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Despite the fact that pancreatic cancer has the #1 fatality rate of all cancers, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) only spent 1% of our countries $4.8 billion dollar cancer budget towards research in the year 2007. This cancer is the #4 cancer killer in the United States amongst men and women. There is no effective early detection and minimal treatment options.
I first became aware of just how deadly this cancer was when I heard on the radio in April of 1991, that actor Michael Landon had been diagnosed with it. He looked healthy on The Johnny Carson Show and I was positive he would be alright. I was wrong and three months later on July 1,1991 he died at age 54.
In late January of 2004 this disease hit me on a more personal note, when my father was diagnosed. You can imagine all of our shock when he was told there was nothing that could be done. Despite the fact that we took him to one of the finest Medical University’s in the United States he was given no treatment options. He was diagnosed Stage IV and was told to go home and get his things in order. On March 22, 2004 my father passed away from pancreatic cancer, just seven short weeks after being told.
The statistics for this disease are miserable. In 2002 approximately 30,700 people were diagnosed in the United States with 30,000 of them dying. That same year 33.1 million dollars was spent by the NCI on it’s research. That was 0.8 of 1% of their 4.176 billion dollar budget. When broken down that represents a mere $1,092 per patient. That amount towards research is the lowest of any leading cancer despite the fact that pancreatic cancer is the deadliest of them all.
Fast track four years into 2006 and you will find the same sad statistics. In that year approximately 37,170 people were diagnosed in the U.S. with roughly 36,000 dying of the disease. The NCI spent 66.7 million dollars on research for that year, but that still is only 1% of the NCI’s 4.8 billion dollar cancer research budget.
More funding has to be allocated for any possible cure to this disease .With 1 out of 3 women and 1 out of 2 men being diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime we should all be concerned. Cancer does not discriminate. It doesn’t care if you are Kimberly’s father or a famous “Movie Star”. As I was saddened to hear just this morning that Patrick Swayze was recently diagnosed with this disease. Below, I have listed some recognizable names who have lost their battle with pancreatic cancer.
Luciano Pavarotti (Opera Star)
Brock Peters (Actor) “To Kill a Mockingbird”
M. Scott Peck (Writer/Psychiatrist) “The Road Less Traveled”
Richard Crenna (Actor) “Rambo”
Benjamin Orr (Singer/Guitarist) “Cars”
Clifton Fadiman (Writer/Host) helped found “Book of the Month Club”
Harry Blackstone Jr. (Magician)
Diana Lewis (Actress) “Go West Cry Havoc”
Michael Landon (Actor) “Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie”
Fred Gwynne (Actor/Author) “Herman Munster (The Munster’s)”
Vince Edwards (Actor) “Ben Casey”
Bill Hicks (Comedian)
Frank Herbert (Author) “Created Dune Series”
Billy Carter (President Jimmy Carter’s Brother) “Billy Beer”
Brian Daley (Author) “The Han Solo Adventures”
Steve James (Actor) “American Ninja”
Marcello Mastroianni (Actor) “Divozio”
John Sylvester White (Actor) Mr. Woodman “Welcome Back Kotter”
Juliet Prowse (Actress)
Jack Benny (Actor/ Comedian)
Donna Reed (Actress) “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Fernando Lamas (Actor)
Dizzy Gillespie (Musician)
Henry Mancini (Composer)
Harvey Martin (Dallas Cowboy Defensive End)
Richard Mulligan (Actor) “Soap and Empty Nest”
Tom Poston (Actor) “Bob Newhart Show”
Alan Bates (English Actor) “Winner of 2 Tony Awards”
Roger Marshultz (Photographer) “Images of Young Elvis”
Gareth Hunt (Actor) “The New Avengers”
Sir Reginald “Rex” Carey Harrison “Academy & Tony Award Winner” READ MY FATHER’S BRAVE BATTLE WITH THIS DISEASE.
