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Politics for Education
Education needs resources...including a political representative...
Resources are usually allocated to politicians or on their hands at least!
Many NGOs tiny or giant (e.g. UNICEF) trying their best to leave no child behind and it seems like it's open-ended thread.
Through analyzing our situation here in Sudan...and believing on Education as the way and only way to develop. I came up with this idea:
Forming a political party for Education.
According to Sudan political parties regulations we need 500 members to register officially...we started a Facebook group "Sudan Education party" last Monday, July 23rd, 2012... today, Monday, July 30th, 2012..we're nearly 1000.
As far as I know, this is the first of it's kind in Sudan (Don't know if you're aware of such initiative else where).
We'll resume our efforts to bring OLPC to Sudan, and make use of all of these TED talks/initiatives...this time with our own political support...
Your thoughts/input is highly appreciated.
Anwar Dafa-Alla 500+
Mackenzie Andersen
Anwar Dafa-Alla 500+
The idea evolved as a need and response to many difficulties the Education sector has.
Ram Xz
Education is a hard topic to talk about, if you have all the money and if everything you suggest is automaticaly done, how exactly you are going to solve it? How to achieve that every student become a genius?
Is that possible?
Most people who talk about education tell us what not to do becuase education is affected by that, but no one tell us what to do to achieve that our students learn better, all ideas are about what not to do instead of what benefits good learning.
When i talk about education i focus on Maths, if you can make that every student become a math genius, you solve education problem.
I see around the world, and every effort to improve education require lot of time and money, and you can spend lot of money and at the end of the day the result can be worst that the original situation, I mean sometimes ita better do nothing than try to do something, is a high risky bet, is worst when you put your name on that, you spend money, time and got nothing.
The most important piece on education is the smartnes of the student, if the student is very smart he will learn even in worst conditions, and if is pretty dumb he will be dumb even in the better conditions, middle smart students will be affected by external conditions if are good he will be a litle good if are worst conditions he will be a litle dumb.
I am developing a non memorizative learning to make smart students so wherever they grow up they can become genius.
Thats what I think about education, beyond money, go for what it can improve education, answer this question:
If we do this, it will solve education problem? Or it doesnt? Because all people say where the problem is but nothing about solution.
Yes Computers will better, but only with that it solves it? Good teachers is good but it solves it? What does it solves it, what make our students smart? I think the problem is in how we learn today, I propose a Non Memorizative Learning
Feyisayo Anjorin 50+
But be aware that good intentions are not enough to guarantee success or excellent excecution of ideas.
There must be administrative structures that would ensure probity and accountability; so that donations and funds are channelled majorly to education; and not to political jobbers or opportunists who think they should get financial rewards for every input.
Thanks for your effort.
Anwar Dafa-Alla 500+
Any input on how to interpret these good intentions into reality rather than NGO arm for the proposed political party?
We're opening up everything for discussion on our FB group
"Sudan Education Party"
Feyisayo Anjorin 50+
I think members and supporters should be well educated so that they can give what they have......sound education.
Mohammed Elrasheed
But this is the fact , when people have knowledge and science they would start asking many natural and fair questions regarding their rights and freedoms , which is a RED LINE for such regimes
wish you all the best in this journey Dr.Anwar
BTW: i'm one of the attendees of the course which you gave about KM at the beginning of this year
Anwar Dafa-Alla 500+
I think, (KM) Knowledge Management/Sharing should be a course at primary schools... We lose lots of Knowledge as we grow...
John Moonstroller 30+
Anwar Dafa-Alla 500+
Random Chance 30+
Now who and what oppose that? Politicians and money. Those are the two things that must be gotten rid of.
Now everyone will ask, "who is going to pay for it?" Well, it isn't money if it is politician's money, and if there is no real profit in it for them. One form of profit is keeping citizens uneducated, poorer and needing money to climb out of both holes. It's called power.
So, it isn't money that "gets things done". It is people. That is what everything costs. Me thinks humans would be better served by getting rid of money and politicians and forcing those corporations, who contain many citizens hard at work, to keep them open, delivering, distributing and manufacturing the commodities we all need, as we make a better, fairer and just world. They need them too. They don't need money.
Good luck with your dream and goal. The very idea that you have it shows you are the kind of human the world needs. To become beholden to those who hold you down, in order to get there, is one of the landmines/risks you have to be careful about stepping on or into.
Sebastian Helenius
Who is going to decide how to help the older generations and protect those school children?
??
However, you could form a Non Governmental Organization that pressures government in the field of education, or even become an education minister? Try that.
John Moonstroller 30+
Anwar Dafa-Alla 500+
David Hamilton 50+
Make an enourmous public school campus on the coast, with a solar concentrating desallinization plant and research center. Pay the best teachers in the country to lecture. Tag every question asked by a child every year, and post the answer online... Just seems to me like the way to go, school wise.
David Hamilton 50+
During that primary I had a revolutionairy idea that theoretically could work wonders on the coast in the Sudan. I convinced the primary candidate to build a large "solar concentrating desallinization plant and research center" in UC San Diego, or Santa Barbara. Basically, you use concentrated solar energy (mirrors and fresnel lens), to boil salt water, which turns a turbine for power. Since the water has been boiled, the salt will naturally come out, and most bacteria in the water will be killed.
A large plant like this on the coast of the sudan could provide an enormous pumping station for fresh water into regions of drought. It was a bit too crazy, as was the third party candidate I was supporting... but it's still one of the best ideas I've ever had.
