#the tertiary education system of this country

[lonely-night]

it's only the end of the first week of new semester the anxiety and depression is crawling up already lmao this is bad

[eggthew]

I am curious about everyone's education/highschool experience, so poll time!! Also more details below if needed

I don't know much about how education systems function in other countries, and what may be wildly different to what I've experienced, so I've tried to explain just in case there's any confusion!

By "highschool" I mean the education level that everyone is expected to complete. where I live, highschool is grade 7-12! So, because I dropped out during grade 11, I didn't complete highschool. I'm including home-schooling in this, if you followed the same curriculum/got the same qualifications.

By "completing education/highschool" I mean getting the same or equivalent qualification later in your life.

Tertiary education is anything beyond highschool. university, college, tafe, etc.

[reasonandempathy]

A brief summary of how Education fails Boys

I saw people sincerely questioning and minimizing the current struggles boys face in education.

So, I wanted to collect some relevant information, with sources. All of these are from the past couple of years, from 2021 onward.

Girls have more difficulty accessing education and are more likely than boys to be out of school at primary level. However, boys are at greater risk of repeating grades, failing to progress and complete their education, and not learning while in school. Globally, 128 million boys are out of school. That’s more than half of the global out-of-school youth population and more than the 122 million girls who are also out of school. The Leave no child behind: Global report on boys’ disengagement from education shows that boys are increasingly left behind in education. They are at greater risk of repeating grades, failing to progress and complete their education, and not learning while in school. While previously boys’ disengagement and dropout were concerns mainly in high-income countries, several low- and middle-income countries have seen a reversal in gender gaps, with boys now lagging behind girls in enrolment, completion and learning outcomes. Boys are more likely than girls to repeat primary grades in 130 countries, and more likely to not have an upper secondary education in 73 countries. At tertiary level, globally only 88 men are enrolled for every 100 women. 

In 1970, women only made up 42 percent of the college population. Today, the roles have essentially reversed. The U.S. Department of Education estimates men to make up 43 percent of enrolled individuals in college. And this crisis impacts minority populations even more: only 36 percent of Black and 40 percent of Hispanic bachelor degree recipients are male. 

This is not an issue of colleges neglecting to admit men at an equal rate. Rather, colleges are receiving fewer applications from men than women. In 2010, only 44 percent of college applications were from men and that number has been steadily declining since. The decrease in male applicants is a sign that men are discouraged from pursuing higher education at a disproportionately high rate. 

These statistics point to a larger, systemic problem. The American education system perpetuates a series of gender norms that cause significant harm to children; boys are impacted by these expectations in a way that tends to be overlooked. The stereotype that boys have a higher propensity to misbehave has led to the over-punishment of boys in the classroom.        

Boys are facing key challenges in school. Inside the effort to support their success

An APA task force is spotlighting the specific issues and recommending evidence-based ways to enact swift change At school, by almost every metric, boys of all ages are doing worse than girls. They are disciplined and diagnosed with learning disabilities at higher rates, their grades and test scores are lower, and they’re less likely to graduate from high school (Owens, J., Sociology of Education, Vol. 89, No. 3, 2016; Voyer, D., & Voyer, S. D., Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 140, No. 4, 2014; “The unreported gender gap in high school graduation rates,” Brookings, 2021). These disparities persist at the university level, where female enrollment now outpaces male enrollment by 16% (Undergraduate Enrollment, National Center for Education Statistics, 2022). “The gap between boys and girls is apparent from very early on,” said developmental psychologist Ioakim Boutakidis, PhD, a professor of child and adolescent studies at California State University, Fullerton. “The disparities not only exist across the board—from kindergarten all the way to college—but they are growing over time.” For boys of color, that gap is even larger. They face suspension and expulsion from school at almost five times the rate of their White male classmates and are even less likely to finish high school or college (“Exploring Boys’ (Mis)Behavior,” Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinities, 2022 [PDF, 261KB]). The implications of these disparities are huge. Doing poorly at school is strongly associated with major challenges later in life, including addiction, mental and physical health problems, and involvement with the criminal justice system—problems that also have ripple effects on society at large. In the United States, getting at least a college degree may be the one remaining, relatively stable ticket to a decent life, Boutakidis said.

In a recent New York Times essay, “It’s Become Increasingly Hard for Them to Feel Good About Themselves,” Thomas Edsall reviews a variety of research studies highlighting the plight of young men in the United States. As a front-line educator who has worked in boys’ schools for 30 years and served as the head of a boys’ school for the past 20 years, I’ve been an unhappy witness to this dilemma. Data supports the claim that boys are falling behind, and dramatically so. For example, there is a growing gender gap in high school graduation rates. According to the Brooking Institution, in 2018, about 88% of girls graduated on time, compared with 82% of boys. For college enrollment, the gender gap is even more striking, with men now trailing women in higher education at record levels. Last year, women made up 60% of college students while men accounted for only 40%, according to statistics from the National Student Clearinghouse. College enrollment in the United States has declined by 1.5 million students over the past five years, with men accounting for 71% of that drop.

[phenakistoskope]

U would get along well with the conservatives who want to abolish the Department of Education

Department of Education? I take it that's part of the US Government? Well, I live in India, and The Ministry of Education governs education here, and over the past decade, it has been ripping the Indian education system to shreds; under funding primary education and the mid-day meal program that's supposed to feed millions of children across the country, horribly under-paying the women who cook and distribute the meals, constantly slashing the budgets of public universities, in natural and human science departments, crushing protests from both teachers and students unions, outright banning unions in many cases, encouraging the establishment of hindutva propaganda courses such as ayurveda and astrology, introducing fabricated historical and sociological facts into various disciplines, all the while encouraging and profiting from the privatization of education. And I've barely scratched the surface of the ravages the Indian education system is facing at this point in time.

The university system breaking down is only one of these ravages; ruling classes are making it impossible to access education at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, it's unacceptable. So yes, the university system is disintegrating, and I don't believe there's a mythical, pristine university system that once existed, to which we can return. Modern universities were founded as a capitalist enterprise; to progress the capitalist system, its disintegration is a product of the university system's own design, which is untenable. In the Indian case, modern universities were also established to induct the newly minted indigenous bourgeoisie into colonial service. So yes, abolish the university, but when I say abolish the university, I mean that it's already an institution whose foundations are fundamentally flawed, we need mass education, and the university is just not the institution for the task. Abolish the university so an institution that actually does provide mass education can come into being. The abolition of the university and the establishment of mass education will overlap, it'll be very weird, but in an interesting and only slightly terrifying and exhilarating sort of way. Oh, and to the person who sent this: you're an absolute piece of shit, and I think it's incurable.

[hussyknee]

I'm always so fascinated by how small Palestine is. There's only 4.9 million of them in the country. The global diaspora compromise about 6 million though. It's insane that more than half its population is displaced and barred from coming home.

Israel has a population of 9.3 million, grown over 75 years of genocide, luring in settlers, and sucking on the imperial teat. They're still always so hilariously mad at Palestinians for having large families. "How can we be doing a genocide when they keep having. So. Many. Fucking. Brats??" Ostensibly because of the notion that it's the Israeli taxpayer that's supposed to support this ungrateful welfare state. Rhetoric straight out of an anti-Black fuck-them-poors Reagan dream.

Fecundity may be a deliberate way of resisting the entity hell-bent on wiping out their people. But it's also the result of factors that limit women's autonomy and sexual freedom, like poverty, reduced education infrastructure, high unemployment, religious fundamentalism, and urban and military violence. (Palestine used to be one of the most secular in the region and moved further towards religious conservativism with the escalation of Israeli terrorism.) Idk why fascists deliberately create these conditions then get mad when birth rates sky rocket.

Palestine's education system has done quite admirably though, considering it's had to struggle through Israel's chokehold. It's literacy rate is a very respectable 96.9%, tertiary education enrollment 45% and its rate of tertiary education for women one of the highest in the MENA region. The problem is women being barred from actually putting all that education to use, I'm guessing because of an economy perpetually in crisis, restricted freedom of movement, conservative gender bias and being expected to manage large families.

I can't even fathom how much more difficult things will be for Palestinians when Israel's finished with Gaza. All eleven universities have been bombed, all but a handful of hospitals still standing, along with libraries, schools, community centers, mosques, churches and targeted strikes systematically taking out the most distinguished academics, researchers, doctors, scientists, writers and artists— all its mentors and luminaries. Displacement is almost secondary to ensuring a complete cultural and epistemic genocide, that destroys not just immediate living conditions like water, food, fuel, power, shelter and medical treatment, but also all hope of emancipating and uplifting themselves through education and a knowledge economy.

