Argument for Paying College Athletes Essay

Have you ever heard of a business that made billions of dollars, yet did not pay their employees? Seems pretty remarkable doesn’t it? Well this business is known as the NCAA. According to an article in the New York Times, the NCAA made $770 million from just the three-week Men’s Basketball Tournament, but how much did the athletes who participated in said tournament receive? If you said zero then you would be correct. The athletes that poured their blood, sweat and tears into practice everyday and into the 30 plus game regular season did not see a dime. It is hard to fathom how an industry of this size can make so much money, yet not allow the athletes that help them make that money see any dividends. Being a college athlete myself, I have lived the struggle of trying to maintain grades, while going to practice and games during the week. Imagine trying to keep a job during this hectic schedule. It is hard for college athletes to find extra money to get a pizza or go see a movie. It is especially hard for athletes coming from tough backgrounds. Two out of every five Division I athletes come from single parent homes and athletics are their only opportunity to provide a future for themselves and their families. It is not easy for these students to get jobs because their schedules are already full. For example, many division I football teams practice twice a day. A day for a division I football player could look like this: practice-6 a.m., class-9 a.m., class-11 a.m., and practice-2 a.m. By the time they are done with the second practice of the day their day is practically over. They still have to eat dinner and possibly do homework. This leaves no time to get even a part-time job. It also raises the question of how these athletes obtain extra spending money? If you are an athlete like Johnny Manziel, who comes from a rich oil family, money comes easily and is not a concern. For those who are less fortunate and come from a single parent home or from a poor household the money does not come  easily. So when a coach approaches and says, â€Å"Hey, let me buy you lunch,† many kids do not think twice and accept the $20. This goes against NCAA rules and if found out there is an investigation which could result in a suspension. College athletes can observe while walking to class or on the field students wearing jerseys with their name and number on them. Schools can charge anywhere from $50-$70 for a jersey like that, and where does that money go? It goes directly to the school and the athlete whose jersey is being worn all around campus will not see a dime of it. In the early 90’s while the Fab Five was at the University of Michigan, Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson started a college basketball revolution. Michigan became the first school to ever start five freshman in a college basketball game. These five wore baggy shorts and black socks. They took the nation by storm and soon Michigan merchandise was flying off the shelf. None of the Fab Five saw any compensation and when they took notice of what was happening they started to question why. It is well documented in the ESPN film The Fab Five; all five wondered why they were not seeing any dividends from all the me rchandise being sold. Jalen Rose came from a rough neighborhood in Detroit, so he fell into the category of the struggling college athlete. He admits during the film to taking money at times to buy pizza. Current Houston Texans running back Arian Foster said he received money on the side while he attended the University of Tennessee. In a recent Sports Illustrated article he said, â€Å" I don’t know if this will throw us into an NCAA investigation—my senior year, I was getting money on the side (Sports Illustrated, 2013).† He went on to say, â€Å"I really didn’t have any money. I had to either pay the rent or buy some food. I remember the feeling of like, ‘Man, be careful.’ But there’s nothing wrong with it. And you’re not going to convince me that there is something wrong with it (SI, 2013).† This is the feeling of many college athletes that were in the same boat or that are currently in the boat. They may not know where their next meal is coming from or how they are going to afford a car payment. Many will take money and not even question it. They know what they are doing is wrong and they  are putting themselves and the school in jeopardy. At the time the reward is worth the risk they are taking. There are many other cases happening across the country that no one knows about. It is interesting how Foster came out and said how he felt that it was not a big deal and that he did not think he was doing anything wrong. He would fall into a large percent of college athletes that feel it is unfair for them to not see anything from all the revenue they bring in. Many will argue that college athletes do not need to be compensated because they are student-athletes; and the key word for them is student. One argument against paying college athletes is that they are basically receiving a free education from a top school. A four-year scholarship will cover everything a student-athlete needs. This includes: tuition, room and board, books, medical coverage and meals. For example, Duke University costs $57,180 to attend (Bleacher Report, 2013). Those on an athletic scholarship at Duke are receiving a high quality education and are paying practically nothing for it. This is the main argument that those against paying student-athletes use. Most college athletes will not turn professional and therefore will need the degree from whatever school they attend to obtain a job after graduation. Those who are talented enough to be drafted into the professional ranks of their sport will sometimes forgo obtaining their degree in favor of the money offered at the professional level. The downside to this is that an injury can end their career before it even starts; and those that did not obtain their degree will struggle to find a source of income if they are forced to quit or retire from their sport. Another argument used is that student-athletes are not really worth anything until they reach the professional ranks (Bleacher Report, 2013). Those who use this argument believe that if a student-athlete is good enough to get paid then they will be compensated when the time is right. However, this overlooks the efforts of athletes who play all throughout college, yet do not make it to the professional level. There are many other arguments used but a common one is paying college athletes will not eliminate scandals. Scandals are not new to college sports. There have been numerous point  shaving scandals and the argument is that even paying college athletes will not stop those scandals from happening. Paying college athletes is a hotly debated topic and will be so for the foreseeable future. There will be well made arguments for both sides; but in the end college athletes need to receive some sort of compensation. With all the revenue they bring the school there needs to be a system in place to give a kickback to the athletes. There are many ideas and plans that can be put in place to give some sort of compensation. Student athletes will not have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. It is up to the NCAA and the schools to come up with a system and stick by it. References Dirlam, Z. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1588301-theres-no-crying-in-college-the-case-against-paying-college-athletes Nocera, J. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/lets-start-paying-college-athletes.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Remy, D. (2012). Why the New York Times’ Nocera is wrong. NCAA News, 5. Arian Foster admits in documentary he took money at Tennessee – College Football – SI.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130920/arian-foster-documentary-comments-about-being-paid-at-tennessee/ NCAA won’t budge on paying college athletes – ESPN. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/9682086/ncaa-budge-paying-college-athletes

Fita Analyzation

I. Narrative structure â€Å"YES OR OO†, which is the word that would love the guy to hear from the girl he is courting, but there are times that the girls, means this in a more different way. And that’s what FITA commercial wants to show us with the use of their product. The story of the FITA commercial is about a suitor who doesn’t figure out that the girl he is courting, answered him already. And the story goes like this. . . The guy (suitor) fetched Claris, the girl he is courting in the gymnasium. He grabbed the bag of Claris and put it on his back, Claris saw the FITA biscuit in the pocket of her bag then she grabbed and opened it. While they are walking inside the gym, the guy started to whine over Claris and told her that he’s courting her for about 2 years and yet there’s nothing happened with their relationshipand said â€Å"kailan ko ba maririnig ang matamis mong oo? †The guy look back at Claris then she raised a two pieces of FITA biscuit in her hands while smiling at him and finally decide to accept the guys love thru showing him the biscuit, depicting OO, or YES. The guy just grabbed the piece of FITA and jut ate it and said that â€Å"naghihintay na lng ba ko sa wala? † So Claris frowned and just ate the FITA she’s holding. The commercial is a dramatic comedy in a way that when the guy didn’t get what Claris means by showing the 2 pieces of FITA. II. Characters â€Å"The next hottest love team in town† That’s what the 2 main characters in the commercial wants to portray. The leading man is the suitor named Arran Sese in real life that is good looking, stands 5’9†w /white complexion and a dark brown hair. In the commercial, he is a college student that’s somewhat 18 to 20 yrs. ld and he’s voice is natural and there’s no something strange about it but he speaks very well specially when he whined with Claris, acts as the leading lady, named Amanda Lapus in real life with an angelic face who stands 5’7†w/ a white complexion and a black shiny hair. Again in the comm ercial, Claris is the girl who is being courted by the guy. They did not directly advertise the product by saying that people should buy FITA; instead, they used it as props in the commercial. They help sell the products by showing humility that remarks in the mind of the viewers of what the guy did, that he didn’t get that Claris already means yes.

