Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address policy makers in the domain of education and skill development, students and teachers across the country on Thursday via video conferencing to mark the completion of one year of reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

He will also launch multiple initiatives in the education sector.According to Prime Minister`s Office (PMO), Prime Minister will launch the Academic Bank of Credit that will provide multiple entry and exit options for students in Higher education; first Year Engineering Programmes in Regional Languages and Guidelines for the Internationalization of Higher Education.

The initiatives to be launched also include Vidya Pravesh, a three-month play-based school preparation module for Grade 1 students; Indian Sign Language as a Subject at secondary level; NISHTHA 2.0, an integrated programme of teacher training designed by NCERT; SAFAL (Structured Assessment For Analyzing Learning Levels), a competency-based assessment framework for Grades 3, 5 and 8 in CBSE schools; and a website dedicated to Artificial Intelligence.

Further, the event will witness the launch of the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR) and the National Education Technology Forum (NETF).These initiatives will mark a significant step towards the realization of the goals of NEP 2020 and will make the education sector more vibrant and accessible.

The NEP, 2020 is the guiding philosophy for changing the learning landscape, making education holistic and building strong foundations for an Atmanirbhar Bharat.This is the first education policy of the 21st Century and replaced the thirty-four-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986.&nbsp;

Built on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability, this policy is aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, suited to 21st century needs and aimed at bringing out the unique capabilities of each student.The Union Education Minister will also be present on the occasion.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address policy makers in the domain of education and skill development, students and teachers across the country on Thursday via video conferencing to mark the completion of one year of reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address policy makers in the domain of education and skill development, students and teachers across the country on Thursday via video conferencing to mark the completion of one year of reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He will also launch multiple initiatives in the education sector.According to Prime Minister`s Office (PMO), Prime Minister will launch the Academic Bank of Credit that will provide multiple entry and exit options for students in Higher education; first Year Engineering Programmes in Regional Languages and Guidelines for the Internationalization of Higher Education. The initiatives to be launched also include Vidya Pravesh, a three-month play-based school preparation module for Grade 1 students; Indian Sign Language as a Subject at secondary level; NISHTHA 2.0, an integrated programme of teacher training designed by NCERT; SAFAL (Structured Assessment For Analyzing Learning Levels), a competency-based assessment framework for Grades 3, 5 and 8 in CBSE schools; and a website dedicated to Artificial Intelligence. Further, the event will witness the launch of the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR) and the National Education Technology Forum (NETF).These initiatives will mark a significant step towards the realization of the goals of NEP 2020 and will make the education sector more vibrant and accessible. The NEP, 2020 is the guiding philosophy for changing the learning landscape, making education holistic and building strong foundations for an Atmanirbhar Bharat.This is the first education policy of the 21st Century and replaced the thirty-four-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. Built on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability, this policy is aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, suited to 21st century needs and aimed at bringing out the unique capabilities of each student.The Union Education Minister will also be present on the occasion.

PM Modi to address education community on July 29 to mark one year of NEP 2020

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, July 9,&nbsp;updated its guidance to help reopen&nbsp;schools&nbsp;in the fall, including recommending masking indoors for everyone who is not fully vaccinated and three feet of distance within classrooms.

The CDC in its latest guidance said all kindergarten through grade 12&nbsp;schools&nbsp;in the United States should continue to mandate wearing masks indoors by all individuals who are not fully vaccinated.

The agency said that if localities decide to remove prevention strategies in&nbsp;schools&nbsp;based on local conditions, they should remove them one at a time.&nbsp;Schools&nbsp;should monitor closely for increases in COVID-19 cases before removing the next prevention strategy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/schools-out-for-good-lebanese-teachers-flee-as-financial-crisis-builds-396821">Also read |&nbsp;School's out for good? Lebanese teachers flee as financial crisis builds</a>

"Because of the importance of in-person learning,&nbsp;schools, where not everyone is fully vaccinated, should implement physical distancing to the extent possible within their structures, but should not exclude students from in-person learning to keep a minimum distance requirement," the new guidance said.

A study by the CDC also released on Friday showed that half of unvaccinated adolescents and parents of unvaccinated adolescents reported being uncertain about getting a COVID-19 vaccine, or did not intend to get one at all.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, July 9, updated its guidance to help reopen schools in the fall, including recommending masking indoors for everyone who is not fully vaccinated and three feet of distance within classrooms.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, July 9, updated its guidance to help reopen schools in the fall, including recommending masking indoors for everyone who is not fully vaccinated and three feet of distance within classrooms. The CDC in its latest guidance said all kindergarten through grade 12 schools in the United States should continue to mandate wearing masks indoors by all individuals who are not fully vaccinated. The agency said that if localities decide to remove prevention strategies in schools based on local conditions, they should remove them one at a time. Schools should monitor closely for increases in COVID-19 cases before removing the next prevention strategy. Also read | School's out for good? Lebanese teachers flee as financial crisis builds "Because of the importance of in-person learning, schools, where not everyone is fully vaccinated, should implement physical distancing to the extent possible within their structures, but should not exclude students from in-person learning to keep a minimum distance requirement," the new guidance said. A study by the CDC also released on Friday showed that half of unvaccinated adolescents and parents of unvaccinated adolescents reported being uncertain about getting a COVID-19 vaccine, or did not intend to get one at all.

CDC recommends masking indoors for unvaccinated students, teachers in US schools

Sorbonne-educated Chryssoula Fayad spent nearly two decades teaching history and geography at Lebanon's elite French schools, ultimately heading departments. Now she is a substitute teacher in Paris, part of an exodus from an education system on its knees.

Fayad left behind her home and life savings in August 2020, at 50 years old. Days earlier, the hospital where her husband worked and his clinic were damaged along with swathes of Beirut when chemicals exploded at the port - the final straw.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-few-days-away-from-social-explosion-pm-diab-396317">Lebanon few days away from social explosion: PM Diab</a>

Corruption and political wrangling have cost the local currency more than 90 per cent of its value in less than two years, propelling half the population into poverty and locking depositors like Fayad out of their bank accounts.

Despite her straitened circumstances, she has no regrets.

"I always say thank God that we had this chance to come here," she said. "Unfortunately I know I made the right decision when I see how things are in Lebanon now."

Lebanon's educational sector, prized throughout the Middle East as a regional leader, was once ranked tenth globally by the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report.

Now it is unclear how schools will manage when the new academic year starts in October.

"When the crisis erupted in 2019 it took the educational sector by surprise," Rene Karam, the head of the Association of Teachers of English (ATEL) in Lebanon, said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/diapers-and-rags-lebanon-crisis-plunges-women-into-period-poverty-395140">Diapers and rags: Lebanon crisis plunges women into period poverty</a>

At the start, some private schools laid off higher-paid teachers, around 30 per cent of staff, to save money, but as time went on many others left of their own accord, with half of the 100 teachers in his association now in Iraq, Dubai and Oman.

Salaries starting at 1.5 million Lebanese pounds a month are now worth less than $90 at the street rate in a country where they used to be $1,000.

"We are in a real crisis," he said.

Staying Alive

Private schools make up 70 per cent of the educational sector, with upwards of 1,500 institutions. Rodolphe Abboud, head of the syndicate for private school teachers, said every school has lost between ten to 40 teachers so far, with some staying at home because they can no longer afford childcare.

"We are at the stage of just staying alive, the necessities," he said. "There is not one school now that is not advertising for jobs."

Children from several grades have already been put together for some subjects and daily power cuts and shortages of basic materials also make it difficult for schools to operate.

This week the education ministry cancelled final middle school examinations in response to pressure from parents and staff who had argued economic conditions made them impossible.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protests-rock-lebanon-ahead-of-fuel-price-hike-394575">Protests rock Lebanon ahead of fuel price hike</a>

"The minister wanted to conduct exams but didn't he know that in Lebanon there is a shortage of paper and ink and teachers can't work for free and schools can't operate without fuel for electricity generators?" Karam said.

The education ministry said it had secured extra pay from donors for teachers supervising exams but most had pulled out.

"The majority of teachers gradually withdrew from supervision and this is what made it impossible to conduct the middle school exams," Hilda Khoury, a director at the ministry, said by email, adding that senior school exams would take place.

Whatever it takes

Father Boutros Azar, secretary-general for Catholic Schools in the Middle East and North Africa, said parents at many of its 321 schools in Lebanon were struggling to pay annual fees that range from 3 million to 8 million pounds.

"But we have made a decision to continue and do whatever it takes to keep schools open," he said.

A government employee said no one had paid the fees for next year yet at the school attended by her two sons, aged 10 and seven. The school had demanded $600 for each child in dollars in addition to 12 million Lebanese pounds.

.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/lebanons-economic-crisis-among-worlds-worst-since-1850s-388829/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Where does anybody get fresh dollars to pay these days? We all get paid in local currency so how are we supposed to get this amount?," she said, declining to be named due to the sensitivity of her job.

Abboud, sitting in one of 130 schools that were damaged by the port blast, said some parents were voting with their feet, putting pressure on the small state sector, or moving abroad.

"We are seeing families going from private schools to public schools and others moving outside of Lebanon to Arab countries or Europe and the US&nbsp;and Canada and this creates a problem."

More teachers are also preparing to leave.

"There is a vast difference between now and two years ago," said 25-year old Joy Fares who has been teaching for five years. "Then I would say no I want to stay with my family ... but now, no, it makes sense to just go."

Sorbonne-educated Chryssoula Fayad spent nearly two decades teaching history and geography at Lebanon's elite French schools, ultimately heading departments. Now she is a substitute teacher in Paris, part of an exodus from an education system on its knees.