[qqueenofhades]

I just saw some article abt a tiktok where a mother asks if her 10 yo's written music piece can be played (yes it can) and she starts with the kid having played violin for 2 yrs but it turns out it's a family thing with parents/aunts/grandmothers involved too...

And the reason I'm bringing this up is because of my university experience. I didn't do anything like AP classes or A levels when I was in high school. My parents have their high school diplomas and they're at very basic levels. I used to attend a different form of tertiary education attended by ppl who had backgrounds a lot more similar to mine, but in academia I'd say 80% of people had university educated people and probably about 10% had at least one parent and/or grandparent with a PhD.

I messed up my MA thesis. I mean, I passed and realistically I know that a lot of what happened isn't my fault (I ran into a serious medical issue which meant my process was delayed AND then my supervisor left after giving me minimal feedback and w/o any sort of decent transfer, after which I was not allowed to get any feedback from the replacement supervisor who was new at my university/in my country).

At the same time, I feel like the situation is definitely compounded by not having any academics in my family. I wasn't raised with the academic sense of thinking (and therefore rely too much on background research because I get insecure!) and I don't have the degree of Background Knowledge that is sort of expected of people when they wanna succeed (and yes languages like Latin are sort of included but the STORIES and HISTORIES are a lot more important, in the sense that learning Latin can be done postgraduate for sure but catching up on many many of the stories and references is a lot more difficult).

I was wondering what your thoughts are on this. I don't know if this really qualifies as a hidden curriculum as technically it ISN'T needed to succeed, but I DO notice that I have had to work a lot harder than my peers for the same outcomes, and the moment I faced setbacks I simply didn't have the type of backup in place (esp with few friends) that other people did have.

Ofc this also isn't to say that people who do have all this background knowledge should be excluded or whatever! It's just supremely difficult to catch up once you're behind, and it really has confronted me with class immobility more than anything else. Jobs in the academic world ARE notoriously difficult to come by, but this is about the step before that - succeeding in programs where previous knowledge DOES really benefit students simply because they're capable of drawing more connections because they KNOW more, and how that should be dealt with. The idea that people who are "behind" in their way of approaching academia and/or the knowledge required being immediately put at a disadvantage (and I know I am and I am a rare case bec most ppl with this disadvantage don't MAKE it to uni in the Netherlands or don't do as well as I somehow managed to do at all), AND the idea they need to catch up in the same amount of time that other students without the disadvantage to catch up... And of course not doing as well be cause we need additional time to catch up!

Like... University to me has been sucu a confrontation with how different classes of people (whether traditional income based or more education based) function and the inequality functions in a way I can't really find the words to express. All I know it's been very difficult and made me feel the odd one out pretty much the entire time I was studying.

How do you feel about inequality in higher education, and I guess also how do you feel about the current postgraduate system (MA/PHD).

Okay, so if I'm understanding your question correctly, you're specifically asking how I feel about how inherited privilege functions in academia, and how this contributes to overall inequality in the discipline/in regard to people involved it?

Obviously, kids from well-off homes, who have access to better education, private schools, personal tutors, cultural/learning opportunities paid for by their parents, etc. etc., all have a big advantage going into university. This doesn't always translate into actual results, but we all know about the nepotism/Ivy League kids who get into Yale while clearly not being very bright (cough cough George W. Bush) because, well, their families have always gone to Yale and it's what they do. I often see people expressing incredulity that particularly noxious American politicians, such as Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, and Ron DeSantis (who all went to Harvard/Yale/Princeton etc) act that way, because "they went to Harvard, shouldn't they know better?" This naively assumes that because Harvard is so prestigious, it must therefore teach a more Correct or Intelligent Curriculum, and totally ignores the fact that when Harvard IS in the news, it's usually for some scandal or gatekeeping or corruption, because it's functioning exactly as designed in transmitting the mentality and privilege of the American ruling class. Harvard is prestigious (and very hard to get into) because of that, not due to any extra rigor or merit in its curriculum. If you have that name on your CV, then yes, doors will automatically open for you whether or not You Personally Deserve It. That's just not the way anything works.

As such, academia reflects the inequalities that are already present in society, and it often magnifies them, especially because the long-term pursuit of higher education is, to put it bluntly, almost impossible without equally long-term funding resources. People either have to go into massive amounts of debt, or rely on having the Bank of Mom and Dad to pay for them. If you don't have and/or want either of those, your options are limited. Tons of people quit because they just can't afford to do it, they have no job options afterward, or they're burned out. Academia is a corporate structure just like everything else, and it's certainly not some magical fairyland where everyone is judged only on the quality of their ideas and nothing else. Getting an academic job is all about who you know and how you can leverage your existing connections in the field. So yeah, it can often function as a microcosm of all the other inequalities in society, and produce narratives that are, as ever, beneficial to the powerful.

That said, I do think there has been important and meaningful progress in the last few generations of scholars alone. Diversity, equality, and inclusion statements/institutional values can often sound canned and stereotypical, but the fact that they're there at all, and have broad acceptance across the academy, is remarkable and somewhat underappreciated. Ron DeSantis and his fascist footmen aren't trying so hard to totally destroy higher education in Florida (and if he wins the GOP nomination, across the country) for no reason, and conservatives aren't so hyper-obsessed with their local school boards for the same reasons. There is more awareness of marginalized narratives and dynamics in the academy than there has ever been before, and there is real and important work being done by a wide variety of incredibly diverse scholars. One critique of academia that really gets my goat, and shows me that those repeating it have no idea what they're talking about, is "academia is all old white men at elite universities!" That just isn't remotely equivalent to what things look like in 2023, or what they focus on. What about that guy who couldn't even read until he was 18, who just became Cambridge's youngest black professor at age 37? Obviously, obviously, more work needs to be done across all levels in increasing access and opportunity. But that shouldn't prevent us from recognizing the real progress that has been made, and just why anti-democratic, anti-intellectual forces perceive it as such a threat.

Likewise, academia is an incredibly fusty and outdated practice based on rules and systems originally developed about 1000 years ago, which is why it can be -- to say the least -- resistant to change. So the whole MA/PhD system is predicated on those very outdated systems, but nobody has really come up with a better one. I was very fortunate to have had the support of friends and family, including financially, while I was completing my degrees; without that, I too would not have been able to finish. Likewise, anti-intellectualism and the idea that all information is created equal, that academic expertise doesn't matter, that all intellectuals/college professors must be secretly lying to you for the power trip, etc., is something that often turns up in left-leaning as well as right-leaning spaces (see, uh, Tumblr, which tends to think that whatever is empirically true is whatever aligns with their favorite belief). So I have to push back on that as well as the rest of it, if that makes sense.

[unclemic]

The Education Issues In The Philippines

There are many Educational issues in the Philippines for example there’s a study in 2018 that they found out a sample number of 15- years old filipino students ranked last in reading comprehension out of 79 countries. They also ranked 78 in science and math. One key insight from this study is it implies those tested mostly came from public schools. Hence, the crisis also lies in the fact that a lot of Filipinos can’t read or do simple math. And another issue is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education system. The closure of schools and the shift to distance learning exposed existing disparities in access to technology and the internet, particularly affecting students in rural and low-income areas. The digital divide widened, posing challenges for both educators and students in adapting to remote learning methods.

Another issue revolved around the quality of education. Outdated curricula, insufficient teacher training, and overcrowded classrooms were common problems that hindered effective learning. There was a growing recognition of the need for curriculum reforms to align education with the demands of the modern workforce and technological advancements. Additionally, concerns persisted about the country's ability to produce graduates equipped with the skills necessary to navigate a rapidly evolving global landscape.

The affordability and accessibility of higher education remained a critical issue, limiting opportunities for many aspiring students. Financial constraints and the lack of robust scholarship programs hindered individuals from pursuing tertiary education, perpetuating social inequalities. Addressing these multifaceted challenges required a concerted effort from policymakers, educators, and stakeholders to create a more inclusive and resilient education system in the Philippines. For the latest information, I recommend checking recent sources for updates on education issues in the country.