Bus 475 Week 3 Learning Team: Functional Area Interrelationships

Functional Area Interrelationships October 29, 2012 BUS/475 University of Phoenix Abstract Huffman Trucking is a trucking company that was established in 1936. Throughout this paper, we will discuss the company’s mission and vision statement. It will also identify the type of organizational structure and how each of those roles supports the company’s goals. The collaboration process among the functional areas must also be established to support the goals.Finally, the stakeholders will be reviewed and how the company plans to protect them and how their communication is vital to the success of Huffman Trucking. â€Å"Huffman Trucking started in 1936 in Cleveland, OH. By 1945, the company had increased in size to 16 tractors and 36 trailers. † (Virtual Organization) Today Huffman trucking is one of the largest trucking companies in the United States. The company has four locations across the U. S. ; Cleveland, OH, Los Angeles, CA, St. Louis, MO, and Bayonne, NJ.The company has created a core foundation to continue to grow the company and sustain financial stability. Since the inception of the organization in 1936, Huffman trucking has grown their fleet of tractor-trailers from one to over 800 tractors, 2,100 45 foot trailers, and 260 roll on/ roll off units. Huffman trucking also employees 925 drivers and 425 technical support staff members, which is based from the increase in business that they have seen over the years from their acquisitions of five other freight companies.The mission of Huffman trucking is â€Å"to be a profitable, growing, adaptive company in an intensively competitive logistical services business environment†. Huffman Trucking according to the mission statement wants to be a competitive company within the logistics industry, and they also want to maintain the growth and profitability that they have experienced over the years. The vision statement of Huffman Trucking is â€Å"to be a model company to our stockholde rs, employees, customers, and all stakeholders†.Through the vision statement that Huffman Trucking has put into place at their organization they want to be a company that does right by all the people that are investors in the company, as well as, the employees and customers that are also valued by the organization. In analyzing the mission and vision statements of the company, Huffman Trucking existence is to maintain their market share in the logistics industry by treating the customer, employees, stock, and stakeholders with the upmost respect and consideration.The reason that Huffman Trucking uses the business structure that they have is to maintain the solid structure of the employment, and maintain the growth of the business in the industry of logistics. Huffman Trucking is a company that prides themselves on the idea that taking care of the employees will help the employees will take care of the customers, and the revenues from the customers will help the business and th e stock and stakeholders maintain their edge. Huffman Trucking is a leader in the industry of logistics, and is one of the larger corporations that are in operation.The contracts that Huffman Trucking has are strong stable contracts that will help the vision and mission of the company to be successful in the completion and achievement of the goals that they set for the organization. Huffman Trucking has a strong foundation and the future of the organization is solid with the contracts that are in place from years to come. The services that Huffman Trucking offers to its customers are services that can help the growth of the business, and to maintain the competitive edge that Huffman Trucking has over its competition.Huffman Trucking is a privately held United States based company. Huffman Trucking’s Mission Statement is â€Å"to be a profitable, growing, adaptive company in an intensively competitive logistical services business environment†(Huffman Trucking, 2012). Hu ffman’s Trucking Vision Statement is â€Å"to be a model company to our stockholders, employees, customers and all stakeholders† (Huffman Trucking, 2012). Huffman trucking has implemented the following steps of the collaboration process that must be employed to achieve organizational goals.The action plan to implement the collaboration process is to create an important objective, build, sustain, or enhance a core competence or competitive advantage, important new market opportunities as well as mitigate significant risk to the trucking business. Facilitating the close cross-company by merger and acquisition strategies play a part in Huffman trucking. Expanding the company’s geographic coverage and independently developing whatever resources and know-how were needed to be successful was imperative. Huffman Trucking has facilities in four major cities in the United States, Cleveland, OH, Los Angeles, CA, St.Louis, MO, and Bayonne, NJ. In order for Huffman Trucking to be a successful business there had to be several things put into place. The mission of the company is to be a profitable, growing, adaptive company in an intensively competitive logistical services business environment. The vision of Huffman Trucking is to be a model company to our stockholders, employees, customers and all stakeholders. In order for Huffman Trucking to be able to achieve the mission and reach the vision for the company there had to be the use of collaborations within. Such collaborations would include lateral and vertical collaborations.Lateral collaboration is where a group of people with the same ranking work together to accomplish a task. An example of lateral collaboration would be if two or more of the floor employees work together to try and come up with a way to increase production. A vertical collaboration would occur when a person of higher rank works with a person of lower rank to accomplish a goal. The CEO of the company working with a floor shift ma nager to try to increase production would be an example of vertical collaboration. Looking on the service request page, there has been many requests for service made by different people.One request that was made was made by the CIO for a Windows server upgrade for all the network locations. The expected goal of this server upgrade is to provide a migration path from the current network to one running Windows Server 2008. An action plan will be put together in order to accomplish this goal. Vertical collaboration will be used as the CIO works together with the IT department in order to accomplish the task of upgrading the server. They will work together to make sure that the server upgrade allows Huffman Trucking to do everything that it needs to be successful such as the right domain model and network dministration for all sites. An action plan will then be put into effect for lateral collaboration. This will allow the front line staff to develop ways that the upgraded server can he lp them. Examples of that would be that Administrative control of domain controllers can be decentralized if needed and allows the drivers to have access to at least one computer at each site. Huffman Trucking takes great pride in their company not only for their employees and customers but also for their stakeholders.They have developed a mission statement for their stakeholders; â€Å"We will maintain continuous awareness of our stakeholders and apply the test of reasonableness to assure our business practices are commensurate with stakeholder expectations. † (Virtual Organization) By identify awareness to the stakeholders, they will want to continue to invest in Huffman Trucking. Some of the stakeholders include; President/CEO, VP of Transportation, VP of Equipment, VP of Real Estate, VP of Terminal Operations, VP of Sales, Shareholders and all employees.The collaborative interaction between the Huffman Trucking Executive Management is critical to the success of the busine ss. They are the making the deciding factors for each category that they are over. At the end of the day, each VP relies on another VP in order to proceed with their decisions. The management team must work together in order to ensure that Huffman Trucking and the Stakeholders are happy and successful. At the end of the day, if the stakeholders do no collaborate together all of them will lose out. Huffman Trucking has created a company that continues to grow and build upon their success year after year.By staying true to their mission and vision statement the company will be able to open up more locations in the United States. Huffman trucking has a clear strategic plan that allows them to have a strong internal and vertical collaboration. By keeping their focus and foundation alive to their shareholders, stakeholders, employees, and customers Huffman Trucking will continue to be a leading trucking company. References Virtual Organization Portal. (2012) Huffman Trucking. Retrieved o n October 29, 2012 from http://ecampus. phoenix. edu

Discovery of HIV Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discovery of HIV - Research Paper Example Many people still do not understand the origin of HIV and the truth behind it. This paper, therefore, describes the discovery and origin of HIV, including how the scientific agreements and consensus-building are based on evidences and logics. Diagram: How HIV Invade T-Cell Retrieved from: http://www.nature.com/nri/journal/v8/n6/fig_tab/nri2302_F4.html The history of HIV discovery began in late 1970s, when many people believed that epidemic diseases caused by microbes and viruses were never a threat to developed and industrialized countries. In addition, many people also believed that viruses never caused cancer, and nothing existed as retrovirus, which infected humans (Barre-Sinoussi, 2010). These beliefs, however, were successfully approved by scientist researchers, since the attempts to find retroviruses in cancer and other diseases in human beings all ended up in vain. Most retrovirus researchers also turned their work to study oncogenes (Gallo & Montagnier, 2003). The establishme nt of HIV and AIDS began with the identification of human T-cell leukemia virus types 1 and 2 (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2). These viruses were established to cause the abnormal T-cell leukemia. The other contributor to the discovery of HIV and AIDS is the process for growing T lymphocytes in culture for a period that is enough to allow development of putative latent retrovirus (Marlin & Ed, 2011). This research study helped in the separation of T-cell growth factor in Bethesda, Maryland. In Paris, it was demonstrated that interferon can suppress the production of retroviruses in mouse cell. This idea led to the use of anti-interferon serum in the search for human retroviruses (Levy, 1993). Francoise Barre-Sinoussi Francoise Barre-Sinoussi is a young retroviriologist working at the institute Pasteur in Paris. One year earlier, a cluster of Pneumocystis carinii (p jirovecii) causing pneumonia infection had been established among gay men in Los Angeles, USA. This paved way for research and disc overy of global AIDS epidemic (Barre-Sinoussi, 2010). Barre-Sinoussi’s began her research work together with Willy Rozenbaum. They focused their research in patients who had not developed AIDS; since they discovered that infected patients lacked CD4 cells if at all the causative agent was attacked T lymphocytes. Barre-Sinoussi, along side other researchers from institute Pasteur, began their work by growing cells from a biopsy that was obtained from a patient. These cells were obtained from a cell culture in the presence of interleukin 2, initially known as T-cell growth factor (Barre-Sinoussi, 2010). They were focused to obtain a retrovirus, and during that period, HTLV-1 was the recognized model of human retrovirus. These researchers, however, did not assume that the virus had the same characteristics as HTLV-1. After two weeks, they realized a reverse transcriptase activity in the culture. Instead of the virus immortalizing other cells, they were found dead. In order to sa ve the virus, they asked for a new sample and quickly added lymphocytes from the culture (Barre-Sinoussi, 2010). Again, they noticed a reversed transcriptase activity in the new sample. Over the following years, tests were developed, the virus characterized, and confirmatory discoveries made. The research community then named this virus as HIV. After the initial discoveries, Barre-Sinoussi still continued with her research work focusing primarily on the

Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release Essay - 6

Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release - Essay Example After about two weeks, the first borehole reached the survivors (Malone, 1986). According to the Reuters, all the thirty three workers were alive. These people are able to receive emergency lights and rations to stave off the darkness. The company rescue workers are making efforts to getting to a way in which they can pull one by one of the trapped miners to the service. They have estimated the period to about just four months. These miners are supplied with tuna, milk cracks and morsel. Their extreme discipline as the company’s employees has made them survive the incident (Rosssou, 2012). The company is putting efforts to establishing safety measures to the employees. The global press coverage centers put their efforts to rescuing the trapped miners alive, the Chilean mining authorities and al over the world mining authorities; they are trying to put the workers lives at great peril by systematically cutting safety corners. Additionally, the government is aiming at controlling the private mining to ensure safety and health risks to their employees. Generally, the government agencies are working to promote mining investments in our company. On the other hand, the owner of the company has taken an action by taking some short dangerous shortcuts for the safety of the workers. The local worker unions through the introduction of ventilation ducts tunnel reinforcement emergency exits and safety lodges have been enforced for the safety of the employees. The company president has come out with various authorities and the state agency has taken the responsibility for the mini ng safety in the Chilean mining company. The mining minister has also called out for a full investigation of the Chilean collapsing accident (Rosssou, 2012). In that case, there is enough safety for the employees within the Chilean mining company. This shall be done by both the company and the government. There would be more

