Plummeting Education Standards Are a National Emergency

[Snowy79]

1 hour ago, Mike J said:

Very disturbing to read something like this from an "expert".  We live in the province and work with youth via our ministry.  The kids in our area and the surrounding area are not getting a quality education.  Due to poverty and poor internet connections the majority of the work is done via "modules" which are printed info/question/answer booklets.  These are given out each week and returned a week later for the next module.   To try and bring some sanity to this situation we are rotating eight middle school youth as working students.  Two to four stay with us for a week at a time.  At the start we give each a smart phone and allow them to connect to our internet here.  They do house work and a portion of their allowance is used to pay for the cell phone which is theirs to keep.  Most give any remaining allowance to their family to buy food.  We make sure that each day time is spent doing school work and completing their modules.  While not an ideal situation the youth and their parents are very appreciative and we have more students who want to join the crew.  The real challenge is for my wife who hustles to find small chores to keep them busy when not doing school work.  She also has to take the youth with her if she has to leave the house for any reason as they are under the age of 18.  

Remote learning is NOT WORKING in our area.  These kids need face to face education in order to have any chance at a future that requires some degree of education.  To extend a program like this into the future will be disastrous for the country.

Great effort Mike. The World needs more people like yourself and your good lady. 

[hk blues]

3 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

Great effort Mike. The World needs more people like yourself and your good lady. 

I'll echo that

[earthdome]

On 5/21/2021 at 5:12 PM, Tommy T. said:

On 5/21/2021 at 11:33 AM, earthdome said:

As it is said, history is written by the victors.

I think I just noted that is not always the case? But I think your comment is mostly correct.

That saying is just a short cut way of communicating that all too often the history someone learns does not reflect what really happened but the reality that those in power want you to believe. Just like news (next years history) is often spun in ways to further the agenda, profit or protect those who are in currently in power.

The book 1984 was intended to be a warning, not an instruction manual for those currently in power.

[Mike J]

On 5/24/2021 at 10:22 PM, earthdome said:

The book 1984 was intended to be a warning, not an instruction manual for those currently in power.

The book makes me think of what life must be like in North Korea. 

[expatuk2014]

Just thought i would put my two penneth in! From where i am sitting i can see a nephew working as a mining Engineer in Australia, his Brother a Geologist in Canada, another Brother a Doctor in Saudia Arabia, and  their Sister an Accountant all from one family, from another family a Nephew is a priest in Legazpi, his sister is an online nursing adviser for a group of 5 US Hospitals, and their sister is a Marine Biologist in Masbate  ! All taught in local colleges, and another Nephew has his own Dental practice here in Los Banos !