Education in Myanmar is improving, though this progress has been slow. At the time of the British decolonization of Asia in 1948, Myanmar (then Burma) was lauded for having one of the top educational systems in the continent.
Many experts projected that Myanmar would come to be one of the central powers of the region due to its superior education, however, this has not been the case.
The World Bank has attributed the country’s now weak education system to various warring ethnic groups, particularly the progressive power of military rule that took hold over a half-century ago.
Myanmar has only recently begun to give way to democratic rule–the system that was originally intended for the developing country in 1948.
From the beginning of military involvement in governance in the early 1960s, an increasing list of sanctions was placed upon the country.
With the combination of international economic restrictions and tightening limitations from the military government, education in Myanmar quickly began to decompose.
However, after decades of brutal military rule, the people began to fight against the stiff restrictions imposed upon them. Notably, in November 2015, Htin Kyaw was elected as president of Myanmar in the first openly contested parliamentary elections that the country has ever had.
Since then, many sanctions have been lifted to allow open international trade and commerce.
With these recent signs of progress, many are optimistic that the education system in Myanmar will also begin to improve. Dr. Mya Oo, the Secretary of Education Development Committee of Myanmar has said that the first step that is needed is to create a system of free and compulsory education.
The first five years of education in Myanmar are already compulsory, but they are not free. The imposed educational fees put a strain on impoverished families who are usually forced to opt out from lack of personal resources.
There is also a certain level of discrimination against girls and ethnic minorities, which further limits the proportion of students in school. Only one-third of students reach the five-year level of education and this number decreases exponentially as the students continue to progress toward higher schooling.
The current Myanmar government recognizes these as serious issues, and as such recently announced, it plans to help boost enrollment rates as well as the quality of education. These propositions address increases in funding, focusing on equal education for women and ethnic minorities, building schools in remote areas and establishing better training systems for teachers.
These goals are scheduled to be reached before the end of 2016.
The government is also placing a greater emphasis on higher education as well. Myanmar governmental and educational officials have begun to consult with a number bordering states and European entities for improvement ideas in their universities.
Many of suggestions include universal equality, the establishment of student unions and universities that are allowed to operate autonomously.
With the implementation of these targets, many are optimistic that Myanmar will be able to provide for the anticipated influx of students seeking higher education.
Government oppression and poverty made it nearly impossible to achieve more than basic literacy. However, as the country works toward social progress, it is hoped that education in Myanmar can be brought back to life in a timely and efficient manner.
– Preston Rust
Photo: Flickr
The Resurrection of Education in Myanmar
Many experts projected that Myanmar would come to be one of the central powers of the region due to its superior education, however, this has not been the case.
The World Bank has attributed the country’s now weak education system to various warring ethnic groups, particularly the progressive power of military rule that took hold over a half-century ago.
Myanmar has only recently begun to give way to democratic rule–the system that was originally intended for the developing country in 1948.
From the beginning of military involvement in governance in the early 1960s, an increasing list of sanctions was placed upon the country.
With the combination of international economic restrictions and tightening limitations from the military government, education in Myanmar quickly began to decompose.
However, after decades of brutal military rule, the people began to fight against the stiff restrictions imposed upon them. Notably, in November 2015, Htin Kyaw was elected as president of Myanmar in the first openly contested parliamentary elections that the country has ever had.
Since then, many sanctions have been lifted to allow open international trade and commerce.
With these recent signs of progress, many are optimistic that the education system in Myanmar will also begin to improve. Dr. Mya Oo, the Secretary of Education Development Committee of Myanmar has said that the first step that is needed is to create a system of free and compulsory education.
The first five years of education in Myanmar are already compulsory, but they are not free. The imposed educational fees put a strain on impoverished families who are usually forced to opt out from lack of personal resources.
There is also a certain level of discrimination against girls and ethnic minorities, which further limits the proportion of students in school. Only one-third of students reach the five-year level of education and this number decreases exponentially as the students continue to progress toward higher schooling.
The current Myanmar government recognizes these as serious issues, and as such recently announced, it plans to help boost enrollment rates as well as the quality of education. These propositions address increases in funding, focusing on equal education for women and ethnic minorities, building schools in remote areas and establishing better training systems for teachers.
These goals are scheduled to be reached before the end of 2016.