[emirates23]

Exploring Nursing Opportunities Abroad: Top Countries for Indian Nurses

Nursing is one of the most in-demand jobs inside and outside India. A profession that is in most demand in GCC countries for Indians is the nursing job. For Indian nurses, who are looking to broaden their horizons, many countries are waiting with promising career opportunities. If you are a skilled nurse and have multilingual capabilities then wide opportunities will be there. The overseas opportunities will give you high pay as well as a high-standard working environment. The respect for nurses outside India is much higher than inside India. Nurses are being recruited through top nursing consultancy in Kerala and here is a list of the top countries that offer promising careers.  

Five top countries that offer promising nursing career

United Arab Emirates: Dubai which is an opulent city right due to cultural and development richness hires nurses from India. A large part of nurses who work in Dubai are Indian and they a decent pay but not much higher than European and American countries. But the most attractive feature of Dubai is that the nurses can take their entire income to their homeland since there are no taxes. In Dubai, there are many world-class hospitals, medical centers, and clinics that offer good employment prospects for Indian and other nationalities. 

Saudi Arabia: In Saudi Arabia, there are a plethora of job opportunities for nurses in both the private and Government sectors. They offer good pay, accommodation facilities and also travel allowances. Saudi Arabia is one of the largest nations in GCC countries and also the pilgrimage place for Muslims, the demand for medical facilities is very high. The demand for trained professionals especially from India is of high demand in Saudi. However, finding the right opportunity is a bit challenging since there is a high scam in the field of recruitment. 

Canada: Canada is a country that offers a healthcare system with the highest standard. This country is facing staff shortages and is now actively recruiting nurses worldwide. The high-quality life and the welcoming stances towards immigrants make Canada an excellent choice for nurses. The medical facilities and education are completely free for immigrants. 

Australia: Australia's flourishing healthcare industry and stunning landscapes attract nurses worldwide. With modern facilities and advanced technology, nurses can work efficiently. During leisure time, they can explore the country's picturesque natural environment. Competitive salaries and excellent benefits make it a lucrative career option. To work as a nurse in Australia, one must register with the AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) and pass English language proficiency tests.

United States of America (USA): The USA boasts a robust healthcare system with a significant demand for skilled nurses across various specialties. Indian nurses aspiring to work in the USA can pursue opportunities through programs like the H-1B visa for skilled workers or the EB-3 visa for professionals with tertiary education. Opportunities exist in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and community health settings throughout the country.

United Kingdom (UK): With its National Health Service (NHS), the UK offers extensive opportunities for Indian nurses to work in both public and private healthcare sectors. The UK's Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) oversees the registration process for international nurses, which includes passing the Occupational English Test (OET) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and meeting other requirements. Work settings range from hospitals and nursing homes to community healthcare centers.

Conclusion

If you are planning for an overseas nursing job, first research the rules and regulations for immigrants. Based on it decide which country is most suitable for you. There will be medical tests, mandatory examinations, and other verifications for each country. It is better to connect with any nursing consultancy in Kerala before you plan to move, they will guide you through the process and also provide you with data regarding the recruitment.

[thetruearchmagos]

Happy STS! How is teaching/passing on knowledge done in your world? Are there schools? Apprenticeships? And what are the popular things to learn? what are the less popular things to learn?

Hi There, thanks for the Ask!!! Hmm, there's a helluva lot I could talk about here, even if I narrow the scope down to the United Commonwealth, so I'll try and keep it succinct.

Under the longstanding "Ward of the State" attitude/policy of the UC, all children residing within its borders are entitled to full, free education until the age of eighteen. Decades of policymaking on the part of the Directorate-General of Education, one of the largest and best funded such organs of the Commission of the UC, have led to the near total abolition of "Public Schools" in favour of government funded institutions, as part of UC attempts to cut down older, established lineages in education seen as breeding and enforcing the ties and distinctions of near-aristocratic class which still lingers in some member states' legacies. In the official stance of the DGOE, Every School is a Good School.

Education from the ages of 17 to 18 is split into two tracks, which are intended lead either to university or the workforce. In the former case, such tertiary education bears much resemblance to previous years in terms of a focus on in-depth academic rigour, while the second path is designed to teach "professional" skills and more closely fits the idea of an "Apprenticeship". There are furiously denied whispers of a distinction in at least the appearence of "class" between these seperate paths.

I'll have to be a little vague when it comes to subjects. "Popularity" doesn't really mean much for Primary to Secondary levels of education, what with UC desires for as uniform of an educational experience as is possible, and so all students everywhere learn the same set of subjects with the excepotion of between one and two non-English mother tongues, out of a diplomatic respect for member-state linguistic identities.

[*** A lot of the ideas I get for this come about from the current education system of my own country, Singapore, so expect a lot of stuff to change, especially when I have to come up with proper names!]

[rajveerchahaleducation]

As the Australian education sector witnesses a surge in international student applications, the government has taken a significant step to restructure the landscape of its tertiary education. In a bid to ensure quality, performance, and the overall contribution of international students to the country, a new classification system has been introduced. This comprises of three levels: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, with several universities experiencing a shuffle between these categories. Let's delve into this groundbreaking change and its implications for both the education providers and the students.

Shuffling of Universities: The Rationale

The recent shuffling of universities from Level 1 to Level 2 signifies the government's commitment to maintaining the highest standards of education across the nation. This move is designed to encourage universities to improve their performance and recruitment strategies continually, ultimately resulting in a better learning experience for students and a greater contribution to Australia's development.

Moreover, the shuffling is expected to increase transparency in the higher education sector, allowing prospective students and their families to make informed decisions about the best institutions for their needs. By distinguishing between the universities in this manner, the government is fostering a competitive environment that will drive institutions to strive for excellence.

Implications for Students

The new classification system is likely to have a significant impact on the choices and opportunities available to both domestic and international students. With the shuffling of universities, students can expect a more transparent and reliable ranking system that will enable them to make better-informed decisions about their education.

Furthermore, this change will likely lead to increased competition among universities, potentially resulting in the improvement of the quality of education, resources, and research opportunities. As universities vie for top rankings, students can anticipate a higher standard of teaching, learning, and overall academic experience.

The recent shuffling of universities in Australia is a game-changing move that is poised to redefine the higher education landscape in the country. . As universities adapt to these changes, students can look forward to a more accurate representation of their options and a higher standard of education that will serve them well in their future careers. Stay tuned for our next video, where we will provide a comprehensive list of the universities that have undergone this significant transition.

[silence-ion-om]

(Pre)Parenthood is a Series of Lessons in Radical Acceptance

Today I missed a call from my OBGYN while I was in session with a client. The office was calling with the results of the quadruple blood test I took last week, which screens for certain birth defects like Down syndrome and neural tube defects. With this being my first baby, I was especially eager to learn the results-specifically the sex of my baby. This call happened to be during my last session of the day before the OBGYN office closed and the nurses left for the day.

Now I am notorious for screening my calls, especially while I am at work and have my phone set to Do Not Disturb. The call rang through anyway and I chose not to answer it while I was in session because I consider that hour sacrosanct for the client. Although I know I made the right choice, this triggered some considerable internal anxiety that required an almost Herculean level of effort to refocus.

The nurse left a non-descript message asking for a call back to discuss the results. I’m not sure why she didn’t leave a more detailed message, as I’d indicated she could on the initial medical paperwork or posted it on the patient portal.  I frantically called back after I wrapped up the session, to no avail-the nurse was out for the day.  Then I promptly called my husband and messaged my bestie and some family members to prevent what was starting to feel like a full-on meltdown.

And here, I arrive at perhaps my first lesson in patience with this kid-babies (and the people they grow into for that matter) run on their own timetables. After some time (and some tacos), I felt calm enough to do what I always invite my clients to do-I got curious. Why was I feeling so anxious, and about the sex of the baby specifically? Admittedly other catastrophic thoughts entered my head as well, because the blood test included genetic markers for spina bifida and Down’s syndrome-yet these thoughts were tertiary on the list of what ifs bombarding my brain.

(And at the risk of sounding ableist here, I think every new parent to be hopes for the healthiest baby and doesn’t necessarily consider other alternatives unless presented with them directly. I thought that I had already worked through much of the old stories around my “advanced maternal age” and what that even meant for the possibility of this pregnancy and health of my future child. It seems a lot of old beliefs are being challenged today!)