Reaction Paper Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reaction Paper - Personal Statement Example ise in relationships between physicians and nurses are signals of absence of effective communication skills, which, in its turn, affects the attitude of patients towards nurses and the system of medical care in total. There have been multiple approaches to the issue of communication between a physician and a nurse: from the fields of cooperation, feminist studies, team psychology, cultutal perspective, organizational behavior, human factors science, etc. It has been proved that certain aspects of patient outcomes and safety are related to the level of this professional communication, and some of communication strategies in hospitals turned out to be more effective than others. So the bottom line is – communication between nurses and physicians should be improved by all means, no matter what specific method is used (in the chapter among others the author lists such methods as recognizing corporate culture, quality improvement, continuous assessment, reducing conflict etc). Pretty much all of these methods yield their results, proving effective, and there is no sufficient empirical evidence to prioritise any of them above the others. Claiming that â€Å"there is mixed or weak evidence to su pport using some of the techniques described in the cited literature†, Jean Ann Seago suggests a number of steps to be taken in the course of improving professional communication in a hospital – from evaluating strategies using measuarable outcomes and selecting the one that suits the particular organization to slow and step-by-step implementation of these strategies during a long period of

CIO Case Analysis Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

CIO Case Analysis - Article Example Comprehensive IT/IRM frameworks ensure that the CIO has the responsibility of discerning development projects that align to the core business strategies of the agency and ensures IT investment on projects that provide the most positive impacts on the society. This work analyzes current and recommended governance approach of Federal CIO; and how the CIO should lead or manage IRM to meet the IT needs of the federal agencies. In his endeavors to ensuring strategic development, Federal CIO has a duty to ensure an efficient Federal IT Workforce (Federal CIO Roadmap, 2012). Federal CIO has the responsibility of assessing the Information Resource Management skills required for agency IT personnel. He has the responsibility of identifying, evaluating and rectifying deficiencies that may hinder the agency from meeting its strategic goals and business objectives. The federal CIO further has the duty of placing specific plans for hiring IT staff, training the IT workforce and ensuring the perso nnel of Information Technology Department have the requisite professional training. There are particularly emphases on providing regular appraisals and trainings on new concepts that develop every single day in IT (Federal CIO Roadmap, 2012). ... agency, through the CIO, has the core responsibility of signing qualifies project managers for all its projects and document and examine the qualifications of the project managers. Federal CIO Improvement of IT and IT Services through Enterprise Architecture Federal Laws and regulations have sections that guide Chief Executive Officers in their operations. The law directs Federal Laws direct federal CIOs to develop Enterprise Architectures (EAs) as blueprints for modernization of IT in support for maintaining agency missions (Federal CIO Roadmap, 2012). Agency develops and maintains Enterprise Architecture as a means of ensuring there is Performance Improvement Lifecycle (PIL) (Federal CIO Roadmap, 2012). The Performance Improvement Lifecycle has three distinct phases; Architect phase Invest phase and Implementation phase. This is linked to the agency’s development and budget submission process. Every September, the OMB issues Federal Enterprise Architecture guidance. The guid ance consists Enterprise Architecture Assessment framework for the fiscal year in question and any cross-agency initiatives. Upon receiving the Federal Enterprise Architecture guideline, an agency develops its own EA blueprint. The CIO works together with businesses within the agency sector to segment Enterprise Architecture in a bid to ensure the agency missions reach the grass roots and are met fully. In March every year, the federal government conducts an assessment that provides an immediate feedback on the performance of all the federal agencies. The CIO has the responsibility of fully cooperating with the assessors to ensure there is clear understanding the extent of success of the EA and Segment Architectures. An agency then uses the EA to inform and guide its capital investment

Global Warming Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global Warming - Article Example The same could be said of people living in arid areas who may face drought due to the severe rise in temperatures in these areas (EPA, 2013). The NCSE (2012) also points out that the society has changed negatively in regards to the effects of climate change. Comparing the modern society to the society in the 18th century one realizes the fact that global warming due to climate change has created a less desirable society. In an argument by Shaffer, Olsen & Pedersen (2009) with increasing human activity, the changes on the rise in temperature and precipitation will be faced from generation to generation. The authors further point out those extreme conditions may also be experienced with time (Shaffer, Olsen & Pedersen, 2009). Generally, the effects on society by global change have been experienced across the globe considering the lowering water levels, the melting of ice at the poles and risen water on coast lines. The society is faced with more severe problems if global warming is not contained (NCSE,

Narration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Narration - Essay Example It was a pleasant fifteen minute walk. We joked the entire way and enjoyed the much awaited warm breeze swooshing though the trees. Finally the library came into view. It was a small, single level brick building, situated at the corner half covered by tall green trees. We stepped inside and were met by a smiling elderly lady. She escorted us to a corner in the children’s section and seated us at the small wooden and colorful benches designed for kids. Our teacher looked comical, hunched down on a purple stool, her knees bent at an odd angel because there wasn’t any room. The librarian proceeded to tell us about the general rules of etiquette of the library. I tuned out and busied myself in observing the quaint and serene atmosphere. For some reason, the quietness of the library and the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by so many books put me to awe. I didn’t know why but I loved everything about this ordinary little building. The softness of the carpet beneath my sneakers, the quiet rustling of the indoor plants, the soft and soothing overhead lights, and the smell of new and old books mingled together gave me a sense of calm and comfort. I was jolted by the sudden sound of everyone getting up and snapped out of my daydreaming. The librarian, along with our teacher, was ready to give us a brief tour of the library. The building was basically divided into two sections, the adult and the kids. The checkout desk in the middle separated the two areas and was surrounded by a low shelf filled with bright blue encyclopedias. The librarian picked up a bunch of sheets from the desk and brought us back to where we were seated before. The time had at last come to fill out our individual applications. I felt strangely grownup as I carefully penciled in my name and phone number. We all handed in the applications and the librarian told us to look around because we could each take home two books of our own choosing at the end of the

Children with Linguistic Differences Essay Example for Free

Children with Linguistic Differences Essay In today’s classroom, it is common to have a student who speaks English as a second language. The teachers today should have knowledge of linguistic diversity and apply what they know to assist those children. According to our text, language is one of the aspects that define diversity and it is one of the fundamental tools of cultural acquisition and a part of a child’s cultural identity (Robles de Melendez Beck, 2009). As educators, we must assure those children who speak English as a second language have the same education as English speaking children. In a child’s learning environment, no matter what language that child speaks, they should be comfortable and familiar with the things that surround them. It is important to label a child’s environment with the different languages that the children speak in the classroom. If a child’s native language is Spanish, French or German, there should be a corresponding labels in that language on shelves, tables, toys and doors. Other materials that is used in a classroom that assist with linguistic diversity is age appropriate books, printed materials such as newspapers, flyers and signs in different languages and music from diverse cultures (Robles de Melendez, 2009). When you have a classroom of different languages, it is necessary to understand what is going on in the children’s mind as you speak a language that they are not familiar or comfortable with. We need to understand, expect, and feel comfortable with the natural responses (e.g., laughter, first language use, silence and fatigue) that occur when our students  participate in interactions in which they are not completely proficient in their language (Curran, 2003). Teachers should respect the fact that students that are English Language Learners or ELL may want to speak their native language. It could get frustrating at first trying to learn and understand what they are saying but it is the say when the tables are turned and the student get frustrated when they do not understand what the teacher is saying. Individual lesson plans can be used to connect with a child and build their language skills. Themed lesson plans also help children connect with their own language. In any classroom, educators must not assume what a child knows or what they need to know. Assessments must be done to know what steps are needed to teach the children in the class. This is especially important when you have children with linguistic diversity. Teachers of young children in today’s diverse classrooms need to confirm that their teaching strategies meet the needs of their students (Robles de Melendez Beck, 2009). To make sure that the teachers are getting the right information, the classroom should be assessed for linguistic diversity. Some ways to do this is to talk to the parents and family members, doing observations of bilingual interactions and using questionnaires and surveys. Once you know what kind of diversity you have in the classroom, then the classroom should be analyzed to figure out how to teach the students. This is done by assessing the topics that are taught, how they are taught and what resources are used to teach. It is important to maintain open communication with the child’s parents and families. We as educators should not try to eliminate the child’s first language but preserve it and assist them with the second language. Through different activities geared towards a child’s first language will help keep the child culture meaningful. Parent can assist by singing songs in their native language or just playing games that are native to their country. Continue to invite the families into the program to allow them to share their experiences with the classroom and this would help the children and families feel welcomed. There are two typed of knowledge that is necessary to teach linguistic diversity and they are the knowledge of practices of second language acquisition and the knowledge of cultural ideas. Having the mere knowledge of how important it is to preserve the first language and acquire the second language and knowing a little something about the culture that is being taught. As early childhood educators, it must be understood that the role that language plays in the life of a child vital to their learning environment. It is important that children with linguistic differences be supported. Through the classroom environment, experiences, assessments, keeping an open communication with the parents and the information that the teacher knows, the children will be able to get the best education not matter whether English is their first or second language. References Curran, M. (2003). Linguistic Diversity and Classroom Management. Theory Into Practice, 42(4), 334-340. Robles de Martinez, W., Beck, V. (2009). Teaching young children in multicultural classrooms: Issues, concepts, and strategies. (3 ed.). Belmont, Canada: Wadsworth.

