May 6 is nominations deadline for 2010 National Literacy Awards

The deadline for nominations to the 2010 National Literacy Awards (NLA) is this coming May 6.

Conducted by the Department of Education through its Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC), the NLA is held every two years to recognize individuals, institutions, and local government units with outstanding literacy programs in their communities. It is also in line with the United Nations’ Literacy Decade goal of reducing the adult illiteracy rate by 50 percent by 2015.

The NLA aims to make literacy universal in the country by creating public awareness and encouraging the development and replication of innovative, creative, and indigenous literacy programs in the community. First launched in 1994, the NLA has since become the highlight of the literacy conference held annually in conjunction with the celebration of Literacy Week.

“For twelve years now, we have noted an increasing number of awardees as well as institutions and individuals who want to involve themselves in literacy development,” said Education Secretary Mona Valisno.

Full story...

25 summas, 236 magna cum laudes graduate from UP

MANILA—Twenty-five students belonging to Batch 2010 of the University of the Philippines (UP) have graduated summa cum laude, 236 magna cum laude, and 928 cum laude. The honor roll was headed by Jordana Cristina Valencia, Bachelor of Science (Psychology) with a CWAG of 1.087 followed by Miguel Carlo Purisima, BS in Electronics and Computer Engineering (BSECE), 1.096.

The other summa cum laudes are Raymund Siegfrid Li, BS in Business Administration and Accountancy, 1.101; Hyacinth Mae Tambago, BS in Chemical Engineering (BSChE), 1.102; Pearl Aimee Balleta, Bachelor of Science (Psychology), 1.112; Kenneth Robert De Guzman, BSChE, 1.118; Danielle Canlas, BS in Computer Science (BSCS), 1.124; Diane Lourdes Reyes, BS in Business Administration (BSBA), 1.129; Patrick Dela Paz Ramoso, BSChE, 1.132; Ma. Isabella Pamintuan, BS in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology (BSMBB), 1.132; Allyanna Anglim, BS in Economics, 1.142 and Anna May Navarrete, BS in Family Life and Child Development (BSFLCD), 1.145;

Cristina Maria Cayabyab, Bachelor of Music (Conducting), 1.15; Maria Kristina Gallego, Bachelor of Arts (Linguistics), 1.151; Ryan Oliver Lim, BSBA, 1.157; Fides Angeli DLC Zaulda, BSMBB, 1.157; Monelle Capistrano, BS in Economics, 1.16; Miguel Carlos Gonzalez, BS in Chemistry, 1.161; Runyi Wu, BSBA, 1.175; Mynard Bryan Mojica, BS Statistics, 1.181; Roana Bianca Reyes, BS in Industrial Engineering, 1.185; Sandra Mae Magalang, Bachelor of Arts (Public Administration), 1.188; Joyce Jackilynn Tan, Bachelor of Elementary Education, 1.191; Nina Rebecca Ramos, BSFLCD, 1.193 and Israel Jordan Samson, Bachelor of Science (Statistics), 1.197.

Full story...

20 outstanding students in Central Visayas announced

CEBU CITY—The Outstanding Students of the Philippines Central Visayas (TOSP R7) announced the 20 students who qualified to represent the Central Visayas in the national level of the search for the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines.

Commission on Higher Education (Ched) regional director Amelia Biglete revealed the names of the students in a press conference held recently at the BRIGHT Academy in barangay Banilad, Cebu City.

The finalists are Jose Isabelo Abella and Shellame Pepito of Cebu Institute of Technology; Nikko Paulo Cablao and Harmone Jay Naparota of Silliman University in Dumaguete; Maricel Caluyo and Shimie Ramos of Saint Paul University Dumaguete; Jasper Eric Catan of Foundation University in Dumaguete; Heno Rey Chin of the University of the Philippines Visayas Cebu College; Jynx King Chanjueco, Rankine Ruel Novabos and Englevert Reyes of the University of San Jose-Recoletos; Lalaine Dajao of the University of Bohol; Daryl Dakay of Southwestern University; Jennierose Serad and Eulimae Galera of the University of the Visayas; Patricia Louise Manglangit of Siquijor; April Joy Seville of St. Theresa’s College in Cebu City; Felice Suzane Soria and Marc Louie Yap of University of San Carlos; and Hosanna Grace Sultan of the University of Cebu Banilad campus.