Organic Farming in India: A Viable Alternative Dr Gursharan Singh Kainth Director GAD Institute of Development Studies Amritsar-143 008
Organic farming an age old practice in India has been practiced in Indian agriculture since the Vedic period. Sir Albert Howard, a British Agronomist, however, started the organic agriculture way back in 1900. Farm is viewed as an economy and is primarily based on the principle: use of natural organic inputs and biological plant protection measures. Properly managed organic farming reduces or eliminates water pollution and helps conserve water and soil on the farm thereby enhances sustainability and agro-biodiversity. Indian farmers have an inherent understanding of how to work closely with the nature, because only 30 per cent of India’s total cultivable area is covered with fertilizers because of assured irrigation and the balance 70 per cent of arable land is mainly rain-fed with little or zero use of fertilizer. It isn’t a profit oriented but social-profit oriented. Commitment to nature protection is a pre-requisite to organic farming. India has comparative advantage over many other countries because of the vast cultivated area, which has remained free of contamination from chemicals, spread over distinctly varying agro climatic conditions, for example, large area in north-east region, northern hills and rain fed regions with very low or zero use of agro chemicals, can be instantly converted to organic farming. Farmers in these areas often use organic manure as a source of nutrients that are readily available either in their own farm or in their locality. Organic farming is based upon an integrated relationship among soil, minerals, water, plants, micro flora, insects, animals and human beings. It creates productive landscapes and successfully reconciles food production and environmental conservation. Organic management relies on local human resources and knowledge to enhance natural resource processes, respecting ecological carrying capacities. By reducing dependence on off-farm inputs and creating more balanced nutrient and energy flows, ecosystem resilience is strengthened, food security is increased and additional income are generated. Organic farming responds positively to all sustainable agriculture and rural development objectives and helps in maintaining soil fertility to improve crop production and socio-economic conditions of the farmers. One of the biggest rewards of organic farming is healthy soil that is alive with beneficial organisms. These healthy microbes, fungi and bacteria keep the harmful bacteria and fungi that cause diseases in check. Organic farmers, working with nature, build soil that protects their crops from diseases. They also try to be diligent about crop rotation. They do not plant the same crop in the same location repeatedly, which encourages the build-up of diseases and pests that plague that particular crop. Excessive application of pesticides and fertilizers has caused damage to the soil and environment besides affecting crop production. The consumption of pesticides and fertilizer over the period of time has increased substantially. Pesticides residue is the second largest agent causing cancer, next to cigarettes. Besides, the pesticides and fertilizers residuals that persist in the soil are harmful to the beneficial soil micro organism and earthworms thereby resulting in degradation of soil fertility. Fertilizers have a short term positive effect on productivity but a long term negative effect on the environment where they remain for years after leaching and running off, contaminating ground water and water bodies. In the name of growing more to feed the earth, we have taken the wrong path to sustainability. The effects have already been noticed: farmers committing suicide in growing numbers every passing year. Another negative effect of this trend has been on the fortunes of the farming communities’ around the globe. Despite the so-called increase in productivity, farmers practically every where around the globe have seen downtimes in their fortunes. Pesticides residue controversies in the recent past in the bottled drinking water as well in the aerated beverages in India hardly come as a surprise. Pesticides, a non-bio-degradable but highly toxic, find their ways into ground water and water bodies contaminating them and rendering them unfit for human consumption. Pesticides go into the water in the first place only because of the practiced agricultural system. The pesticides problem compounded in India because many pesticides banned abroad are manufactured/ dumped and sold freely in India. Organic in agriculture is a labeling term that denotes products have been produced in accordance with certain standards during food production, handling, processing and marketing stages, and certified by a duly constituted certification authority or body. The certification of organic farms is required to satisfy the consumers that the product is totally organic. Certification agency conducts the inspection that minimum requirements prescribed for organic agriculture is fully met and issues certificates. The formation of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) in 1972 gave an international framework for the discussion and codification of internationally recognized principles of organic farming. FAO-WHO has officially declared that International guidelines on organically produced food products should be considered important for consumer protection and information as they facilitate trade. The Codex Alimentarious Commission, a joint FAO-WHO food standards programme, body that sets international food standards, started to develop guidelines for the production, processing, labeling and marketing of organically produced food in 1991. The Codex guidelines are important for equivalent judgments under the rule of World Trade Organization (WTO). The Codex Alimentarious Commission defines organic agriculture as a holistic food production management system, which promotes and enhances agro ecosystem health including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It emphasizes the use of management practices in preference to the use of farm inputs, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems. But the commercial organic farming in India is still at a nascent stage. According to IFOAM – SOEL (Stiftung Oekologie & Landbau) survey of February 2005, India has about 76,326 hectare of land under organic management managed by about 5147 certified organic farms , which is only 0.05 per cent of total agricultural land. According to Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), a nodal agency involved in promoting Indian organic agriculture, about 67292 tons of organic products worth of Rs 7123 lakhs are being exported from India. According to