So I am up late at night writing this because I am concerned about how preoccupied I am with the biological sex of my baby. I live in a culture that is obsessed with binaries, yes, but as a therapist I know that gender itself is just a social construct, an elaborate system of rules and roles, complete with color coded costumes. In my work with transgender clients, including teens and their families, I know how fluid a concept gender truly is. I also know how terrifying that fluidity is for those that don’t understand it, and the painful, humiliating, and violent realities trans folks face because of this ignorance.

I know there is a lot of time and resources being spent on reinforcing the gender binary in this country. I write this on the heels of Kansas passing a bill banning transgender athletes from competing in school sports. Frankly, I think we are focusing on the wrong priorities here when it comes to our children’s mental health at school; this is not new, although I find I am thinking about it differently knowing that one day I will have a school-aged child, and my husband and I will be faced with finding the safest place for them to get an education. (Despite my previous thoughts on the subject, I can see why homeschooling is appealing.)

There is no simple answer to these quandaries, and I am starting to see that this is just a small part of the beauty and complexity of becoming a parent. Even writing that sentence feels inadequate because I know this baby will grow and stretch me more than I can possibly imagine. So, of course I am impatient to learn everything about them—but all the information about illnesses and chromosomes won’t change the fact that they will be who they will be. The lack of control I ultimately have over my child is both terrifying and freeing. Talk about a radical acceptance lesson in patience!

[faintvibes]

NZ Education System Facts

@delastiny come collect your facts!!

Fair warning that this was 7 1/2 pages on Google Docs, and written in a haze of efficiency. Proofreading is not a word in my vocabulary.

Basic Facts

The basic levels of New Zealand’s education system are as follows:

Kindergarten/Daycare- this is essentially an honorary level, considering that it is entirely optional. While it is to a degree dependent on the school, these tend to open their doors to anyone from 6 months to 5 years old. There can often be long waiting lists for entry, as they are often very small schools. 

Primary School- Primary school starts from 5 years of age, until the year the child turns 11. This is where basic learning begins, and covers Year 1 through to Year 6.

Intermediate School- Intermediate school is particularly short, holding students for only two years. (Age 11 to the year they turn 13- Years 7 and 8.) It is more of a transition period, to adjust students from expectations in primary to those in high school.

High School- High school covers the teenage years, from 13 to the year a student turns 18 (Years 9-13). Sometimes the first two years are separated into Junior High School- and taught at a different institution, or a “sub” institution designed to lead them into a specific high school.

Sometimes intermediate, and the high schools are combined into one school- where a student will attend from 11 to 18. These are called colleges (and as such, we do not refer to universities as colleges.)

Tertiary education- The standards here (for University) are about as you’d expect internationally. The only notable exception is that, if you’re from NZ and attending before 21, they expect you to have met certain requirements during your later three high school years. I cannot comment on trade schools/night schools because I do not know much about them. 

New Zealand schools will often differ quite a lot in curriculums, the national law providing a fair bit of leniency. As such, my experience will largely be what dictates what I share here, and might be wildly different to someone’s from another part of the country- or even just another school. 

Important Concepts

Compared to other countries (ergo: what I know about the American education system), New Zealand’s is much more lax. I didn’t even know what a grading system was until Year 7- and I only learnt then because I attend a college, and they focus a lot on building a path for you into later years. But when grading systems do begin to be used, there are two main ones that must be considered: the school’s internal grading system, and the NZ Curriculum Levels.

It is worth noting that from Year 11 onwards, these systems (though the language in the school’s internal grading system is inherited) become essentially obsolete. This is when NCEA is introduced (this will be expanded upon later)- the national standard from which tertiary education institutions will judge you by. These are only really used from Year 7 to Year 10.

Schools don’t use a letter grading system, instead using a four point system. This system, while the general structure is universally applied, differs in name across different schools. For example, my school uses Not Achieved (maths says Developing instead), Achieved, Merit, and Excellence. Think of them as about F/D, C, B, and A respectively. A friend who transferred to my school says her school instead named them Not Achieved, Achieved, More Work Required, and Satisfactory. You may be able to see how attitudes of schools alter these names. 

The NZ Curriculum Levels are a series of numbered levels that discern where a student should be operating at during any given year. An image helpfully explains it here:

A level doesn’t correlate to one year, and they overlap (which is why my teachers would always proudly tell us in Year 9 ‘you guys are working at Year 12 level!’) but it gives some understanding as to where a student should be operating, with teachers having rubrics explaining the criteria for each level.

Often, subjects will combine both grading systems to best explain what level a student is at, or their specific assignment’s grade. These are used to mark a student’s progress throughout their schooling. These grades might look like a 5 Merit, 6 Achieved, etc. Oddly enough, if you complete all the criteria for a, say 4 Excellence, but none of the additional requirements for a 5 Achieved, you might get graded 5 Developing (Not Achieved is never used in this context at my school, as you obviously achieved something).

There are three types of assignments you might receive, and be graded upon, during school. Assessments, Internal Assessments (often referred to as Internals), and External Assessments (referred to as Externals). The latter two categories only apply if the assignment is an NCEA assignment. 

Assessments take a variety of forms- from a term project that you have an extended period of time to work on, in and out of class, to a timed test. This is just the word used to describe anything that receives a grade from Year 7 to 10. 

The other two will be better described when describing NCEA as a whole.

NCEA

NCEA stands for National Certificate of Educational Achievement, and has 5 levels. The first 3 are used for the last 3 high school years- the other two are used in tertiary education, though from what I hear they’re much less of a deal. NCEA is based around procuring credits, which will then prove to anyone looking your skills in certain areas. Essentially, it eliminates the potential usefulness of any grades you achieved earlier.

I will not here that I have strong opinions about NCEA, but will do my best not to go in-depth and try to remain as unbiased as possible.

NCEA credits can be earned in either internal assessments or external assessments, though the buik are earned in internals. NCEA outlines certain ‘standards’ which are either internals or externals, and can earn a certain amount of credits for someone who completes them. To be clear, simply passing a standard will earn you all the credits it can offer. It’s not, like, a 3 credit standard means that achieving earns you one credit, a Merit earns two, and an Excellence earns 3. All credits are awarded to anyone who passes. This is because credits are meant to represent the effort you put into preparing for its assessment. Whether that be studying, in-class learning, essay writing, etc. Each credit is meant to represent 10 hours of work. Therefore, if you pass, you clearly have done all the preparation work and deserve all of the credits. 

Internal assessments are assessments where NCEA lays out the criteria for the standard, and the rubric for success at each level, however allows the specifics of its application to be determined by each school respectively. An example of this is a maths internal I did earlier this year- everyone who attempted the standard had to apply trigonometry to a real life situation, and then answer questions about it (using trigonometry). The school set up what that situation was, and determined the specifics of the questions (the contents they must include line up with the standards of the rubric), as well as the amount of time we had to spend on it. We had an hour to examine and measure aspects of the situation, and an hour to answer questions. Most schools (according to my teacher) had an hour maximum to complete both aspects. These, like assessments, can take the form of project worked on over a long period of time, or a timed test. 

External assessments, therefore, are entirely out of the hands of the school. They are run by NZQA, the government organisation that enforces NCEA, and determine everything about the exams. Externals all take place according to a schedule created by NZQA, and happen at the exact same time all across the country. These begin in November, and end in December. However, a practice period is run earlier in the year (September) to give the students an opportunity to see what the expectations are, and allow the assessments to get a test run to make sure they run smoothly on the actual day. The practice exams are often slightly harder than the real externals. Surrounding both the practice and actual externals, students in the appropriate years are given study leave for the whole period, in the hopes that they use it to be as prepared as possible. (This trust is often, unsurprisingly, abused.)

At each level of NCEA, a student is expected to earn 80 credits. Of these 80 credits, 20 can be carried over to the next year- meaning that after Level 1, a student who has fully completed the year only needs to earn 60 credits per year. Some schools (particularly after COVID) began changing how Level 1 is run in their school- somewhat controversially. In these schools, students are only required to earn 20 credits at Level 1- the max amount that can carry over. This means their first year getting used to NCEA is less stressful, and they still get the benefit of only having to earn 60 credits in their years forward. (In the words of the school official who announced its introduction at my school: “stressing you out for 2 years is okay, but 3 is too much”.)

Different trades have different requirements for students to earn before being able to apply for an apprenticeship, though most are at NCEA Level 2 and 3- which is why students are permitted to drop out from 16 years of age. However, there is a national expectation of what students should earn to be accepted into university before turning 21. 