Education is the key to development

Education is the key to development Introduction Education is the key to development. Since independence, successive governments accorded importance to education and endeavored to improve the low indicators but progress has been slow. In recent years, governments approach towards planning and delivery of education has been guided by overall reforms of the system. The federal and provincial governments clearly see their role shifting from being sole provider of education services to also acting as facilitator and financier of the private sector including the non-profit providers. The government fully realizes that it cannot achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs) alone without the help of other providers of education. the governments recognition of the role of the private sector and civil society organizations (SCOS) is explicitly expressed through the poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP), education sector reform (ESR) action plan, education policy, and education for all documents, and establishment of education foundatio ns at the national and provincial levels. The corporate sector is emerging as an important player in supporting social development causes, specially education and health. However, the business sector is wary of entering into partnership with government due to the absence of a clearly defined and mutually agreed framework for cooperation and partnership. Public Private Partnerships (3ps) have been expanding over time and have taken various forms. the most common 3ps programmes being delivered by CBOs, NGOs, private sector, education foundations, corporate sector and other providers that are scaling up include: (a) community schools; (b) fellowship schools; (c) adopt-a-school; (d) grant-in-aid to the private sector; (e) school management by NGOs; (f) teachers training; and (g) individuals donating in several ways to schools at local levels. It has been estimated that the private sector is contributing 0.7 % of GNP in education. This includes largely the for profit institutions. Backdrop and Rationale Of Public Private Partnerships In Education Present Scenario Of Education Sector In Pakistan Education is the prime catalyst to national development. Despite high importance attached to education by successive governments reflected through multitude of policy packages, the state of affairs is far from desirable. At the time of independence in 1947, Pakistan inherited only 8000 schools which increased to 1, 70,000 in 2003. Gross enrolment in primary schools increased 40 times (from 0.77 million in 1947 to 20 million in 2003) and literacy rate increased from 16% in 1951 to 51.6% in 2003 but a lot still needs to be done. The federal and provincial governments policies, planning and delivery of education has been under constant review and revision according to the changing needs over time, particularly in the last decade. The government fully realizes that public sector alone cannot meet the myriad challenges to provide necessary resources, services and expertise to effectively address educational issues. There has been a clear realization on part of the government of shifting i ts role from being the sole provider of resources and education delivery to also acting as a facilitator of the private sector and of civil societys efforts in Pakistan. Need For Public Private Partnerships Emergence of Corporate Sector in 3Ps: The governments recognition of the role of the private sector and civil society organizations (CSOs) has explicitly been expressed through the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), Education Sector Reform (ESR) Action Plan, Education Policy, education for all documents, and establishment of Education Foundations at the Federal and Provincial level. Recent years have witnessed the Education Foundations restructuring to enhance their efficiency and impact. Public Private Partnerships (3Ps) have been expanding over time and it has been estimated that the private sector including non-profit organizations contribute about 0.7 per cent of GNP in education. There is an increasing acceptance of the Adopt-a-School Programme (ASP) and recognition of the leading role of civil society organizations such as Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA), Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) and Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP) in motivating the corporate sector, which is emerging as an important player in supporting public sector institutions through private providers, especially through the ASP modality. There are several other organizations mobilizing the corporate sector to support direct education provision, total school management, professional development of teachers, scholarships etc. The corporate sector on its own initiative is also engaging with public sector such as the partnership between the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and the City/ District Government for monitoring and school improvement. Structural Forms Of Public Private Partnership There are various manifestations and forms of 3Ps in the country. The most common 3Ps programmes being delivered by Education Foundations, NGOs, CBOs, the private sector, the corporate sector and other providers. These include: Contracted management of public schools by NGOs Afternoon institutions System: Up gradation of Institutions through Community Participation Programme (CPP) in Punjab and Public-Private Collaboration (PPC) in NWFP Adopt a School / School Improvement Programme (SEF, PCP) Community Schools Capacity Building of School Management Committees (SMCs) / Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs) / School Councils Community Learning /Literacy centers (using school premises and facilities) Volunteer teachers or other individuals sharing skills, donating time etc Individuals donating funds to provide missing infrastructure and educational material In 2001, the share of private sector in education in Pakistan was 21%. In 2005, the ratio of public schools in Pakistan was 67% and in Punjab it was 58%. The share of private sector schools in Pakistan is 33% and in Punjab it is 42%. If the pattern continues, the expenditure on education in private sector will exceed the total expenditure in public sector in the next five years.The policy makers are sanguine now that only conscientious, coordinated and concerted efforts of all stakeholders in Public -private Partnership (PPP) could be a viable option. Government alone will not be able to accomplish the gigantic task of attaining the goal of sustainable quality education and meet the targets of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA). Pakistan like many other developing countries is facing myriad challenges for improving access, equity and quality of education. The country has a population of 160 million people more than 33% mired in abject poverty, living below the poverty line. The overall literacy rate is 55% whereas it is 36% for females. Pakistan has 6.5 million children out of school and 80% of them have never been enrolled in a school. 40% students drop-out before they reach grade IV and 77% of the total enrolled children drop out while climbing the ladder and reaching X grade. Pakistan is at serious risk of not attaining MDG and EFA targets by 2015. The Gender Parity Index (GPI) of Pakistan (0.73) is one of the lowest in the world. Keeping in view one of the lowest Human Development Index (HDI) indicators, there is an urgent need to have a system of affordable quality education, socially acceptable to all stakeholders. The Punjab Education Foundation The Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) was established through Punjab Education Foundation Act, 1991, by Punjab Assembly. Under the enactment, PEF advanced loans and grants to private entrepreneurs, for the construction of schools, for the promotion of education from 1991 to 2004. PEF was restructured through an Act by Punjab Assembly in 2004 for promotion of education, specifically encouraging and supporting the efforts of the private sector in providing education to the poor. The major difference of the two enactments in 1991 and 2004 is primarily a paradigm shift in policy formulation and implementation to encourage the private sector and involve all stakeholders for access, equity and quality in education. While PEF Act 1991 empowered the Government through the bureaucratic control over the affairs of the Foundation with Chief Minister of the province as a Chairman of PEF and a senior bureaucrat as its Managing Director, the PEF Act 2004 conferred the entire management and control of the Foundation to the Board of Directors. Under PEF Act 2004, the Board appoints Managing Director/Chief Executive and other employees of the Foundation and determines the terms and conditions of their employment. Functions Of Punjab Education Foundation Section 4 of the PEF Act, 2004 assigned the following functions to the restructured Foundation: 1. Provide financial assistance for the establishment, expansion, improvement, and management of educational institutions and allied projects; 2. Provide incentives to students, teachers, and educational institutions; 3. Promote public-private partnerships relating to education; 4. Provide technical assistance to educational institutions for testing policy interventions and innovative programs for replication; 5. Rank private educational institutions based on educational standards; 6. Raise funds through donations, grants, contributions, subscriptions etc.; 7. Assist educational institutions in capacity building, including training of teachers; 8. Undertake any other function as may be assigned to it by the Board with the approval of the Government. The Rules and Regulations Are Annexed as ‘A Strategy Of Punjab Education Foundation The Board of Directors formulated the strategy for the PEF and adopted a flexible approach. They decided to provide better quality education through private sector to low income households and provide technical assistance in the form of teacher training and professional development for privately managed schools for less affluent sections of society. It was decided to support schools in less affluent areas and preference for female education. It was decided to introduce instruments for financial assistance on per child enrolled basis and education vouchers for households in slums to enhance enrolment and impart quality education. The strategy looked at selecting institutions with good track record and results to be considered for monetary rewards and financial assistance in terms of quality education and enrolment. PEF Budget The budgetary support to PEF programs is being provided by the Government of Punjab as an integral part of Annual Development Program (ADP) as one-line budget. The budget profile is given as annexture ‘B 1 and 2. Programs Of Punjab Education Foundation The following initiatives of PEF are aimed at ensuring access, equity and quality of education, enabling the poorest of the poor and less advantaged sections of society. 1) Foundation Assisted Schools (FAS) Program 2) Continuous Professional Development Program – CPDP 3) Education Voucher Scheme – EVS 4) Teaching in Clusters by Subjects Specialists – TICSS Program Foundation Assisted Schools (FAS) Program The Foundation Assisted Schools (FAS) is the flagship program of the PEF to encourage and promote access and improve the quality of education by providing financial assistance at the rate of Rs.350 per child per month to private schools on per child enrolled basis. FAS Policy Instrument And Selection Criterion Through FAS intervention, the PEF has demonstrated: a) That whereas it is the responsibility of the Government to ensure that all school going children should get free education, that the state should fund it, it should not necessarily provide the service i.e. there is a need to separate the financing of the service from its provision; b) That through Public -private Partnerships, better quality education can be provided at a cost significantly less than incurred by the Government of Punjab to educate a child in the public schooling system. c) That the financial assistance on per child enrolled basis through FAS program is driven by considerations of equity, quality and access to all. Selection criterion is given as annex ‘C FAS Program Statistics FAS Program was launched as pilot project in 54 schools in 2005 in five districts of Punjab i.e. Chakwal, Khushab, Bahawalpur, Lahore and Sialkot. The districts were representative of all the 36 districts of Punjab in terms of levels of literacy and human development index categorized in Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS, 2004). The schools were selected on the basis of criteria mentioned in annex ‘C ‘. In 2006, the scale of pilot was increased to 184 schools, covering 10 districts. In 2007, the Program was evaluated by the Planning and Development Department and was rated as a successful intervention so far as enrolment, retention and quality learning outcomes of the students were concerned. During a presentation to Chief Minster Punjab, it was decided that FAS should concentrate the Southern Punjab districts having the lowest literacy rate and highest concentration of out-of-school children in Punjab i.e. Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Multan, Bahawalna gar, Bahawalpur and Lodhran. FAS program focused these seven districts since 2007. More than 90% of the total strength of students in FAS program belong to the seven districts of Punjab. Progression of schools and the number of students (Male and Female) in FAS program from 2005 to 2009 is given as annex ‘D As a result of financial and administrative empowerment and autonomous academic leadership at school level through Public -private Partnership (PPP), the following statistically significant landmarks have been achieved: PEF empowered private sector schools in providing quality education to 529210 students in 1337 schools to the less privileged and disenfranchised sections of society in Public -private Partnership. The parents have been relieved from payment of fee with increase in disposable income. The managements of private schools have been relieved from financial hardships. The school management now exclusively concentrates on quality education and are relieved from collection of fee from poor parents, which often they used to delay for months. In case of drop-out of the child, the schools were previously deprived of fee amount, before their partnership with PEF. The private sector schools have invested heavily in physical infrastructure to accommodate more students, thus enhancing their revenues because in FAS model, the money follows the child and not the school. In order to enhance quality standards, the private schools hired better and qualified teachers in addition to the existing faculty thus impacting not only the learning outcomes of the students but also the peers and associates in the partner institution. The salaries of teachers before introduction of FAS model were Rs.2500 per month approximately and enhanced to Rs. 6500 in 2008 and are now being enhanced to Rs.8500. In Pakistan, more than 40% students are dropped and are out of school by the time they reach grade IV but in FAS partnership model, drop-out rate is zero. In case of absence or truancy of a student, the private school management follows the students due to their pecuniary interests attached with the child because the payment by PEF is made on the basis of surprise physical verification of the students in the classroom by monitoring and evaluation teams and QAT by third parties engaged by PEF. Through reward mechanism by