APEDA, India has 2508 thousand of hectare area under organic farming including herbs collections from the forest area of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh (2432500 hectare) producing 119656 tons of organic products, 165700 numbers of seedlings and cuttings and 264000 litres of effective micro organism. The Indian organic farming industry is estimated at US $ 20 millions and is almost entirely export oriented. But there are a number of farms in India which have either never been chemically managed/ cultivated or has converted back to organic farming because of their farmers’ beliefs or purely for reason of economics. These thousands of farmers cultivating hundreds of thousands of acres of land are not classified as organic though they are. Their produce either sells in the open market along with conventionally grown produce at the same price or sells purely on goodwill and trust as organic through selected outlets and regular specialist bazaars. These farmers may never opt for certification because of the costs involved as well as the extensive documentation that is required by certifiers. Can organic farming feed the world isn’t a question. The real question is: Can we feed t
he world better? Organic farming yields other benefits in which the external costs of organic farming-erosion, chemical pollution to drinking water and death of birds are one third of the conventional farming. There is another argument which is relevant to India. Because organic farming does not depend on extensive inputs, it might help shift the balance towards smaller farmers. The organically produced food items are superior in quality aspects as compared to synthetic chemicals. They are good in taste, flavor, and essential nutrients and at the same time, they are free from harmful or toxic chemicals. The use of pesticides has led to high levels of chemicals in the soil, water, air and even our bodies. Fertilizers have a short term effect on productivity but a long term negative effect on the environment contaminating water bodies. In fact organic farming is another revolution emerging as Viable Alternative of Farming. It has the potential to transform agriculture as the main tool for nature conservation. Large scale shift to organic farming would bring better results and not reduce the supply of food gains which is the apprehension among few scientists. Indian farmers and the traders can exploit the huge demand, both the domestic as well as global market for organic products. To promote and develop the Indian organic movement and to maintain its quality system at par with the international standard as to receive reciprocal approval from other countries, a National Programme of Organic Production (NPOP) has been launched which provides an institutional mechanism for the improvement of National Standards for organic products through a National Accreditation Policy and Programmes. In order to provide reorganization to organic products destined for export to the US, APEDA on the behalf of Ministry of Commerce (MOC) had initiated a process of equivalence of Indian Standard under NPOP with US standards since May 2002. Recently, USAD has agreed to recognize our accreditation system and the certificate of organic agricultural product by certification bodies accredited under NPOP for import of organic product into US with effect from February 16, 2006. USAD has accepted affixing the Indian Organic seal along with USAD organic seal on Indian products as well as certificate. This will help the exporter by reducing the cost of certification which they have to pay to the international agencies. Indian Organic seal is thus going to gain popularity. Indian farmers and traders can exploit the huge domestic as well as international market for organic products because eating organic foods help reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cancer.
I believe President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” has been the best policy our educational system has seen in quite a while. I have spent the last 16 years in the public schools as a substitute teacher. I’ve been a reading specialist since 1972, and have taught, beginning with fourth grade, since 1969. I have homeschooled every grade at one time or another with my seven children. I have also been a home school evaluator for the Palmyra School District. I have seen a lot of teachers’ classrooms, lesson plans, and students. I have seen some excellent teachers, but also many that need some concrete help in teaching reading better.
And no wonder! When I was a student teacher in 1968-1969, no one taught us how to teach reading. I took one Language Arts class, which offered some cutesy ideas on how to make spelling more interesting, and how wonderful Language Experience was. We were told to just do whatever the Basal Reading Textbooks told us to do.
I started Corrective Reading Institute back in 1972 after two years of fourth grade teaching and finishing a Master’s Degree in Education with a specialization in Remedial Reading. I noticed that my private remedial reading students learned very rapidly with the techniques I used. Now that I’m older, I want to share my methods and curriculum with everyone I can. (Please see the bottom of this article to learn why I’m unpopular with some of the educational establishment.)
I’ve noticed the public schools seem to think that SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) will improve reading skills. For some kids, this may be the only time all day that they have a chance to read a novel of their choice. But for too many kids, it’s free time to look at the pictures in magazines, because they can barely read. And no one is helping them because no one really knows how. Perhaps the teacher needs that free time to check the papers she has to grade, or plan the lessons she has to prepare. However, I would like to see all students screened the first day they are in a classroom by reading aloud a one hundred word passage at grade level. If the student makes more than 4 errors, he needs further diagnosis and remedial reading help.
Before beginning remedial reading instruction, it is very important to find out exactly what the student does and does not know. The teacher can then skip all the steps the student already has mastered, and not reinvent the wheel. In addition, the teacher can begin teaching where the student stopped learning, and progress will be rapid with a child of normal or above intelligence. Progress will be definitely happening with a special needs child. A FREE diagnostic test battery, such as ‘Prescription for Reading Success’ at www.correctivereadinginstitute.com, is a vital tool in helping any teacher, be it a classroom teacher or a homeschooling parent, to plan their students’ curriculum for maximum improvement.