Sorbonne-educated Chryssoula Fayad spent nearly two decades teaching history and geography at Lebanon's elite French schools, ultimately heading departments. Now she is a substitute teacher in Paris, part of an exodus from an education system on its knees. Fayad left behind her home and life savings in August 2020, at 50 years old. Days earlier, the hospital where her husband worked and his clinic were damaged along with swathes of Beirut when chemicals exploded at the port - the final straw. Also read | Lebanon few days away from social explosion: PM Diab Corruption and political wrangling have cost the local currency more than 90 per cent of its value in less than two years, propelling half the population into poverty and locking depositors like Fayad out of their bank accounts. Despite her straitened circumstances, she has no regrets. "I always say thank God that we had this chance to come here," she said. "Unfortunately I know I made the right decision when I see how things are in Lebanon now." Lebanon's educational sector, prized throughout the Middle East as a regional leader, was once ranked tenth globally by the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report. Now it is unclear how schools will manage when the new academic year starts in October. "When the crisis erupted in 2019 it took the educational sector by surprise," Rene Karam, the head of the Association of Teachers of English (ATEL) in Lebanon, said. Also read | Diapers and rags: Lebanon crisis plunges women into period poverty At the start, some private schools laid off higher-paid teachers, around 30 per cent of staff, to save money, but as time went on many others left of their own accord, with half of the 100 teachers in his association now in Iraq, Dubai and Oman. Salaries starting at 1.5 million Lebanese pounds a month are now worth less than $90 at the street rate in a country where they used to be $1,000. "We are in a real crisis," he said. Staying Alive Private schools make up 70 per cent of the educational sector, with upwards of 1,500 institutions. Rodolphe Abboud, head of the syndicate for private school teachers, said every school has lost between ten to 40 teachers so far, with some staying at home because they can no longer afford childcare. "We are at the stage of just staying alive, the necessities," he said. "There is not one school now that is not advertising for jobs." Children from several grades have already been put together for some subjects and daily power cuts and shortages of basic materials also make it difficult for schools to operate. This week the education ministry cancelled final middle school examinations in response to pressure from parents and staff who had argued economic conditions made them impossible. Also read | Protests rock Lebanon ahead of fuel price hike "The minister wanted to conduct exams but didn't he know that in Lebanon there is a shortage of paper and ink and teachers can't work for free and schools can't operate without fuel for electricity generators?" Karam said. The education ministry said it had secured extra pay from donors for teachers supervising exams but most had pulled out. "The majority of teachers gradually withdrew from supervision and this is what made it impossible to conduct the middle school exams," Hilda Khoury, a director at the ministry, said by email, adding that senior school exams would take place. Whatever it takes Father Boutros Azar, secretary-general for Catholic Schools in the Middle East and North Africa, said parents at many of its 321 schools in Lebanon were struggling to pay annual fees that range from 3 million to 8 million pounds. "But we have made a decision to continue and do whatever it takes to keep schools open," he said. A government employee said no one had paid the fees for next year yet at the school attended by her two sons, aged 10 and seven. The school had demanded $600 for each child in dollars in addition to 12 million Lebanese pounds. . "Where does anybody get fresh dollars to pay these days? We all get paid in local currency so how are we supposed to get this amount?," she said, declining to be named due to the sensitivity of her job. Abboud, sitting in one of 130 schools that were damaged by the port blast, said some parents were voting with their feet, putting pressure on the small state sector, or moving abroad. "We are seeing families going from private schools to public schools and others moving outside of Lebanon to Arab countries or Europe and the US and Canada and this creates a problem." More teachers are also preparing to leave. "There is a vast difference between now and two years ago," said 25-year old Joy Fares who has been teaching for five years. "Then I would say no I want to stay with my family ... but now, no, it makes sense to just go."

School's out for good? Lebanese teachers flee as financial crisis builds

Eleven kidnapped teachers have been freed in western Cameroon, where separatist insurgents are battling government forces, the church that runs the schools said on Thursday

Unidentified men took the teachers hostage on Tuesday during a raid on two schools in the town of Kumbo, just 10 days after gunmen stormed a school in another western town, killing at least seven children. No one has claimed responsibility for either of the raids.

Samuel Fonki, representative of the church that runs the two schools, said the teachers had been freed but gave no further details when contacted via instant message.

There was no immediate comment from authorities on the release.

The recent attacks underscore the precarious security situation in some English-speaking areas of the central African country. More than 3,000 people have died since 2017 in the conflict between the Cameroonian government and the Anglophone separatists who want to break away from the primarily French-speaking state.

Human rights groups say both sides have committed widespread atrocities, with the separatists often targeting schools that fail to comply with their demands to close.

Eleven kidnapped teachers have been freed in western Cameroon, where separatist insurgents are battling government forces, the church that runs the schools said on Thursday Unidentified men took the teachers hostage on Tuesday during a raid on two schools in the town of Kumbo, just 10 days after gunmen stormed a school in another western town, killing at least seven children.

Eleven kidnapped teachers have been freed in western Cameroon, where separatist insurgents are battling government forces, the church that runs the schools said on Thursday Unidentified men took the teachers hostage on Tuesday during a raid on two schools in the town of Kumbo, just 10 days after gunmen stormed a school in another western town, killing at least seven children. No one has claimed responsibility for either of the raids. Samuel Fonki, representative of the church that runs the two schools, said the teachers had been freed but gave no further details when contacted via instant message. There was no immediate comment from authorities on the release. The recent attacks underscore the precarious security situation in some English-speaking areas of the central African country. More than 3,000 people have died since 2017 in the conflict between the Cameroonian government and the Anglophone separatists who want to break away from the primarily French-speaking state. Human rights groups say both sides have committed widespread atrocities, with the separatists often targeting schools that fail to comply with their demands to close.

Eleven kidnapped teachers freed in Cameroon

In the poor Spanish quarter, teachers have taken to the narrow, windy streets to hold their lessons with pupils socially distancing outdoors.

Naples teachers bring socially distanced school to streets and balconies

As New York City prepares to open public schools on September 21st, some educators and parents are pushing for students to have more outdoor learning because they say outdoor learning is safer during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Some NYC parents/teachers pushing for outdoor school

Group of teachers working to keep education available for displaced children in Atmeh camp, turn to lessons via WhatsApp as threat of coronavirus forces the tent school to close.

Fearing corona, young teachers turn to Whatsapp lessons in Syria camp

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-open-to-new-talks-with-united-states-after-bloody-attacks-250356">Afghanistan's Taliban</a> insurgent group on Wednesday warned teachers, students and other education workers to avoid the upcoming presidential vote or risk dying in attacks on election centres.

"Do not allow election organisers to turn your schools and institutions into electoral centres, and teachers and students should not work as electoral staff," said the Taliban statement.

"We do not want to cause the loss of lives and financial losses for civilians, teachers and students," it said.

In 10 days, Afghanistan will hold its fourth presidential election since United States-led forces toppled the hardline Islamist Taliban from power in 2001. The insurgents have sworn to violently disrupt the vote, which comes in the aftermath of collapsed peace talks between the militants and the United States.

Schools and universities make up between seven and eight out of every ten polling centres across the country, and though no students, teachers or education officials are being hired as election workers, they can volunteer, said Abdul Aziz Ibrahimi, a spokesman for Afghanistan's election commission.

"We are committed to holding elections on the announced date, and such threats from the Taliban cannot prevent us from holding them," the spokesman said.

The Ministry of Education was not immediately available for comment, but the United Nations and international donors have asked it to help with elections because of its relatively developed infrastructure.

On Tuesday, Taliban attackers killed nearly 50 people in separate suicide bombings, one targeting an election rally for incumbent President Ashraf Ghani, who is seeking a second five-year term.

Security across the country has been tight in the run-up to the vote, after threats by the Taliban to attack meetings and polling stations. The group has vowed to intensify clashes with Afghan and foreign forces to dissuade people from voting in the upcoming elections.

Last week, peace talks between the United States and the Taliban collapsed. The two sides had been seeking to reach an accord on the withdrawal of thousands of American troops from Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees from the insurgents.

The negotiations, which did not include the Afghan government, were intended as a prelude to wider peace negotiations to end more than more 40 years of war in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's Taliban insurgent group on Wednesday warned teachers, students and other education workers to avoid the upcoming presidential vote or risk dying in attacks on election centres.

Afghanistan's Taliban insurgent group on Wednesday warned teachers, students and other education workers to avoid the upcoming presidential vote or risk dying in attacks on election centres. "Do not allow election organisers to turn your schools and institutions into electoral centres, and teachers and students should not work as electoral staff," said the Taliban statement. "We do not want to cause the loss of lives and financial losses for civilians, teachers and students," it said. In 10 days, Afghanistan will hold its fourth presidential election since United States-led forces toppled the hardline Islamist Taliban from power in 2001. The insurgents have sworn to violently disrupt the vote, which comes in the aftermath of collapsed peace talks between the militants and the United States. Schools and universities make up between seven and eight out of every ten polling centres across the country, and though no students, teachers or education officials are being hired as election workers, they can volunteer, said Abdul Aziz Ibrahimi, a spokesman for Afghanistan's election commission. "We are committed to holding elections on the announced date, and such threats from the Taliban cannot prevent us from holding them," the spokesman said. The Ministry of Education was not immediately available for comment, but the United Nations and international donors have asked it to help with elections because of its relatively developed infrastructure. On Tuesday, Taliban attackers killed nearly 50 people in separate suicide bombings, one targeting an election rally for incumbent President Ashraf Ghani, who is seeking a second five-year term. Security across the country has been tight in the run-up to the vote, after threats by the Taliban to attack meetings and polling stations. The group has vowed to intensify clashes with Afghan and foreign forces to dissuade people from voting in the upcoming elections. Last week, peace talks between the United States and the Taliban collapsed. The two sides had been seeking to reach an accord on the withdrawal of thousands of American troops from Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees from the insurgents. The negotiations, which did not include the Afghan government, were intended as a prelude to wider peace negotiations to end more than more 40 years of war in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's Taliban tells teachers, students to block presidential elections or risk death

Teachers Day is celebrated every year on September 5 to acknowledge the contribution of teachers in shaping an individual's life. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India and an exemplary teacher.

It is a known fact that when Dr Radhakrishnan became a teacher, his students and friends wanted to celebrate his birthday, but he asked them to celebrate his birthday as Teachers Day.

Guru-Shishya Parampara (Teacher-Student relationship) is an ancient Indian tradition which we have gifted to the world. In Hindu Mythology -&nbsp;Dronacharya-Arjun, Dronacharya and Eklavya, Dadoji Konddev and Shivaji are examples of Guru-Shishya Parampara.

Teachers play an important role in not just the development of an individual but also in the nation-building. However, there have been several instances which show teachers don't get the deserved respect these days.&nbsp;

Furthermore, online tutors and e-educators get more monetary benefits than teachers.

According to a recent study, while the average annual salary for a teacher in India is Rs 2,19,804 and goes up to Rs 5,88,000 per annum; the average annual salary of an online tutor in the country is Rs 4,80,000 and goes up to Rs 9,25,000 per annum.

Teachers, across primary and high schools, need to be treated as valued professionals by students and the education sector. There is a need to provide them good working conditions, better remuneration and recognize their efforts and achievements.

