The UK government is overhauling its school curriculum to make science lessons less "Western" focused. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson launched an independent review of the curriculum in July, citing that the current one is outdated. The review aims to reflect the diversity of British society and include non-Western contributions to science. Top science bodies, including the Royal Society of Biology and Institute of Physics, have submitted evidence recommending that pupils learn about the historical context of scientific discoveries and how different cultures contributed to them. They also suggest avoiding a "no more heroes" approach to teaching science, which would focus on local and diverse figures rather than just Western ones. The review is being chaired by Professor Becky Francis, who has researched educational inequalities.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14238989/School-science-lessons-Westernised-highlight-discoveries-cultures-woke-Labour-overhaul-curriculum.htmlThe Hechinger Report has developed a suite of tools to help students research colleges and universities across the country. The Tuition Tracker tool shows the difference between a college's sticker price and actual cost based on household income, while the College Welcome Guide provides interactive charts and maps to assess campus culture, including demographics and graduation rates. The Offer Letter Decoder helps applicants understand their financial aid offer letters by identifying grants, loans, and work-study programs. Additionally, the College Closure Tracker documents over 800 colleges that have closed since 2008, and A Game of College is an interactive website that simulates a student's journey through college as debt-free as possible.
https://www.montanarightnow.com/national_news/going-to-college-use-this-toolbox-to-help-choose-a-school-and-plan-the-costs/collection_be3fa105-9fc9-5d32-bdd9-d7a30972c972.htmlEducation Secretary Bridget Phillipson has ordered a review of the national curriculum in England to ensure it reflects the diversity of society and provides every child with access to a broad range of subjects. The review, led by Professor Becky Francis, aims to update the existing framework which Education Secretary Phillipson considers outdated. The review's terms of reference state that it will focus on ensuring the curriculum represents the issues and diversities of society and gives all children equal access to various subjects. This move has been met with criticism from Shadow education secretary Laura Trott, who argues that the Department for Education should instead focus on reducing absence rates in schools.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14235713/Labour-schools-curriculum-diversity-class-war-policies-education.htmlThe Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has been actively involved in various development initiatives, including the PM Innovation Award, the Pakistan Youth Leadership initiative, and the launch of a digital learning portal under the Green Youth Movement project. The HEC also organized several conferences, roundtables, and vice-chancellor meetings to discuss topics such as research funding through corporate social responsibility, applications of AI in agriculture, and academic cultural dialogue between Iran and Pakistan. Additionally, the HEC arranged awareness sessions on preventing blasphemous activities on social media and provided periodic public alerts for students. The commission also made available degree attestation tip videos and launched a dedicated podcast.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1266762-higher-education-round-upA high-level delegation from the Moroccan government visited a school in Agadir, Morocco to see the progress of the DigiSchool 2024 program, which aims to promote digital education and inclusion. The delegation was led by Mohamed Saad Berrada, Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, and included officials from the Regional Academy of Education and Training for the Souss-Massa Region. They were shown solutions developed by students as part of the program, which is supported by Huawei's TECH4ALL initiative. The program has also been implemented in several other countries, including Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Chile, and China, to connect remote schools to the internet and improve digital skills for students and teachers.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huawei-and-moroccan-government-boost-national-education-transformation-through-digischool-project-302340098.htmlThe Smart Cities Mission has made significant progress in developing smart classrooms in government schools across India. According to a report by IIM Bangalore, out of the 100 designated smart cities, 71 have developed 9,433 smart classrooms in 2,398 government schools as of December 2024. This initiative has led to a 22% increase in overall enrolment in 19 cities between 2015-16 and 2023-24. Additionally, Nagpur reported a 14% decline in crime rates after implementing surveillance measures. Cities such as Chennai and Tumakuru have also leveraged advanced monitoring systems to improve safety and reduce crimes.
https://www.lokmattimes.com/technology/71-smart-cities-develop-9433-smart-classrooms-in-2398-govt-schools-report-1/In Indonesia, violence in schools is a widespread issue. According to Irsyad Zamjani, Head of the Center for Education Standards and Policy at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, disciplinary methods that involve corporal punishment legitimize violence in education. He notes that students often view teachers' use of physical force as acceptable and may apply it to their peers, leading to a justification for violent practices with different purposes. The perpetrators of violent acts in schools include not only teachers but also school security officers, parents, seniors, school gangs, and the community, accounting for 39.9% of cases, while fellow students are responsible for 13.6%.
https://en.tempo.co/read/1957411/education-watchdog-finds-43-9-percent-of-teachers-commit-acts-of-violence-in-schoolsEducation Minister Toshiko Abe has requested that a government panel consider giving schools more flexibility in determining class hours and curriculum content as part of an overall revision to Japan's school curriculum guidelines. The Central Council for Education, which advises the minister, will discuss this issue with the aim of presenting proposals by 2026. Additionally, the council is tasked with developing measures to improve media literacy among schoolchildren.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/12/25/japan/society/new-school-curriculum/In Aceh, Indonesia, early warning systems have been set up near shores to alert residents of potential tsunamis. At a public high school in Lhoknga, students participate in disaster simulations, particularly when there is an earthquake warning, and practice evacuating to a designated assembly point on the field. The school was destroyed by the 2004 tsunami that killed over 1,400 schools, including this one, according to a report by the Disaster Mitigation Research Centre at Syiah Kuala University. Some teachers are survivors of the disaster who now educate students about the history and consequences of tsunamis. The school's principal, Eka Sari Dewi, has implemented government policies to educate students on tsunami preparedness, teaching them to remain alert and evacuate when necessary. Students have become more aware and ready to act in response to a disaster after participating in monthly simulations for about a year.
https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2024/12/25/post-tsunami-generation-stays-vigilant-for-future-calamities