The government is also placing a greater emphasis on higher education as well. Myanmar governmental and educational officials have begun to consult with a number bordering states and European entities for improvement ideas in their universities.
Many of suggestions include universal equality, the establishment of student unions and universities that are allowed to operate autonomously.
With the implementation of these targets, many are optimistic that Myanmar will be able to provide for the anticipated influx of students seeking higher education.
Government oppression and poverty made it nearly impossible to achieve more than basic literacy. However, as the country works toward social progress, it is hoped that education in Myanmar can be brought back to life in a timely and efficient manner.
– Preston Rust
Photo: Flickr
Skills Training to Increase Development in Pakistan
Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain and Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra announced at the National Skills Show that the Government of Pakistan would push a new emphasis on skills training for their youth. Through this initiative, they hope to boost future development in Pakistan.
Governor Jhagra asked industrialists to start training youth in vocational and technical skills, establishing institutes that will offer these programs. He noted that reducing unemployment and poverty rates greatly helps youth to succeed.
The National Skills Show, organized by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTCC), takes place in the U.K. annually. It features five sectors: engineering and technology, media and creative, IT and enterprise, hospitality and lifestyle as well as construction and infrastructure. The best and the brightest students of the U.K. come together to compete and demonstrate their skills in one of these sectors.
Governor Jhagra stressed that Pakistan has an agricultural economy, highlighting the importance of focusing on skills training within the industry. In addition, technical education is extremely important for keeping the unemployment rates low.
As of 2015, Pakistan holds an unemployment rate of 5.9 percent, a slight decrease from six percent the previous year. But in 2013, the World Bank noted that 29.5 percent of the nearly 190 million people living in Pakistan resided below the poverty line.
Executive Director of NAVTTC, Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema, noted that 50,000 youth in Pakistan will take part in skills training in multiple trades. The courses that they engage in will be free of charge, and they will receive a stipend as trainees.
Governor Jhagra is determined to fully utilize the capabilities of the talented Pakistani youth population. He stated, “Our human capital is our biggest asset.” Currently, young citizens make up 60 percent of the population.
Ambassadors from Germany, the Netherlands and the European Union joined the show and congratulated the winners. They agreed with Pakistani officials in recognizing how skills training can boost the economy and decrease poverty.
This effort will provide a large majority of the Pakistani youth with employable skills, granting them financial independence, reducing the poverty rate throughout the country and helping meet the needs of local and international job markets—ultimately, improving development in Pakistan.
– Kimber Kraus
Photo: Flickr
Three Reasons for the Economic Crisis in Venezuela
Since the beginning of 2015, inflation within the country has been on a steady increase. During the months of June and July, it began to accelerate upward. By the close of the year, Venezuela was left with an inflation rate of 180 percent, the highest in the world. This has led to deficiencies in food, medicine and hygiene products.
However, the recent explosion of economic inflation is only a symptom of deeper troubles within the economy that have been building for the past years. Many are criticizing Venezuela for failing to diversify in products and services. Gretchen Bakke of the New Yorker summarized the economic crisis in Venezuela using the adage, “putting all its eggs in one basket.”
Various occurrences have led Venezuela to the brink of economic collapse, but three in particular bear mentioning:
1. Venezuela’s Dependence on Oil as a Profitable Export
Petroleum products made up roughly 93 percent of the $63 billion in exports that Venezuela made in 2014. This is not surprising, since Venezuela is sitting on the largest proven oil reserves in the world. Historically, various Venezuelan presidents have used petroleum production and exports to increase development, yet they failed to diversify their economic productions. In the 1920s Venezuela registered a third of its GDP as agricultural products, but almost a century later, these products make up six percent of GDP and less than one percent of the country’s exports.
Its identity as an oil-producing state has served Venezuela well in the past, but the tide is turning. With lifted sanctions on Iranian petroleum and increased oil production in the United States, Canada and Iraq, petroleum prices have been driven down by a saturated global market. The New York Times reported a barrel of oil to be 70 percent cheaper now than it was two years ago.
2. Venezuela’s Dependence on Water as its Primary Electricity Source
Almost 80 percent of Venezuela’s electricity comes from hydroelectric power. The international community has recently been pushing for cleaner energy (that which does not rely on fossil fuels) and hydroelectricity is one way to achieve these goals. However, hydro-power can be problematic when water turns into a limited resource.