PEF and better salary structure the teachers are motivated, resilient and diligent. The schools have complete administrative, managerial and financial empowerment with impeccable academic leadership. Impact Of FAS Program On The Learning Outcomes Of Students And Capacity Of Schools The following achievements have been verified over a period of four years (2006-2009) in FAS partner schools: During a period of four years (2005-2009), the mean average of students in terms of learning outcomes in FAS partner schools was raised from 63 % to79%. The results of 200 schools in the band of 80%-90% have been analysed. They have qualified Mathematics and Science teachers. The schools falling below the threshold of 40% have another important nexus. None of the teachers of these schools has been imparted pre-service training. The girls performed very well in the QATs and excelled over boys. The high performing schools have a very high concentration of post-graduate teachers. More than 95% of teachers in these educational institutions are either graduates or post-graduates. The Continuous Professional Development Program (CPDP) discussed as PEF intervention helped the teachers of the FAS partner schools to enhance their secure understanding of the didactic resource base and improve their pedagogical skills PEF through CPDP trained 86027 teachers of FAS partner schools and non-partner low cost private schools. There is continuous improvement in the percentage of students getting more than 90% marks. In QAT 1 in 2006, 0.96% students secured more than 90% marks whereas in QAT 2 in 2007, the percentage rose to 1.26. In QAT 3 in 2008 it rose to 16.64% and in QAT 4 it jumped to 17.63%. There was a constant decrease in the percentage of students getting less than 40% marks. From 21.55% students getting less than 40% marks in 2006, it gradually decreased to 16.53% in 2007, 4.32% in 2008 and 4.26% in 2009. The students in the cohort of 80% to 90%, 70% to 80%, 60% to 70% and 50% to 60% showed respectable improvement in a period of four years. FAS Achievements In Public-Private Partnership PEF is promoting affordable quality education in 1337 schools in the province of Punjab. The numbers of students benefitting from FAS program are 529210. The number of male students is 267107 (50.47%) and female is 262103 (49.52%). Through FAS highest priority has been accorded to female education. Fortunately the drop-out rate is zero since the schools follow the students in case of absence and truancy for the pecuniary reasons since PEF funding follows the student and not the school. Continuous Professional Development Program – CPDP It is not possible to raise the standard of education without qualified, satisfied and competent teachers. The development of human didactic resource base is a very time-consuming, slow, gradual and consistent process. To ensure the quality education, there has to be a nice mix of institutional and governance arrangements both in public and private sectors dovetailed with quality mentoring in an enabling teaching-learning environment with objectively verifiable indicators. The quality education is assured primarily because of quality mentoring, quality curriculum, resilient management, conducive, congenial and enabling teaching learning environment, good governance, transparent processes, rigorous and candid monitoring and evaluation, evaluative scrutiny and integration of the lessons learnt into the system for continuous improvement The premier academic institutions in Punjab i.e. Punjab University-Institute of Education and Research (IER), Government College University (GCU), Beacon house National University (BNU), FC College University were engaged to impart training to the teachers of private schools. The lead Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the field of professional development and capacity building were selected through an open and transparent competition. The mentors engaged by the NGOs were selected through a special selection board constituted by PEF. School Leadership Development Program (SLDP) More than 80% of the participants reported that the school management was not allowing them to apply the new methodologies of teaching based on comprehension. Instead, the schools were interested in rote learning, so that their students score high marks in the examinations conducted by Punjab Examination Commission and the respective Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education in the province of Punjab. It was proposed by the participants of CBT in their feedback that the leadership of the partner schools should be sensitized about the importance of secure understanding of the content knowledge by the students instead cramming and rote learning. In this background, it was considered necessary to start a School Leadership Development Program (SLDP) for the Principals and Vice Principals of the FAS partner schools and Non-FAS schools. SLDP met a huge success since the Principals and Vice-Principals of the educational institutions allowed their teachers to apply and practices learned by them in CBT. Education Voucher Scheme – EVS Concept: To ensure educational justice and avoid educational apartheid in society, the poorest of the poor and disenfranchised sections of the society must get equal opportunity and access to quality education enabling the future generations to get out of the vicious circle of poverty and deprivation. For the people on the brink of society, education is the only conduit to develop capabilities of the less privileged people in urban and rural slums Modality: Through EVS, education voucher have been delivered to all households in the urban slums for the children in the age cohorts of 5 to 13. The slums were surveyed and it was established that all the households in the locality were living below poverty line, At a pilot stage, 1053 households were given an opportunity with freedom of choice to access the quality school of their choice for their children. The voucher is redeemable against payment of fee in the educational institutions. EVS is meant to ensure the freedom of choice, productive efficiency, equity and social cohesion. The EVS makes the schools accountable to the parents instead of government functionaries of education department. In FAS, the private school entrepreneur has the choice to admit a student or not. In EVS, the choice to select a school remains with the parents because they are carrying the education voucher issued by PEF. The partner schools are subject to periodical review dependent on the results of their student s, additional private investment and improvement in working conditions for the teachers. The data of schools and students during the years 2006-2009 is annexed as ‘G Selection Criteria of EVS Partner Schools EVS provides incentive to parents to send their children to school. The Scheme became a source of competition for private schools of the area. The following selection uniform criterion has been applied across the board: 1. The fee paid by PEF to the partner EVS school will be Rs. 300/= per child per month. The schools charging higher fee can also apply but they will not paid higher than Rs.300/= and will not be entitled to charge from the students. The enrolment should be between 100 and 500. The school should have respectable infrastructure and enabling teaching learning environment. The partner schools should lie within  ½ kilometer radius of the selected area/beneficiaries of the vouchers. However, if the parents desire to select a school at a larger distance, PEF will have no objection, provided the school fulfills the selection criteria of PEF. 2. PEF advertises in print media to solicit interest from prospective partner schools and preliminary test of selected subjects is held in short-listed schools. Physical inspection of the school is also carried out. 3. PEF Project offices display list of all partner schools at their office and parents are free to choose a school of their choice. 4. It is mandatory under the EVS policy that a household shall admit both the boys and girls in the age cohort of 5-13 years. In case a household does not admit a girl through a voucher in EVS, the voucher for boys shall not be valid. The conditionality coupled with awareness campaign persuaded the parents to send the boys and girls to school together. The EVS policy instrument significantly reduced the child labour in the area since the boys employed in workshops and hotels and girls employed in the household chores in the neighbourhood joined the EVS schools. EVS Achievements in Public-Private Partnership Through EVS, PEF is providing free quality education to 31053 students in 167 schools. 15138 (48.74%) male students and 15915 (51.25%) female students are the beneficiaries of the program. The parity of male and female students was ensured through the policy instrument of EVS. It is mandatory under the EVS policy that a household shall admit both the boys and girls in the age cohort of 5-13 years. In case a household does not admit a girl through a voucher in EVS, the voucher for boys shall not be valid. The conditionality coupled with awareness campaign persuaded the parents to send the boys and girls to school together. The EVS policy instrument significantly reduced the child labour in the area since the boys employed in workshops and hotels and girls employed in the household chores in the neighbourhood joined the EVS schools. Teaching In Clusters By Subjects Specialists – TICSS Program The entrepreneurs of the low cost educational institutions in rural and urban areas cannot afford quality mentors because the people of eminence and erudition with professional integrity of performance with higher academic qualifications demand higher salaries, which they cannot afford. It is almost a truism that the quality in education turns on the axle of interaction between the teacher and the student. Without quality instruction in the low cost schools, there is a remote possibility of better learning outcomes of the students. Resultantly the low cost schools in remote rural areas, peri-urban areas and slums could not improve the quality of instruction. PEF launched TICSS program, engaging people of outstanding academic excellence at the market salary, graduating from the best academic institutions in the province and deputed them to the low cost educational institutions in urban and rural areas of the province. The subject specialists engaged under the auspices of TICSS program not only impacted the learning outcomes of the students in terms of concept clarity and secure understanding of the subject knowledge but also impacted the peers and associates, engaged by the low cast schools. The Subject Specialist (SS) with high grade post-graduate degree could be hired within a salary range of Rs 30,000 —35,000 for a low cost school which pays its teachers a meagre average salary of Rs 3500—Rs 6000. TICSS demonstrated that Subject Specialist deputed to the low cost schools played a catalytic role in uplifting the educational standards and bringing innovations in a number of spheres in the schools academic and social milieu. SS is visiting 2-3 schools in a week and teaching the students in actual class room theatrics. SS impacted the learning outcomes of the students and the mean average of the students increased from 33% to 55% in a period of three years. Subject Specialist influenced the teaching and communication practices of the peers and assoc iates. TICSS model proved to be cost effective, economical and beneficial. Policy matrix is annexed as ‘F The Subject Specialists under auspices of TICSS are an extended arm of the Academic Development Unit (ADU). They teach in the cluster of three schools in core content subject knowledge i.e. Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. They help ADU team to design tests for the assessment and examination of the Foundation assisted schools under FAS and carry out tours to ensure the accuracy of information in terms of enrolment in the FAS Program. They are part of assessment and examination teams constituted by PEF and liaise with the other leading experts engaged in teachers training and professional development in public and private sector and share experiences for the promotion of quality education in private sector. They are also tasked to develop a resource base for pedagogy and core content subject knowledge base for the benefit of teachers of the private educational institutions. TICSS Achievements In Public-Private Partnership TICSS program has been widely acclaimed and appreciated by all the stakeholders in education. There is incessant demand from low cost private schools for vertical and horizontal expansion of the program in the larger public interest PEF selected and deputed 180 Subject Specialists, 95 (52.77%) male and 85 females (47.22%) to 24 districts of the province of Punjab. 162000 students benefitted from the expertise of the Subject Specialists in an academic year. Way Forward For Public-Private Partnership Initiatives Of PEF The Public-private Partnership programs of PEF have the secure potential to promote quality education at affordable cost to the less-affluent and disenfranchised sections of society at a much lower cost in Public Private Partnership. The consistency and continuity of the systems according to the statutory requirements of PEF Act 2004 is the only viable, workable and sustainable solution. The enactment discourages the bureaucratization and compartmentalization of the programs and envisaged transparency, accountability through institutional and constitutional mechanism. The programs of PEF are replicable, cost effective and competitive. The partnerships work for a win win situation for both public and private sectors, ensuring outreach of the programs, to the far-off rural areas and urban slums, often neglected due to variety of reasons. The programs of PEF have already been replicated in the federal territories by the national government and four provincial governments by slightly cha nging the methodology to accommodate indigenous and local requirements. The incessant demand, affordability and social acceptability by the general public, elected representatives, district governments, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, print and electronic media and private educational institutions is hanging heavy on the political leadership of the province. The popularity of the PEF programs in Public-private Partnership and the extreme public pressure of the stakeholders in the form of teachers, students, parents and communities is the sure and secure hope for the continuity of the programs. The government has no option but to continue funding the PEF initiatives. How to win the lost confidence of international donors and agencies remains a myriad challenge for the leadership at PEF. Overall Outcome Analysis Of The PEF Initiatives It has been successfully demonstrated that the PEF programs in Public-private Partnership are cost effective, economical and efficient in terms of service delivery mechanism. The synergy of forging Public -private Partnership has started paying dividends, at a socially acceptable and affordable cost. The private educational institutions providing quality education in less privileged urban, suburban and remote rural areas were hard pressed for financial support. During the quality assurance tests, the students of Foundation assisted schools have shown remarkable performance. PEF has introduced performance based financial incentives by awarding cash prizes to the teachers of the best performing schools for their integrity of performance and quality service delivery. The Public-private Partnership programs are promoting affordable quality educati