They should be given ample opportunities to empower themselves by organising training and introducing short-term courses for them. This will motivate and help them respond to the changing requirements confidently.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Teachers Day is celebrated every year on September 5 to acknowledge the contribution of teachers in shaping an individual's life. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India and an exemplary teacher.

Teachers Day is celebrated every year on September 5 to acknowledge the contribution of teachers in shaping an individual's life. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India and an exemplary teacher. It is a known fact that when Dr Radhakrishnan became a teacher, his students and friends wanted to celebrate his birthday, but he asked them to celebrate his birthday as Teachers Day. Guru-Shishya Parampara (Teacher-Student relationship) is an ancient Indian tradition which we have gifted to the world. In Hindu Mythology - Dronacharya-Arjun, Dronacharya and Eklavya, Dadoji Konddev and Shivaji are examples of Guru-Shishya Parampara. Teachers play an important role in not just the development of an individual but also in the nation-building. However, there have been several instances which show teachers don't get the deserved respect these days. Furthermore, online tutors and e-educators get more monetary benefits than teachers. According to a recent study, while the average annual salary for a teacher in India is Rs 2,19,804 and goes up to Rs 5,88,000 per annum; the average annual salary of an online tutor in the country is Rs 4,80,000 and goes up to Rs 9,25,000 per annum. Teachers, across primary and high schools, need to be treated as valued professionals by students and the education sector. There is a need to provide them good working conditions, better remuneration and recognize their efforts and achievements. They should be given ample opportunities to empower themselves by organising training and introducing short-term courses for them. This will motivate and help them respond to the changing requirements confidently. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Teachers need to be treated as valued professionals

Badar Amar, a 15-year old student in Kabul stopped attending school to avoid getting teased by his classmates after a teacher chopped off his hair as a punishment, a decades-old practice common in Afghan schools that was banned by the government recently.

Afghan teachers may lose jobs for forcing haircuts upon students

Some 30,000 striking Los Angeles teachers demanding higher pay, smaller classes and more support staff from the nation`s second-largest school district walked picket lines for a second day on Tuesday, with no new talks on the horizon.

Negotiators for the Los Angeles Unified School District and the United Teachers Los Angeles have not met since union leaders rejected the LAUSD`s latest contract offer on Friday night, calling the proposal an "insult."

Asked on Tuesday afternoon whether the two sides had any intention of returning to the bargaining table, an LAUSD spokeswoman said: "Nothing is scheduled at this time."

The strike, shattering 30 years of labor peace by Los Angeles teachers, has not completely idled instruction in the sprawling district encompassing some 1,200 schools.

The district has enlisted administrators and substitute teachers to keep classes open on a limited basis through the strike, although LAUSD reported only about a third of its 492,000 public school students showed up on the first day of the walkout.

About 148,000 additional students are enrolled in LAUSD`s independently managed charter schools and have been unaffected for the most part by this week`s labor strife.

On Tuesday, however, a group of no more than four dozen unionized teachers at three LAUSD charter schools operated by a company called The Accelerated Schools walked off the job in a separate dispute they said was focused on job security.

It marked only the second charter school strike in the nation and the first in California, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers parent union.

The Los Angeles walkout followed a wave of teachers` strikes across the United States over pay and school funding, including in West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Arizona. Denver teachers could vote to strike by Saturday if no deal on a new contract is reached by then.&nbsp;

SYMPATHY FOR TEACHERS

Public sympathy appeared strongly aligned with the Los Angeles teachers` union, with more than three-quarters of those polled by Loyola Marymount University`s Center for the Study of Los Angeles saying they supported the teachers.

The survey, released on Tuesday, showed strike support running at 60 per cent or more across all demographic groups, including age, income and political leanings. Among parents with children at home, support topped 82 per cent, a finding reflected in the presence of many parents seen walking picket lines with the teachers, despite the inconvenience the strike posed for working families.

Aside from the education disruption, the teachers` strike could have implications for the political aspirations of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, considered a likely contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

Garcetti expressed support for the striking teachers on Tuesday, telling Reuters at a teachers` rally on Tuesday that the strike "is an important and righteous fight about the soul of our schools. Every parent, every kid deserves a decent-sized classroom where teachers aren’t overwhelmed by the numbers." 
&nbsp; 
The mayor previously avoided taking sides in the dispute, over which he has little practical sway because the LAUSD is governed by an independently elected school board that appoints its superintendent.

The two sides remained at loggerheads on how much the district needs to invest in hiring staff, including nurses, librarians and other support staff. 
Superintendent Austin Beutner said the district had offered staff increases that would cost $130 million a year - more than county officials have said is available - while the union`s demands would cost $800 million.

Beutner offered to join teachers in lobbying state lawmakers to increase education funding. "Join me on the bus," he said. "Let`s go."

UTLA negotiators want a 6.5 per cent pay raise. Teacher pay currently averages $75,000 in the LAUSD, according to state figures. The district has offered a 6 per cent hike with back pay.

Some 30,000 striking Los Angeles teachers demanding higher pay, smaller classes and more support staff from the nation`s second-largest school district walked picket lines for a second day on Tuesday, with no new talks on the horizon.

Some 30,000 striking Los Angeles teachers demanding higher pay, smaller classes and more support staff from the nation`s second-largest school district walked picket lines for a second day on Tuesday, with no new talks on the horizon. Negotiators for the Los Angeles Unified School District and the United Teachers Los Angeles have not met since union leaders rejected the LAUSD`s latest contract offer on Friday night, calling the proposal an "insult." Asked on Tuesday afternoon whether the two sides had any intention of returning to the bargaining table, an LAUSD spokeswoman said: "Nothing is scheduled at this time." The strike, shattering 30 years of labor peace by Los Angeles teachers, has not completely idled instruction in the sprawling district encompassing some 1,200 schools. The district has enlisted administrators and substitute teachers to keep classes open on a limited basis through the strike, although LAUSD reported only about a third of its 492,000 public school students showed up on the first day of the walkout. About 148,000 additional students are enrolled in LAUSD`s independently managed charter schools and have been unaffected for the most part by this week`s labor strife. On Tuesday, however, a group of no more than four dozen unionized teachers at three LAUSD charter schools operated by a company called The Accelerated Schools walked off the job in a separate dispute they said was focused on job security. It marked only the second charter school strike in the nation and the first in California, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers parent union. The Los Angeles walkout followed a wave of teachers` strikes across the United States over pay and school funding, including in West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Arizona. Denver teachers could vote to strike by Saturday if no deal on a new contract is reached by then. SYMPATHY FOR TEACHERS Public sympathy appeared strongly aligned with the Los Angeles teachers` union, with more than three-quarters of those polled by Loyola Marymount University`s Center for the Study of Los Angeles saying they supported the teachers. The survey, released on Tuesday, showed strike support running at 60 per cent or more across all demographic groups, including age, income and political leanings. Among parents with children at home, support topped 82 per cent, a finding reflected in the presence of many parents seen walking picket lines with the teachers, despite the inconvenience the strike posed for working families. Aside from the education disruption, the teachers` strike could have implications for the political aspirations of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, considered a likely contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Garcetti expressed support for the striking teachers on Tuesday, telling Reuters at a teachers` rally on Tuesday that the strike "is an important and righteous fight about the soul of our schools. Every parent, every kid deserves a decent-sized classroom where teachers aren’t overwhelmed by the numbers." The mayor previously avoided taking sides in the dispute, over which he has little practical sway because the LAUSD is governed by an independently elected school board that appoints its superintendent. The two sides remained at loggerheads on how much the district needs to invest in hiring staff, including nurses, librarians and other support staff. Superintendent Austin Beutner said the district had offered staff increases that would cost $130 million a year - more than county officials have said is available - while the union`s demands would cost $800 million. Beutner offered to join teachers in lobbying state lawmakers to increase education funding. "Join me on the bus," he said. "Let`s go." UTLA negotiators want a 6.5 per cent pay raise. Teacher pay currently averages $75,000 in the LAUSD, according to state figures. The district has offered a 6 per cent hike with back pay.

Los Angeles 'teachers' strike extends to second day with no talks on horizon

Scores of Indian doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs and other professionals are challenging the UK government in court over being denied the right to live and work in Britain.

The professionals brought together under the banner of the 'Highly Skilled Migrants' group, were back opposite Parliament Square in London today to protest against "unjustified" refusals by the UK Home Office of their applications for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in Britain.

Since their last protest in February, many of the professionals refused ILR have appealed against the Home Office decision in the First Tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal  the courts which hear immigration appeals.

"Given the Windrush scandal involving innocent migrants being denied their citizenship rights and the new Home Secretary (Sajid Javid) assuring the public that the Home Office will be fair in its immigration decisions, these cases take on an added significance," said Aditi Bhardwaj, one of the convenors of the group.

"The way some of these skilled professionals have been treated is worse than criminals. We have evidence to show that the entire approach of the Home Office is unfair because it is based on how to find a way to deny someone's legitimate application to live and work in the country," she said.

The common factor among all the professionals, from non-European Union countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, is that they were in the UK on a Tier 1 (General) visa.

They were entitled to apply for ILR or permanent residency status after a minimum of five years' lawful residency in the UK.

While the visa category itself was discontinued in 2010, former applicants were eligible to apply for ILR until April this year if they met the necessary requirements.

But legal experts have noted a pattern of many such applications being turned down on the basis of Rule 322(5), a discretionary rule linked to an applicant's "good character".

The reason for refusal under this rule is most often a discrepancy in the earnings declared to the Home Office and that to the UK's tax department.

While in some cases there may be a legal case of downplaying income for tax reasons or overstating for immigration purposes, experts believe the rule has been used unfairly as a blanket reason for turning down most applications under the Tier 1 (General) route.

"In the last couple of years, this refusal reason seems to have become near-automatic. The Home Office should not be treating legitimate businesspeople as dishonest where there may be an innocent explanation," said Mark Symes, a senior immigration barrister aware of several such cases where the UK Home Office seems to have displayed a "shoot first mentality".

"The main potential for injustice is the seemingly automatic refusal of applications even when there are good explanations provided, for example where an accountant has admitted their own error in writing," he said.

A 31-year-old Indian professional, who underwent a similar situation due to a minor correction in his tax return, is now fighting his case in the UK's Court of Appeal.

The former Heathrow Airport worker's case has the potential of becoming a test case for hundreds of others who have been denied their ILR on similar grounds.

"The judge has indicated that the grounds of appeal have a good prospect of success," said the professional on condition of anonymity.

"My entire life has been on hold for two years, during which I have been unable to work or focus on anything else.

