VOA Education Report

There are list lessons of VOA Education Report:

	Education Report - Education Project in Rwanda Combines Online Classes, Local Help
	Education Report - UNICEF Appeals for Help for Syrian Schoolchildren
	Education Report - Syrian University Students Seek Education Overseas
	Education Report - Students Launch Weather Balloons to Study Ozone
	Education Report - Entrance Exams Cause Problems at University of Liberia
	Education Report - Teachers, Students Recall China's Cultural Revolution
	Education Report - Teaching Children the Power of Music
	Education Report - Majority of World's Illiterate Women Live in West Africa
	Education Report - Check Out the World Digital Library
	Education Report - Working to Protect West African Languages and Culture
	Education Report - Malala Yousafzai Speaks at United Nations
	Education Report - Congress Debates Interest Rates on Student Loans
	Education Report - Group Brings Songwriting Workshops Into Schools
	Education Report - More Options for Learning Online
	Education Report - New Graduates Seek Jobs in Slowing Chinese Economy
	Education Report - Obama Visits Tech High School in Texas
	Education Report - Program Seeks to Lower Teen Pregnancy Rate in New York
	Education Report - Disagreement Over Value of Shelters for Street Children in Ethiopia
	Education Report - Educational Gains Mixed for Girls and Boys in Puntland and Somaliland
	Education Report - How Immigration Reform Could Affect English Learners

Education Report - How Immigration Reform Could Affect English Learners

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English	Governor	He	Presutti	Republican	They	United	all	away	been
begin	classes	funding	home	illegally	in	other	predicts	schools
that	thing	too	used

Immigration reform is a top policy goal this year Washington. President Obama and a group of Democratic and senators who have been preparing legislation agree on one . Millions of immigrants who are in the United States will have to start learning English before they can the process of becoming legal residents. But school systems face shrinking budgets are still cutting or eliminating English . Overcrowding is especially bad in California. That state is to one of every four non-English-speaking immigrants in the States. But Margie McHugh of the Migration Policy Institute a huge amount of unmet demand for English training across the country. She says the current system is limited. Until recently, California law provided money to be just for adult education. But, to help schools meet shortages, state legislators let them use that money for programs. In Los Angeles, the adult education program has cut by 75 percent. Once, the school district offered at hundreds of neighborhood sites, with day and evening . This year, the teaching hours will be reduced. California Jerry Brown wants to take responsibility for adult education from school districts. Their main focus is on children. wants to give the responsibility to community colleges. Adult across the country are experimenting with computerized English instruction. hope software will help substitute for the individual attention beginning students need. For VOA Learning English, I'm Carolyn

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Education Report - Educational Gains Mixed for Girls and Boys in Puntland and Somaliland

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26	A	For	Puntland	Somalia	Somaliland	UNICEF	VOA	among	education
first	improve	in	move	news	problems	programs	says	school
spokeswoman	teachers	the	to	very

, the United Nations Children's Fund, has reported some good about education in two areas of Somalia. Puntland and are now relatively peaceful and secure, at least compared central and southern Somalia. A study found that in , the share of students in primary education increased from percent to 43 percent over the last five years. smaller increase was reported in Somaliland. In both cases gains in school attendance were greater among boys than girls.

Girls leaving school is a problem across Somalia. example, only one-third of Somali girls who had completed grade took the Form Four Exam in the 2011-2012 year. And girls represent only 28 percent of students Somali secondary schools. The communications chief for UNICEF in , Susannah Price, says more schools are being built. She the agency is developing projects in several fields of . She also says UNICEF has been working on training and developing nontraditional forms of education. Some of these are for children of families that herd livestock and from place to place. Susannah Price says education is important to the future of Somalia. But there are in getting parents to send girls to school. The says UNICEF encourages equality between males and females in . More universal education could help Puntland and Somaliland also other areas of development, such as health care. For Learning English, I'm Laurel Bowman

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Education Report - Disagreement Over Value of Shelters for Street Children in Ethiopia

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30	English	From	Save	The	a	any	believe	children
do	finishing	for	group	health	in	include	not
poverty	rarely	researchers	small	street	survive	the	villages

VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.

Street in Ethiopia say their biggest need is shelter. But study shows that local

nongovernmental organizations and community groups offer what

the street children want. The international aid Save the Children did the study. One of the says the limited services provided by local NGOs do

match what the children see as their greatest needs. the Children talked with

children living on the streets five major cities, three regional towns and eight rural . The children discussed many subjects, including their needs,

their and the risks they face. There are about 30,000 children in Ethiopia.

About 17,000 of them live in capital, Addis Ababa. More than half

of the children not have access to shelter or enough food.

They mostly on what they receive from shining shoes, selling

items to passersby and appealing to strangers for help.

street children face health threats. Research shows that about

percent are seriously sick, but most do not have kind of

treatment available. About 40 percent of the may have

been forced to have sex. The children that having

shelter will reduce these kinds of risks. child assistance group

GOAL Ethiopia used to provide shelter street children. But it found that this discouraged the from re-entering their own communities. The Ethiopian government is work on a National Social Protection Strategy.