Nemean Stadium :: essays papers

Nemean Stadium Based on Legend, approximately around 776 BCE, Koroibos crossed the finish line at the altar of Zeus and was crowned the first winner in Olympic history. Thus was the beginning of the ancient phenomenon of the Olympic Games. A time where all war would come to a pause as men would test their valor against fellow man in peaceful physical competition. This competition was partaken in stadiums at select locations. These men were considered elite athletes and representative of many men. This made the games important in more ways than competition. They were also political, social and a major source of pride within ancient Greece. But these Olympic games only came around every four years, so others followed. Along with the Olympic games three others joined forming the Panhellenic athletic festivals. They were the Pythian, Isthmian, and Nemean games. The sites for these games grew in extravagance as well as popularity over time and in turn the stadiums the games were to be held in also grew in extravagance. The stadium at Nemea was particularly one of extravagance and prestige. The University of California at Berkley has done a great deal for the Nemean site in the past 25 years. They have uncovered a stadium dated circa 330 BCE along with a tunnel, which is said to have been an athlete entrance to the stadium. Extensive study of the Nemean stadium and tunnel has been done and the site is well documented. The impacts of such a great archaeological find is wonderful and has inspired many to even reenact the infamous Nemean Games. Through basic review of fact and study the following will briefly detail the findings of the stadium at Nemea and its tunnel. The site at Nemea had many visitors, known to have started as early as 1766, excavating parts mostly in search of treasures from the Sanctuary of Zeus. The earliest mention of the stadium was from Colonel William Leake, approximately during the 18th century, from where he located the stadium. Unfortunately no real excavation was done until 1973 when the University of Berkley began a large scale dig under the advisory of the American School of Classical Studies, Athens and the guidance of Stephen G Miller. The investigation began an extensive yearly excavation from 1974- 1983 and since then many smaller projects have steadily occurred. Nemean Stadium :: essays papers Nemean Stadium Based on Legend, approximately around 776 BCE, Koroibos crossed the finish line at the altar of Zeus and was crowned the first winner in Olympic history. Thus was the beginning of the ancient phenomenon of the Olympic Games. A time where all war would come to a pause as men would test their valor against fellow man in peaceful physical competition. This competition was partaken in stadiums at select locations. These men were considered elite athletes and representative of many men. This made the games important in more ways than competition. They were also political, social and a major source of pride within ancient Greece. But these Olympic games only came around every four years, so others followed. Along with the Olympic games three others joined forming the Panhellenic athletic festivals. They were the Pythian, Isthmian, and Nemean games. The sites for these games grew in extravagance as well as popularity over time and in turn the stadiums the games were to be held in also grew in extravagance. The stadium at Nemea was particularly one of extravagance and prestige. The University of California at Berkley has done a great deal for the Nemean site in the past 25 years. They have uncovered a stadium dated circa 330 BCE along with a tunnel, which is said to have been an athlete entrance to the stadium. Extensive study of the Nemean stadium and tunnel has been done and the site is well documented. The impacts of such a great archaeological find is wonderful and has inspired many to even reenact the infamous Nemean Games. Through basic review of fact and study the following will briefly detail the findings of the stadium at Nemea and its tunnel. The site at Nemea had many visitors, known to have started as early as 1766, excavating parts mostly in search of treasures from the Sanctuary of Zeus. The earliest mention of the stadium was from Colonel William Leake, approximately during the 18th century, from where he located the stadium. Unfortunately no real excavation was done until 1973 when the University of Berkley began a large scale dig under the advisory of the American School of Classical Studies, Athens and the guidance of Stephen G Miller. The investigation began an extensive yearly excavation from 1974- 1983 and since then many smaller projects have steadily occurred.

Pat Conroys The Lords Of Discipline Essay -- Lords Discipline Pat Con

Pat Conroy's "The Lords Of Discipline" Conroy displays his life through his novel, The Lords of Discipline, to give readers a visual demonstration of how life connections can transform the entity of a novel. Conroy's attendance to the Citadel, his family, and the South helped influence his innovative writing style. "A lifetime in a Southern family negated any possibility that he [Will/Conroy] could resign from the school under any conditions other than unequivocal disgrace (6)." Conroy's family held a strong control over his will to renounce the hardship of the Citadel. A pervasive admiration for his mother runs through the book as he declares her as being one of the main reasons he continues to stay in the Institute, and the one who kept him in line through both his boyhood and his passage to maturity. "Her severity was soft, but severity nonethelessÂ… the discipline of my mother disguised itself in love and tenderness and often held fa...

