ENVIRONMENT / GREEN -Youths turn eco-idol crusaders - INDIA

MUMBAI: In order to encourage youngsters to spearhead the campaign for an eco-friendly Ganeshotsav, the Times Green Ganesh (TGG) Ambassador programme was launched recently at the Sophia College festival, Kaleidoscope 2012.

Each TGG Ambassador will spread the word in his locality and request Ganesh mandals, households and societies to undertake eco-friendly actions. A major campaign is being undertaken to sensitize youth about the adverse effects of pollution and environment-related offences.

TGG has also tied up with the National Social Service (NSS) for an outreach programme. Around 1,200 students from 20 colleges in Maharashtra have attended workshops and participated in this campaign. An idol-making workshop was conducted recently by Anita Rane-Kothare, head of department of Ancient Indian Culture, St Xavier's College in association with the Museum Society of Bombay, where children from the Spastics Society, Indian Cancer Society, RTT School and Bhavishyayaan participated.

Similarly workshops have been conducted at SIWS College Wadala, KC College and HR College. Professors from the Sir JJ School of Art (sculpture), NGO Envirovigil led by Prof Vidyadhar Walavalkar, Dr Anuradha Natarajan and KC College principal Manju Nichani have supported this cause. The campaign is also organized in Pune, Nasik, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Kolhapur.

Shaina NC of I Love Mumbai Foundation set to organize a workshop at Lala Lajpatrai College on September 18, which will be attended by actress Kajol.

Times Green Ganesha is presented by IRB Infrastructure Ltd and powered by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). RCF Ltd is a co-sponsor. Zee Marathi and 9XM are TV partners.

This is an initiative by Times Red Cell. Individuals, housing societies and mandals who wish to participate can register on www.timesgreenganesha.com or SMS TGG to 58888 or call on 022-40747481/ 83.

EDUCATION - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Students should be provided nutritious food: Mohammed

Healthy young minds require good nutrition, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said a sound nutritional system must be implemented in schools to prevent the spread of diseases among students and to contain lifestyle diseases such as diabetes.

Shaikh Mohammed was on a visit to the Ministry of Education in Dubai on Monday and reiterated Arabic must be taught to students to retain ‘‘our national identity and Arabic culture as well as our religion’’.

Shaikh Mohammed with students and officials at the Ministry of Education office in Dubai. — Wam

He said science, technology, health and sport would promote overall development of students, following the directives of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Tweeting about his visit, Shaikh Mohammed said: ‘‘Every academic year must be better than the previous one. We cannot progress if the next generation is not better than the current one.’’
He also telephoned UAE toppers of Grade 12 exams and congratulated them on their achievements and wished them the best for the future.
“You are a pride to our society,” he told Huda Ahli, 18, a UAE national and resident in Mirdif, who scored 99.8 per cent to top in Arts.
Accompanied by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; and Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, he later reviewed plans for the academic year 2012-2013.
Minister of Education Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qattami spoke of steps taken to ensure the smooth operation of the educational system at schools across the country. Al Qattami also touched on a number of initiatives launched by the Ministry of Education, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Smart Learning .
On the smart learning project, Shaikh Mohammed tweeted: ‘‘I also observed the progress of the 5-years smart learning initiative.
It shall bring fundamental changes to the education infrastructure.’’
He commended the efforts of teachers and adminstrators. ‘‘I wanted also to thank all the schoolteachers & the administrators for their continuous efforts with our students during the academic year,’’ he said in another tweet.
Shaikh Mohammed was presented a painting of himself and his father Shaikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum during the visit.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education announced the 10 toppers in both Arts and Science groups. As many as 25,000 Grade 12 students, who had earlier registered on the MoE’s website, were informed of the results by email on Monday.
news@khaleejtimes.com

EDUCATION / CHILD - TIBET

Tibet strives to develop children's undertakings

13:06, June 06, 2012

Tibetan kids dance to celebrate International Children's Day at a local kindergarten in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on May 30, 30, 2012. [Photo/China Tibet Online]
Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has stepped up efforts to protect children's rights and interests, greatly improving their living and developing conditions, according to local authorities.

In recent years, Tibet has given priority to education and carried out the “three-guarantee educational policy” in rural areas, according to Tibet Women and Children Working Committee.

Under the three-guarantee policy, rural students can enjoy free eating, lodging and educational fee from primary school to senior high school.

Tibet will also strive to push forward preschool bilingual education during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015).

