Allow profit in education
Economic Times, April 11, 2011

In 1992, the pass rate for Uttar Pradesh Board High School students fell to 15% from the before and after 25-year average of 40%. Why? This was the year that the chief minister, upset with government teachers because of political calculations, ordered the police to check identity cards and supervise exams to prevent cheating.

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Only 25 % IT graduates readily employable: Nasscom
Economic Times, April 7, 2011

DELHI I BANGALORE: At 25, and with a computer science degree from one of the top regional engineering colleges , Sandesh Kumar considered himself to be the luckiest among all his batch mates when he was picked by Infosys Technologies last year. But within three months, Kumar realised the initial training at Infosys’ sprawling Mysore campus was getting nowhere. “I actually sucked at everything – communications, language and understanding about some of the latest development tools,” Kumar says. “The company was kind enough to flag early that I might face hurdles ahead and I decided to quit,” he adds.

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Here’s What We’ve Learned About Schools And Malawi
Huffington Post, April 6, 2011

I hope Madonna and Oprah read this. My nonprofit, the Face-to-Face AIDS Project, has realized many things about making the most meaningful impact with our charity dollars. A lot we’ve learned the hard way, and we’ve made our share of mistakes. But with regards to our program of offering scholarship to orphans (which includes transport fees, pocket money, and room & board where needed), I think we’ve arrived at something transformational. I’d love to share this with you.

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Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says he’s inspired by New Orleans schools
Nola.com, April 8, 2011

On a visit to New Orleans on Friday, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan repeatedly used superlatives to describe the strides the city’s schools have made since Hurricane Katrina, saying he draws inspiration from the dynamism of local school reformers. Duncan called New Orleans the most improved school district in the country, terming its progress “remarkable” and “stunning.” While other cities have had trouble implementing major changes, Duncan said, New Orleans educators have shown “amazing courage and no complacency” in radically remaking the public schools.

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Vouchers revived
World Magazine, April 11, 2011

WASHINGTON—A couple thousand low-income children in District of Columbia will be happy about the budget bill for the current fiscal year that President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Speaker of the House John Boehner agreed to Friday night: It includes the reopening of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to low-income families to send their children to a school of their choice. Congress will likely pass the budget bill midweek.

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Obama-Singh initiative to take wings soon
Mint, April 11, 2011

India and the US will take steps to increase collaboration in higher education in the next few months under an initiative announced during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the US in November 2009. The country aims to set up theme-based universities, promote research, train teachers and brand a group of leading educational institutes the Indian Ivy League under the Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge programme, named after Singh and US President Barack Obama.

More literacy, but improve education quality too: Experts
Silicon India, April 11, 2011

Educationists have lauded the nearly 10 percent rise in India’s literacy rate, which is around 75 percent now, but they say the quality of school education also needs to improve if the country wants to compete at the global level.

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Classroom India: Pearson’s New Venture
MoneyControl, April 11, 2011

In about three months from now, Bangalore will become the first city in the world where Pearson will have a school under its own brand name. Pearson plans to have at least 100 schools in three years. The closest it comes to this model is in Brazil, where it supplies everything that a school needs.

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Research Article
Are skill-intensive imports from rich nations deskilling emerging economies?

Raphael Auer, 10 December 2010

ABSTRACT: Do skill-intensive imports from rich nations reduce skill accumulation in emerging economies? This column presents new evidence from 41 emerging economies to suggest that being close to the global supply of skilled labour decreases domestic human capital. A one-standard deviation higher geographic proximity to skilled labour is associated with a 12% lower average education length of the country’s workforce. This may have profound consequences for the ability of poorer nations to catch up with richer ones.

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ENABLE – ARK & CCS’s School Access and Voucher Programme

ARK’s work in Delhi has identified many communities where children are facing multiple social and economic challenges which put them at great risk of being excluded, dropping out or never attending school. To address this need ARK has partnered with Centre for Civil Society (CCS)
to implement ENABLE (Ensure Access to Better Learning Experiences), a school access and
voucher programme for underprivileged children in Shahdara.Read more

School Choice National Conference Video

Watch this video to catch the highlights of the School Choice National Conference 2010 held at India Habitat Centre.

Click here for the video

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

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