Arizona Expands Private School Tuition Tax Credits

Taxpayers receive a dollar-for-dollar reduction on their taxes for up to $750 donated to a school tuition organization.

Arizona is expanding its private school tuition tax creditsonly a day after the U.S. Supreme Court found the program legal, The Arizona Republic reports. In a bill passed by a 27-1 vote, the state Senate has increased donation limits from $500 to $750. The bill also removes donation limits for corporations and insurance companies.

The tax credits allow Arizona taxpayers to divert their income to school tuition organizations and get a dollar-for-dollar reduction on their taxes. According to The Republic, state residents moved $51 million in such a way in 2009. According to the Arizona Department of Revenue, the limit increases will have an impact on the state income tax and state, county and local severance tax collections, reducing them by $25 million and $29 million respectively.

Supporters of the program say it is a money-saving measure for the fiscally crippled state, because it saves the school system $5,200 for every student that transfers out of a public school.

A fiscal analysis of the bill noted that the state would break even from the proposed changes if about 3,300 students transferred to private schools in 2012.

source:http://www.educationnews.org/ednews_today/153306.html

Over a lakh children in Delhi still out of school

New Delhi: More than one lakh children in the national capital are still out of school, a report by the human resource development ministry said as the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act completed a year on Friday since its implementation.

The RTE report card which analyzed the primary education scenario in the country was released especially for the occasion.

According to the report, 1,24,022 children in the age group of six to 14 were out of school in Delhi, as per a survey in 2009. Across the country, the out-of-school children figure stands at 81,50,619.

"It's unfortunate that 81,50,619 children in the age group of six to 14 are still out of school. We have to bring all those children to school," Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said while releasing the report.

On a positive note however, Delhi has scored quite well in other parameters.

For instance, as compared to national figure of pupil-teacher ratio of 32, in Delhi the ratio is 28. Then, at the national level the percentage of teachers without professionalqualification is 21, but in Delhi it stands at one.

Water drinking facility is present in 100 percent schools in Delhi. 79 percent schoolshere have girls toilets, 71 percent schools have ramps for disadvantaged students, 75 percent schools have playground and 98 percent have boundary walls.

Delhi is one of the 11 states which have constituted a state commission to monitor implementation of the RTE Act. Notification of the state rules however is still "in process", the report said.

A total of 16,84,425 students have been enrolled in the primary level in Delhi and 9,82,164 in the upper primary level. Delhi has 3,034 government and aided schoolsand has 57,777 teachers in these schools.

source:http://www.indiaedunews.net/Today/Over_a_lakh_children_in_Delhi_still_out_of_school_13790/

Over a lakh children in Delhi still out of school

New Delhi: More than one lakh children in the national capital are still out of school, a report by the human resource development ministry said as the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act completed a year on Friday since its implementation.

The RTE report card which analyzed the primary education scenario in the country was released especially for the occasion.

According to the report, 1,24,022 children in the age group of six to 14 were out of school in Delhi, as per a survey in 2009. Across the country, the out-of-school children figure stands at 81,50,619.

"It's unfortunate that 81,50,619 children in the age group of six to 14 are still out of school. We have to bring all those children to school," Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said while releasing the report.

On a positive note however, Delhi has scored quite well in other parameters.

For instance, as compared to national figure of pupil-teacher ratio of 32, in Delhi the ratio is 28. Then, at the national level the percentage of teachers without professional qualification is 21, but in Delhi it stands at one.

Water drinking facility is present in 100 percent schools in Delhi. 79 percent schoolshere have girls toilets, 71 percent schools have ramps for disadvantaged students, 75 percent schools have playground and 98 percent have boundary walls.

Delhi is one of the 11 states which have constituted a state commission to monitor implementation of the RTE Act. Notification of the state rules however is still "in process", the report said.

A total of 16,84,425 students have been enrolled in the primary level in Delhi and 9,82,164 in the upper primary level. Delhi has 3,034 government and aided schoolsand has 57,777 teachers in these schools.

source:http://www.indiaedunews.net/Today/Over_a_lakh_children_in_Delhi_still_out_of_school_13790/

Panel submits final blueprint of CET for central varsities

A panel of experts comprising of several vice-chancellors appointed by Human ResourceDevelopment (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal have submitted their final report and blueprint to the minister regarding the common admission procedure that has been recommended for all central universities in India.

According to the blueprint that has been finalized by the panel that is headed by former Jawaharlal Nehru University vice chancellor B.B. Bhattacharya, good under-graduate scores would remove half the pressure on a student of securing a post graduate admission in acentral university. 

This is because 50% weightage will be given to the previous academic performance of a student and the rest will be given to performance in the common entrance test.

The blue print for the common admissions will be discussed by the vice chancellors of about 200 central and state universities in India on March 25-26. 

Kapil Sibal has also planned common admissions to M.Phil. and Ph.D programmes at all of India's 40 central universities from the upcoming academic session of 2011.