Venezuela has currently been suffering through a three-year drought which many are attributing to El Niño, an intermittent weather pattern that has been accentuated by the recent rise in global temperature. In addition to the normal problems that are generated by water shortages, Venezuela is now facing a shortened work week due to the rationing of electricity for the many shortages.
These newly-prescribed measures are criticized for accelerating the process of economic collapse, since workers now have a shortened period in which they can earn money to pay for the necessities of life.
3. Venezuela’s Unipolar Political System
For years, the socialist party has dominated the branches of the central government, and in the recent escalations of the economic crisis in Venezuela have caused the government to “become more authoritarian,” as the Council on Foreign Relations wrote.
In December of last year, the opposing party finally took control of one part of the government, The National Assembly. Though a referendum is being constructed to oust Maduro from his seat, very few immediate solutions are being proposed to relieve the collapsing economy.
The economic crisis in Venezuela is provoking protests throughout the country. Various citizens of the country told the Wall Street Journal that they have to stand for hours in line to receive a small portion of food for the day. These individuals have hopes to change the trajectory of their nation, and with the majority of the people on their side, they may still have time to do so.
– Preston Rust
Photo: Flickr
Poverty in French Guiana Aided by French Economy
French Guiana, the small French territory located in South America, is home to a uniquely intricate story. However, poverty in French Guiana remains an issue, inflating tension between the territory and France.
Initially explored by the Spanish in the 1500s, the territory became a part of France in 1667. French Guiana’s fascinating history has collected tales of its former penal colonies and its recent prominence as a European rocket-launching site.
Unfortunately, most of French Guiana’s problems arise from the inhabitants’ standings as citizens of France. Much of the tension centers around the administration of the area by the French Constitution.
Despite French Guiana’s recent vote against increased autonomy in governance of the area, longstanding struggles with unemployment and unbalanced trade creates much frustration towards the French administration.
In 2009, the territory threatened to revolt, following the lead of other French territories Martinique and Guadeloupe. While they never carried out their threats, French Guiana still expressed its anger over poor living conditions and low wages.
Even with limited support from the territory, France helps sustain French Guiana’s developing economy by sending aid and technical assistance. The country suffers from unfavorable trading balances, as their exports are significantly less valuable than their imports.
This imbalance is compounded by high rates of unemployment and inflation, as well as insufficient infrastructure (for example, only two-fifths of the roads are paved). French Guiana must also import fossil fuels for all electricity needs.
Despite these faults, French Guiana has one of the highest gross national incomes per capita in South America. The largest contributors to the economy are the manufacturing and service industries.
One 2012 study estimates that 26.5 percent of households in French Guiana live below the poverty line. However, another source states that while poverty is a major issue, French Guiana has less acute poverty than other similar economies.
Other aggregate poverty assessments generally do not include French Guiana because of its small size and population. This knowledge gap poses a large problem for combating poverty and identifying the major issues concerning French Guiana.
While French Guiana’s living conditions are substantially worse than those on mainland France, the territory maintains a better standard of living than many other developing economies.
Universally free education and health care for the poorest segments of society prove beneficial in coping with poverty in French Guiana. Almost all children between the ages of 6 and 16 attend school. There are also several colleges and universities.
However, the territory’s lack of infrastructure affects health care in rural areas. In fact, there is only one full-service hospital in French Guiana.
Poverty and unemployment rates represent a large source of social discontentment and everyday hardship as French Guiana continues to develop.
Despite these obstacles, France will continue to provide aid to its territory. With a more holistic study of French Guiana, perhaps this examination of poverty will create substantial positive change.
–Charlotte Bellomy
Photo: BBC
The Red Cross Takes The Lead In Providing Aid In Sri Lanka
According to Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Center, 82 people have been killed and over 500,000 have been displaced by the flooding and landslides. The death toll could rise even higher as 118 people are still missing, according to the Press Trust of India.
Displaced persons are being housed in 594 temporary camps across Sri Lanka, according to a press release by Sri Lanka’s Red Cross.
The UN’s Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka has met with President Sirisena. Together, they discussed the emergency provisions needed to provide life-saving aid in Sri Lanka.
