Young Learner News Magazine March 2019

March 2019

YOUNG LEARNER News Magazine on School Education

Students of a government school in Delhi cross high walls and barbed wires to abscond from the school.

School education is bad and teachers have no control on students. Photo: Rakesh Raman

An Editorial Initiative of Raman Media Network Editor: Rakesh Raman

Modern Education | Trends | Job Market | Campaigns | Policy

Main Stories in This Issue

Learning

New Book for Primary Learning NASA Book Reveals Beauty of Earth

Contest

Research

McGraw-Hill English Learners Report School Education Quality Index Young Scientist Programme at ISRO

Policy

Framework for Modern Education Students Write Essays on Global Warming Education Conundrum in India

Problems Problems in the Current Education System in Indian Schools

Students Invited to Test Spelling Skills Intellectual Property Competition

Harmful Effects Harmful Effects of Poor Education Quality in Indian Schools

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NITI Aayog to Develop School Education Quality Index The School Education Quality Index (SEQI) is being developed to rank states / UTs on educational outcomes, with a high weightage to learning outcomes.

The planning arm of the Indian government NITI Aayog and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF) have signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) to codify, document, and share best practices to improve learning outcomes in public school education through systemic reforms, based on their collective experiences of working with various state governments in India.

कूल क बि डंग कूल नह ं है । कूल का अथ तो कूल क पढ़ाई है , जो कसी कूल म नह ं हो रह । Ph o by Rakesh Raman The SOI was signed in the presence of Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, by Alok Kumar, Adviser (HRD), NITI Aayog and Barun Mohanty, Managing Director (International), MSDF. As a part of this initiative, the School Education Quality Index (SEQI) is being developed to rank states / UTs on educational outcomes, with a high weightage to learning outcomes.

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Under this partnership, NITI Aayog and MSDF will document the reforms pursued by various state governments that have initiated systemic ​reforms in education and have begun to see improved learning outcomes over the past few years.

Under the agreement, a joint team comprising state leaders, consultants, research agencies, and educators shall work together to develop a ‘theory of change’ based on the learning from the states and will document the impact on ground by commissioning third party ​studies​ to evaluate the impact of systemic reforms in education.

Students Invited to Test Spelling Skills Word Mania is free for any student from Grades 1 to 9 to enter.

Students in the United States are invited to test their spelling skills in Word Mania USA, which is an online literacy competition. Created by LiteracyPlanet, an English literacy (language arts) education program​, Word Mania challenges students to create as many words as they can in three minutes from 15 randomly generated letter tiles.

Word Mania USA is giving students in the United States the chance to win up to $10,000 for their school while improving important literacy skills.

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Word Mania is free for any student from Grades 1 to 9 to enter, and $10,000 in prizes is being offered by LiteracyPlanet. LiteracyPlanet U.S. Commercial Director Ashley O'Connor said she was looking forward to seeing children in the U.S. rise to the challenge.

Word Mania develops literacy skills including affixes and plurals (morphemes), word recognition, vocabulary, and word knowledge.

Students had up until March 1 to sharpen their skills as part of the Practice Round. The Competition Round takes place from March 4-8. The top-performing schools will qualify for the Final Round from March 13-15 and have the chance to win up to $10,000 in prizes.

To register for a login to play LiteracyPlanet Word Mania USA or for more information, parents and teachers can go​ here​.

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Students Write Essays on Global Warming and Climate Change The President noted that children wrote essays on global warming and what we can do to avert climate change and protect the natural environment.

Winners of the 2016-17 nationwide ‘Tata Building India School Essay Competition’ called on the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, on February 14, 2019 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated the winners of the school essay competition.

He noted that almost 4 million children from over 8,500 schools all over the country wrote an essay concerned with nation building in 13 languages. Among the 78 winners, he said, as many as 53 are girls.

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The President noted that children wrote essays on global warming and what each one of us can do to avert climate change and protect the natural environment. He said that this topic relates to one of the biggest challenges facing humankind.

President with the winners of Tata Building India School Essay Competition. Photo: Rashtrapati Bhavan With so many children writing an essay on global warming and climate change​, India, he felt, was investing in a generation that cares for the planet and our environment.

Education Conundrum

Today, the Indian government boasts that India is a nation of the young people with more than 54% of its 1.3 billion population below the age of 25 years.

But the government does not realize that in the absence of right education, these young people are like time bombs. They will not be able to get the right ​career without the right education. Then in desperation today’s young people will become tomorrow’s criminals and bring disaster for India.

It is, therefore, an imperative to immediately revamp the entire school education system of India to save the lives of millions of children by giving them the right education.

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New NASA Book Reveals Beauty of Earth from Space The book is available now in hardcover and ebook as well as online with interactive features.

Swirling white clouds, deep blue oceans, and multicolored landscapes bring to life the pages of NASA's new 168-page book "Earth," a collection of images captured by Earth-observing satellites.