After administering the diagnostic tests in ‘Prescription for Reading Success’, you will know if your pupil has problems in five areas of reading, AND what to do about it. The five reading areas tested are auditory discrimination, Dolch sight words, phonogram and syllabication skills, reading accuracy, and reading comprehension
I’m a strong believer in phonics as part of a reading curriculum. In my opinion, it is much easier for students to memorize the sounds of the 73 letters or letter groupings in American English than to attempt to memorize tens of thousands of words. Yes, there are some words that I would label truly sight words, like ‘one’ and ‘two’. But these spellings make sense when you consider that ‘one’ is the root of ‘alone’, ‘lonely’, and ‘only’; ‘two’ is the root of ‘twin’, ‘twenty’, and ‘between’.
Teachers and homeschoolers generally need to watch their pocket books. Therefore, since I have a thrifty nature, and really DO want my knowledge to be disseminated widely, all the materials I have created are both free or low cost and downloadable. ‘Prescription for Reading Success’ will take the guess work out of what to do next so that learning can begin immediately. Your student will not waste time and energy on material that is too easy, nor will he be frustrated by working on material that is too hard.
Because of the learning methods and materials provided, you too can achieve results similar to Corrective Reading Institute’s average pupil. Their gain has been 3.5 years in only ten weeks of two sessions a week with almost daily homework. With a special government grant in 2002-2003, I worked with seventy-two public school children in grades 1 – 4. The average reading improvement in grades two, three and four was more than two years in just seven months of small group instruction that occurred 20 minutes a day.
The special education teacher at this school visited my classroom for a few minutes one day to see how I did things. She thought I used outrageous techniques. But modern educational philosophies on brain development support the methods described next. She noticed I had the children all standing at a blackboard or white board, writing phonograms and saying all their sounds orally. It was rather noisy. They did this for about five minutes, until they were tired of standing. Then they practiced flashing their phonogram cards in partners. Then, working in pairs, they had one minute Victory Drill Book timings, concentrating on the current phonogram. They read their drill book page orally to each other, while I circulated, making sure they were reading properly. This was all rather noisy too, as I needed to be able to hear what they were saying to each other. Then I dictated spelling words to them, writing them on the board as I pronounced the word and used it in a sentence. They had to write the words in their composition book, and then copy each word five times while saying all of its sounds before we saw each other again. They received a point for doing the homework and they also received a point for coming to class. When they received a total of ten points, they were able to receive a prize from the prize box. With children in grades two and up, we also spent five minutes taking turns reading a paragraph in a book until the book was finished.
Remember that special education teacher? I had several regular teachers tell me that I made more progress with their students in the 7 months that I was there than the special education teacher has made in years. Were my methods unorthodox? Yes. Were they effective? Definitely. I hope many more teachers and parents will use these methods on their students for better results.
Comments from past principals, teachers, parents, and students themselves can be viewed at http://www.correctivereadinginstitute.com/site/1320235/page/582100.
I promised you I would tell you about why I’m unpopular with some of the educational establishment (Others love me, though, as you can see in the testimonials above.) When I lived in Pennsylvania, I contacted the neighboring school districts to let them know that I was available for private summer tutoring. I proceeded to tell the Title One Reading Specialist my past success with students, in order to build her confidence in my tutoring abilities.
She interrupted, “Oh, no, our students aren’t expected to learn anything!”
Shocked, I stuttered, “Well, wouldn’t it be in the best interests of the students, parents, and the school district to have the children learn all they can?”
“If you do that, it will make our teachers look bad. All we want our tutors to do is to maintain them,” she explained.
Needless to say, I did not tutor students in that school district. But I can and am bringing my work to you. In “Prescription for Reading Success” found at my website, you will have not only several diagnostic tests, but you will also find specific instructions on how to teach reading to your students based on their testing results.
I have seen improvement in the schools since “No Child Left Beh
ind” has begun. I firmly believe that screening of every child, diagnosis of those not reading at grade level, and remediation of those students’ reading difficulties can occur efficiently and easily with the free help of ‘Prescription for Reading Success’ found at www.correctivereadinginstitute.com. Teachers, I commend all your efforts that I am seeing everywhere to bring students up to grade level, and hope that this article will give you one more way to do a great job.
When you are finished instructing your students, I would love to hear from you at info@correctivereadinginstitute.com, and if you give me permission to include your story, I’ll put it on my testimonial page. Happy Corrective Reading!
Nancy Meacham, Author www.correctivereadinginstitute.com Free remedial reading diagnostic and placement tool;low cost and effective curriculum
What Does the Job Entail?
