ZNA schools adopt ICT

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April 9, 2009

Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) schools have embraced Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to complement the Government's gesture and use computers donated by President Mugabe in February this year.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The training programme will enable all ZNA schools to put the computers to good use. The event is crucial in the history of the ZNA formal school system, which has been frantically working towards the establishment, and development of ICT in line with the organisation's science and technology policy. The introduction of the ICT training in army formal schools offers greater opportunities for products of this system to participate in development as their human capacities are improved, thereby enabling them to cope with demands of an economic environment characterised by extensive use of information technology.

Central varsity at Tiruvarur likely to offer 130 courses

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April 9, 2009

The newly established Central University at Tiruvarur is likely to offer 130 post graduate courses from the academic session scheduled to commence from May this year. This was announced by B. P. Sanjay, Vice-chancellor of the university. He held discussion with Collector M. Chandrasekaran and Principals and Professors of nearby colleges on Tuesday.

'Admission to the courses will be given on the basis of entrance test followed by an interview,' said B. P. Sanjay. Classes will begin from the first week of May. Economics, social science and science subjects would be thrust areas of the university. It would be a centre of higher learning and research oriented.

Gates scholarships for 6 Indian Students

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April 9, 2009

Six Indian students have won prestigious Gates scholarships to study at Cambridge – including one who wants to find out if the Harappan civilization was brought down by environmental changes. The six are among 90 students from 32 countries around the world who have been selected from a field of over 6,700 applicants, the university announced on Tuesday. The scholarship programme, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – a leading global charity, enables postgraduates with a strong interest in social leadership and responsibility to study at the University of Cambridge. The six Indian scholars, who were selected after interviews in India in April, will begin their studies in the autumn.

They were named as: Anjali Bhardwaj Datta, a lecturer at Delhi University; Yama Dixit, an environmental scientist from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi; Mathew Madhavacheril who is studying physics at Delhi University; Pritika Pradhan of Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi, who will complete her undergraduate studies in English; Kiran Rachuri, a masters student from the Indian Institute of Technology – Chennai; and Anish Vanaik, a history student at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Yama Dixit will do a PhD in Earth Sciences at Cambridge, looking at whether environmental change was behind the collapse of the Harappan Civilization and whether her findings can shed light on links between climate and civilization activities. The other 84 new Gates scholars include the first to be selected from Bangladesh, Belarus, Mongolia, Montenegro, Slovakia and Venezuela. Gordon Johnson, Provost (CEO) of the Gates Cambridge Trust, said, 'Being part of the Gates community brings with it a responsibility to use an education gained at one of the world's leading universities for the benefit of society at large – we are confident that the new cohort of Gates Scholars will meet this responsibility in a range of interesting and creative ways.'

Yadavpur University (India) bags award worth US$70,000 from HP

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April 9, 2009

HP has announced that < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Jadavpur University, Kolkota (India) has been awarded 'Technology for Teaching' Grant to transform the way subjects are taught on its campus.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The university will receive approximately US$70,000 worth of technology such as HP tablet PCs, external storage and optical drives, wireless networking cards and printers, as well as a stipend for staff to work on the projects, which have to be completed in 15 months. HP will help Jadavpur University establish a mobile learning (m-learning) centre where students taking M. Tech. course in Distributed and Mobile Computing can access content using hand-held computers. The University already has a digital library, and a content management and development system using an m-learning authoring tool. Students will be able to tap a server-based open source wireless laboratory, built on existing laptop computers and wireless technology. Universities that have been selected by HP for this global award in the Asia Pacific region are Anna University, India, University of Tokyo, Japan, University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and Yonsei University, Korea.

Vel Tech University’s scholarship scheme expanded to include toppers from Chennai

Higher Education

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April 9, 2009

Vel Tech University's Mahatma Gandhi National Merit Scholarship scheme is being expanded to include the top student among applicants from Chennai. 'As a special gesture of goodwill for the hometown students, the topper among the Chennai applicants will receive 100 % scholarship,' said R. Rangarajan, Chancellor of the university. The scheme, which includes full scholarships to the top three applicants from each State, partial scholarships to the top 100 applicants scoring above 90 % and a joint scholarship with The Hindu offering merit-cum-means scholarships for 25 other students, has been received well across the country. 'There will be takers from all States and Union Territories for our engineering scholarship scheme since we have received a large number of applications from every State. Competition will be tough but students will have to compete only with students from their own State,' said Rangarajan Mahalakshmi K., Vice-Chancellor of Vel Tech.

The huge demand had led to some anxiety about the availability of applications in some places. The university was quick to reassure students that with the last date of applications on April 30, enough applications were rushed to all sales points to cater to the unprecedented demand. They could also download applications from the website or apply online, said the admissions officer of the University.