Kaloyan Vachev
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41hbnI_cH9I
Derek Young 30+
Scott Armstrong 50+
political parties no longer represent the people (if they ever did) and this is evident in education worldwide, where politicians are merely barriers to improving education.
I applaud your determination to improve education. it is people like you that will save education, not politics or politicians.
John Moonstroller 30+
Ana Goelzer 500+
Krisztián Pintér 200+
Eric Grovum
Krisztián Pintér 200+
Eric Grovum
Scott Armstrong 50+
Eric Grovum
Scott Armstrong 50+
in New Zealand, local governing bodies are being amalgamated into oversized bureaucratic leviathans which are termed "super-councils" and other such grandiose names. In reality, they are even less efficient and flexible (and more expensive!) than ever before.
there is a lack of transparency in political goings-on which leads to abuse of privileges and power that is rarely dealt with unless the media gets onto it (and even then, there is often very little real justice).
the idea of having one general vote every 4 years is no longer in keeping with the pace of information dissemination and communication in these modern times.
Eric Grovum
John Moonstroller 30+
Krisztián Pintér 200+
John Moonstroller 30+
Krisztián Pintér 200+
John Moonstroller 30+
If you have a question, by all means ask it. I will not be offended. You can use as many words as you like as long as they give a full meaning to the question you are asking.
I'm Jewish, which is to say I believe in Judaism, not that I'm Hebrew or Israeli.
What is your dispute with my answer? Is it related to the "Government" part? The reference to "Muslim" or the distinction between North and South Sudan? Or is it related to the "People are smarter" statement?
Please be clear my friend.
Krisztián Pintér 200+
Robert Winner 50+
Based on a thumbnail sketch ... I offer my opinion. It is good that you have made education an issue in your country. There are not statistics in my article on the percent who can read and write in Sudan. I would guess it is small or the need to form a political arm would not be necessary.
The need for powerful allies in your quest is absolute. You must align with the religious Imams to support your bills and programs. Your mission will cut into the available funds which means enemies to your cause. After religious needs the next largest expendature would probally be military. So here is my plan.
Develop and position that would show the advantages of education to the economy, technical advantages to the military, and the health and welfare of the people which would benefit the religious needs. Who benefits for the education is not a issue. The planting of the seeds of knowledge is. If the military would teach their solders to read and write, learn technical skills, and then they could market these skill into the private sector.
The point is that you need allies and cannot afford to endanger you quest. Show support for their cause and enlist their support for yours.
Good luck.
Bob.
James Zhang 30+
You need allies to get things done, and to get allies, you need to pitch your message to them to convince them that your idea is worthy of consideration.
pat gilbert 100+
I would make it a prerequisite to find out who the players are and find out everything you can about them. Find out what their agenda is what keeps them awake at night, what they like, what they love, what their problems are, who their allies are, who their enemies are, etc. Do a VERY complete job of this.
John Moonstroller 30+
There's very little you can do in the North because it is dominated by Arabic-Islamic government and will not allow women to become educated. They are an oppressive government that has little freedom for the people.
Education will not thrive there.
Robert Winner 50+
You do agree that education could be obtained in the "south" or at least did not disagree.
Bob.
John Moonstroller 30+
The South, if they can maintain their independence and develop a democratic form of government not regulated by religion, might do some real good things along those lines.
Somewhere, I don't remember where on this site, I stated that before you can decorate a home you need to clean it first. And further, I stated that freedom is not free, it is paid for with blood, sweat and tears. I think they all apply to this situation. What good would it do to build a system of free education for the people (both males and females) only to have it torn down by war or civil strife?
Back in 1981 or 2, I sold home and belongings in order to move to Colorado where it was rumored that HP was hiring Electronic Techicians. On the way, we paused in New Mexico where there was little funding for the educational system. My son spent four days in school where the teachers collected paper bags and cut them up to have paper for the students to work with. Some of the teachers were working as volunteers because the system could not afford to pay them. My son, for the first time, reported to me that he loved going to school and was sad when we continued our travel to Colorado.
I add after getting to Colorado, HP laid off 1400 people. It was a ruse to get people to bring money to the state and many states were doing this. I couldn't happen today because of the internet or they would be doing it again.
Robert, I understand clearly your advice to Anwar and the subtle meaning behind it. I recommend he not take your advice if he is at all democratic minded like those young people, seeking freedom for both women and men in Egypt and other Arabic countries.
Shalom.
Ana Goelzer 500+
John Moonstroller 30+
What good does it do the build an educational system only to have it torn asunder by war and civil strife?
Freedom is not free. It cost blood, sweat and tears. Before you can properly decorate a home, you have to clean it first.
James Zhang 30+
I think this is good idea. Everyone pretty much agrees that education will help just about everything. To not have education is just not a good thing. So I think you're right in addressing a problem, is what kind of education or how should we educate them, is now the question.
george lockwood 30+
Fritzie Reisner 100+
The political and policy structure in different countries is different enough that I think I probably don't understand why there needs to be a "political party for education" in Sudan. Is there not universal access to education for children up to a certain age? Are there political parties that do not support education or universal education or improvements in education?
In the country where I live, any political party must support universal access to educaton, just like they would have to support the franchise for all citizens. There could not be a party that is anti-education here. Similarly every political party and politician supports the idea of improving educational outcomes and innovation in education. It's absolutely not controversial.
Anwar Dafa-Alla 500+
http://www.facebook.com/groups/sudanedu/
Fritzie Reisner 100+