According to the plans by the HRD ministry, the common entrance test for universities will also be extended for master's programmes in the year 2012 and to undergraduate programmes from the year 2013.

Admissions to central universities currently rely only on admission test for selecting students to be admitted for masters, M.Phil and Ph.D programmes. No specific weightage is given to scores achieved by students in previous programmes.

According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), an estimated number of 100 lakh students are pursuing undergraduate education currently over 500 central, state and deemed universities. Out of these, about 10 lakh students are studying at central universities.

Also, around a lakh are pursuing masters' programmes at central universities and about 5-10,000 are currently enrolled in M.Phil. and Ph.D programmes.

Earlier, the panel of vice chancellors headed by B.B. Bhattacharya had considered giving 30% weightage to scores of undergraduate degree programmes for master's admissions master's scored for M.Phil and M.Phil scores for Ph.D.

The weightage given to previous scores has been hiked by the panel in its final report. The report adds that only the scores of the final two years of the preceding academic degree course will be considered.

source:http://indiaedunews.net/Today/Panel_submits_final_blueprint_of_CET_for_central_varsities_13668/

Budget hike won't help education sector - Sibal

The 24 percent hike in the outlay for education announced in the union budget will not help the sector because what is needed is a change in mindset, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said on Thursday.

"A 24 percent budget hike will not help the education sector. It is not just money allocation that we need, the country needs a change in mindsets involved in teaching, the quality of education and the education provider," Sibal said at the inauguration of the three-day Emerging Directions inGlobal Education (EDGE) conference in the capital.

"To change the dimensions of higher education in the country, we need a whole new crop of teachers who are responsible and willing to teach from their hearts," the minister added.

The annual EDGE conference brings together the heads of higher education institutions from all over the country, including vice chancellors, directors and educationists, to interact on policy making in the higher education sector. 

"While focusing on higher education, we also need to think of the diluting quality because of mushrooming institutes. The ministry has often done checks in such private institutions where the entire faculty is hired for a very short period to lure students," Sibal said, referring to the money minting business in the education business.

According to statistics by Ernst and Young, nearly 40 million students are expected to opt for higher education by the year 2020, compared to the current 17 million.

source:http://indiaedunews.net/Today/Budget_hike_won't_help_education_sector_-_Sibal_13671/

EI celebrates International Women' Day

Women around the world continue to face systemic discrimination and inequality in education opportunities and access to decent work.

On International Women’s Day, educators worldwide are demanding greater investments in girls’ education and training opportunities leading to full employment and decent work for women.

The year 2011 marks the centenary of International Women’s Day celebrations. Since 1911, this day has been a global event, celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women in the past, present and future, and mobilising to address the challenges. Around the globe, EI member unions organise rallies, marches, fairs and debates, and reflect on the progress made to advance women’s equality, assess the challenges facing girls and women, look at ways to improve the quality of life and to actualize rights, and to empower girls and women in all spheres of human endeavour.

A strong delegation of trade unionists participated in the 55th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in February 2011. For the first time, gender, education and decent work were included together as priority themes in the UN CSW working agenda.

EI President Susan Hopgood said: “We know that investment in all quality public services is a key driver of development. As such, trade unions have serious concerns with the reduction to budgets that support public services which governments have undertaken in response to the current economic crisis. If Millennium Development (MDG) and Education for All (EFA) goals are to be achieved, the investment in the public sector should be increased, not decreased.”

EI Deputy General Secretary, Jan Eastman, added: “Strategies to improve access to education have been put in place in many countries. These have resulted in increased enrolment numbers for girls, and progress towards gender parity in primary school completion. High drop-out rates are still prevalent, however, and they are higher for girls in a number of developing countries, especially in secondary education, which is key for empowering girls. Drop-out rates are clearly associated with poverty, and also the related phenomenon of child labour. Girls face additional challenges because of the HIV epidemic, work in the home, and also of vulnerable, at risk employment in the entertainment industry or as domestic workers. When education is of sufficient quality, when girls are safe, fed, and pay no fees, parents will send them to school, not to work. Gender inclusive policies aimed at achieving quality primary and secondary education and ensuring universal access are the key to overcoming these development challenges and structural discriminations.”

At EI’s First World Women’s Conference in January 2011 – On the Move for Equality, nearly 400 teacher trade unionists from all corners of the world came together to discuss strategies for advancing and empowering women and girls in today’s world. “Our energies are focused on improving girls’ access to education, eliminating gender stereotypes in education, and fighting for decent work and good working conditions, including pay equity, for women. We are united to make our voice heard – the voice of teachers worldwide for equality and human rights,” said Eastman.

source:http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/show.php?id=1544&theme=gender&country=global

CHAK DE INDIA - ICC WORLD CUP 2011

COME ON EXTRAMINDS TO CHEER FOR INDIA & GET THE LIVE UPDATES