It will new ways of providing support to families to reduce and keep children off the streets. For VOA Learning , I'm Mario Ritter.

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Education Report - Program Seeks to Lower Teen Pregnancy Rate in New York

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2010,

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each

education

efforts

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year, 750,000 Americans under the age of 20 become . The United States has one of the highest rates teenage pregnancy among western industrialized countries. New York City an especially high rate, with about 20,000 teen pregnancies year. Since 1984, the Carrera Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program worked to reduce the birth rate for teens. The has worked with the Children's Aid Society, which operates activities for young people. The sex education effort starts children who are 10 and 11 years oldBut sex is only part of the effort. Psychologist Michael Carrera the pregnancy prevention program 37 years ago. He says to reduce teen pregnancy rates must help young people themselves as successful adults. He says success is more when young people believe that good things are going happen in their lives. Then they take steps to the risk of teen pregnancy on their own. The includes sports training, art classes, part-time jobs, and help banking. Health care is also available, as well as on education. Young people in the program have 50 fewer pregnancies than other New York teenagers from similar backgroundsMichael Carrera is now in his 70s. He says is still excited to come to work. His program about 4,000 students in 12 states. The Obama administration recognized the program with a social innovation award. In the administration ordered that federal money for sex education go to programs that are proven to be effective.

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Education Report - Obama Visits Tech High School in Texas

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But	Egyptian	From	He	Jeremi	President	Technology	an	and	atmosphere
city	country	do	engineering	has	low	not	racial	receives	sent
so-called	some	state	students	that	unusual

VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report. An high school in Texas recently welcomed a special visitor. Obama visited Manor New Technology High School, near the of Austin. The high school seeks to help prepare to meet the increasing demand for technology workers. It gained national recognition for focusing on student projects in STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Manor New has 332 students. Sixty-eight percent are from ethnic or minorities. Fifty-two percent are from poor families. Across the , students from poor families are more likely to have educational levels and leave school. But the Texas school 97 percent of its graduates to college in 2011 all of its graduates in 2012. Most schools, however, not have the financial support that Manor New Technology . It gets help from private organizations as well as and federal funding. Technology schools are sometimes criticized for paying enough attention to the arts and social sciences. supporters say more money should go into STEM programs will provide people with jobs. University of Texas professor Suri says workplace success depends on good communication and ability to work well with others as a team. says an understanding of cultures is important. For instance, students at Manor New Technology High School reconstructed early tools used to build pyramids. They learned about the involved. But they also studied the social and cultural of that time.

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Education Report - New Graduates Seek Jobs in Slowing Chinese Economy

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After	China	Technology	and	are	by	cities	companies	for	immediately
in	is	leaders	make	more	number	of	or	percent	some
structure	the	their	willing

will have a record number of graduates moving into job market this summer. Seven million people will finish studies and begin building a career. But China's economy slowing down. Chances for jobs for many new graduates not goodTo make things harder for current job seekers, than 200,000 who graduated last year are still looking jobsHu Xingdou, an economist at the Beijing Institute of , said only 30 percent of graduates can be employed . The economist said the majority of students remain unemployed looking for work.

And it is not just the of graduates that is making the job search difficult. years of strong growth, China's economy is slowing. Chinese say they are struggling to keep growth about seven . But, Hu Xingdou says a big problem is the of Chinese industry. He says there are many places China where graduate students are needed, but are not to go. Recently, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called on to give more opportunities to new graduates. In response, privately run enterprises have announced increases in their hiring new graduatesObservers say the government could go even further giving private companies tax incentives and funding to help them more equal to state-owned enterprises. They also say government could encourage new graduates to work in smaller away from China's coastal area by giving them payments other benefits

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Education Report - More Options for Learning Online

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From	He	I'm	Many	Online	a	and	at	because	become
classes	colleges	economist	finished	images	lectures	need	says	schools	study
there	these	website	websites	will	workers

VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report. American are facing many problems. College costs are rising and are not enough jobs for the people who have study programs. But employers say they cannot find enough with technical skills. Now, online classes might offer solutions. top universities offer online classes. Students can often take classes at little or no cost. Lyndacom is one with online classes. Lynda Weinman helped to launch the . She says that colleges cannot teach technical skills easily these skills change quickly. But it is easy for with online classes to keep up with new technology. classes offer different ways to learn. At most colleges, professor gives a lecture, and the students research and alone. Students who take online classes listen to lectures home. But they work with their professor on projects homework. Experts say the growing number of online classes have a major effect on colleges. Some say college in the future may be a mix of online and professors helping students in person. Georgetown University labor Tony Carnevale says he would welcome these changes. He a college education must lead to skills that employers . He also notes that the college system needs to more efficient. Chris Cullen is a college marketing expert. says competition from online schools and concerns about costs change universities. He says top universities with strong public may expand in an online world. But less famous may struggle to interest students. For VOA Learning English, Alex Villarreal.