Credits are divided into 3 types: numeracy, literacy (which has the sub-types of reading and writing), and general credits. Different standards have different types of credits. Literacy credits and general credits are very easy to come across, all subjects offering standards with one or both types. Meanwhile, numeracy credits are almost solely relegated to maths, with some sciences (particularly chemistry and physics) offering numeracy standards. In Level 1 or higher, for university entrance, you are expected to earn 10 numeracy credits. At Level 2 or higher, you are expected to earn 10 literacy credits, 5 of which are reading and 5 of which are writing. Then, at Level 3, you are expected to focus on 3 different subjects, where you must earn 14 credits in each. These subjects must be approved by NCEA as university entrance subjects. There is a list of what counts here. 

**While all these say ‘or higher’, schools strongly dislike students earning these credits at levels above the minimum.

It is worth noting that Auckland University (rated by far as New Zealand’s best university) has slightly different literacy requirements. At Level 2, they expect 14 literacy credits (7 of each type). These are all meant to be earned in English, as opposed to other subjects that offer literacy credits. This is often a clause not mentioned to students until they are already in Level 2, and cannot change their subjects. (No, I am not salty /s)

While Levels 1, 2 and 3 are intended to correlate to Years 11, 12, and 13, it’s not uncommon for students to be in classes of varying levels during these years. Often, a student is identified as excelling in a particular subject during Year 10, and offered the chance to skip a year, going straight to Level 2. This is most common in subjects such as English and Maths, however is not limited to those subjects.

Subjects and Extracurriculars

This is something that differs across schools, but my experience is the following:

Primary- Maths, English, Music, Singing, P.E., Art

In primary school, you have one teacher and stick to one classroom. This teacher teaches you all your subjects, and has a lot of leniency in when to apply them. For example, we might have a day of only Maths and English, or a day of only P.E. The only exception would be the music and singing classes- those happened once a week, where each class/year would have an appointment with the music teacher. Music was taught by class, where singing was taught by year.

My school would also hire a drama teacher to teach classes across year levels for a term. However, they were very much the employee of another organisation. The same happened with learning Māori- which is not compulsory across New Zealand, though my schools often taught it. My year also received skateboarding lessons for a term- we were a test to see if students would work well in those lessons. (To my knowledge, no other year ever received them.)

We would have weekly sports days, where the different houses (Matai, Kauri, Totara, and Rimu- named after native tree species) would compete against each other, earning points for the House Trophy, handed out at the end of the year. I’ve heard that this isn’t a thing in the US, so I wanted to make a note of it!

Other school events I can think of were Cross Country, the yearly gala, and athletics.

The only prominent extracurricular I can think of is Kapa Haka- essenitally, Māori performing arts. If you want to know what this is like, I recommend googling it (though, you’ll mostly find videos from farther on than primary school level).

Secondary-

**I’m grouping intermediate - high school together, as I attend a college and so my experience very much interlinks the years together. Though, my possible subjects did differ each year.

Mandatory from Y7 to Y10: English, Maths, Science, Social Science, P.E., Health

**Māori was mandatory during Y7 and 8

However, there were also optional subjects people could chose to take, which would differ across years. These tend to be called options.

In Y7 these are called tasters, and students are required to take part in certain subjects (which they may choose to pick as an option in a later year or years) for a 5 week period. There aren’t enough weeks for all possibilities to be explored, but many are. The ones I remember from my time in Y7 are Chinese, Food Technology, Drama, Art, Music, Sport. (Yes, Sport is different from P.E.)

In Year 8, options are taken for one term each, meaning you have 4 options over the course of a year. The possibilities are French, Chinese, Māori (this would focus more on the language, while the mandatory class focused more on culture and history), Art, Drama, Dance, Music, Fabrics, Design and Visual Communication, and Digital Technology.

In Year 9, options are taken for a two term long period, however you have two at any given time. So you have your 2 options in terms 1 and 2, as well as a different 2 in terms 3 and 4. So, still 4! The options are French, Chinese, Māori, Art, Drama, Dance, Music, Fabrics, Materials Technology, Design and Visual Communication, and Digital Technology.

In Year 10, the same options length and number are expected as Year 9. The option possibilities are French, Chinese, Māori, Art, Business Studies, Drama, Dance, Music, Fabrics, Materials Technology, Design and Visual Communication, and Digital Technology.

(Y10 and Y11 Business Studies would each have to run a market day at the school as an assessment, which was always a fun school event. Not because I ever went- it was too loud, crowded, and generally overwhelming- but because it got rid of all the lines at the tuck shop (basically the cafeteria, except it’s a window where you line up for food) so I treated myself with a bought lunch instead of bringing something from home on those days.)

Starting with NCEA, some core classes are divided up. Science becomes Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Earth-Space Science. Social Science becomes History, Sociology, and Geography. In Maths, you must either choose the Statistics or Algebra pathway. English breaks into English Literature, and English Communication Studies. Students who particularly struggle with maths, and plan on entering a trade, also have the option of the Practical Maths pathway. All of the possible options in prior years are also possible class choices in all three levels.

In my school, only maths and pe (or dance- you can pick one) are mandatory at Level 1. All other subjects are optional, however you must pick five to be full courses (this means you have four lessons of them a week), maths required to be one of these, and two as half courses (2 lessons a week). Māori Performing Arts and Criminology are introduced as subjects. (Criminology is a Y11 only course, and was introduced a year too late for me to take it 😭)

Due to my school running limited Level 1, there are no requirements to enter Level 2 courses- except in maths. However, very few courses from Level 2 left you into the Level 3 equivalent without receiving certain grades in the prior year. 

Nothing, at my school, is mandatory at Level 2- however an English course is heavily recommended. Some new courses introduced are Media Studies, Sustainability, Photography, Outdoor Education, Gateway, Building and Construction, and Hospitality. The latter three are opportunities for students aiming for particular fields to get work experience and credits specifically wanted by those fields before leaving school. Gateway, in particular, is for a variety of trades. Students are required to pick six courses, all of which are full courses (4 lessons a week).

At Level 3, there are again no mandatory courses. The only course added is Classical Studies. A large quantity of students leave before or during Y13, due to having reached the criteria necessary to begin training in their trade. As such, class sizes are much smaller and things are generally more relaxed- bar exam season. 

My school still has houses, though they are Air, Water, Earth, and Fire (we use the ATLA symbols for each element!!), and house events are not strictly sport related. We have a yearly talent show, athletics, cross country, a beach day (the ocean is a 3 minute walk), and a game we call Chaos. It’s a bit too complicated for me to explain here!

The amount of extracurricular activities on offer are too great for me to list here, but some stand-outs are the EnviroGroup, Kapa Haka, various bands, the Junior Drama Club and Senior Drama Club, and various sporting groups (including Touch and Rugby League, because that’s the minimum requirement for a school in NZ). 

Misc school events, off the top of my head, are the Matariki Festival (began this year, in celebration of Matariki becoming a public holiday), the School Ball (for Y12 and 13s who get at least a 90% attendance rating; basically prom), and camps for Y7s, Y10s, and Y13s. (Y7 camp was introduced when I was a Y8, and Y10 when I was a Y11. You have not seen agony until you see sporty kids learn they just missed out on camp twice.) There’s also stuff like Pink Shirt Day, and various themed mufti days. As we are a uniform school (the standard in NZ), mufti days are when we are allowed to go wild.

Uniform

Uniform is used in a majority of NZ primary and secondary level schools, though the exact number is uncertain. These are typically very gendered (only a couple years back did my school allow girls to wear pants!! And that was only for Y11-13, anyone younger still has to wear skirts!), and tend to be made up of the same base objects. A shirt, a skirt/skort or shorts/pants, shoes, socks, and some cold weather clothing- it might be a raincoat, hoodie, sweater, or a mix. There also tend to be rules on stuff like accessories, hair dye, tattoos, etc. Notably, my school got rid of these rules recently- so there are only rules regarding the clothes they actually sell, and not anything else you might add.

As my school is a college, we have a junior and senior uniform. I mention this to highlight the absurd differences between these two. The junior uniform is for anyone from Y7 to 10, while the senior is for Y11 to 13. Between these two, the shoes, socks, and cold weather garments remain the same. 

The male senior uniform offers two shirt options- long sleeve and short sleeve. The shorts are the same as the junior uniform, and you’re allowed dress pants so long as they’re black and sufficiently formal.