From a lava field in Iceland to the icy Patagonian landscape of South America, the 69 images in "Earth" present the planet's atmosphere, water, land, and ice and snow with short explanations of the science behind each image.

"The spectacular images in this book remind us of the majestic beauty of our world," said Lawrence Friedl, program director for the Applied Sciences Program in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Earth Science Division in Washington. "We hope these images inspire everyone to explore, understand, and appreciate the planet we call home."

NASA brings together technology, science, and global Earth observations to provide societal benefits. The agency makes its Earth observations freely and openly available to those seeking solutions to important global issues such as changing freshwater availability, food security, and human health.

The book is available now in hardcover and ebook as well as online with interactive features. You can download a free​ ebook​ version of "Earth."

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McGraw-Hill Education Releases English Learners Report Educators see a clear link between ELs' social and emotional wellbeing, and their ability to succeed academically.

As the number of ​English Learners (ELs) continues to grow in schools across the United States, educators remain optimistic about the academic potential of these students, according to the second annual English Learners Report by learning science company McGraw-Hill Education.

However, teachers say that social and emotional obstacles present the most significant challenge to these students' ability to succeed.

According to the survey, a strong majority of educators (75 percent of teachers and 85 percent of administrators) are optimistic about ELs' ability to succeed academically. The majority also believe EL instruction contributes to their students' improved academic language performance and overall E ​ nglish​ proficiency.

Furthermore, most educators surveyed expressed that EL instruction is funded sufficiently in their school or district, and that access to EL instructional resources has increased over the past five years.

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However, ​survey results highlight gaps and areas where additional support may be needed.

Many educators believe that social and emotional obstacles, such as having overcome trauma or insufficient language skills to communicate with other students, present the biggest hurdle to ELs success.

Other prominent challenges called out by teachers include the lack of family and community support, and anxiety around the political climate. Overall, 69 percent of administrators and 65 percent of teachers reported that conversations about immigration impact their school / classroom environment, and noted that discussions around immigration were more prevalent than those about other social and political issues, including healthcare, climate change, and gun violence.

"It's encouraging that educators feel EL instruction is translating into positive academic benefits for many ELs, but these survey findings also underscore the importance of social and emotional learning in schools," said Heath Morrison, President of McGraw-Hill's School Group. "As education professionals, we must continue to do everything we can to ensure that our students have the social and emotional support that they need, so that they can succeed academically and in life."

According to the survey​, educators see a clear link between ELs' social and emotional wellbeing, and their ability to succeed academically.

Young Scientist Programme for School Students Launched at ISRO The selection is based on the academic performance and extracurricular activities.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched a special programme for school children called “Young Scientist Programme” or “YUva VIgyani KAryakram” (यु वका) from this year.

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The Program is primarily aimed at imparting basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space

Science, and Space Applications to the younger students with the aim of increasing their interest in the emerging areas of space activities.

The residential training program will be of around two weeks’ duration during summer holidays and it is proposed to select 3 students each from each State / Union Territory to participate in this program every year covering CBSE, ICSE, and State syllabus. Those who have finished 8th standard and currently studying in 9th standard will be eligible for the program.

ISRO has approached the Chief Secretaries of the respective States / Administrators of Union Territories in India to arrange for the selection of three students from each of their State / UT and send the list to ISRO.

Photo: ISRO

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The selection is based on the academic performance and extracurricular activities, which is

mentioned in the selection criteria already circulated to Chief Secretaries of States / Administrators of UTs. Students belonging to rural areas have been given special weightage in the selection criteria. The list of the selected candidates from each state is expected by March-end 2019.

Constructive Education Framework for Modern Education Schools and parents who want to adopt this modern system for the education of their children can contact RMN Foundation.

In order to help schools revamp their educational and pedagogical systems, RMN Foundation has developed a curriculum: Constructive Education Framework.

It will help those forward-looking schools and parents who believe that the current education system in India is not quite helpful to ensure the right ​career for their children in the modern knowledge-driven world.

Objectives of Constructive Education Framework ●

To connect education with employability

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To focus on skills development rather than on plain theory

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To teach with the principle of “Learning for Earning”

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To produce morally sound and honest people

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To build a clean and prosperous society

Schools and parents who want to adopt this modern system for the education of their children can ​contact​ Rakesh Raman, founder of RMN Foundation.

Travel Advisory for New Delhi, India As pollution levels remain dangerously high throughout the year in India, all travelers including business executives, tourists, and diplomats need to exercise utmost caution while planning to visit India – particularly India’s capital New Delhi.

Moreover, companies and investors must not come to Delhi for setting up their businesses or for trade conferences as ​pollution can harm them as well as their families. Foreigners who have come to stay in India for their work, should preferably go back to their countries. Or, at least, they should not keep their children with them because Delhi’s pollution is very harmful for children.

Delhi Government, the Indian Government, and the pollution-control ​agencies are not taking proper steps to control pollution because most politicians and bureaucrats in India are uneducated and careless.