The regional finalists will converge in Cebu City from April 21 to 26 for the formation program, judging and awarding ceremony.

Full story...

Cebu student journalists and faculty attend online campus journalism seminar

CEBU CITY—An advanced seminar on online campus journalism was conducted by Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) here recently for invited student journalists and faculty advisers from six colleges and universities in the city.

The participants in the two-day seminar were students and faculty from Benedicto College, the University of the Philippines, the University of San Carlos, the University of San Jose-Recoletos, the University of the Visayas, and St. Theresa’s College.

The seminar is part of Smart’s journ.ph program, an initiative to promote online campus journalism through partnerships and trainings using the journ.ph online platform.

The seminar resource persons were lawyer Rose Versoza, who discussed journalism ethics; Ritchie Quijano, Cebu situationer; Nini Cabaero, online journalism; Michelle So, community journalism; and Alex Badayos, photojournalism. Blogger and journalist Max Limpag acted as moderator and critic for the participant’s outputs.

Full story...

Census reveals foreign-language households on the rise in United States

The number of U.S. households in which languages other than English are spoken is growing rapidly.

A new study published by the Census Bureau finds that the number of Americans age 5 and older who regularly speak non-English languages at home grew by 140 percent from 1980 to 2007. During that same period, the country’s population grew by just 34 percent.

The languages with the biggest percentage gains were Vietnamese, which rose by 511 percent over the 27-year period, and Spanish, which rose by 211 percent.

According to the Census Bureau’s figures, approximately 280 million Americans age 5 and older speak only English in their homes, while a little more than 55 million Americans speak a language other than English.

By far, Spanish was the most common language other than English to be used in the American household, with more than 34 million people in 2007, up from 11 million in 1980.

“When it comes to those families who are speaking Spanish in the home, half were native born, and half were recent immigrants,” Hyon B. Shin, a statistician at the Census Bureau and one of the authors of the report, told AOL News. “Past research shows that by the third generation, immigrant families almost exclusively speak English.”

Full story...

And the same census reveals that US women are better educated than men

WASHINGTON DC (AFP)—More US women than men are obtaining advanced degrees, making women poised to predominate in the highly skilled medical, legal, and academic professions, data released Tuesday show.

Nine percent of young adult American women held either a master’s, doctoral or professional degree, such as in medicine or law, compared with six percent of men, and women make up nearly six in 10 holders of advanced degrees, data compiled by the Census Bureau show.

Women also outpaced men in terms of bachelor’s degrees, with 35 percent of women aged 25-29 and 27 percent of men obtaining the four-year university degree.

The percentage of US men with bachelor’s degrees has held steady since 1999, while the rate for women has grown from 30 percent that year.

The findings held true for white, black, and Hispanic women, with only Asian women and men showing no statistical difference in educational attainment.

Asian-Americans also outpaced the other three groups in terms of percentages who hold bachelor’s degrees or higher.

Full story...

In UK schools, students are increasingly taking neuro-enhancing drugs

Students are increasingly taking neuro-enhancing drugs to fight fatigue and help them concentrate. But how safe are they – and is it cheating?

It is an all too common story: a diligent student works hard and finally achieves a coveted place at Cambridge University. Once there, the pressure becomes too great and they turn to drugs. These days, however, the old narrative has changed. Instead of the spliffs that apparently so delighted generations of our politicians, the latest fad is for educational, not recreational, drugs.

“It was the summer term of my second year,” explains Raj Perera, in his final year of a natural sciences degree at Cambridge University. “I’m an international student, which means my parents are paying £20,000 for every year I am here. That sort of money puts a huge pressure on you. But last summer, I had two weeks to go before my exams, and I had done pretty much no revision. It was a make-or-break moment. So I bought modafinil.”