The female senior uniform has two short sleece options- a blouse and a T-Shirt (both short sleeve). The uniform comes with a skirt- they’ve recently began offering the choice between a box pleat skirt and a skirt with a slit up the back, because not everyone was cool with the slit skirt. Here, the dress pant policy also applies. 

The junior male uniform has a short sleeve shirt, and shorts. The dress pants policy does not apply.

The junior female uniform has a short sleeve shirt, and a pleated skirt. The dress pants policy also does not apply.

Until this year, with the repealing of the accessories rules, stuff like stockings weren’t allowed under skirts. Which is. Nice.

(though I've worn black leggings under my skirt since Y8, and never been called out, so I don't think anyone realised it was against the rules...)

[upismediacenter]

OPINION: TED(ucation) TALK: Educational Crisis of the Philippines

Photo credit: Anna Dalet

After being halted due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) will return for the academic year 2024-2025. With this news in the limelight, discourse between those who prefer the UP College Admission (UPCA) and UPCAT arise centering on how one is more beneficial than the other, may it be on a personal level or a nationwide point of view. However, the real discussion gets drowned out in the discourse between two sides: Why is quality education not readily available to everyone? It is a question that one might simply answer with something like: “The government is trying their best to give each student the education they deserve,” when in reality, nothing has changed despite the government's attempts. From the lack of support, budget, or even equitable access—these are all evident in the educational system of the Philippines. The country has suffered, and continues to suffer from this age-old educational crisis, UP being no stranger to the struggle.

Persistence of inequitable access to higher education

To start, we must discuss the accessibility of tertiary education or higher education in general. According to data from a discussion paper by the Philippine Institute for Developmental Studies (PIDS), titled “Philippine Education: Situationer, Challenges, and Ways Forward”, in 2019, 49% of the richest decile managed to attend higher education whilst only 17% of the poorest could do so. This shows how the poor are underrepresented in state universities; even free tuition in higher education has yet to prove whether it helps increase the participation of students from poorer households. UP, a state university, has a student population that largely consists of students coming from the middle to upper middle class. From a journal article entitled “Quality, inequality and recent education reform” by Edita A. Tan, admission in UP varies across income brackets, the lowest at 3.5% among applicants from the poorest families and 16% for students coming from millionaire families. This contradicts the purpose of a state university to cater to those in the lower classes due to the free tuition it offers. This proves that tuition is not the only problem admittees face, but access too. The paper also discusses how free tuition and tertiary education subsidies or the pre-implementation analysis expected this problem as well: the more academically-prepared students who mainly come from richer families may bump off the less-prepared students from poorer households due to competition and limited slots.

Lack of budget and support

Quality education is not one-dimensional, hence, it cannot be solved easily without proper budgeting and support from the government—which the Philippines' educational branch suffers from the lack thereof. This deficiency manifests in the attitudes of prominent legislators like Senator Alan Peter Cayetano towards the premier state university, questioning the management of its budget. Such a challenge seems senseless however, when considering that despite taking up 23.41% of the total allocation for all state universities and colleges, UP suffered from a Php22.295 billion budget cut. The loss of funds not only affects the conducting of entrance exams but also the students, faculty and staff, the infrastructure plans of UP, and most importantly, the quality of education they get to provide.

To make matters worse, the government's allocation of the national budget suggests that quality education is not their priority. In 2022, the Department of National Defense (DND) had a 29.5% budget increase for its machinery and equipment outlay. On the other hand, the Department of Education’s infrastructure received a 40.7% budget cut, showing how the previous administration prioritized the military over education. As a whole, the education sector only got 16% of the total Php5.024 trillion proposed national budget.

Dated all the way back in the midst of the country suffering from the pandemic, various economic teams have warned the country that this pandemic will leave a generational effect on the state of its education. This only calls for greater priority throughout the allocation of the national budget which the government certainly overlooks. Due to resources being limited and the budget continuously getting slashed, UP, just like many other universities, could only accommodate so much without proper funding and support from the government.

Admissions: the UPCAT and UPCA

During the first time UPCA was used as a form of admission in the academic year 2021-2022, over 100,000 applicants hoped to get in but only 11,000 were admitted. Numerous students expressed their dismay in social media after the results were released, especially students from the Philippine Science High School or Pisay. In previous years, 90% of their students were admitted into UP but a Pisay Student-Organized Intercampus UPCA Inquiry showed a 50% drop in their system-wide UP acceptance rate. UP Office of Admissions director Francisco delos Reyes shared that since UP is a national university, they had to look at the different strata of our society in creating the University Predicted Grade for the UPCA. “As an excellence-equity admission system, 70% pagalingan, pero may 30% tayo for economic and geographic equity,” he said. Meanwhile, in AY 2019-2020, a total of almost 12,000 applicants qualified for admission, representing 13% of the 90,000 students who took the exam. Since 2017, UP has been receiving around 100,000 student-applicants, with this the university only has a 10% to 15% acceptance rate.

As a state university with free quality education, it is understandable why UP reaches around 100,000 applicants each year. Education is a must, and those who are unfated to get into a university would face even more challenges looking for job opportunities due to entry-level positions also requiring a diploma from a 4-year course. This further proves the point of the Philippines facing a huge educational crisis and how UP, being the face of the country's state university system, should be able to open its doors of opportunity for all students with dreams.

During the implementation of the UPCA, students expressed their concerns, stating that those who struggled in high school had expectations of UPCAT being their chance of redemption. Hence, the traditional exam is still seen as “the gold standard and a leveler for all applicants”, even by admissions director delos Reyes. However, former Student Regent Renee Co called to light how the examination reflected the flaws in the country’s educational system—pointing out that UPCAT favors those from science high schools and private institutions who have a wider range of available resources to further their learning. She also noted that although the modification of the admission system was a good move, the applicants' differences in circumstances and socio-economic factors still play a huge role in determining acceptance into the national university. “Students from families with lower economic opportunities do not receive the same quality of education, and their circumstances affect their grades,” said Co. She points out how only considering one part of the equation while leaving the other unattended, blows the inequalities of the educational system wide open, putting those who are already in a less favorable situation in one much worse.

Admissions of other colleges

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) is another state university with free tuition and requires applicants to take the PUP College Entrance Test. Data from 2012-2014 show that out of approximately 60,000 applicants every year, the percentage of admitted students is around 25%. The Ateneo de Manila University, a private higher education institution that provides quality education, on the other hand, has a tuition fee of over Php100,000 and a 10% to 20% acceptance rate. The acceptance rate of these three colleges are similar, with only PUP having a higher percentage due to its smaller count of applicants. As these universities have low acceptance rates like UP, this proves the lack of access to quality education, which could be made better in state universities since, ideally, they should be boasting significantly better rates than private institutions whose slots are inherently limited by business factors. Not to mention, state universities are backed by the government, whose funds come from nationwide tax revenue.

With the educational crisis that the Philippines is facing right now, being able to reach tertiary level education shouldn’t be an egregious experience. It also shouldn't be a system that benefits those with the capacity and resources because everyone has the right to experience free quality education. For this to be achieved we must call on the national government to rechannel funds and to prioritize education. It must heed the calls of the people that have long suffered from this educational crisis. Equitable access to education cannot be obtained without realization and action from those in power. For the children to become the said hope of the country, they must first receive the education they deserve. //by Yeshua Galicia and Grace Gaerlan

References:

Castillo, C. A. (2022, August 31). UP faces a P22.295B budget cut for FY 2023. University of the Philippines. https://up.edu.ph/up-faces-a-p22-295b-budget-cut-for-fy-2023/

Figueroa, B., Dacanay, P., Abella, M., Villasorda, E., Inocencio, J., & Sigales, J. (2021, September 16). As COVID-19 hits UP students and faculty, learning now 'survival of the fittest' – Tinig ng Plaridel. Tinig ng Plaridel. https://www.tinigngplaridel.net/2021/covid-19-hits-up/

Ibon Foundation. The neglect of PH education: Where do we go from here? (2021, October 5). https://www.ibon.org/the-neglect-of-ph-education-where-do-we-go-from-here/

Inquirer.net. (2022, September 5). Cayetano to UP suspending UPCAT anew: What are you doing with your budget? Inquirer.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1658862/cayetano-to-up-suspending-upcat- anew-what-are-you-doing-with-your-budget