The Home Office is just interested in its immigration targets and finding any means to deny what is our right as skilled professionals who have been working hard and paying our taxes in this country," he said.

His case comes up for its next hearing in June and could pave the way for a wider class action legal challenge.

"It is possible that a class action would be a good way for getting the law and the legal requirement for fairness to be clarified," said Symes.

The group's protest outside Parliament comes just days after newly-appointed Home Secretary Sajid Javid took charge amid an ongoing immigration crisis dubbed the "Windrush scandal" involving hundreds of Caribbean immigrants to Britain, and vowed to "do right" by migrants who had a legitimate right to be in the country.

Javid replaced Amber Rudd who resigned after admitting that she had "inadvertently misled" Parliament over the existence of deportation targets for illegal immigrants.

The UK Home Office claims that any refusals are a direct result of discrepancies in the tax data quoted by applicants.

"Where there has been clear evidence that these applicants have lied on their visa forms, the courts have upheld our refusal decisions in most cases when these decisions are challenged," a Home Office statement said.

Scores of Indian doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs and other professionals are challenging the UK government in court over being denied the right to live and work in Britain.

Scores of Indian doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs and other professionals are challenging the UK government in court over being denied the right to live and work in Britain. The professionals brought together under the banner of the 'Highly Skilled Migrants' group, were back opposite Parliament Square in London today to protest against "unjustified" refusals by the UK Home Office of their applications for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in Britain. Since their last protest in February, many of the professionals refused ILR have appealed against the Home Office decision in the First Tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal  the courts which hear immigration appeals. "Given the Windrush scandal involving innocent migrants being denied their citizenship rights and the new Home Secretary (Sajid Javid) assuring the public that the Home Office will be fair in its immigration decisions, these cases take on an added significance," said Aditi Bhardwaj, one of the convenors of the group. "The way some of these skilled professionals have been treated is worse than criminals. We have evidence to show that the entire approach of the Home Office is unfair because it is based on how to find a way to deny someone's legitimate application to live and work in the country," she said. The common factor among all the professionals, from non-European Union countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, is that they were in the UK on a Tier 1 (General) visa. They were entitled to apply for ILR or permanent residency status after a minimum of five years' lawful residency in the UK. While the visa category itself was discontinued in 2010, former applicants were eligible to apply for ILR until April this year if they met the necessary requirements. But legal experts have noted a pattern of many such applications being turned down on the basis of Rule 322(5), a discretionary rule linked to an applicant's "good character". The reason for refusal under this rule is most often a discrepancy in the earnings declared to the Home Office and that to the UK's tax department. While in some cases there may be a legal case of downplaying income for tax reasons or overstating for immigration purposes, experts believe the rule has been used unfairly as a blanket reason for turning down most applications under the Tier 1 (General) route. "In the last couple of years, this refusal reason seems to have become near-automatic. The Home Office should not be treating legitimate businesspeople as dishonest where there may be an innocent explanation," said Mark Symes, a senior immigration barrister aware of several such cases where the UK Home Office seems to have displayed a "shoot first mentality". "The main potential for injustice is the seemingly automatic refusal of applications even when there are good explanations provided, for example where an accountant has admitted their own error in writing," he said. A 31-year-old Indian professional, who underwent a similar situation due to a minor correction in his tax return, is now fighting his case in the UK's Court of Appeal. The former Heathrow Airport worker's case has the potential of becoming a test case for hundreds of others who have been denied their ILR on similar grounds. "The judge has indicated that the grounds of appeal have a good prospect of success," said the professional on condition of anonymity. "My entire life has been on hold for two years, during which I have been unable to work or focus on anything else. The Home Office is just interested in its immigration targets and finding any means to deny what is our right as skilled professionals who have been working hard and paying our taxes in this country," he said. His case comes up for its next hearing in June and could pave the way for a wider class action legal challenge. "It is possible that a class action would be a good way for getting the law and the legal requirement for fairness to be clarified," said Symes. The group's protest outside Parliament comes just days after newly-appointed Home Secretary Sajid Javid took charge amid an ongoing immigration crisis dubbed the "Windrush scandal" involving hundreds of Caribbean immigrants to Britain, and vowed to "do right" by migrants who had a legitimate right to be in the country. Javid replaced Amber Rudd who resigned after admitting that she had "inadvertently misled" Parliament over the existence of deportation targets for illegal immigrants. The UK Home Office claims that any refusals are a direct result of discrepancies in the tax data quoted by applicants. "Where there has been clear evidence that these applicants have lied on their visa forms, the courts have upheld our refusal decisions in most cases when these decisions are challenged," a Home Office statement said.

Indian professionals challenge UK government in court over visas

Two teachers and one tutor, who were arrested for their alleged role in leaking the question paper of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examinations, have been sent to two-day police custody by Delhi's Karkardooma court.

Delhi Police Joint Commissioner of Police (CP) Crime Branch told ANI, "Two teachers and a tutor were arrested. Police custody remand of all the three has been taken, they will be questioned."

Touqeer, a tution teacher and two teachers of a private school - Rishabh and Rohit - were arrested earlier today.

Delhi Police's earlier&nbsparrested two teachers and a coaching centre owner.&nbsp

According to reports, the teachers clicked photos of the examination paper at 9:15 am and passed it on to the coaching centre owner who then shared it with the students.

It is learned that the paper was leaked in the handwritten form further probe and investigation continue.&nbsp

More than 60 people have been questioned till now, out of which 10 are tutors of coaching centres. Also, more than 50 cell phones of students and tutors have been seized.

According to the police, a total of 53 students and 7 teachers have been questioned so far.

The Class 12 Economics and Class 10 Mathematics exams were held on March 26 and March 28 respectively.

The CBSE announced a re-examination of the Class 12 Economics paper on April 25, while the re-test for the Class 10 Mathematics paper is likely to be conducted in July.&nbsp

Meanwhile, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Saturday clarified that the Class 12 Hindi (Elective) question paper was not leaked.

"A fake question paper of Class 12- Hindi (Elective) is being circulated on Social Media platforms like Whatsapp, YouTube etc, it is not the real one," the CBSE said in a statement.

Touqeer, a tution teacher and two teachers of a private school - Rishabh and Rohit - were arrested earlier today

Two teachers and one tutor, who were arrested for their alleged role in leaking the question paper of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examinations, have been sent to two-day police custody by Delhi's Karkardooma court. Delhi Police Joint Commissioner of Police (CP) Crime Branch told ANI, "Two teachers and a tutor were arrested. Police custody remand of all the three has been taken, they will be questioned." Touqeer, a tution teacher and two teachers of a private school - Rishabh and Rohit - were arrested earlier today. Delhi Police's earlier&nbsparrested two teachers and a coaching centre owner. According to reports, the teachers clicked photos of the examination paper at 9:15 am and passed it on to the coaching centre owner who then shared it with the students. It is learned that the paper was leaked in the handwritten form further probe and investigation continue. More than 60 people have been questioned till now, out of which 10 are tutors of coaching centres. Also, more than 50 cell phones of students and tutors have been seized. According to the police, a total of 53 students and 7 teachers have been questioned so far. The Class 12 Economics and Class 10 Mathematics exams were held on March 26 and March 28 respectively. The CBSE announced a re-examination of the Class 12 Economics paper on April 25, while the re-test for the Class 10 Mathematics paper is likely to be conducted in July. Meanwhile, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Saturday clarified that the Class 12 Hindi (Elective) question paper was not leaked. "A fake question paper of Class 12- Hindi (Elective) is being circulated on Social Media platforms like Whatsapp, YouTube etc, it is not the real one," the CBSE said in a statement.

CBSE paper leak: All 3 accused sent to 2-day police custody

By S. Suresh*

It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California.

Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.” &nbspThis statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact.

The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof’s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low.

I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff.

Armed Teachers? 

During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country’s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. “I am a Second Amendment person,” Trump said. “If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn’t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn’t have 130 people plus dead.”

America’s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of “bullets going in the other direction” and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation’s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that “certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,” ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses.

Not surprisingly, Trump’s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump’s call to arms, while many teachers’ unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers’ knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting.&nbsp

Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida’s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms.

Watershed Moment

Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida’s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better.

Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation.

The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA’s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida’s standing with the Giffords Law Center.

With the midterm elections looming in November 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics.&nbsp

*S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software.&nbsp

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By arming teachers, America will cause lasting damage in a society already rife with gun violence

By S. Suresh* It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California. Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.” &nbspThis statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact. The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof’s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low. I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff. Armed Teachers? During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country’s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. “I am a Second Amendment person,” Trump said. “If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn’t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn’t have 130 people plus dead.” America’s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of “bullets going in the other direction” and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation’s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that “certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,” ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses. Not surprisingly, Trump’s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump’s call to arms, while many teachers’ unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers’ knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting. Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida’s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms. Watershed Moment Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida’s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better. Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation. The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA’s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida’s standing with the Giffords Law Center. With the midterm elections looming in November 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics. *S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Teachers are educators, not mercenaries

By S. Suresh*

It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California.

Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, &ldquo;More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.&rdquo; &nbsp;This statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact.

The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof&rsquo;s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low.

I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff.

Armed Teachers? 

During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country&rsquo;s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. &ldquo;I am a Second Amendment person,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn&rsquo;t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn&rsquo;t have 130 people plus dead.&rdquo;

America&rsquo;s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of &ldquo;bullets going in the other direction&rdquo; and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation&rsquo;s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that &ldquo;certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,&rdquo; ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses.

Not surprisingly, Trump&rsquo;s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump&rsquo;s call to arms, while many teachers&rsquo; unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers&rsquo; knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting.&nbsp;

Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida&rsquo;s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms.

Watershed Moment

Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida&rsquo;s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that &ldquo;Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.&rdquo; Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better.

Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation.

The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick&rsquo;s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA&rsquo;s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida&rsquo;s standing with the Giffords Law Center.

With the midterm elections looming in November, 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics.&nbsp;

*S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By arming teachers, America will cause lasting damage in a society already rife with gun violence.

By S. Suresh* It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California. Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.” This statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact. The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof’s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low. I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff. Armed Teachers? During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country’s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. “I am a Second Amendment person,” Trump said. “If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn’t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn’t have 130 people plus dead.” America’s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of “bullets going in the other direction” and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation’s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that “certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,” ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses. Not surprisingly, Trump’s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump’s call to arms, while many teachers’ unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers’ knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting. Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida’s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms. Watershed Moment Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida’s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better. Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation. The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA’s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida’s standing with the Giffords Law Center. With the midterm elections looming in November, 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics. *S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
The US state of Florida, scene of America&#39;s latest school shooting, on Wednesday passed bill that raises the minimum age to buy firearms to 21 while funding a program that allows some teachers and school employees to be armed.