The role of school principal is essential to the function of an effective educational environment. As a result, school principals enjoy ample employment opportunities but also face many challenges and decisions throughout their careers. Therefore, it is important to understand the duties of these educational administrators. The primary duties of school principals include offering instructional leadership and handling the daily functions of an elementary, middle or high school. As part of their job description, educational administrators are in charge of setting and maintaining the academic standard of the educational institution and implementing policies and procedures to carry out established goals. Supervision is also a vital aspect of an educational administrator’s role, as it includes the management of all staff and faculty. By monitoring the development of the institution and tracking student improvements, an educational administrator can design new programs and restructure established programs to fit the needs of his/her students. Budgetary issues, student recruitment, parental advisement, community involvement and hiring all fall under the responsibilities of a school principal.Ensuring that the academic environment of a school is positive, inviting and conducive to faculty instruction and student learning is also listed under an educational administrator’s title. In order to meet such demands, principals must regularly visit classrooms, survey existing teaching methods, research new instructional techniques, conference with faculty and staff and review class materials. Furthermore, to maintain funding and accreditation, educational administrators must make sure the school meets the requirements of local, state and national standards. As one can see, the list of duties and responsibilities is quite extensive. However, with the right education and quality experience, one can come prepared for the task.
What are the Attributes of a Successful School Principal?
Consider the following list of attributes if you are considering a career as a school principal.
- Ability to make constructive and beneficial decisions for students, faculty, parents, community and institution
- Motivation and determination
- Leadership and supervisory skills
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Effective communication
- Diverse knowledge of educational practices and models
- Computer technology aptitude
New Prospects in the Job Market
It is undeniable. The need for educational professionals is great in society today. However, the requirements for degrees and certifications vary from state to state. Consider the norm among current educational administrators. In the case of most public schools, educational administrators are required to hold at least a Master’s degree in Education Administration or Educational Leadership. Doctoral or specialized degrees are not uncommon. Licensure by the state varies from region to region. Fortunately, advanced degrees in education are becoming more widely offered than ever before. The new shift to online education has made it possible for education professionals to continue their schooling while continuing to gain professional experience.With this growing number of traditional and online certification programs, the job market is estimated to expand accordingly. In fact, as stipulated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the field of educational administration is projected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations through 2014. Furthermore, as education comes to the forefront in state and national policy, the need for certified, educational administrators is expected to skyrocket. In fact, the BLS projects that the number of employed positions in educational administration will jump by 13 percent between 2000 and 2010. Moreover, a 1998 survey by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) reported that around half of the polled school districts admitted a shortage in eligible school principal candidates for that year. However, the job ladder doesn’t stop there. Once an individual has achieved a position as a school principal, there is still room to advance. The most common form of promotion for an educational administrator is a transfer to a position with more responsibility due to region, funding, enrollment, resources or academic improvement. In some cases, educational administrators become superintendents or presidents of academic institutions.
Financing Life as a School Principal
Teachers and counselors often turn toward administration as a step in their career and in their pay. The following breakdown, based on a BLS report, is the median annual earnings of educational administrators (based on specific fields):Principals
Senior high school principal: $82,225
Junior high or middle school principal: $78,160
Elementary school principal: $74,062
Assistant Principals
Senior high school assistant principal: $68,945
Junior high or middle school assistant principal: $66,319
Elementary school assistant principal: $ 63,398
These figures are dependent upon several factors including region and number of students attending the school.
The Benefits Package
The benefits package provided to educational administrators is above average in quality. On average, the BLS reports school principals receive 4 to 5 weeks of paid vacation each year. Health insurance and pension packages tend to be similarly generous. Lastly, it is not uncommon for an institution to offer free tuition to employees and their families.
Recent Developments in the Profession
Estimates show that a significant portion of the educational administration field will retire in the next ten years. In fact, a ten-year study by the NAESP revealed that the average age for a principal’s retirement was 57. More importantly, the report found that “more than half plan to retire as soon as they are eligible, [continuing] the 40-plus percent turnover rate in the next decade.”Meanwhile, on the political front, past shortages in education funds have drawn significant attention within the past few years. Education requirements and funding solutions have begun to climb on the priority lists of citizens and legislators alike. In fact, the School Leadership Program of the 2002 Elementary and Secondary Education Act handed out over $10 million in grants.
Universalisation of Elementary Education: Entitlement Imperative
Dr. Gursharan Singh Kainth
Director GAD Institute of Development Studies 14-Preet Avenue, Majitha Road PO Naushera, Amritsar143 008 (Emails: idsasr@indiatimes.com; gursharan_kainth@rediffmail.com)
India is increasingly being recognized internationally as a knowledge hub, on the flip side only 10 per cent of its total students strength is enrolled in higher education. Education is the most important element of growth and a critical input for investment in human capital. It is indeed a fundamanetal right of every Indian child to receive at least the basic education. India is in the process of transforming itself into a developed nation by 2010. Yet we have 350 million people who need literacy and many more that have to acquire employable skills to suit the emerging modern India and the globe. Can we allow the situation to continue in which million of these children are forced into life long poverty? The need of the hour is that the parents should be able to go to any nearby school, admit their wards and happily come back with the confidence that their kids will get good value based quality education in that school.