Magsambol, B. (2021, July 17). UP admissions director: Other factors considered, not just grades. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/university-philippines-admissions-director-other-factors-considered-not-just-grades-results-2021/

Manila Bulletin. (2022, December 27). PIDS presses swift action on PH education crisis. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/27/pids-presses-swift-action-on-ph-education-crisis/

Mateo, J. (2019, April 2). 11821 pass University of the Philippines College Admission Test. Philippine Star. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2019/04/02/1906506/11821-pass-university-philippines-college-admission-test

Orbeta Jr., A. C., & Paqueo, V. B. (2022, August 23). Philippine Education: Situationer, Challenges, and Ways Forward. PIDS. https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/document/pidsdps2223.pdf

PIDS - Philippine Institute for Development Studies. (2022, October 28). Policy issue at a glance: The Philippines' education crisis: How bad is it and what can we do to solve it? PIDS - Philippine Institute for Development Studies. https://www.pids.gov.ph/details/resource/infographics-policy-issue/policy-issue- at-a-glance-the-philippines-education-crisis-how-bad-is-it-and-what-can-we-do-to-s

Satinitigan, S. (2021, April 7). Freshman Applicants Raise Equity and Inclusivity Concerns Over Modified Admissions System in UP. Philippine Collegian. https://phkule.org/article/23/freshman-applicants-raise-equity-and- inclusivity-concerns-over-modified-admissions-system-in-up

Tan, E. (2017). Quality, inequity and recent education reform. The Philippine Review of Economics, 54(2), 110-137.

UPCA 2022 Announcement. (2022, March 9). University of the Philippines—Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ upsystem/photos/a.240579535964948/5473749639314552/?type=3&source=48&paipv=0&eav=AfaSm5iTriM__Fmp1oEpSyT9ndtG6JoMn262i8hLpWabmCVv4ch9cRg9PUFT7OE1iUU&_rdc=2&_rdr

[straye]

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍 / 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀 / 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐘  : NOTES ON SHINYA’S LAO HERITAGE

As stated in a previous headcanon, Shinya has Lao heritage; his family specifically originates from Savannakhet, a province closer to the southernmost part of the country just along the Lao-Thai border; they lived in the city itself.

They were trilingual before they migrated, speaking Lao (dominantly), Thai (secondary), and some degree of French (tertiary); very few of them spoke English. Migrating as war refugees to Japan had them learn Japanese to assimilate into its culture.

On the note of language, they were able to successfully preserve the Lao language and teach it to the next few generations, though Shinya is the only family member his age that can speak it well at a conversational level. When he went to college and obtained his archaic language cert, he was shocked that a language he spoke so often at home was considered archaic, along with other southeast Asian languages (Thai, Viet, Khmer, etc). It was through this, though, that he improved his skills; when he went home and spoke with a wider vocabulary, his family was impressed, to say the least.

They joined the somewhat small Lao community in Japan (small being at least 2,785 as of a 2018 count) before the country officially closed its borders and cut off outside communications, cutting off the rest of Shinya’s family in 2061.

They also survived the mass exportation / deportation efforts from 2050-2071 (this is an estimate, but it could have been sooner).

Much of their culture is preserved through the small Lao community in Japan, generally by word of mouth and personally recorded + written records since Sibyl curated education, history, and publications to teach only ‘modern’ history (in other words, history that happened within Sibyl’s integration and authority); the latter’s communal feat was particularly difficult since much of Lao history and culture was in a messy spot because of generations of colonization and war prior (specifically noting the Lao civil wars, the Secret War the Vietnam War, etc. ) but even moreso when they moved to Japan, a country that already struggled with a revisionist issue made worse and/or actualized with Sibyl’s information control. 

Three generations have passed since Shinya’s family’s immigration, with Shinya himself being the member of the fourth: it would mean his great grandparents made the journey to Japan in 2022-2023 near the start of the Neo-liberal Economic Collapse ( by ~2040 his grandparents were born, ~2065 his parents were born just before the Sibyl System’s introduction in 2061 and its official enforcement in 2071, and Shinya himself was born in 2084. ). This makes Shinya’s parents around Tomomi Masaoka’s age, as a general reference (he was born 2058).

So why do they have Japanese names? It’s not uncommon for immigrants to take on names for the land theyve taken refuge in, as evidenced by Psycho-Pass 3’s depiction of this (see: Kei, Akira, and Maiko (Russian), Theresa Shinogi (???), Kaori and Asahi Fellows (Russian). The Kogami surname is one that Shinya’s father’s side of the family adopted, though some of them retained Lao names (as was the case with Shinya’s father who kept the name Keo); the practice phased out with Shinya’s generation. It’s unknown what his mother’s maiden name was. Prior to the Kogami surname adoption, their family name was Souvannakham, pronounced Soo-vanh-ah-kahm. They still retain the custom of play names, and as also explained in the headcanon post linked in the first point, Shinya’s ຊື່ຫຼິ້ນ (play name) is ໝານ້ອຍ / Maa Noy / Little Dog.

Needless to say, xenophobia and colorism was/is a rampant part of their reality, regardless of how long their family stayed in Japan; most people can tell when you’re different in a homogenized society, and they were treated accordingly, with this being hardest in the earlier generations of their stay. It lessened to some degree with Sibyl’s efforts to harmonize the population over the years but most people, as of Shinya’s life, were still able to tell that he was different despite his insistence on being Japanese.

This also played a part in Shinya growing up in a lower-working class, since his family faced workplace discrimination. Again, this lessened somewhat over the years as people questioned Sibyl’s authority less, but… the xenophobia / colorism / racism never went away ( we see this more towards Kei in PP3, and some others. ).

This explained Shinya’s paradoxical delinquency (being an A+ student but also getting into scraps as he was; this was generally done in self defense and for the defense of his peers, and he was rarely punished since Sibyl didn’t see it clouding his hue any, evidenced by his and Ginoza’s first meeting).

Though Sibyl Society considers religion having fallen into oblivion, Shinya’s family retains the folk Theravada Buddhist-adjacent traditions of Laos, but they aren’t allowed any avenues to fully partake in their practices outside of wedding and funerary traditions. For further clarification, religion isn’t outright outlawed, but it’s neither taught nor encouraged by the Sibyl System. The segregationist Special Religion Zones that appear in response of a new wave of immigrants sans 2120 don’t count, with it being a method to separate Japanese nationals from implants, and Shinya discourages people in his community from going to them, and personally sees to their safety while they exist.

On the note of traditions, Shinya himself has partaken in traditional Lao practices, such as Songkran ( or Lao New Year ) and various manners of su kran. He preserves every string he has from the latter’s ceremonies in a box and was allowed to keep them following his demotion to Enforcer. He carried them with him overseas and has only gotten more when he ventured through Southeast Asian.

Part of his reason to migrate south to SEA after arriving in China was due to his own Lao heritage, where he naively believed that he might be able to fit in, but as is the case with people visiting their origin country when growing up somewhere else … despite being very fluent in the tongue, he stuck out for a while, and it in itself was a heartbreaking and humbling experience that made him feel small. He’s a trooper, and ended up being fine through it, finding some manner of reconnection with this part of his cultural identity through it, but he never met any of his family in Laos due to Sibyl’s exportation in the Shambala Float triggering massive scale civil unrest, and the simple fact that he never heard much of them to be able to identify them outside of vague stories (“You had a uncle who xyz”).

Yes, Shinya has his own xout lao, and his pha biang are generally blue. He has some fancy silk ones, some cloth ones. He leaves these behind with his parents when he’s locked up as an Enforcer.

He also, to some degree, knows how to perform the lam vong ( ລຳວົງ ), having grown up doing so and was taught by his parents. He’s been pulled to dance with the locals in Laos he stayed with during his exile overseas.

[cclhappy]

Global social media: China

The Great Firewall of China essentially refers to China’s censorship of content on traditional and new media. The Great Firewall acts as a barrier, restricting communication and data exchange much as a real wall would. Internet users in China are unable to access Google, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, and other international sites, including those belonging to foreign news outlets like the BBC and Reuters (Maags 2019). The situation wasn’t like this prior to Xi Jin Ping’s election as president. Before 2012, the Chinese people reap the benefit from the internet's ability to increase their transparency and empower their communication. Some influential bloggers amassed tens of millions of readers by calling for radical changes in society and politics. Virtual private networks (VPNs) were utilised by Chinese residents to access restricted content online (Bradsher 2012). Citizens gathered online to demand accountability from authorities, filing electronic petitions and planning demonstrations (Economy 2018). Seventy percent of 300 Chinese officials surveyed in 2010 were concerned that their errors or personal information would be made public. So, the question is why did China take censorship to the extreme? To put it bluntly, what are they so afraid of?