The &quot;Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act,&quot; which takes its name from last month&#39;s mass shooting in which 17 people including 14 students were killed, passed the legislature&#39;s lower house a day after clearing the Senate.

It will now be sent to Governor Rick Scott to sign.

The Republican has not indicated whether he would veto the law, but he has previously expressed opposition to US President Donald Trump&#39;s call to arm teachers.

America&#39;s long moribund gun control debate was revived by survivors of the Parkland shooting, who a day after their school was attacked launched the &quot;Never Again&quot; movement demanding legislative action.

The bill raises the minimum age to purchase all firearms from 18 to 21 -- a move opposed by the powerful National Rifle Association lobby group -- bans modification devices that make a semi-automatic weapon fully automatic and increases mental health funding.

It also includes a voluntary &quot;guardian program&quot; named after Coach Aaron Feis who was slain in the Parkland attack, which is intended to &quot;aid in the prevention or abatement of active assailant incidents on school premises&quot; by allowing some school employees to be armed.

The program is mainly aimed at staff such as coaches and school personnel, with teachers eligible if they have military or law enforcement experience.

Bringing more guns into school has been a controversial idea, but lawmakers defended the bill.&quot;I understand the angst about the guardian program but I can&#39;t help but think about the coaches who literally ran in as shields to protect their students ... while guys with guns were standing outside,&quot; said Republican member Chris Latvala.

&quot;If there are school personnel that want to go to the training to help shield the students and protect them, they should have the opportunity,&quot; he continued.

Meanwhile, Democrat legislators said the guardian program was a &quot;poison pill&quot; in a law otherwise taking necessary steps towards gun control.

&quot;I&#39;m taking and swallowing that poison pill. As much as I don&#39;t want to, I can&#39;t look in the mirror and leave here and think &#39;I did nothing to help&#39;,&quot; said Representative Joseph Geller.

African-American representatives also expressed fears that arming black school employees could leave them vulnerable to being mistaken for attackers by police arriving on the scene of a mass shooting.

Florida has seen three mass shootings in under two years -- 49 were killed at an Orlando nightclub in 2016, five at Fort Lauderdale&#39;s international airport in 2017, and now 17 in Parkland.

The bill does not ban the sale of the AR-15 assault rifle -- the weapon used by Nikolas Cruz -- one of the activists&#39;&nbsp;key demands.

Meanwhile, parents of American children killed in gun violence implored Congress to seize the moment and enact far-reaching gun reform, as the momentum for taking action stalls in politically divided Washington.

With no lawmakers from the controlling Republican Party present, a group of Senate Democrats held a makeshift hearing in the US Capitol to hear testimony from grieving relatives, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, teachers and police officers demanding change to the nation&#39;s laws.

&quot;How many more children are going to need to be slaughtered?&quot; 17-year-old David Hogg asked the senators. 
&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Democrat legislators said the guardian program was a "poison pill" in a law otherwise taking necessary steps towards gun control

The US state of Florida, scene of America's latest school shooting, on Wednesday passed bill that raises the minimum age to buy firearms to 21 while funding a program that allows some teachers and school employees to be armed. The "Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act," which takes its name from last month's mass shooting in which 17 people including 14 students were killed, passed the legislature's lower house a day after clearing the Senate. It will now be sent to Governor Rick Scott to sign. The Republican has not indicated whether he would veto the law, but he has previously expressed opposition to US President Donald Trump's call to arm teachers. America's long moribund gun control debate was revived by survivors of the Parkland shooting, who a day after their school was attacked launched the "Never Again" movement demanding legislative action. The bill raises the minimum age to purchase all firearms from 18 to 21 -- a move opposed by the powerful National Rifle Association lobby group -- bans modification devices that make a semi-automatic weapon fully automatic and increases mental health funding. It also includes a voluntary "guardian program" named after Coach Aaron Feis who was slain in the Parkland attack, which is intended to "aid in the prevention or abatement of active assailant incidents on school premises" by allowing some school employees to be armed. The program is mainly aimed at staff such as coaches and school personnel, with teachers eligible if they have military or law enforcement experience. Bringing more guns into school has been a controversial idea, but lawmakers defended the bill."I understand the angst about the guardian program but I can't help but think about the coaches who literally ran in as shields to protect their students ... while guys with guns were standing outside," said Republican member Chris Latvala. "If there are school personnel that want to go to the training to help shield the students and protect them, they should have the opportunity," he continued. Meanwhile, Democrat legislators said the guardian program was a "poison pill" in a law otherwise taking necessary steps towards gun control. "I'm taking and swallowing that poison pill. As much as I don't want to, I can't look in the mirror and leave here and think 'I did nothing to help'," said Representative Joseph Geller. African-American representatives also expressed fears that arming black school employees could leave them vulnerable to being mistaken for attackers by police arriving on the scene of a mass shooting. Florida has seen three mass shootings in under two years -- 49 were killed at an Orlando nightclub in 2016, five at Fort Lauderdale's international airport in 2017, and now 17 in Parkland. The bill does not ban the sale of the AR-15 assault rifle -- the weapon used by Nikolas Cruz -- one of the activists' key demands. Meanwhile, parents of American children killed in gun violence implored Congress to seize the moment and enact far-reaching gun reform, as the momentum for taking action stalls in politically divided Washington. With no lawmakers from the controlling Republican Party present, a group of Senate Democrats held a makeshift hearing in the US Capitol to hear testimony from grieving relatives, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, teachers and police officers demanding change to the nation's laws. "How many more children are going to need to be slaughtered?" 17-year-old David Hogg asked the senators.

Florida passes bill to restrict guns, arm some teachers

By Aimee Huff, Michelle Barnhart*&nbsp;

President Donald Trump&rsquo;s proposal to arm teachers has sparked substantial public debate.

As researchers of consumer culture and lead authors of a recent study of how Americans use and view firearms for self-defense, we argue that while carrying a gun may reduce the risk of being powerless during an attack, it also introduces substantial and overlooked risks to the carrier and others.

Where bullets land

One of the biggest risks involved with arming teachers would be missing the target &ndash; literally. Despite the fact that police must undergo extensive professional training, particularly for high-pressure situations, one study notes that police involved in gunfights shoot with an accuracy rate of just 18 percent.

Assuming teachers can achieve the same level of accuracy as police, and that an armed teacher were able to get into position to fire, just one in five or six bullets would hit the shooter. The other four or five bullets would hit something or someone else. While an armed and trained teacher may be able to stop a shooter, the teacher may also shoot an innocent person.

Why might they miss the target?

Our recent study about people who keep and use handguns for self-defense can help to explain why someone using a gun against an attacker has difficulty hitting their target.

Over 24 months, the research team monitored 6,879 threads in four online discussion forums focused on armed self-defense. One author completed concealed handgun license training. Two contributing authors attended the annual NRA convention. The lead authors attended two gun shows, and interviewed two police officers and nine civilians who keep and/or carry handguns for self-defense.

Individuals in our study expressed concern about effectively using their training during an actual event. They spoke of the possibility of &ldquo;freezing up&rdquo; or clumsily drawing their weapons. Many, including police and military personnel, acknowledge that the fear and chaos caused by a threatening situation produce involuntary physical responses, such as a racing heart and loss of fine motor skills. They believe these responses could impede their ability to accurately fire and could expose themselves and bystanders to the risk of being shot. They engaged in regular rehearsals in an attempt to address these concerns.

Individuals in our study note other risks of using a gun for self-defense, such as mistaking an innocent person for an assailant or being targeted by an assailant who sees that you are armed. Indeed, if arming teachers becomes commonplace, shooters may target teachers first, further decreasing teachers&rsquo; firing ability and accuracy.

We contend that other factors could inhibit teachers from effectively using their firearms training. The majority of shooters at high school and middle school incidents are current students. Recognizing the shooter as a student could emotionally inhibit a well-intentioned teacher from rapidly and accurately firing at him. Individuals in our study describe their reluctance to respond with firepower because they worry about being mistaken for assailants by law enforcement who respond to the scene. In the case of teachers, this fear could further inhibit them from engaging in a firefight.&nbsp;

The day-to-day risks of arming teachers

Our findings show that handgun owners perceive a host of other physical, legal, psychological and moral risks associated with day-to-day preparedness for armed self-defense. These risks include unnecessarily drawing or firing in a moment of fear or someone taking their gun to injure others. However, handgun owners express a willingness to accept these risks as a trade-off for decreasing their risk of being victimized.

Teachers who carry firearms would assume a variety of similar day-to-day risks. For instance, armed teachers could unintentionally discharge their firearm or have their guns taken by an angry student while trying to break-up a fight. The potential for having their gun taken is very real. Research on shootings that took place in hospital emergency departments shows that 23 percent involve a gun that is taken from an armed security guard.

Reducing these day-to-day risks is taxing on individuals. Our data show that carrying a firearm responsibly involves continuous awareness of the weapon and the situation, understanding complex laws around self-defense, and mental preparedness to end a human life if necessary. More than half of the concealed carry license holders we interviewed and dozens of online discussants stated that they sometimes leave their firearms at home to avoid the burden of having to maintain this mindset.

Based on this finding, we assert that carrying a firearm would be equally taxing on teachers, if not more since they also must engage in the duties of their profession.&nbsp;

Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Despite the widespread news coverage of mass shootings at schools, the reality is that school shootings are still a rare occurrence. In an FBI study of 160 active shooter incidents that FBI identified between 2000 and 2013, 27 &ndash; or about 17 percent &ndash; occurred at elementary, middle and high schools. Given that rarity, the challenges of effectively using a gun to neutralize a shooter without taking additional lives and added day-to-day risks, we argue that Trump&rsquo;s proposal would not be effective in making schools safer overall for teachers or students.

It is difficult to address the question of whether, in the moment of a school shooting, the presence of an armed teacher is preferable to an unarmed one.

At least eight states currently permit teachers and school staff to carry firearms. However, the small percentage of schools with armed personnel combined with the small percentage of schools experiencing mass shootings limits the opportunity for a quantitative study of the risks and benefits of arming teachers. A recent review of the available data on the effectiveness of armed security and school resource officers in deterring or responding to a school shooting was inconclusive.