Humorous Wedding Speech from the Father of the Bride -- Wedding Toasts

Humorous Wedding Speech from the Father of the Bride Distinguished guests, those of dubious distinction and those of no distinction, family, relatives, in-laws and outlaws, young and old, friends, friends of friends, freeloaders and hangers-on – let me extend a warm welcome to Meradith and Naren’s wedding reception celebration. Winston Churchill was apparently asked to address a prep school and he got up and said, â€Å"Never, Never, Never give up!† then he sat down. Well you are not going to get away quite as easily as that, but I will try to be brief. There aren’t many people who find themselves in the position I find myself in today. I’m married, 35 and I have two sons, yet I find myself in the role of â€Å"Father of the Bride†, but as I am Meradith’s brother I consider it a great honour and would like to say how proud I am to be giving away my beautiful baby sister today. I know I speak on behalf of my mother and the rest of Meradith’s family when I say how proud we are today to see Meradith looking so beautiful, finally married to Naren. During the time we have known him we have come to realise how special he is to Meradith, and everyone can see how they are made for each other. He is really likable and easy going, and we are happy to welcome him formally into our family. At this point in the proceedings, it is traditional to bring up an embarrassing moment from Meradith’s past or to highlight ... ...uite hard to carry out. You must both realise that marriage isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible. Many of us know that everyone faces ups and downs in a life commitment. There is no secret to a happy marriage. You’ll both have to work at it, like many of us. There is no challenge in a marriage that cannot be overcome by the following three, three-word sentences. These are: I was wrong! You were right! I love you! Meradith and Naren, Here’s to the past for all that you’ve learned Here’s to the present for all that you share And here’s to the future for all that you can look forward to together. Ladies and Gentlemen, please be upstanding, and raise your glasses to Meradith and Naren

Cell Phone Effects on the Human Brain Essay

Walking around in school to walking around at the shopping malls with your mobile phone may seem fashionable and trendy, but most people do not know that it might be causing you to get a cancer and brain damage threw the loss of memory. Many mobile phone holders do not realize it and it should be something everyone should be aware of. It may seem pretty unusual how a mobile phone can cause a child or an adult to get cancer, but it is true. New evidence is growing fast about health risks from mobile phones and their electromagnetic radiation. Recently mobile phones are accused of emitting radiation, which is harmful for health causing cancer, brain tumors, headaches, and also sleeping disorders. These devices can be used to make telephone calls from almost any country in the world to another. Researchers are still being undertaken to come to a definite conclusion if there is any possible impairment by the â€Å"cell phone radiation. † â€Å"Research by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland found that microwaves from cell phone handsets damaged the blood-brain barrier, which prevents materials from the blood entering the brain. It warned that this might have implications for human health, but it does not insinuate that the biological effect may necessarily pose health risk. It is generally accepted that damage to DNA is necessary for cancer to develop. However, radiofrequency energy, unlike ionizing radiation, does not cause DNA damage in cells, and it has not been found to cause cancer in animals or to enhance the cancer-causing effects of known chemical carcinogens in animals. Radiofrequency energy is a form of electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space. Electromagnetic radiation can be categorized into two types: ionizing which consist of x-rays, radon, and cosmic rays and also non-ionizing which consist of radio frequency and extremely low-frequency or power frequency. Exposure to ionizing radiation, such as from radiation therapy, is known to increase the risk of cancer. However, although many studies have examined the potential health effects of non-ionizing radiation from radar, microwave ovens, and other sources, there is currently no consistent evidence that non-ionizing radiation increases cancer risk. The only known biological effect of radiofrequency energy is heating. The ability for microwave ovens to heat food is an example of this effect of radiofrequency energy. Radiofrequency exposure from cell phone use does cause heating; however, it is not sufficient to measurably increase body temperatures. Cell phones use radio frequencies to transmit signals. Radio Frequencies are a form of electrical waves similar to those used in radios, microwaves, radars or satellite stations. They are emitted from a transmitter, and received using an antenna. This telephony technology is restricted geographically to small zones called â€Å"Cells†. Every cell has a base station capable of sending and receiving radio waves. When a call is started a signal leaves the handheld unit headed to the closest base station. This station answers by allocating a specific channel to the unit. There are two types of phones, one has the antenna mounted on the handset and the other has the antenna mounted on a separate transmitter or, if the telephone is installed in a vehicle, mounted on the roof or rear window. There have been many concerns that radiofrequency energy from cell phones held closely to the head may affect the brain and other tissues, to date there is no evidence from studies of cells, animals, or humans that radiofrequency energy can cause cancer. A recent study showed that when people used a cell phone for 50 minutes, brain tissues on the same side of the head as the phone’s antenna metabolized more glucose than it did tissues on the opposite side of the brain. The researchers noted that the results are preliminary, and possible health outcomes from this increase in glucose metabolism are still unknown. Today, all the mobile phone manufacturers are now producing mobiles with a limited Specific Absorption Rate, also known as â€Å"SAR† which minimizes the impact of radiation. Specific absorption rate is a measure of the rate at which energy is absorbed by the body when exposed to a radio frequency electromagnetic field. It is commonly used to measure power absorbed from mobile phones and during MRI scans. It can also refer to absorption of other forms of energy by tissue, including ultrasound. It is defined as the power absorbed per mass of tissue and has units of watts per kilogram. Parts of the radio waves emitted by a mobile telephone handset are absorbed by the human head. The radio waves emitted by a GSM handset can have a peak power of 2 watts. SAR is usually averaged either over the whole body, or over a small sample volume which is typically 1 g or 10 g of tissue. The value cited is then the maximum level measured in the body part studied over the stated volume or mass. In theory, children have the potential to be at greater risk than adults for developing brain cancer from cell phones. Their nervous systems are still developing and therefore more vulnerable to factors that may cause cancer. Their heads are much smaller than adults and therefore have a greater proportional exposure to radiofrequency radiation that is emitted by cell phones. Also children have the potential of accumulating more years of cell phone exposure than adults do. Technology has always made a great impact on our society. Over the last few decades, there have been many inventions that have changed our lifestyles dramatically. Cellular Telephony has, by all accounts, modified how we interact with others, but with consequences that follow. To this day, there are a growing number of unconfirmed reports of individuals whose health has been affected after frequent use of mobile phones, presumably from radiation effects on brain cells. The full result of long-term use on mobile phones has not yet been able to be tested, simply because they have not been around long enough for the symptoms to make themselves clear. Is putting our health at risk really worth it?

Estimating Risk and Return

1. â€Å"Why is expected return considered forward-looking? What are the challenges for practitioners to utilize expected return? † (Cornett, Adair, and Nofsinger, 2012, p. 246). Expected return is â€Å"forward-looking† in the sense that it represents the return investors expect to receive in the future as compensation for the market risk taken. The challenge is that practitioners cannot precisely know what the future holds and thus what the expected return should be. Thus, we create methods to estimate the expected return. 2. Describe how different allocations between the risk-free security and the market portfolio can achieve any level of market risk desired. † (Cornett, Adair, and Nofsinger, 2012, p. 246). An investor can allocate money between a risk-free security that has zero risk (? =0), and the market portfolio that has market risk (? =1). If 75% of the portfolio is invested in the market, then the portfolio will have a ? =0. 75. If only 25% is invested i n the market, then the portfolio will have a market risk of ? =0. 25. The first example (? =0. 75) might be taken by a less risk averse investor while the second example (? 0. 25) illustrates the portfolio of a more risk averse investor. By allocating the investment money between 0 and 100% into the market portfolio, an investor can achieve any level of market risk desired. 3. â€Å"Compute the expected return given these three economic states, their likelihoods, and the potential returns:† Economic StateProbabilityReturn Fast Growth0. 3040% Slow Growth0. 5010% Recession0. 20? 25% Expected return = 0. 3? 40% + 0. 5? 10% + 0. 2? -25% = 12% 4. â€Å"If the risk-free rate is 6 percent and the risk premium is 5 percent, what is the required return? † (Cornett, Adair, and Nofsinger, 2012, p. 47). Required return = 6% + 5% = 11% 5. â€Å"The average annual return on the Standard and Poor's 500 Index from 1986 to 1995 was 15. 8 percent. The average annual T-bill yield during the same period was 5. 6 percent. What was the market risk premium during these 10 years? † (Cornett, Adair, and Nofsinger, 2012, p. 247). Average market risk premium = 15. 8% ? 5. 6% = 10. 2% 6. â€Å"Hastings Entertainment has a beta of 0. 24. If the market return is expected to be 11 percent and the risk-free rate is 4 percent, what is Hastings' required return? † (Cornett, Adair, and Nofsinger, 2012, p. 247).Use the capital asset pricing model to calculate Hastings' required return. Hastings’ required return = 4% + 0. 24 ? (11% ? 4%) = 5. 68% 7. Calculate the beta of your portfolio, which comprises the following items: (a) Olympic Steel stock, which has a beta of 2. 9 and comprises 25 percent of your portfolio, (b) Rent-a-Center stock, which has a beta of 1. 5 and comprises 35 percent of your portfolio, and (c) Lincoln Electric stock, which has a beta of 0. 2 and comprises 40 percent of your portfolio. (Adapted from Cornett, Adair, and Nofsinger, p. 248. ) 0 . 25? 2. 9 + 0. 35? 1. 5 + 0. 40? 0. 2 = 1. 33