The UN released a statement, saying: “We met the president this morning for a briefing on emergency response and coordination. We remain committed to assist all the affected people.”
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has deployed 10 medical teams with supplies in the areas of Kolonnawan, and Kaduwels MOH divisions and the Columbo Municipal council area have been given medical supplies, according to the World Health Organization.
However, it seems the Red Cross has taken the lead in the effort to provide aid in Sri Lanka. As soon as the landslide occurred, the Sri Lankan Red Cross Society’s Kegalle Branch deployed its Disaster Response Team to Aranayake.
Shortly after their arrival, Red Cross officials coordinated with government authorities in search and rescue efforts, as well as in creating temporary camps where they have provided food, first aid and psychological support to survivors.
In Gampaha, one of the worst affected districts in Sri Lanka, Red Cross volunteers provided evacuation via boats and first aid support to people stranded in Biyagama.
The predominant presence of the Red Cross is notable since they have been previously denied access to victims of displacement in the region. In 2009, the Sri Lankan government denied the Red Cross and many other NGOs access to civilians in refugee camps following the Tamil Tiger rebels’ final battle.
– Veronica Ung-Kono
Photo: Flickr
Five Movies About Global Health
There are many inspiring and thought-provoking movies about global health that highlight the very real crises faced today. The following movies about global health explore some of the most dire issues, including women’s health, AIDS, polio, the right to safe drinking water and the realities of providing medical treatment in conflict situations.
Each of these movies about global health provides a thought-provoking look at one of the major health crises affecting our planet today.
– Katherine Hamblen
Photo: Flickr
Portable Device to Detect Zika Virus
An international team of researchers has developed a low-cost and portable product for detecting the Zika Virus. After using their device to test for the Zika virus in monkeys, the researchers are looking to product development as their next step.
The test is nucleic-acid based and has three steps: amplification, Zika detection, and CRISPR-Cas9-aided strain identification. Amplification is necessary because the viral load in samples such as saliva is significantly smaller than the viral load present in samples like urine.
Once the sample has been amplified, it goes into an RNA sensor called a toehold switch. The team’s research paper states that the switch can “be designed to bind and sense virtually any RNA sequence.” The RNA sensors are deployed via a paper disc that provides a sterile and abiotic environment for them. The paper changes color from yellow to purple if positive.
In the final step, the gene-editing mechanism, CRISPR-Cas9, searches the whole gene sequence for genetic markers. According to the Harvard Gazette, this step allows it to differentiate between strains of the Zika Virus.
This process improves upon previous tests which performed serum analyses that tested for the antibodies to certain viruses. In the past, this led to false positives, as the tests were unable to differentiate between the Zika Virus and close relatives like the dengue virus that share a geographical range.
Similarities between the targeted Zika Virus genomic sequences and those of the dengue virus range between 51 to 59 percent.
To ensure the accuracy of their test, Keith Pardee, a faculty member of the University of Toronto, told ResearchGate that the researchers exposed their test to low and high concentrations of the dengue virus, as well as “off-target regions of the Zika genome.” It differentiated between the target genome and everything else successfully.
All three components of the test can be freeze-dried for storage and distribution without damaging their effectiveness, which allows them to be sent to rural clinics for use. This means that even low-resource areas could have access to faster and more accurate tests for the Zika Virus. Previously, Pardee said, people needed to travel to urban areas for such accurate tests.
In an interview with ResearchGate, Pardee noted numerous potential benefits of the team’s test. It could potentially track the Zika Virus outbreak, and it would help physicians to more quickly identify and treat the infected. Physicians can also then take precautions to ensure the virus doesn’t spread.
– Anastazia Vanisko
Photo: National Cancer Institute
4 Movies About Refugees That You Need To See
Fiction
In This World (2002): Shot like a documentary, In This World portrays two Afghan refugees’ land journey. Unlike many other fictitious films about refugees, this film shows a fairly complete picture of a refugee’s journey, which includes the endless hours of waiting, hours of panic, and brief, beautiful moments of hope.
Welcome (2009): A beautiful, artistic and rather unsentimental picture of one Iraqi Kurd’s attempt to swim the English Channel in order to gain asylum, this French film portrays the stark situation of many homeless refugees living in France at the time and the legal dangers that awaited the French people who helped asylum-seekers.