The first major international affirmation on Education for All (EFA) was at World Conference on Education in Jomtien (Thailand) in 1990 when 155 countries including India resolved to Universalize Primary Education and significantly reduce illiteracy by 2000. The conference adopted the vision that all children have the fundamental right to basic education. Later in the World Education Forum at Dakar Senegal (2000) 164 countries including India reaffirmed the goal of education for all as laid out at Jomtien and other international conferences. It urged Governments to achieve quality basic education for all by 2015 or earlier with emphasis on girls’ education. This was followed by the UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 2000 which binds countries to ensure that all children every where must complete primary schooling by 2015. The right to basic education is spelled out explicitly in Article 26 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The first paragraph of Article 26 proclaims that:
“Every one has the right to education, Education shall be free At least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory”
Education lays the foundation of a nation. It is considered to be critical component in enhancing the enjoyments of rights that we are entitled to and for overloading social and economic deprivation or poverty. Education is important, but as a right and as a means of promoting peace and respect for human rights. However much before these international commitments and affirmations, India has begun its journey towards Universal Elementary Education (UEE). Independent India’s first Education Minister Mulana Abul Kalam Azad, in an educational conference in 1948 remarked that:
“it was the birth right of every individual to receive at least the basic education without which he cannot fully discharge his duties as a citizen.”
Struggle to achieve goal of Universal Elementary Education in India began during the colonial period led by the rulers of some of the princely states and national leadership involved in independent movement. Yet planned efforts in real terms with concerted policy of mass education that ensures elementary education for all become a reality only after country got independence in 1947. More than 56 years ago in 1950, the Indian Constitution emphatically stated that:
“State shall endeavor to provide free and compulsory education for all children up to 14 years with in ten years- by 1960.”
Regrettably where we are now? India has approximately half of the world’s illiterates. Why is Indian record so dismal? But this journey was long and hard, as literacy and school participation rates were very low at that point of time. Consider the educational situation in 1950’s. The overall literacy rate was just 16.6 per cent (female literacy less than 9 per cent). The gross enrolment ratio at the primary stage (Grade-I to Grade-V covering 6 to 11 age groups) was only 42.6 per cent. At the upper primary stage (Grade-VI to Grade-VIII in 11 to 14 age group), only 1 out of 8 child was enrolled in schools, among girls only 1 out of 20. Even those who enrolled in the school, about two-third dropped out by Grade-V and four-fifth by Grade-VIII. The quality of education was poor and schooling facilities were dismal. Such was the education scenario when India embarked on the journey for attaining education for all children.
The 1990’s witnessed very intensive level of activities on the elementary education front leading to substantial improvement in the participation of children and also in overall literacy figures. Probably buoyed by this improvement, Tenth Plan set very stiff targets to achieve in terms of almost all indicators National Policy on Education in 1965, 1986 and 1992(modified) reiterated the resolve to achieve UEE. Also numbers of schemes and programme were launched over the past 56 years especially after the constitutional amendments in 1976 to include education in the concurrent list making it joint responsibilities of the Union and the states. Some of the major schemes initiated were:
• Non-formal Education-1977 later revised as Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovative Education in 2000 for targeting out of school children. • Operation Black Board (1987) for improving human and physical resources in schools. • Teacher Education Scheme 1987 for teacher teaching and providing academic support. • Mid-day-Meals Scheme (1995) to enhance nutritional status of students.
• District Primary Education Programme (1994) for achieving Universal Primary Educations. • UNICEF assisted Janshala Programme (1988) for community participation in schools. • Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was launched for achievement of UEE in 2001-2002. • Indian Parliament enacted the Constitutional 86th Amendment Act 2002 to make education a Fundamental right of every child. • To give impetus to girls education two programme, National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary level (NPEGEL) and Kasturba Gandhi Bal Vidayalaya (KGBV) were initiated in 2003. • Parambhik Shiksha Kosh was created for a separate, dedicated non-lapsable fund to maintain by Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Elementary Education and Literacy by imposing two per cent cess on all direct and indirect taxes with effect from 2003-2004.
Not withstanding the expectations set in the constitution to achieve UEE benchmark within ten years, it should be recognized that the country began at an abysmally low-level in 1950 with respect to adult literacy rates and participation of children in schooling. Since then the country has achieved commendable success on the front of expansion of educational institution at different stages due to concerted and conscious endeavor of both central and state governments. While at the dawn of independence, the literacy rate was 16.67 per cent today, the literacy rate as per 2001 census is 65.38 per cent (75.85 per cent for male and 64 per cent for female). The increase of 13.2 percentage point in 2001 over 1991 is highest in a single decade since1901. The gender gap has also narrowed down from 28.84 percentage point in 1991 to 21.70 percentage points in 2001. Although the country has made significant progress in improving the entry rates in grade-I and in enrolment ratio at primary level, the completion rates at both the primary (Grade-V) and upper primary (Grade-VIII) are still very low. Out of 100 children entering Grade-I in country, only about 61 reach Grade-V and only 45 Grade-VIII. This is despite significant improvement in retention rates during 1980’s and the 1990’s. Low enrolment ratios at upper primary and secondary levels coupled with high drop out rates even within the primary stages means low completion
rates at various stages.