Literary aptitude required for studying English

Higher Education

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April 8, 2009

According to experts as well as students, the primary reason for its popularity is that there is a plethora of opportunities before English (Hons) graduates who can make exciting career in media, advertising and publishing besides going for traditional choice like academics. Prominent DU colleges that offer this course is Lady Shri Ram, Hans Raj, Kirori Mal, Ramjas, SGTB Khalsa, Gargi, Miranda House, Sri Venkateswara among others. Though the cut-off for English (Hons) in 2008 ranged between 72 and 85, it went beyond 90 in a few colleges. Last year the first cut-off for English (Hons) in Hindu was 90-98. And for colleges like Miranda House it was 87-94, whereas in LSR it was 93. So what can students in 2009 expect in terms of cut-off? Faculty members feel that it may marginally vary because of the Common Admission Test for English (CATE) to be conducted for 12 colleges. Rukshana Shroff, who teaches English at LSR, said, 'Because of the entrance test, the cut-off may marginally come down. Besides, with 18% increase in number of seats, the cut-off should more or less remain stable this year.'

Eligibility: Students from any stream with English as a subject in class X and XII can apply for the course. Students are expected to have basic knowledge of English language. But this year, DU has decided to conduct CATE for admission in 12 colleges, which include Hindu, IP College for Women, Kamala Nehru, Delhi College of Arts & Commerce, Maharaja Agrasen, Ram Lal Anand (Evening), Satyawati (Evening), Shivaji, Swami Shradhanand, Zakir Husain (Morning) and Zakir Husain (Evening). Till last year, nearly 16 colleges used to hold individual entrance exams for English, but the method was scrapped by the varsity. The idea behind the CATE is to gauge students' aptitude for literature. According to the English department of DU, around 3,000 applications are expected for CATE this year. Those who take CATE can also apply for other colleges for admission on the basis of CBSE marks. According to faculty members, the purpose of having the course is not to teach students how to write in English, but to make them learn literature.

Indian, Chinese students have an edge over US counterparts

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April 8, 2009

A top education official in Obama Administration on Friday said that the American students are at a competitive disadvantage with those from < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />India and China, who spend more time in schools. 'Our students today are competing against children in India and China. Those students are going to school 25 to 30 % longer than we are. Our students, I think, are at a competitive disadvantage. I think we're doing them a disservice,' Education Secretary Arne Duncan said at a Congressional hearing. 'I fundamentally think our day is way too short. I think our week is way too short. I think our year is way too short,' Duncan said responding to a question during his testimony before House Education and Labour Committee. He said, 'I want our children to compete on level playing field with children from India and China.'

< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Duncan argued that the students in the US should devote more time in their schools. He added, 'We saw it all the time in Chicago what we call summer reading loss. If you get children to a certain point by June, when they come back in September, they're further behind than when they left in June. It's absolutely crazy.'

Project Abroad donates computers to Mamfe Presby Primary School

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April 8, 2009

The Mamfe Presbyterian Primary School has been presented with ten computers, a laptop and a scanner to facilitate information and Communications Technology (ICT) education. The donation was made by Projects Abroad, a voluntary organisation in Germany, and the items were presented by Dieter Mvelhaupt, the leader. at a ceremony here. Mvelhaupt said 27 more computers would be donated to the school after the completion of the school's computer laboratory. The headmistress, Rosina Ohenewa Asiedu, thanked the organisation and said the equipment would be put to good use to enable the students to acquire ICT skills. She used the occasion to urge parents to care for their wards in school. Osabarima Ansah Sasraku III, the chief of Mamfe, called on parents to renew their commitment towards their children's education since they are the future leaders.

Nene Nagai Kassah III, paramount chief of Agomeda-Shai traditional area, pledged his support for the computer laboratory project. Nene Kassah, also known as Mike Gizo, a former minister of state, reiterated the need for adequate parental care for the students to enable them to realise their dreams in future.

NKC proposes an UG Board for regulating colleges

Higher Education

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April 8, 2009

The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) has proposed an undergraduate board to set the colleges free from the imperial rule and regulate all the administrative affairs for the smooth sailing of the colleges. With this proposal, the colleges in the country may soon be liberated from the universities. The undergraduate board will look into curriculum, exams, degrees, etc. for colleges. Once the undergraduate board comes into force, universities can lay emphasis on higher education and research work. The NKC has received spontaneous reaction from several states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan and the Union Territory of Puducherry. All these states and Union Territory have already started drafting a bill on the same. The proposed undergraduate board will function like the ICSE or CBSE board, and will execute all responsibilities academic and administrative that university fulfills for its colleges, including curriculum, exams, degrees and finance.

As per NKC Indian universities are no longer able to function efficiently due to immense centralization and politicization. The commission's document added, 'This system of affiliated colleges for undergraduate education, which may have been appropriate 50 years ago, is neither adequate nor appropriate at this point of time. Quality and excellence are compromised in the effort to meet the needs of one and all. The result often is that everything is reduced to the lowest common denominator and fails to meet special needs or the aspirations of bright students.'

IGNOU to launch Scientists program

K-12

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April 8, 2009

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in association with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) will launch 'Little Scientists' a programme aimed at linking scientific principles with day to day activities and nature in schools from the beginning of the next academic year. This programme is a modernised version of an experimental research project by the same name that was held in the selected schools last year across the State. 'This is for the first time we have tied-up with IGNOU to provide science education to children,' said John Philip, assistant programme officer and distance education co-ordinator (SSA).

The tie-up is a great step forward and in enhancing the quality of science education in the State,' added Philip. The focus of the science project, slated to kick-start in Palakkad, will be for students of class I to VII.

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