IKEA Children Labor Reaction

After the publication of the documentals that showed and proved that IKEA used children labor for the production of it's company in India IKEA was forced to react, to try to stop the media crisis and to be concerned and active to stop children labor in non-developed countries like India. The first reaction when all the information appeared was to deny it, saying that IKEA never contract companies that use children labor to do their products, but they accepted the possibility that maybe the companies they were contracting, sub-contract at the same time other corporations that could have children working for them.The spokesperson for IKEA defended the company, saying the contract with its suplier in the Philippines and India has been suspender, when under-age children were found to be making wicker baskets. But that was only the first reaction but sure not last. From that point IKEA changed the way of acting, taking more seriously this aspect and having it as a principal part of the co mpany and of the foundation IKEA owns. From that IKEA addressed the event and it â€Å"sent a legal team to Geneva to seek input and advice from the International Labor organization on how to deal with the problem.Also the company â€Å"added a clause to all supply contracts, stating simply that if the supplier employed children under legal working age, the contract would be cancelled†. This clause, a two-pages code of conduct, is based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). The third thing IKEA decided to do is to contract a Third-party that controls and take care of avoiding child labor practices at its suppliers in India and Pakistan. This action was very profitable for the company because it showed a different point of view and favored good publicity and made thing seem fairer from the public's view.In that way the bussines manager of the corporation did some research with well known organizations like Save the Children ( an organization that received on May 15 of 2012 a pledge of $10 million to end child labor in India cotton industry) or UNICEF to get advice. With all that information the manager could travel around the world, see the real situation and developed a label certifying that the carpets to which it was attached were made without the use of child labor.

Life in the Student Lounge

The student lounge is a place which is characterized by a wide range of activities. There are students who come to the lounge to have discussions on coursework.There are students who come to the lounge just to have a good time. There are also students who come to the lounge to sleep. The lounge has all the modern facilities. It has internet connectivity, refrigerators, microwave ovens and a television set and it is air conditioned. It has very comfortable furniture consisting of red sofas and wooden tables that are always shining as if they were coated on with new paint every day. The floor has lush carpets.Just outside the lounge is a food and drinks vending machine. On the same floor as the lounge is the student canteen within a short walk from the lounge. In fact if you stand at the door of the lounge, you can see the student canteen. So it is possible for students to spend days in the lounge without having to go home.Typical happenings at the loungeThe lounge serves both curricul ar and extra-curricular activities. There are students who have lunch there. They go out to the canteen, get their lunch and bring it over to the lounge. There are students who bring their girlfriends over to have a talk.And if a group of students is contemplating throwing a party, then the first place they think of is the student lounge. When there is a break between semesters, the lounge is deserted.As the new semester starts, more and more students start to trickle in and the lounge begins to get crowded until near the end of the semester the lounge starts to become very noisy as a great number of students hold group discussions on coursework nearing the submission date. As mentioned before, the entrance to the door requires the ID card for verification.Sometimes there are students who forget to bring their ID cards. So they reach the lounge entrance, fish in their wallets for the ID card, make the terrible discovery that it is not there and are condemned to knocking on the glass of the door until some kind-hearted soul inside gets up and opens the door from inside.This is not possible however if you are one of the first in the morning to turn up at the lounge. I happened to forget to bring along my ID card one time and it was very early in the morning and there was no one in the large room that the main entrance opened into. Luckily for me there was one student that I could see through the glass in the second entrance opening into the small room on the extreme left. She got up and opened the door for me.It was lucky for me because if she had happened to sit in the room on the extreme right which did not have an entrance, I would be condemned to standing outside possibly for the rest of the day because it was the spring break.

How has Human Civilization Advanced Because of our Knowledge of Fluid Essay

How has Human Civilization Advanced Because of our Knowledge of Fluid Mechanics - Essay Example s a diverse field in physics that have several branches such as fluid dynamics that studies effects of forces on fluid motion, fluid statics that studies fluids at rest, and fluid kinematics that studies fluids in motion. Fluid mechanics works hand in hand with hydraulics and has existed for a long time. Engineers also use fluid mechanics in aerodynamics when designing planes, ships, trains, and cars, designing mechanical systems such as engines and machines and town planning (Braben 45). Fluid mechanics has solved many problems since the ancient civilization to the modern world. In fluid mechanics, Civil engineers try to solve problems in floods by constructing better bridges and roads; they solve drainage problems by designing proper sewage systems, and design underground aquifers that supply water. The existence of fluid mechanics has contributed largely in the advancement of human civilization by affecting many areas. In the ancient civilization, many countries such as Egypt, India, China, and the Mayan people in South America used fluid mechanics in the construction of many structures. In the present day, application of fluid mechanics is seen in the construction of water reservoirs such as dams, wells, and boreholes. These serve humans in storage of water required for irrigation and drinking. Wells have existed since the ancient civilization, and they are actually used in the analysis of fluid mechanics. Other constructions include dams and boreholes (Braben 52). In the ancient civilization, human beings used pumps that dug shallow wells and boreholes. There was no technology to help dig deeper ones, and the pumps were manual and driven by hand. This caused contamination of water most of the times and people died of water borne diseases. In the present day, engineers use electrical and automated machines to drill deep wells and boreholes of up to 100 to 400 feet and this has helped a lot in solving such a problem. Unlike in the past where people went to

Marine Transportation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marine Transportation - Assignment Example Reasonably, the growing demand for different commodities in different economies around the globe forces for the massive transportation of containerized goods, which on the point of destination will be offloaded and transported inland to the actual location through road and rail transport. Up to the present, over a million vessels have transited through the Panama Canal with a similar number passing through the Suez Canal (Talley 90). Arguably, the two canals have served to benefit adjacent economies to achieve abundant economic growth rates. For instance, the Suez Canal affected Egypt’s industrialization to an extent that the country reigned as a growing economy in the Northern part of the African continent. The rapid growth in maritime transportation is influential to the continued expansion of the waterways (92). The increment in the vessels’ size has served to the advantage of the economies adjacent to the canals citing on the cargo handling processes in the ports whenever. 2. Maritime strategic passages (Suez Canal, Panama Canal, etc.) provide an important service to global shipping and international trade. Discuss the likely economic impact that a disruption of traffic (through an act of piracy) in the Gulf of Aden would have on the Suez Canal, global shipping and international trade. Maritime passages’ purpose of creation emanated from the need for ease in sea transport through the creation of waterways that would shorten the distances of each voyage. In the absence of these canals, ships would have to embark on long distances thus; the cost of sea transport shall increase in the long run. It is knowledgeable that the cost of shipping would escalate if an inland waterway would close or be disrupted. These disruptions, for example, those present in the Suez Canal and the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden since 1957 and in the early 2006 force for changes in trade routes whereby ships engage on lengthy voyages from departure to the

Computing Business e-Systems and Technology Essay

Computing Business e-Systems and Technology - Essay Example i. Keep all the divisions/ sites fully connected through LAN, WAN or MAN depending upon the distances between those sites. ii. Keep an updated record of the Human Resources of the company. iii. Makes available the daily/ weekly/ monthly reports of different sites. iv. Assimilate latest information about the company's competitors v. Help in preparing a roadmap for future expansion vi. Enhance research, development and innovation activities. vii. Ensure greater ICT focus viii. Help in long range and strategic planning. ix. Help in improving the production processes x. Help in identifying and strengthening the Critical Success Factors (CSF). 2. Such an investment can support a core competency. Great companies invariably have one or two core competencies, something they can do better than anyone else. An IT investment in a company's core competency can create a significant barrier to entry for other companies, defending the organization's primary turf and protecting its markets and profits. 3. An EIS can build supply chain networks. Firms that are a part of an integrated supply chain system have established relationships of trust with suppliers. This means faster delivery times, problem-free delivery. 4. An EIS can bring the company in league with E-commerce. Though a company dealing in defence matters may not that be open to e-commerce like a white goods company, but still the company web sites can be personalized to each customers interests, expectations, and commercial needs. They can also be used to create a sense of community. Both of these tend to increase customer loyalty. Scope and Method During the earlier attempt, the company used in-house talent for developing an EIS....Great companies invariably have one or two core competencies, something they can do better than anyone else. An IT investment in a company's core competency can create a significant barrier to entry for other companies, defending the organization's primary turf and protecting its markets and profits. 3. An EIS can build supply chain networks. Firms that are a part of an integrated supply chain system have established relationships of trust with suppliers. This means faster delivery times, problem-free delivery. 4. An EIS can bring the company in league with E-commerce. Though a company dealing in defence matters may not that be open to e-commerce like a white goods company, but still the company web sites can be personalized to each customers interests, expectations, and commercial needs. They can also be used to create a sense of community. Both of these tend to increase customer loyalty. During the earlier attempt, the company used in-house talent for developing an EIS. An in-house resource has the advantage that it knows more things about the functioning of the company. But it has a significant disadvantage that it doesn't know much about the competitor's strengths and the latest trend in the market place. Moreover Communication Company is not supposed to have the kind of expertise required for a detailed survey and subsequent data analysis. Since the company has al