Recent study conducted by the human resource development ministry has found that out of every two students enrolled in school drop out before reaching the ninth standard. Further the study reveals that one out of every four students does not go beyond class five. By class eight the drop out rate gets worse at 50.8 per cent. The decline in drop out rates is only modest since 1990. The drop out rates of scheduled caste (SC) and schedules tribes (ST) children declined marginally from 68 per cent and 79 per cent respectively in 1990-91 to 57 and 66 per cent in 2005. Furthermore, as many as 60 per cent of SC and 67 per cent of ST girls leave school without completing upper primary cycle of education, compared to 51 per cent of girls from general category No doubt, government is striving to achieve universalisation of elementary education by 2010 by confessed that one out of five teachers at primary level was not attending class. UNESCO report Corrupt Schools, Corrupt Universities: What Can be Done has indicated that 25 per cent teacher’s absence rate at the primary school level. The government is implementing Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All) programme for UEE by augmenting availability of school infrastructure and improving the quality of education in elementary schools, but the quality of primary and elementary education is a matter of great concern
Chairing the meting of the Governing Council of the National Mission for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh expressed his deep concern over the high dropout rates of students at primary and elementary levels. The drop rate at primary level is 34 per cent and that at elementary level is 52.9 per cent. Describing this drop rate as unacceptability high, attributed to the lack of adequate facilities, large scale absenteeism of teachers and inadequate supervision by local authorities. Reiterating the government’s commitment to UEE, Dr Singh said, “We give dates that has lost meaning. We need education for all today”. Recognizing the importance of the right based approach to elementary education, Indian Parliament has recently enacted the constitution (86th Amendment) Act 2002. The amendment places a legal obligation on states to make elementary education a fundamental right in India for children between the age group of 6 to 14 years. This is stated in Article 21(A) of the Amendments, which reads as follows:
“The states shall provide free compulsory education for all children aged between six to fourteen years in such a manner as the state may, by law determine”.
The 86th constitutional Amendment can be seen as a major step in the direction of clearly defining the entitlement of all children in the age groups of 6 to 14 years to formally receive at least eight years of elementary education. Although Indian constitution always preceded this right in the form of Directive Principles (Article 45) of the Directive Principles of State Policy of Indian Constitution, the Amendment has made at a justifiable right and hence a step forward. However, the Act, which would define the entitlement in more concrete terms and also the boundaries of justifiability, is yet to be formulated and passed by the Parliament. In the absence of concrete measures in the right direction, the recent 86th Amendment will remain rhetoric. But an act alone cannot achieve the goals unless the education is delivered in a manner which will take into account the socio-economic reality, and perception of people to whom it is addressed. Apart from attracting children to schools, the education system should be able to provide nourishment and inject creativity among the children. Also the aim of the education system should be to build character; human values enhance the learning capacity through technology and build the confidence among the children to face the future. The challenge before us is not a small one. No nation can become strong when it ignores its most precious natural resource- its people. No great cause is achieved without even greater efforts. Thus is a great case- one that can ennoble each of us – just as the freedom movement ennobled those who serve it. It is a cause that can be achieved only if each of us plays a part, and it is a cause, that must be achieved because the suture of our nation depends on it.
Everyone is aware of peer on peer bullying and the Education system is emphatic about about not allowing the situation to arise and if it does how to protect the student who is being bullied. What about when teachers bully students. This receives virtually no attention. With the publicity surrounding peer to peer bullying, why is the idea of teacher to student bullying largely ignored in the education system today unless it involves sexual conduct? Is other types of bullying unplausible? Is there a definition for teacher bullying? Does it exist?
Bullying by a teacher is defined as a pattern of conduct, rooted in a power differential, that threatens, harms, humiliates, induces fear, or causes a student substantial emotional distress. What does that really mean? Abuse of power that tends to be chronic and often expressed in public, a form of humiliation that generates attention while degrading the student in front of others, students capabilities are debased and identity is ridiculed. In nearly every case of teacher bullying it is a singular target that this bullied repeatedly. Equally significant is that the teacher usually receives no retribution or other negative consequences.
