to improve the shocking lack of infrastructure at South African schools, civil society organisation Equal Education is taking the matter to court. Click here to read more

To initiate and continue the discussion amongst concerned groups and individuals on the issue of right of education and monitor the implementation
of the RTE Act, an RTE Coalition has been formed. Join the coalition to make universal elementary education a reality in India.

Log on to www.righttoeducation.in
for more information

Skill Vouchers - Global Experiences and Lessons for India

Leah Verghese and Parth J Shah

A study of the role that skill vouchers can play in catalysing demand for quality skill development services. This study examines global experiences with skill vouchers and draws lessons for India from these experiences.

For more click here

Reservation in Private Schools under the Right to Education Act: Model for Implementation

Shekhar Mittal and Parth J Shah

Through this document the Centre for Civil Society seeks to highlight the lacunae in the current framework for 25% reservation for weaker and disadvantaged groups in unaided private schools and seeks to provide inputs on effective implementation of the same.

For more click here

School Vouchers for Girls

400 girl children from poor families of North East Delhi receive school vouchers for a period of 4 years.
For details visit our website

For more details on how to support, log on to www.schoolchoice.in or email us at [email protected]

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