Documentaries
The Land Between (2014): Documenting the everyday lives of Sub-Saharan migrants trapped between their homelands and the prospect of a new life in Europe, The Land Between addresses one of the most important questions of all migrant crises, whether past, present or future: why, and how, do people risk their lives and everything they own?
Neuland (2015): Neuland explores the lives of immigrants and refugees from all over the globe as they acclimate to life in Switzerland. Following the students in one class, the film shows the hardships and joys of building a new life in a foreign country.
In addition to many other full-length fictitious and real-life movies about refugees, many organizations, like Amnesty International, compile short films to spread awareness about refugees. In the end, whether short or long, real or imagined, movies about refugees provide an invaluable window into the lives of victims from all over the world.
– Sage Smiley
Photo: Flickr
Movies About Human Rights
Movies about human rights have the power to make the problems of distant countries personal to viewers. Whether it is a documentary or a fictional story, the impact of film can be extraordinary. These five movies are just a few of the films that highlight human rights issues throughout the world.
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Hotel Rwanda depicts the atrocities of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Following decades of power struggles between Hutus and Tutsis, the Hutu government sought to cleanse the country of Tutsis. This infamous movie about human rights is based on the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, who opened his hotel to Tutsi refugees during the conflict despite being a Hutu himself.
While the Rwandan genocide occurred over two decades ago, the country still faces crippling poverty. The film illustrates the effect of violence and civil war on already vulnerable nations.
Beasts of No Nation (2015)
Beasts of No Nation never reveals the country it is set in. However, the events within the film continue to happen in various regions. The main character, Agu, loses his family to the violence around him. He is eventually forced to become a child soldier and goes on to commit atrocious crimes.
Sierra Leone, Uganda and Sudan are among the various African regions where child soldiers are recruited. The film highlights the effects of poverty and conflict on children within war-torn nations.
India’s Daughter (2015)
India’s Daughter follows the aftermath of the brutal gang rape of Jyoti Singh in 2012. The event, which took place in an off duty bus, raised various concerns throughout the country about women’s safety. The documentary interviews a wide array of individuals including Singh’s parents, the parents of the accused and the bus driver.
The documentary brings India’s gender bias to the forefront as it depicts the various protests that emerged following the crime.
5 Broken Cameras (2011)
5 Broken Cameras is a documentary shot by Emad Burnat, a Palestinian farmer, in a West Bank village known as Bil’in. The film is also co-directed by Isreali filmmaker, Guy Davidi.
The documentary depicts life in the West Bank through footage of protests and Burnat’s own family. The film gives raw insight into the lives of those living within an unstable and impoverished region; it is one of the great movies about human rights.
When Elephants Fight (2015)
This film highlights the underbelly of consumerism and its implications in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Electronics companies desire minerals from this region to manufacture their products. However, this practice has led to an illegal mineral trade as well as the rise of warlords within the country.
The documentary calls for companies to hold themselves accountable for the war and poverty that plagues the nation.
Movies about human rights are important and informative as global communities work together to end abuses against the most vulnerable individuals and groups.
– Saroja Koneru
Photo: Flickr
Improved Seeds Alleviate the Weight of Poverty in Niger
Climate change has the potential to seriously impact both livelihoods and poverty in Niger. Adaptation measures are desperately needed in order to enable communities to cope with the climate change and variability.
The National Action Programme for Adaptation (NAPA), funded by Canada and the United Nations Development Project, supports local producers in Niger to assist them in the pilot usage of improved seeds.
Niger, where two-thirds of the land is covered by desert, is experiencing severe droughts and recurrent food crisis. The new project aims to strengthen resilience to climate change in agriculture and water sectors and thus reduce poverty in Niger.
Here are 5 things about the recently implemented project that you need to know:
“Initially we were seen as guinea pigs,” Abdou Diori, a farmer from the village of Soudouré, said in an interview with UNDP. “Nobody wanted to have anything to do with products with which they were personally unfamiliar… but the benefits are far greater than those associated with traditional seeds, especially in a country such as Niger where rainfall is very unevenly distributed.”
The scientifically improved seeds are a simple solution to lifting the poverty that weighs heavy on Niger’s farming communities.
– Michelle Simon
Photo: Flickr