One of the most compelling findings comes from the same FBI report that found between 2000 and 2013, it was unarmed civilians that stopped more active shooter events than armed civilians &ndash; 13.1 percent versus 3.1 percent, respectively. &ldquo;Of note, 11 of the incidents involved unarmed principals, teachers, other school staff and students who confronted shooters to end the threat (9 of those shooters were students),&rdquo; the report states.

This shows arming teachers isn&rsquo;t the only way to stop active shooters at schools. Often active school shooters are stopped by unarmed educators with the will to act.

* Michelle Barnhart is an Associate Professor of Marketing, Oregon State University

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

While an armed and trained teacher may be able to stop a shooter, the teacher may also shoot an innocent person.

By Aimee Huff, Michelle Barnhart* President Donald Trump’s proposal to arm teachers has sparked substantial public debate. As researchers of consumer culture and lead authors of a recent study of how Americans use and view firearms for self-defense, we argue that while carrying a gun may reduce the risk of being powerless during an attack, it also introduces substantial and overlooked risks to the carrier and others. Where bullets land One of the biggest risks involved with arming teachers would be missing the target – literally. Despite the fact that police must undergo extensive professional training, particularly for high-pressure situations, one study notes that police involved in gunfights shoot with an accuracy rate of just 18 percent. Assuming teachers can achieve the same level of accuracy as police, and that an armed teacher were able to get into position to fire, just one in five or six bullets would hit the shooter. The other four or five bullets would hit something or someone else. While an armed and trained teacher may be able to stop a shooter, the teacher may also shoot an innocent person. Why might they miss the target? Our recent study about people who keep and use handguns for self-defense can help to explain why someone using a gun against an attacker has difficulty hitting their target. Over 24 months, the research team monitored 6,879 threads in four online discussion forums focused on armed self-defense. One author completed concealed handgun license training. Two contributing authors attended the annual NRA convention. The lead authors attended two gun shows, and interviewed two police officers and nine civilians who keep and/or carry handguns for self-defense. Individuals in our study expressed concern about effectively using their training during an actual event. They spoke of the possibility of “freezing up” or clumsily drawing their weapons. Many, including police and military personnel, acknowledge that the fear and chaos caused by a threatening situation produce involuntary physical responses, such as a racing heart and loss of fine motor skills. They believe these responses could impede their ability to accurately fire and could expose themselves and bystanders to the risk of being shot. They engaged in regular rehearsals in an attempt to address these concerns. Individuals in our study note other risks of using a gun for self-defense, such as mistaking an innocent person for an assailant or being targeted by an assailant who sees that you are armed. Indeed, if arming teachers becomes commonplace, shooters may target teachers first, further decreasing teachers’ firing ability and accuracy. We contend that other factors could inhibit teachers from effectively using their firearms training. The majority of shooters at high school and middle school incidents are current students. Recognizing the shooter as a student could emotionally inhibit a well-intentioned teacher from rapidly and accurately firing at him. Individuals in our study describe their reluctance to respond with firepower because they worry about being mistaken for assailants by law enforcement who respond to the scene. In the case of teachers, this fear could further inhibit them from engaging in a firefight. The day-to-day risks of arming teachers Our findings show that handgun owners perceive a host of other physical, legal, psychological and moral risks associated with day-to-day preparedness for armed self-defense. These risks include unnecessarily drawing or firing in a moment of fear or someone taking their gun to injure others. However, handgun owners express a willingness to accept these risks as a trade-off for decreasing their risk of being victimized. Teachers who carry firearms would assume a variety of similar day-to-day risks. For instance, armed teachers could unintentionally discharge their firearm or have their guns taken by an angry student while trying to break-up a fight. The potential for having their gun taken is very real. Research on shootings that took place in hospital emergency departments shows that 23 percent involve a gun that is taken from an armed security guard. Reducing these day-to-day risks is taxing on individuals. Our data show that carrying a firearm responsibly involves continuous awareness of the weapon and the situation, understanding complex laws around self-defense, and mental preparedness to end a human life if necessary. More than half of the concealed carry license holders we interviewed and dozens of online discussants stated that they sometimes leave their firearms at home to avoid the burden of having to maintain this mindset. Based on this finding, we assert that carrying a firearm would be equally taxing on teachers, if not more since they also must engage in the duties of their profession. Do the benefits outweigh the risks? Despite the widespread news coverage of mass shootings at schools, the reality is that school shootings are still a rare occurrence. In an FBI study of 160 active shooter incidents that FBI identified between 2000 and 2013, 27 – or about 17 percent – occurred at elementary, middle and high schools. Given that rarity, the challenges of effectively using a gun to neutralize a shooter without taking additional lives and added day-to-day risks, we argue that Trump’s proposal would not be effective in making schools safer overall for teachers or students. It is difficult to address the question of whether, in the moment of a school shooting, the presence of an armed teacher is preferable to an unarmed one. At least eight states currently permit teachers and school staff to carry firearms. However, the small percentage of schools with armed personnel combined with the small percentage of schools experiencing mass shootings limits the opportunity for a quantitative study of the risks and benefits of arming teachers. A recent review of the available data on the effectiveness of armed security and school resource officers in deterring or responding to a school shooting was inconclusive. One of the most compelling findings comes from the same FBI report that found between 2000 and 2013, it was unarmed civilians that stopped more active shooter events than armed civilians – 13.1 percent versus 3.1 percent, respectively. “Of note, 11 of the incidents involved unarmed principals, teachers, other school staff and students who confronted shooters to end the threat (9 of those shooters were students),” the report states. This shows arming teachers isn’t the only way to stop active shooters at schools. Often active school shooters are stopped by unarmed educators with the will to act. * Michelle Barnhart is an Associate Professor of Marketing, Oregon State University (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why Trump's idea to arm teachers may miss the mark?

Witnessing a series of changes, higher education in India is ready to get a makeover of sorts, but is it for good? Discussing these issues and how it affects all factions concerned in a university space, WION visits the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).&nbsp;

G. Arunima, Professor at Centre for Women&rsquo;s Studies (CWS) School of Social Sciences, JNU was taken aback by the new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations concerning seat cut for research across universities of the country. Being a founding member of the CWS, she says, &ldquo;We were going to expand and also start a masters program at the centre. At this point, you get sledgehammered on your head -- I&rsquo;m sorry, this is a cap.&rdquo;

<h3>Watch: WION&#39;s exclusive coverage of new UGC regulations:</h3>

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According to new regulations put forth by the UGC, which is tasked by the Indian Parliament for coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education--there will now be a cap on the number of MPhil and PhD students a professor can supervise at a time.

Apart from seat reduction in research, the new regulations also make written examinations a qualifier for viva voice with weightage for selection depending solely on viva voice.&nbsp;

Arunima explores how hierarchical the scheme of seat capping is. She says, &ldquo;A young person who is finishing PhD and coming into the teaching profession is throbbing with excitement -- how do you stop them from supervising and tell them that you can only have one student. On what ground is it assumed that once you have gone through a certain age or have been a senior member is only when you can supervise more students?&rdquo;

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Privatisation of education sector in India

While most teachers at the university find the move arbitrary and don&rsquo;t feel nice about being left out of the discussion process, Lata Singh, Chairperson of Centre for Women&rsquo;s Studies believes that &ldquo;there are several conspiracy theories behind the cap&rdquo;. She emphasises that &ldquo;it is about power, autonomy, and privatisation: pay and study model is what they want to employ&rdquo;.&nbsp;

Singh adds, &ldquo;They are aiming for privatisation. We can already see mushrooming of private universities which will ultimately have collaborations with foreign universities and serve the elite or those who can fund their higher education. How the health sector in India is largely private, education of India is also turning to privatisation slowly.&rdquo;

<h3>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/new-ugc-regulations-will-affect-the-weaker-and-disadvantaged-sections-the-most-14645">How the new UGC regulations will affect the weaker sections the most</a></h3>

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Arunima also agrees that privatisation is a major motive behind the cap.

&ldquo;With the cap and privatisation coming to play, underprivileged students will have no access to higher education. How many can afford private universities? They are killing the dreams of a generation. Scholarships are not coming on time, fees are very high. If things were not so serious, one would laugh but it is so, so scary. JNU is becoming something that most of us do not recognise&rdquo;, says Arunima.&nbsp;

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Tampering the character of universities

Every university has a soul of its own, its own character and is distinctly unique from any other university. Teaching faculty as well as the students feel that this move would change the communication patterns within the campus.&nbsp;

Gaurish from Kerala is a second year student of Masters in Arts and Aesthetics. He is disturbed and feels clueless about his future. He says, &ldquo;All students in my department are very worried and disturbed. There are hardly five seats in each stream of my department and we don&#39;t know what to do. Even to apply in a publication, we will need to showcase our research or papers. JNU gives a space where you can discover yourself and opportunities but the campus itself has changed a lot, everybody seems to be depressed.&rdquo;

Reiterating that UGC should have thought through before coming with a mandate, he says, &ldquo;Teachers have to have a say in these things. It&rsquo;s not taking into consideration what each university stands for, admin hasn&#39;t had a proper dialogue with teachers. I don&rsquo;t think it would work.&rdquo;

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Overburdening or Redundancy?&nbsp;

UGC comes out with guidelines every once-in-a-while to better the workings of our universities, but teachers feel the reason given by UGC does not stand the test of time.&nbsp;

Arunima differs with the reasoning and adds, &ldquo;We are not overburdened. We ourselves decided the cap based on faculty strength. The students are given the option of choosing their mentor based on the research topics. There has got to be a creative, thoughtful and academic way to arrive at the numbers -- based on the faculty strength and we need to have a discussion constantly. Most serious academic institutions do that. It&rsquo;s not that anyone is arbitrarily saying that let&rsquo;s bring the entire universe to the university.

&ldquo;The exceptional status of JNU - it is envisaged as a research university.