In addition, Tibet has established women and children healthcare institutions at prefectural and county levels in recent years.

The mortality rate of new-born babies and kids under five had decreased from 35.28% and 57.2% in 2000 to 20.69% and 28.15% in 2010 respectively, and the immunization coverage rate exceeded 93%, according to the data released by Tibet Women and Children Working Committee.

Meanwhile, Tibet has set up 49 cultural centers, 239 cultural stations and 4 public libraries to optimize the social environment for children's development.

Source： Tibet.cn

PHILLIPINES - CHANGING WORLD

Responsible Fatherhood

Changing World

By DR. BERNARDO M. VILLEGAS

May 24, 2012, 6:35pm

MANILA, Philippines — Some of the most striking advertising messages I have seen in the entries to the annual Tambuli award given by the University of Asia and the Pacific to values-laden and effective marketing campaigns have to do with responsible fatherhood. Whether they have to do with fast food services, chocolate candies, insurance policies, or noodles, the marketing of products or services is increasingly being tied up with the need for the father of the family to increasingly spend time with his children and to devote both quantity and quality time to interacting with the entire family, especially during dinner.
In a recent trip to Indonesia, I noticed that the emphasis on the role of the father in the appropriate raising of children is becoming an Asian-wide, if not universal, phenomenon. In the March 25, 2012, issue of the Jakarta Globe, I read an article by Emmy Fitr entitled "Teaching Modern-Day Fathers to Raise Families." The article reported about an association founded by a child education specialist, Irwan Rinaldi, called Sahabat Ayah (Father's Best Friend). Mr. Rinaldi is advocating a change of mindset among Indonesian fathers who have traditionally assumed that they are excused from any child-rearing duties because they are the breadwinners. They have relegated the upbringing of children almost exclusively to their wives. Considering today's circumstances, in which more mothers have to juggle professional work with taking care of the home, there must be a change in the lifestyle among fathers. Mr. Rinaldi says it all: "Many fathers believe that it is enough to be physically present around their children. They don't realize how important their role is in shaping a child's character by getting involved... Every morning I see fathers drop their children at school, but they are busy checking their BlackBerrys. They don't even look into their children's eyes when parting, let along say something encouraging."
The situation may not be as extreme in the Philippines. Through parish-based organizations or private initiatives of parents themselves (as in the cases of EDUCHILD Foundation and the Parents for Education Foundation), there are more fathers getting involved in the day-to-day business of child rearing. Mothers are no longer being left alone to fend for themselves in the upbringing of children. Much more can be done, however, to promote the cause of father involvement, not only in child rearing but in household chores in general. It is good to be reminded by Indonesians, who are predominantly Muslim, about the very Catholic doctrine that marriage is for the procreation and education of children. Because of gender stereotypes, however spending a lot of time at home and in housework has been considered a predominantly female task. We may have to set up more organizations that can replicate the work of Sahabat Ayah in the Philippines at all social levels.
Irwan reminds fathers that the most critical period in character building is between infancy and 15 years. Many of them miss the opportunity because they think that being with their young children is a waste of time. In a regular radio talk show on fathering, Irwan encourages Indonesian fathers to be more pro-active in the affairs in the household: "Fathering knows no break. If you only begin when your children are older than 15, it's too late. Pre-teen is a rough period that children must struggle through, which is why fathers must build a solid foundation with their children." They must have sufficient theoretical as well as practical knowledge about their role as regards the whole-person development of their sons and daughters, which must involve different psychological and spiritual approaches. The father must be specially sensitive to the need of his pre-teen sons to be given advice on adolescent sexuality. He must also know how to support his wife in guiding their daughters on the same subject. This parental responsibility was especially highlighted in a TV advertisement of a consumer product, in which a teenage daughter during a family meal referred to the predicament of a girl classmate who was impregnated by her boyfriend.
Irwan, in addition to the radio talk show, drives his motorcycle (the most ubiquitous object in Jakarta) every day to meet fathers in parking lots and other public places. In one of the sessions with fathers, he met a mining company executive who was having a hard time connecting with his 12-year-old daughter. He asked the father if he ever called his daughter during the day just to tell her he missed her. "He said he never did. So I asked him to call her that afternoon. It's not easy. When the daughter picked up the phone, her answer was hostile like 'Why did you call?' " It seems it took several days for the father to begin a healthy conversation. It took some time before the father could begin a healthy conversation with the daughter. “The words” I called you because I miss you and want to know how you have been doing today’ seemed to be so hard to say," remarked the anxious father. Fortunately, he had made the first step. He had broken the ice. I hope fathers who are reading this column will examine their own practices and make the necessary changes to improve their relations with their children. As the name of the Indonesian foundation suggests, fathers should be the best friends of their children. For comments, my e-mail address is bernardo.villegas@uap.asia.