Victims are chosen on the basis of either vulnerability or because of some devalued personal attribute the teacher perceives of the student. Once targeted, the victim is treated in a manner which will set the student apart from their peers. The teacher makes frequent references to how the student differs from other students whom the teacher perceives as more capable or valuable. As a consequence, the student because a scapegoat among peers.
Teachers who do bully feel their abusive conduct is justified and claim provation by the student. They disquise their behavior as an appropriate part of the instruction, as well as disguising abuse as an appropriate disciplinary response to unacceptable behavior by the student. However, the student is subjected to deliberate humiliation by the teacher that can never ever serve as a legitimate educational purpose.
Students who are bullied by teachers feel confused, angry, fearful, full of self-doubt, and have profound concerns about their competencies both academically and socially. The student not understanding why they were targeted nor what they must do to end the bullying, over time, especially if no one in an authoritative position intervenes, feels they are to blame for the abuse and feel a sense of helplessness and worthlessness.
Teachers who bully employ a number of methods to deflect any complaints about their offensive conduct. Convincing or attempting to convince the target they are paranoid, that they have misperceived or misrepresented the behavior in question. As an example, an abusive teacher will argue that a student who complains is simply trying to excuse their questionable performance, thus shifting attention from the teacher’s inappropriate conduct to a discussion of stands and student’s motivation for complaining. This minimizes the effect of suggesting to other that what is truly at stake is merely a personal difference, rather than a systematic abuse of power.
The bullying by a teacher effectively produces a hostile climate for the student that is indefensible on academic grounds; undermining learning and the ability of a student to fulfll academic requirements. It shares at its core the same attributes of other abuses of power such as sexual harassment or hate crimes. A hate crime is simply bullying by target selection based on characteristics of race, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.
The bullying is non-physical but nevertheless pervasive and powerful with the student fearing shunning and humiliation as much as physical harm. The threat of humiliation is used as a weapon in this case. The students feels literaly trapped in an environment where the abuse is imposed upon them and there is no escape. Any complaint abut the abusive behavior places the student at risk of retaliation by the teacher including the use of grades as a sanction. Students are selected as targets based on some perceived difference by the teacher that is devalued. When the basis of the target selection is also based on discrminatory recognizable categories such as religion, it is called a hate crime. Regardless of selection process, bullying conduct by a teacher sends a clear message of fear that threatens the student, enhances their sense of vulnerability, and produces a loss of faith in the fairness of the schools.
A student victim feels emotionally distraught anf fearful, with no place to turn for help. When administration’s do nothing to defend the student, they are confirming the teacher has a right to use professional authority and endorsing and tacitly legitimizing the abuser’s mistreatment.
In the Supreme Court’s ruling in Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education the Davis Court defined that schools receiving federal funds may be held financially responsible where officials are “deliberately indifferent” to harassing behaviors including staff to student harassment that are “severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive”. This ruling defined four criteria in considering school liability: 1)school officials had actual knowledge of conduct, 2) schools were deliberately indifferent to conduct, 3) school had control of the abuser and where it occurred, and 4) the school’s response or lack of response was unreasonable given such knowledge. The ruling also suggests that schools have in pace policies and procedures to address abusive conduct such as teacher-student harassment/abuse. In effect, if the school has allowed behavior that creates a hostile environment for student in a classroom, and school officials have been given appropriate notice but fail to act, then the school risks both compensatory and punitive damages.
This one case alone proves that teacher bullying does exist. This case holds Administrators accountable for the actions of the teachers. If your student is a victim of teacher bullying, speak up and speak out. Sometimes as parents we are the only voice that is heard. It is our responsibility as parents to hold our educators responsible for their actions and behaviors.
Here are some differences between maintaining classroom control and bullying according to The Florida Anti Bullying Campaign;
Educators let students know they care. Bullies let students know who’s the boss. Educators teach self-control. Bullies exert their own control. Educators set ironclad expectations. Bullies rule with whims of steel. Educators diffuse minor disruptions with humor. Bullies to disruptions into confrontations. Educators privately counsel chronic discipline problems. Bullies publically humiliate chronic misbehaviors. Educators are judicious. Bullies are judgmental. Educators, aware of the power they wield over their students, choose their words and actions carefully. Bullies wield their power, recklessly, frequently resorting to anger and intimidation. Educators help all students feel successful. Bullies punish students for being unsuccessful. Educators address misbehavior. Bullies attack the character of the misbehaviors. Educators see each student’s uniqueness. Bullies compare children to one another. Educators treat all students with respect. Bullies make it clear that not all students deserve respect. Educators highlight good behavior. Bullies make examples of poor behavior. Educators are proactive; they create classroom environments that minimize student misbehavior. Bullies are reactive; they blame students for the lack of order in their classroom. Educators educate. Bullies humiliate.