&ldquo;If I was in the UGC, I would applaud that JNU does these things&rdquo;.&nbsp;

While exploring different angles, it is also important to bring in the perspective of Teachers Body like Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA). Ajay Kumar Patnaik, Professor in Centre for Russian Studies and School of International Studies who also held the position of the President of JNUTA twice also claims that the teachers are not pressurised.&nbsp;

Patnaik says, &ldquo;You can&#39;t equate teachers from JNU with other university teachers, because we don&#39;t have the same load shared by other university teachers. We don&#39;t have undergraduate students.&nbsp;

&ldquo;You can&#39;t have a higher education institution when there is no student. This is a department which admitted 40 students every year. This year, it&#39;s zero. For next two years or so, I will be getting my salary for nothing, without taking any classes, without teaching and it&rsquo;s not a good feeling. In a country where the share of students going to higher education is still very low, so to restrict students from getting higher education is a crime. JNU has top ranks--at a time like this when more number of students want to join the university they can&rsquo;t join-- it&rsquo;s a tragic situation.&rdquo;

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<h5>In a country where the share of students going to higher education is still very low, so to restrict students from getting higher education is a crime</h5>
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Is the new regulation, a work of the government?&nbsp;

Lata Singh believes that JNU, being the voice of critique, has come under the scanner. She questions: &ldquo;Very clearly the government is taking the name of UGC. Why should otherwise Ministry of Human Resource Development come to defense in the Parliament? Why isn&rsquo;t UGC made to answer on its own?&rdquo;

She adds, &ldquo;No government will like to hear this. Critique of Hindutva for contemporary government is a problem.&rdquo;

She also proposes a theory that &ldquo;this is a strategy for backdoor entry of government-favoured candidates.&rdquo;

Some professors, however, believe that the regulations are not such a bad thing.

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<h5>I speak for the science school and I feel the cap is not such a bad idea</h5>
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SS Maitra, Associate Professor of Biochemical Engineering, says a regulation of this kind was long overdue and such a cap will only enhance the quality of research scholars produced by the university.&nbsp;

&ldquo;It is only impossible to accommodate more than eight students in a science school because the lab is only 600 sq ft large and we have to fit in equipment as well as students in that space. I speak for the science school and I feel the cap is not such a bad idea. Some professors have 1-2 students and others have 16-18 -- it is unfair and is like oiling the oily head.

Professors take in more students only to build their reputation. A professor with 15 students will definitely not be able to give equal attention to all his students,&rdquo; says Maitra.&nbsp;

Passed as a mandate by the UGC, the new rules are applicable across the country. Both students and teachers fear for the future of the university spaces as well as career paths of those who had especially prepared to join universities like JNU in this academic session.&nbsp;

(WION)

'I will be getting my salary for nothing, without taking any classes--and it?s not a good feeling', says Prof AK Patnaik of JNU

Witnessing a series of changes, higher education in India is ready to get a makeover of sorts, but is it for good? Discussing these issues and how it affects all factions concerned in a university space, WION visits the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). G. Arunima, Professor at Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS) School of Social Sciences, JNU was taken aback by the new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations concerning seat cut for research across universities of the country. Being a founding member of the CWS, she says, “We were going to expand and also start a masters program at the centre. At this point, you get sledgehammered on your head -- I’m sorry, this is a cap.” Watch: WION's exclusive coverage of new UGC regulations: According to new regulations put forth by the UGC, which is tasked by the Indian Parliament for coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education--there will now be a cap on the number of MPhil and PhD students a professor can supervise at a time. Apart from seat reduction in research, the new regulations also make written examinations a qualifier for viva voice with weightage for selection depending solely on viva voice. Arunima explores how hierarchical the scheme of seat capping is. She says, “A young person who is finishing PhD and coming into the teaching profession is throbbing with excitement -- how do you stop them from supervising and tell them that you can only have one student. On what ground is it assumed that once you have gone through a certain age or have been a senior member is only when you can supervise more students?” It is about power, autonomy, and privatisation: pay and study model is what they want to employ × Privatisation of education sector in India While most teachers at the university find the move arbitrary and don’t feel nice about being left out of the discussion process, Lata Singh, Chairperson of Centre for Women’s Studies believes that “there are several conspiracy theories behind the cap”. She emphasises that “it is about power, autonomy, and privatisation: pay and study model is what they want to employ”. Singh adds, “They are aiming for privatisation. We can already see mushrooming of private universities which will ultimately have collaborations with foreign universities and serve the elite or those who can fund their higher education. How the health sector in India is largely private, education of India is also turning to privatisation slowly.” Also read: How the new UGC regulations will affect the weaker sections the most Arunima also agrees that privatisation is a major motive behind the cap. “With the cap and privatisation coming to play, underprivileged students will have no access to higher education. How many can afford private universities? They are killing the dreams of a generation. Scholarships are not coming on time, fees are very high. If things were not so serious, one would laugh but it is so, so scary. JNU is becoming something that most of us do not recognise”, says Arunima. Scholarships are not coming on time, fees are very high. If things were not so serious, one would laugh but it is so, so scary × Tampering the character of universities Every university has a soul of its own, its own character and is distinctly unique from any other university. Teaching faculty as well as the students feel that this move would change the communication patterns within the campus. Gaurish from Kerala is a second year student of Masters in Arts and Aesthetics. He is disturbed and feels clueless about his future. He says, “All students in my department are very worried and disturbed. There are hardly five seats in each stream of my department and we don't know what to do. Even to apply in a publication, we will need to showcase our research or papers. JNU gives a space where you can discover yourself and opportunities but the campus itself has changed a lot, everybody seems to be depressed.” Reiterating that UGC should have thought through before coming with a mandate, he says, “Teachers have to have a say in these things. It’s not taking into consideration what each university stands for, admin hasn't had a proper dialogue with teachers. I don’t think it would work.” All students in my department are very worried and disturbed. There are hardly five seats in each stream of my department and we don't know what to do × Overburdening or Redundancy? UGC comes out with guidelines every once-in-a-while to better the workings of our universities, but teachers feel the reason given by UGC does not stand the test of time. Arunima differs with the reasoning and adds, “We are not overburdened. We ourselves decided the cap based on faculty strength. The students are given the option of choosing their mentor based on the research topics. There has got to be a creative, thoughtful and academic way to arrive at the numbers -- based on the faculty strength and we need to have a discussion constantly. Most serious academic institutions do that. It’s not that anyone is arbitrarily saying that let’s bring the entire universe to the university. “The exceptional status of JNU - it is envisaged as a research university. “If I was in the UGC, I would applaud that JNU does these things”. While exploring different angles, it is also important to bring in the perspective of Teachers Body like Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA). Ajay Kumar Patnaik, Professor in Centre for Russian Studies and School of International Studies who also held the position of the President of JNUTA twice also claims that the teachers are not pressurised. Patnaik says, “You can't equate teachers from JNU with other university teachers, because we don't have the same load shared by other university teachers. We don't have undergraduate students. “You can't have a higher education institution when there is no student. This is a department which admitted 40 students every year. This year, it's zero. For next two years or so, I will be getting my salary for nothing, without taking any classes, without teaching and it’s not a good feeling. In a country where the share of students going to higher education is still very low, so to restrict students from getting higher education is a crime. JNU has top ranks--at a time like this when more number of students want to join the university they can’t join-- it’s a tragic situation.” In a country where the share of students going to higher education is still very low, so to restrict students from getting higher education is a crime × Is the new regulation, a work of the government? Lata Singh believes that JNU, being the voice of critique, has come under the scanner. She questions: “Very clearly the government is taking the name of UGC. Why should otherwise Ministry of Human Resource Development come to defense in the Parliament? Why isn’t UGC made to answer on its own?” She adds, “No government will like to hear this. Critique of Hindutva for contemporary government is a problem.” She also proposes a theory that “this is a strategy for backdoor entry of government-favoured candidates.” Some professors, however, believe that the regulations are not such a bad thing. I speak for the science school and I feel the cap is not such a bad idea × SS Maitra, Associate Professor of Biochemical Engineering, says a regulation of this kind was long overdue and such a cap will only enhance the quality of research scholars produced by the university. “It is only impossible to accommodate more than eight students in a science school because the lab is only 600 sq ft large and we have to fit in equipment as well as students in that space. I speak for the science school and I feel the cap is not such a bad idea. Some professors have 1-2 students and others have 16-18 -- it is unfair and is like oiling the oily head. Professors take in more students only to build their reputation. A professor with 15 students will definitely not be able to give equal attention to all his students,” says Maitra. Passed as a mandate by the UGC, the new rules are applicable across the country. Both students and teachers fear for the future of the university spaces as well as career paths of those who had especially prepared to join universities like JNU in this academic session. (WION)

Exploring the larger picture behind new UGC regulations

With VR taking a major role in the education sector, we found the ways in which VR is immensely helpful for better learning.

Virtual Reality has matured a lot since it’s inception and it seems like it has no intentions of stopping in further development. And people have realized the impact it is having, so much so that people have started taking advantage of it in the education sector. With the implementation of mobiles, tablets and various learning applications that have been made available to students these days, the latest is VR in immersive learning, and it changing the education sector for the better: Inspires Learning Virtual Reality can help merge the line of difference between education and technology. It can help students explore and learn. VR brings interactiveness in education to a whole new level, which the old methods could not. Role of Virtual Reality in Education (Others) × VR with the help of educational but fun games will help students retain their imagination. It also offers students to work together thereby promoting team-building. An Interactive Teaching-Learning Environment With the help of VR, teachers can take lectures from home or other environments. It gives them an opportunity to show the students various artifacts from around the world which they otherwise may not be able to visit and see. Some of the schools in rural areas have started to utilize VR technology, to provide their students with top class education even when they are not able to bring in teachers with high qualifications to teach. For instance, a school can get pre-recorded lessons from highly qualified teachers. The interactive session allowed the teacher to come live from her computer to answer the questions that the students were curious about. Education is more Engaging VR helps the educators to add a more interactive way of teaching in their establishments. This will help them make subjects which the students feel are difficult easy for them with the help of subject based games. Role of Virtual Reality in Education (Others) × In the recent times, companies like Google have made huge efforts to push VR in education by getting engaging educational games and lessons provided in their databases. Helps Students Perform better There are many benefits of VR to Educational Sector, one of which is that the students will be more attentive and engaged while playing educational games, getting virtual lectures, etc. This will aid them in retaining what they have learned at a greater level, which will inturn help them perform better. Conclusion With the implementation of VR in education, there are chances of students getting better grades and get equal level of knowledge from highly qualified educators. This will also help improve kids attention spans and also help them develop their imagination. Written By - Karanveer Singh Arora

Role of Virtual Reality in Education

Pakistan has ordered more than 100 Turkish teachers to leave the country along with their family members by November 20, in an apparent attempt to &ldquo;woo&rdquo; the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who starts his two-day visit to Islamabad today.

About 108 Turkish teachers have been working in the Pak-Turk schools. They have been denied extension to their visas on the request of the Erdogan administration as Turkey alleges these schools to be &nbsp;run by US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom Erdogan blamed for July&#39;s failed military coup.