EDUCACION - ESPAÑA

EDUCACIÓN | Competición de talentos en EEUU

Dos jóvenes españoles, en la gran competición de genios de Secundaria de EEUU

Adrià Arbués muestra su software para entrenadores de baloncesto. | ISEF

Ángel Jiménez de Luis | Pittsburgh (EEUU)

Actualizado lunes 21/05/2012 11:27 horas

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Tienen 17 y 18 años pero cuesta creerlo cuando se les escucha hablar de sus respectivos proyectos con el detalle y la terminología que cabría esperar de un estudiante de doctorado. Glòria Macià, estudiante de la Escola Industrial d'Arts i Oficis de Sabadell, ha creado un software capaz de calcular la evolución de una característica genética en una población determinada.
Su interés en este campo surgió al leer una noticia sobre dos padres de raza negra que habían tenido un hijo de piel blanca. A partir de ese caso trató de crear un modelo para entender cómo se dispersan rasgos genéticos a lo largo de los años, aprendió programación y creó un software para poder visualizar el proceso.
"Cuando comencé el proyecto no sabía muy bien donde me llevaría, pero el software tiene muchísimas aplicaciones. Podría usarse en empresas que creen biocombustible a partir de algas, por ejemplo, para determinar cuáles son más productivas y cómo evolucionarán con el tiempo", asegura mientras cambia los diferentes parámetros en el ordenador. Al proyecto le ha dedicado todo un año.
La pasión de Adrià Arbués, estudiante del INS Vilatzara en Vilassar de Mar, era el baloncesto. Hace dos años decidió crear una pizarra electrónica para entrenadores que él mismo usa en sus partidos. Como dispositivo físico la pizarra puede utilizar cualquier tableta, "salvo el iPad, porque lo he desarrollado en flash y no es compatible", dice. El programa permite dibujar las diferentes líneas de movimiento para los jugadores de forma sencilla y mucho más práctica que una pizarra tradicional.

Españoles en un encuentro internacional

Los dos son los primeros representantes de España en la Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) una competición internacional que este año se ha celebrado en la ciudad de Pittsburgh y que ha reunido más de 1.500 proyectos científicos en 17 áreas que van desde las matemáticas hasta la ingeniería y la biología del comportamiento. Ambos lograron la plaza al ganar la competición Exporecerca en Barcelona, la única que la Society for Science and the Public (SSP), organizadora del evento, reconoce como ronda clasificatoria en nuestro país.

La estudiante Glòria Macià. | ISEF

"Estos jóvenes no son 'aprendices' de científicos. Son ya científicos y muchos presentan proyectos con un grado de investigación y calidad similar al que se puede esperar de una tesis doctoral", asegura Wendy Hawkins, directora de la fundación Intel.
La competición reparte más de tres millones de dólares en premios y becas y abre la puerta a las principales universidades de EEUU. "Los proyectos son juzgados por un equipo internacional de grandes investigadores y los candidatos tienen que poder defender su investigación ante ellos. Para muchos es la primera oportunidad de tratar con un doctor en un campo determinado", asegura Hawkins.
ISEF funciona también como la final de la competición nacional de ciencia de educación secundaria estadounidense, lo que explica que dos tercios de los participantes sean de los diferentes estados. "Los estudiantes estadounidenses vienen muy preparados, tienen muchos más medios y hacen este tipo de ferias con frecuencia. Además hay mucha presión para poder entrar en universidades de prestigio", comentan Glòria y Adrià. En esta edición han participado estudiantes de 68 países pero el objetivo de la fundación es abrir la competición a más nacionalidades.
El proyecto de Glòria, titulado 'Análisis y simulación de la pigmentación humana desarrollando un modelo basado en el individuo' ha sido seleccionado como uno de los terceros premios, dotado con una beca de 1.000 dólares. El ganador de este año es un joven estadounidense del estado de Madison, Jack Andraka, que ha desarrollado un método para detectar cáncer de páncreas en los primeros estados de desarrollo mediante el análisis de la orina. Su método es 28 veces más barato y rápido que las técnicas de detección actuales y tiene un 90% de eficacia. ¿Su edad? 15 años.