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Education Report - Group Brings Songwriting Workshops Into Schools

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95	A	Kid	The	Yet	and	be	children	creative
hopeful	in	is	last	might	possible	programs	says	still
students	success	system	the	visited	workshops

Pan Alley is a nonprofit organization that holds songwriting for students across the United States. The organization recently a school in the Anacostia area of Washington, DC. children presented a concert with the help of songwriter recording artist Paul Reisler. He established Kid Pan Alley 1999 and has worked with more than 35,000 students produced more than 2,200 songs since that time. He the power of music can teach children skills they not learn in school. He believes the American educational is focused too much on standardized tests to measure . But Paul Reisler says we now live in a economy. He says his group is trying to inspire to be creative. At Orr Elementary School in Anacostia, percent of students come from poor families. Marlon Ray the school's dean of students. He says some of children have difficult lives. But, he says, these kids want to strive for greatnessJhonna Turner is director of at the school. She says the fourth-- and fifth-grade are often focused on more than school. They can important helpers for their families. They make sure food ready when they come home and do other tasks. students are often influenced by what happens around them. shooting took place in April directly in front of school. Although no one was injured, the event affected whole community. Still, Orr Elementary School has a positive, atmosphere. Marlon Ray says the workshop and concert made by Kid Pan Alley created good memories that will for years

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Education Report - Congress Debates Interest Rates on Student Loans

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Experts	For	Lawmakers	On	States	add	are	at	attend	could
economist	for	hold	in	it	loans	on	rates	report	say
says	some	support	year	years

in Washington are debating education issues, including the interest that students pay for loans. College students who take graduate owing an average of $26,000. But some economists the real issue is controlling the cost of college. say these high costs are hurting the whole economy. the past 30 years, college tuition has been increasing twice the rate of inflation. Universities say decreasing financial from state governments forces them to charge higher tuition. average, private colleges now charge more than $30,000 a . Terry Hartle is a spokesman for the American Council Education, which represents thousands of colleges across the United . He says funding for education has been shrinking for . Experts worry that the high cost of education makes less likely that good students from poor families can college. This means fewer scientists, engineers and others who help increase economic growth. Also, a survey shows that students concerned about repaying thousands of dollars in loans delaying marriage and children. Many cannot afford to invest a house or buy a car. Georgetown University labor Anthony Carnevale says the current system cuts economic growth the whole country. And the effects are important. He meeting the demand for workers with higher education could $500 billion to the American economy. A new government says one-third of Americans age 25 to 32 now college degrees ---- up from one-fourth in 1995

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Education Report - Malala Yousafzai Speaks at United Nations

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A	But	Malala	Malala's	Organization	The	UN	United	aged	believes
called	continued	every	first	not	one	school	speech	spoke	the
through	to	true	was	world	worldSheza

Yousafzai spoke to hundreds of young people at the Nations on July 12. It was her first public since last October, when the schoolgirl was shot in head by Taliban gunmen in Pakistan. The UN speech her campaign to education children. On the day she , two groups announced that 57 million children around the are not going to school. The two are Save Children and UNESCO, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural . A little more than half of those who are going to school are girls. In September of 2012, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon announced a program to get boy and girl into school by 2015. Malala Yousafzai the goal is possible. In her words, "One child, teacher, one book and one pen can change the Shahid is the executive director of a new program the Malala Fund. She says the 16-year-old is a spokesperson and warrior for girls' rights. The Malala Fund created to support the voices calling for girls' education. actress Angelina Jolie has donated $250,000 to the fund. group called Women in the World donated $150,000. The children served by the Fund are 40 girls in hometown in the Swat Valley of Pakistan. These girls, five to 12, had been working. Shiza Shahid says girls have now stopped working and are going to . Malala Yousafzai is now going to school in England. she talks to the girls in the Swat Valley the computer software program Skype. Girls are also urged tell their own stories online at malalafundorg

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Education Report - Working to Protect West African Languages and Culture

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Anahit	Educational	Experts	Gen	He	Lome	Togo	a	between	century
cultural	financial	generation	have	himself	is	language	of	our
people	reduced	rituals	second	through	today	uncivilized	unseen

estimate that half of the 6,000 languages spoken on planet will have disappeared by the end of the . In West Africa, academics are trying to protect the and rich cultural heritage of Togo.

At the University Lome, professor Nbueke Adovi Goeh-Akue studies video of Gen rituals. The professor is a cultural heritage specialist. He is a Gen, one of many ethnic groups in . He has made films of Gen cultural customs with assistance from the United States. He says the Gen an important place in Togo's history and culture. Gen show how its people see their world, the interaction the living and the dead, the seen and the . The Gen believe in many different voodoo gods. But , professor Goeh-Akue says fewer and fewer Gen children go voodoo initiation ceremonies. He says that increasingly, the new does not recognize the importance of these cultural traditions. says formal education and the spread of Christianity have their influence. Many young people think traditional practices are . And while the Gen language is widely spoken in , the professor says it is not taught in schools. is one of about 39 languages spoken in Togo.

Minasyan is a language specialist with the United Nations , Scientific and Cultural Organization. He says a language needs who speak it as their first language. She says language needs people who can speak it as their language. If there are not, she says, a language extinct. She says languages can die as a result increasingly globalization.

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