 
The administrative body of the Pak-Turk Schools has expressed shock over the government&#39;s decision, which it says has been taken under pressure.&nbsp;

 
&quot;Pak-Turk International Schools and Colleges are extremely concerned over the abrupt decision of the government,&quot; Pak-Turk Education Foundation Board of Directors Chairman, Alamgir Khan told news agency PTI.

 
An official also told PTI that since all Turkish principals have been replaced with the Pakistanis and the administration has publicly announced that it has no connection with Gulen movement there has been no justification of this decision.

 
The network of Pak-Turk schools and colleges was launched in 1995 under the international NGO registered with the Turkish government.

 
The official told PTI that these schools will now be operating under a local NGO registered with the Pakistani government. &quot;However, these schools will remain functional under the Pakistani administration,&quot; he said.

 
The chain of 28 schools and colleges runs in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Multan, Karachi, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Jamshoro and Quetta. Over 11,000 students from pre-school to &quot;A&quot; levels are studying in these institutions.

 
&quot;Initially funding was made from Turkey to establish state of art campuses in Pakistan. But for the last 15 years or so it is generating its own funds here, offering free education and boarding facilities to 35 per cent of the students besides awarding foreign scholarships to them,&quot; the official said.

 
In August, Pakistan had promised Turkey&#39;s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that it would investigate the network of schools Ankara wanted shut for its alleged links with Gulen.

 
&quot;It is not secret that Gulen&#39;s organisation has institutions or their presence in Pakistan and in many other countries. I am sure the necessary measures will be taken. We have to be very careful with such organisations and their causing risk and threat for the security and stability of every country that they have presence,&quot; Cavusoglu had said.

 
(WION with inputs from PTI)

 
&nbsp;

Turkey says that they were teaching in schools run by US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Erdogan blames for July's failed military coup

Pakistan has ordered more than 100 Turkish teachers to leave the country along with their family members by November 20, in an apparent attempt to “woo” the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who starts his two-day visit to Islamabad today. About 108 Turkish teachers have been working in the Pak-Turk schools. They have been denied extension to their visas on the request of the Erdogan administration as Turkey alleges these schools to be run by US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom Erdogan blamed for July's failed military coup. The administrative body of the Pak-Turk Schools has expressed shock over the government's decision, which it says has been taken under pressure. "Pak-Turk International Schools and Colleges are extremely concerned over the abrupt decision of the government," Pak-Turk Education Foundation Board of Directors Chairman, Alamgir Khan told news agency PTI. An official also told PTI that since all Turkish principals have been replaced with the Pakistanis and the administration has publicly announced that it has no connection with Gulen movement there has been no justification of this decision. The network of Pak-Turk schools and colleges was launched in 1995 under the international NGO registered with the Turkish government. The official told PTI that these schools will now be operating under a local NGO registered with the Pakistani government. "However, these schools will remain functional under the Pakistani administration," he said. The chain of 28 schools and colleges runs in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Multan, Karachi, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Jamshoro and Quetta. Over 11,000 students from pre-school to "A" levels are studying in these institutions. "Initially funding was made from Turkey to establish state of art campuses in Pakistan. But for the last 15 years or so it is generating its own funds here, offering free education and boarding facilities to 35 per cent of the students besides awarding foreign scholarships to them," the official said. In August, Pakistan had promised Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that it would investigate the network of schools Ankara wanted shut for its alleged links with Gulen. "It is not secret that Gulen's organisation has institutions or their presence in Pakistan and in many other countries. I am sure the necessary measures will be taken. We have to be very careful with such organisations and their causing risk and threat for the security and stability of every country that they have presence," Cavusoglu had said. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Pakistan: More than 100 Turkish teachers ordered to leave country in bid to 'please' visiting Turkish President

India has a shortfall of around 10 lakh school teachers, according to a cabinet minister. 
 
The minister of state for human resource development (HRD) Mahendra Nath Pandey put the&nbsp;blame on past governments for the current classroom crisis.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It has been created due to a long backlog of posts lying vacant over the years,&quot; the 58-year-old minister told Times of India, referring to the problem plaguing the Indian education system. 
 
&quot;We have identified that there is a requirement of as many as 10 lakh teachers across the country,&quot; he said, adding the current government had set the wheels in motion to sort this issue. 
 
The minister, who was in Bareilly, a town in India&#39;s northern state of Uttar Pradesh and roughly 251km from state capital Lucknow, also stressed on the need to revise the education policy in the country.&nbsp; 
 
The minister said the last time the policy was revamped was in 1976.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are now inviting suggestions from the public to introduce changes in the education system,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
Pandey also sounded caution about the falling standards in classrooms. But he spelled out a raft of measures to arrest that slide.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are trying to connect our students&nbsp;with facilities offered at international levels through satellite. We have also been working to increase the intake capacity of educational institutes in the country,&quot; he said. 
 
(WION) 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Mahendra Nath Pandey has stressed on the need to revise the education policy, which has remained unchanged since 1976

India has a shortfall of around 10 lakh school teachers, according to a cabinet minister. The minister of state for human resource development (HRD) Mahendra Nath Pandey put the blame on past governments for the current classroom crisis. "It has been created due to a long backlog of posts lying vacant over the years," the 58-year-old minister told Times of India, referring to the problem plaguing the Indian education system. "We have identified that there is a requirement of as many as 10 lakh teachers across the country," he said, adding the current government had set the wheels in motion to sort this issue. The minister, who was in Bareilly, a town in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh and roughly 251km from state capital Lucknow, also stressed on the need to revise the education policy in the country. The minister said the last time the policy was revamped was in 1976. "We are now inviting suggestions from the public to introduce changes in the education system," he said. Pandey also sounded caution about the falling standards in classrooms. But he spelled out a raft of measures to arrest that slide. "We are trying to connect our students with facilities offered at international levels through satellite. We have also been working to increase the intake capacity of educational institutes in the country," he said. (WION)

India faces shortage of 10 lakh teachers, says cabinet minister

Mexico&#39;s air force flew tonnes of grain to the southern state of Oaxaca on Friday as protests by teachers opposed to education reform spread across the country and road blocks led to dwindling food supplies in some remote regions. 
 
Tension in the state intensified after eight people died last month in clashes between police and the protesting teachers, and unrest has flared throughout Mexico. 
 
Local media reported protests by factions of Mexico&#39;s the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educaci?n (CNTE) teachers union on Friday in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Chiapas, Nuevo Leon and in Mexico City. 
 
The union has blockaded 11 highways in Oaxaca, a hotbed of dissent for protesters opposing President Enrique Pena Nieto&#39;s education reform that allows the federal government to remove teachers who fail evaluation exams. 
 
The protests have prevented food trucks from reaching remote coastal villages in Oaxaca, where some of Mexico&#39;s poorest people live, the country&#39;s federal food distribution chief Juan Manuel Valle said. 
 
Valle said 108 tonnes of corn would be flown in on a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft by the end of the weekend, with additional provisions on standby in case the situation deteriorated. 
 
Araceli Hern?ndez Ramirez, manager of a grocery store in Puente de Coyula, a small town of some 500 inhabitants close to the beach resort of Huatulco, and located about 146 miles (235 kilometres) from the state capital, said she had no rice, corn or flour. 
 
&quot;There are no products,&quot; said Hernandez, waiting for a shipment from Diconsa to supply customers. &quot;They go home empty-handed.&quot; 
 
Fifty tonnes of corn were also sent from the neighbouring state of Guerrero by truck, in addition to regular shipments of beans, and rice. 
 
On Friday, Mexico&#39;s secretary of the interior promised action against the blockades in Oaxaca, saying dialogue with teachers&#39; unions could not continue without respect for citizens&#39; rights. 
 
&quot;Blockades and public damage must end,&quot; Miguel Osorio Chong said. &quot;Therefore, soon, we will be taking necessary decisions to allow traffic on strategic routes and supplies for communities.&quot; 
 
He did not specify what action the government would take. 
 
Osorio said the protests affected thousands of families, forcing businesses in Oaxaca and neighbouring Chiapas to close and impeding shipments of medicine. 
 
A spokesperson for the CNTE union could not be immediately reached for comment. 
 
The protests have affected fuel distribution in parts of Oaxaca, but a Pemex official said operations at Salina Cruz, the company&#39;s largest refinery, had not been affected. 
 
(Reuters)

Eight died last month in clashes between police and the protesters. The growing unrest has prevented poor, remote villages from getting food

Mexico's air force flew tonnes of grain to the southern state of Oaxaca on Friday as protests by teachers opposed to education reform spread across the country and road blocks led to dwindling food supplies in some remote regions. Tension in the state intensified after eight people died last month in clashes between police and the protesting teachers, and unrest has flared throughout Mexico. Local media reported protests by factions of Mexico's the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educaci?n (CNTE) teachers union on Friday in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Chiapas, Nuevo Leon and in Mexico City. The union has blockaded 11 highways in Oaxaca, a hotbed of dissent for protesters opposing President Enrique Pena Nieto's education reform that allows the federal government to remove teachers who fail evaluation exams. The protests have prevented food trucks from reaching remote coastal villages in Oaxaca, where some of Mexico's poorest people live, the country's federal food distribution chief Juan Manuel Valle said. Valle said 108 tonnes of corn would be flown in on a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft by the end of the weekend, with additional provisions on standby in case the situation deteriorated. Araceli Hern?ndez Ramirez, manager of a grocery store in Puente de Coyula, a small town of some 500 inhabitants close to the beach resort of Huatulco, and located about 146 miles (235 kilometres) from the state capital, said she had no rice, corn or flour. "There are no products," said Hernandez, waiting for a shipment from Diconsa to supply customers. "They go home empty-handed." Fifty tonnes of corn were also sent from the neighbouring state of Guerrero by truck, in addition to regular shipments of beans, and rice. On Friday, Mexico's secretary of the interior promised action against the blockades in Oaxaca, saying dialogue with teachers' unions could not continue without respect for citizens' rights. "Blockades and public damage must end," Miguel Osorio Chong said. "Therefore, soon, we will be taking necessary decisions to allow traffic on strategic routes and supplies for communities." He did not specify what action the government would take. Osorio said the protests affected thousands of families, forcing businesses in Oaxaca and neighbouring Chiapas to close and impeding shipments of medicine. A spokesperson for the CNTE union could not be immediately reached for comment. The protests have affected fuel distribution in parts of Oaxaca, but a Pemex official said operations at Salina Cruz, the company's largest refinery, had not been affected. (Reuters)

Mexico air lifts food into villages as teacher blockades spread

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