Why does China censor everything?

Before any discussion, I would like to mention that censorship does take place in majority of the countries. The press release/ news that we are reading everyday doesn’t have full freedom of speech either. So, my argument presented in this section would be from a neutral stance, seeking to understand the possible reasons of China’s censorship.

The first perspective is that the Chinese government understands that power of social media. Social media has the mobilizing power. Activists, demonstrators, and revolutionaries have frequently utilised social media to mobilise worldwide support for campaigns against a variety of injustices. But just as it is a platform that spreads knowledge and momentum at an unprecedented rate, it also spreads misinformation and conflict (Gilbert 2021). If we look back at the traditional cultural value of China, we will realize that China priorities harmony (Zhang 2013). So, it is understandable that the Chinese government wanting to avoid chaos within the country. The point can be further strengthened by the educational level in China. According to Trip Bitten (2022), only about 240 million Chinese people out of the whole population have received tertiary education. The argument is that tertiary education provides people with critical thinking ability that enables them to discern facts from lies. Even though most Chines did complete the 9 years compulsory education, but they are still susceptible to fake news. In short, we can view censorship as a protective measure from the Chinese government.

The second perspective is ‘tyranny’. The idea is that the Chinese government want to ‘contain’ its people in its own ecosystem to minimize the risk of revolt (online or physical). The strict regulations enacted support this view. The supreme people's court declared in September 2013 that writers of internet articles that purposefully spread rumours or falsehoods and were viewed by more than 5,000 people or shared more than 500 times might face defamation charges and three years in prison (Economy 2018). Besides, there is the social credit system. Under this system, if the Communist Party of China considers a person untrustworthy, the social credit system assigns them a ranking and imposes punishments such as limiting their internet access (slow bandwidth) or preventing them from traveling locally and internationally (Canales 2021). What’s worse is that in recent time stricter rule seems to be considered by the Chinese government. The draft rules posted by the Cyberspace Administration of China in June, which would entail more monitoring of comments that are often overlooked by censors, such as responses to comments and messages shown on the screen while livestreaming (Allen 2022). According to the guidelines, social media sites should also verify all comments before they are published. I am sure those who watch BiliBili know what’s up if this were enacted. Imagine YouTube, but what you write in the comment section are being monitored and restricted. You can argue that this is similar to Twitch’s approach, but knowing China, they would take this a step further by censoring the ‘weirdest’ thing.

So, is it good or bad?

In my opinion, I would say it’s too much oppression from the government. Censoring explicit content is understandable, but ‘sensitive’ issues (which I am referring to controversies, international news) are not okay for me. But in the end, it depends on how an individual views this issue. We will never know the true intention behind what the Chinese government did, but we can have a pretty good guess. To end this blog, I will present a few links to show some case studies relating to the censorship in China

References

Allen, B 2022, ‘New draft rules portend more internet censorship in China’, Axios, 21 June, viewed 8 November 2022, <https://www.axios.com/2022/06/21/china-internet-censorship-comments-social-media>.

Bradsher, K 2012, ‘China toughens its restrictions on use of the internet’, The New York Times, 28 December, viewed 8 November 2022, <https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/29/world/asia/china-toughens-restrictions-on-internet-use.html>.

Canales, K 2021, ‘China’s ‘social credit’ system ranks citizens and punishes them with throttled internet speeds and flight bans if the Communist Part deems them untrustworthy’, Insider, 25 December, viewed 11 November 2022, <https://www.businessinsider.com/china-social-credit-system-punishments-and-rewards-explained-2018-4>.

Economy, EC 2018, ‘The great firewall of China: Xi Jinping’s internet shutdown’, The Guardian, 29 June, viewed 8 November 2022, <https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jun/29/the-great-firewall-of-china-xi-jinpings-internet-shutdown>.

Gilbert, E 2021, ‘The role of social media in protests: mobilising or polarising?’, Initiative, 6 April, viewed 8 November 2022, <https://89initiative.com/the-role-of-social-media-in-protests-mobilising-or-polarising/>.

Maags, C 2019, ‘The great firewall of China’, Fair Observer, 23 September, viewed 8 November 2022, <https://www.fairobserver.com/region/asia_pacific/great-firewall-china-censorship-chinese-news-today-vpn-china-38018/>.

Trip Bitten 2022, Why does China censor everything?, 30 October, viewed 8 November 2022, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G_63uuBOyA>.

Zhang, LH 2013, ‘China’s traditional cultural values and national identity’, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 21 November, viewed 8 November 2022, <https://carnegieendowment.org/2013/11/21/china-s-traditional-cultural-values-and-national-identity-pub-53613>.

[herpescureindia]

Free Herpes Treatment in India: Understanding Your Options

Herpes is a common viral infection that can be managed with proper treatment and care. In India, access to healthcare varies widely, but there are several avenues through which individuals can obtain free or low-cost herpes treatment. This article explores the options available for free herpes treatment in India, including government programs, public hospitals, and NGOs.

Understanding Herpes and the Need for Treatment

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) comes in two forms: HSV-1, which causes oral herpes (cold sores), and HSV-2, which causes genital herpes. While herpes is a lifelong infection, it can be managed with antiviral medications that reduce the frequency and severity of outbreaks.

Access to timely treatment is crucial not only for managing symptoms but also for preventing the transmission of the virus to others. For individuals who cannot afford private healthcare, free treatment options can be a vital resource.

Government Healthcare Programs

India’s public healthcare system provides a range of services, including free treatment for various sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which may include herpes. Key government programs and facilities that offer free or subsidized treatment include:

National AIDS Control Organization (NACO): NACO is a division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that focuses on controlling the spread of HIV and other STIs, including herpes. They provide free testing, counseling, and treatment for STIs through government clinics and hospitals across the country.

Government Hospitals and Clinics: Most government hospitals and primary health centers (PHCs) in India offer free or very low-cost healthcare services, including consultations, diagnostics, and treatment for herpes. Patients can access antiviral medications like Acyclovir, which are often available at subsidized rates or for free through these facilities.

Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY): This scheme provides health insurance coverage to low-income families, covering secondary and tertiary healthcare services. Although primarily focused on more severe health conditions, beneficiaries may also access treatment for STIs like herpes under this scheme.

Free Herpes Treatment in India through NGOs

Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in India work to provide free or low-cost healthcare services to marginalized and low-income populations. These NGOs often operate clinics that offer STI treatment, including herpes:

The Humsafar Trust: Based in Mumbai, The Humsafar Trust provides healthcare services, including STI testing and treatment, to the LGBTQ+ community. They offer counseling and access to antiviral medications for herpes at low or no cost.

SNEHA (Society for Nutrition, Education, and Health Action): SNEHA works in Mumbai's urban slums, providing healthcare services to women and children. They offer free STI treatment, including for herpes, through their community health programs.

YRG CARE: Based in Chennai, YRG CARE is known for its work in HIV prevention and care but also provides treatment for other STIs, including herpes. They offer free counseling and treatment services to those in need.

Accessing Free Medications

For individuals seeking free herpes treatment in India, medications like Acyclovir, Valacyclovir, and Famciclovir are essential for managing outbreaks. These medications may be available for free or at subsidized rates through:

Jan Aushadhi Stores: The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) scheme aims to make quality generic medicines available at affordable prices. Jan Aushadhi stores across India offer antiviral medications at significantly lower prices than private pharmacies.

Government Hospital Pharmacies: Many government hospitals provide essential medications for free or at minimal cost. Patients diagnosed with herpes at these facilities can access the necessary antiviral drugs through the hospital's pharmacy.

Conclusion: Accessing Free Herpes Treatment in India

Free herpes treatment in India is accessible through a combination of government programs, public healthcare facilities, and NGOs dedicated to providing care for underserved populations. By utilizing these resources, individuals affected by herpes can manage their condition effectively, even if they are unable to afford private healthcare services.

If you or someone you know is in need of herpes treatment, reaching out to local government hospitals, PHCs, or NGOs can provide access to the necessary care and support. Remember, timely treatment is crucial for managing symptoms and preventing the spread of the virus to others.