Multiple Subject Guide for Primary Learning Schools that want to introduce this book for their students can contact RMN Foundation.

RMN Foundation school – which provides modern education free of charge to deserving children – has introduced its new book to educate the students at primary level. Written by RMN Foundation founder and teacher Rakesh Raman, the book is a multiple subject guide comprising the following subjects: YOUNG LEARNER News Magazine on School Education by RMN Foundation

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1. Moral and Behavioural Education 2. English 3. Arithmetic 4. Information Technology (IT) / Computers 5. General Knowledge Schools that want to introduce this book for their students can c​ ontact​ RMN Foundation.

Entries Invited for Intellectual Property Competition This year, entries are invited on “IP in Daily Life” in two categories – filmmaking and comic book making.

The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, in collaboration with ASSOCHAM and ERICSSON India, has launched the second edition of ‘Iprism.’

It is an Intellectual Property (IP) competition for students of schools​, polytechnic institutes, colleges, and universities.

Aiming to foster a culture of innovation and creativity in the younger generation, the competition will provide young creators an opportunity to see their creations recognized on a national platform.

This year, entries are invited on “IP in Daily Life” in two categories – ​filmmaking and comic

book

making.

The

filmmaking

competition will accept entries of 60 second long animated / film videos, while the ​comic book making encourages participants to narrate a story in comic strips under 5 pages.

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Cash prizes worth more than Rs. 2 lakh will be given to the winning teams besides a special trophy of recognition for the school / institute / college that the students represent.

The winners will also be recognized on CIPAM’s official website​. The last date for receiving entries is May 30, 2019. The Iprism website will carry details and regular updates on the competition.

Appeal for Donations RMN Foundation is a humanitarian organization that was formed in May 2015 as an educational and public charitable Trust for the benefit of humanity at large. It is registered with the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi at New Delhi, India.

Currently, all the activities of RMN Foundation are being managed single-handedly (without any support) by RMN Foundation founder Rakesh Raman who had left his job a few years ago to run this charity.

As RMN Foundation has embarked upon some major humanitarian projects during the past over 3 years, now it needs a significant amount of funds in the form of donations​ to expand the scope of its activities.

Individual Indian donors can help RMN Foundation with their contributions using the following bank details:

Bank Name: ICICI Bank Bank Branch: HL Square, Plot No. 6, Sector 5 (MLU), Dwarka, New Delhi 110 075 Account Number: 025005004368 Account Name: RMN Foundation Type of Account: Current IFSC Code: ICIC0000250 Or you can ​click here​ to donate with PayPal, credit card, or bank account.

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Problems in the Current Education System in Indian Schools ●

No relationship between education and employability of students

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Incompetent teachers who do not understand the evolving pedagogy

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Careless and ignorant bureaucrats in the education departments

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Exaggerated hype by naive politicians with a focus on votes

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No Return on Investment (RoI) analysis for expenditure on education

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No method to assess the quality of education

Harmful Effects of Poor Education Quality in Indian Schools ●

Spoiling the lives and careers of millions of children

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Increasing joblessness resulting in social unrest

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Increasing juvenile crimes in schools as well as the cities

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Increasing drug addiction among students

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Wastage of huge public money

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Creation of dependent, idle society which survives only on government dole

Meet the Editor The editor of ​Young Learner news magazine ​Rakesh Raman is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. Besides working at senior editorial positions with leading media companies, he was writing an exclusive edit-page column regularly for The Financial Express (a daily business newspaper of The Indian Express Group).

Nowadays, for the past about 8 years, he has been running his own global news services on different subjects. He also has formed a free Education and Career Counselling Center for deserving children at a poor J.J. Colony in Dwarka, New Delhi under his ​NGO – RMN

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Foundation. He also runs a global edutainment site ​RMN Kids for children, their parents, and teachers.

He runs a community-driven anti-corruption social service “​Clean House​” to help the suffering residents of Delhi raise their voice against the growing corruption and injustice.

He also has formed an environment-protection group called​ Green Group​ in Delhi.

He creates and distributes a number of ​digital publications that cover areas such as technology, law, environment, education, politics, corruption and transparency.

He has created a comprehensive online information service to educate the Indian voters for the upcoming ​Lok Sabha election​ scheduled to happen in 2019.

Earlier, he had been associated with the United Nations (UN) through United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as a digital media expert to help businesses use technology for brand marketing and business development.

Collaboration for School Education Content Project The ​Young Learner news magazine is being published by RMN Foundation. It is being circulated among the top UN agencies, education departments, policymakers, schools, civil society organizations, social activists, and others in India and abroad.

RMN Foundation is looking for sponsors and collaborators across the world who can join hands with us to expand the school education content activity with the objective to improve the quality of school education in a holistic manner.

Contact

Rakesh Raman Founder RMN Foundation 463, DPS Apts., Plot No. 16, Sector 4, Dwarka, Phase I New Delhi 110 078, INDIA Contact by email

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