Modafinil is one of the new neuroenhancing "smart drugs" now being taken by growing numbers of students. It was originally developed for the treatment of narcolepsy, but is now used by students to combat fatigue.

Full story...

Translations of Emirati books bring English language to life
By Anna Seaman, TheNational.ae

ABU DHABI—Omar al Zaabi’s eyes light up as he talks about the short story he read for a recent class—One Day a Week by the Emirati author Mohammed al Murr.

“It is about a man living and working in Abu Dhabi who only sees his wife on Fridays when he drives to Dubai,” said Mr. al Zaabi, 24, from Sharjah, waving a copy in the air. “It was my favourite story because life for all men in Abu Dhabi is like this.” But Mr. al Zaabi is no regular student.

He is a federal police officer based at Al Baniyas Police Station – and just one of some 650 working Emiratis and mature students taking part in a pilot project at Abu Dhabi Men’s College that aims to help nationals master English and teach them more about their history and culture.

What is unique about the project is that it is using Emirati literature and books that have been translated into English.

Full story...

More hours in English to bring positive results

The Malaysian Education Ministry is of the view that the extended time for the teaching of English will benefit pupils as its objectives are to strengthen and enhance pupils’ learning experience in the subject.

The move to increase the number of hours for the teaching of English in national and vernacular schools by 2011 is a strategy to encourage the mastery of the English language through the transformation of the curriculum.

The new curriculum that begins with Year One, is a modular structure and focuses on the learner acquiring basic literacy and communicative skills.

With curriculum structure, schools will be notified of the adjustments to be made within the existing timetable.

The ministry is also aware of the need to bring the standard of teaching English to be on par with Bahasa Malaysia. Therefore, the increase in the number of hours for the subject will allow pupils to use language in a meaningful manner.

Full story...

Rural students to get free spoken English training

DINDIGUL—A 40-hour free spoken English course meant for rural students was launched by the district administration in association with the English Language Teachers' Association of India at PSNA College of Engineering and Technology here on Wednesday.

Collector M. Vallalar said that the course, the first of its kind, would impart nuances of English to rural students to make them employable. All classes would be held in the forenoon of Saturdays and Sundays and participants would attend at least 13 classes.

Experts in communicative English and professors from various universities and MIT, Chennai, would train them. Trainees would have access to sophisticated language lab of PSNA College. Regular classes would be held at the college training centre on Tiruchi Road junction.

The Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency, K. Arunmani, said that rural students were highly talented, efficient and hard working. But these qualities did not come to light owing to lack of communication skills.

Full story...

Madonna lays first brick for her Malawi school

CHINKHOTA (AFP)—US pop star Madonna Tuesday laid the first brick at the 15 million dollar (11 million euro) girls’ academy that she is building in Malawi, promising to bring quality education to young girls.

The singer and actress laid a stone with an inscription “Raising Malawi Academy for Girls” and the motto, Dare to Dream.

“It has always been my dream to train women leaders who can help develop the country,” Madonna said during the event. “I grew up as a poor girl with my mother, I had no chance for good education. It is my aim to see Malawian girls get the right education.”

The colorful ceremony at the site of the school in Chinkhota village, some 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the capital Lilongwe, was attended by education officials and curious villagers.

Full story...

US diplomat advises Angola to invest in the English language

CABINDA—The US ambassador to Angola, Dan Mozena, on Tuesday suggested that the Angolan government should invest in the diffusion of the English language, which can help the country to play its legitimate role as leader of central and southern Africa, as well as in the international arena.

Mozena said so at a ceremony that served to symbolically hand over a donation of English books to the Education Sciences Higher Institute (ISCED), linked to the public 11 de Novembro University (UON), an incentive for the creation of an English Language Department in this institution.

The North American diplomat said that Angola is an emerging power in Africa, a fact that has been recognised by the US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, when she visited this country.

Full story...