Headline, January30, 2014

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It has taken the World Students quite a while to work out what — !WOW! — the World Students Society Computer-Internet-Wireless is all about. The first and many signs of this epiphany abound.

The world at large is now looking at our model and figuring how to copy and what to do next. I would humbly suggest, that they wait. Star performance this year!

Be that it may. They are all welcome. After all what can be more flattering than that!!

2011, -"12'' -"13'' were gorgeously hard. Even brutal. But then the good Lord-God moves in his own mysterious ways with unique designs. 

On the world measure, and in an era of shifting sands,  let me tell you what  Prime Minister David Cameron said -not too long ago-  in his speech to the Conservative Party:  

''We're in a global race today and that means an hour of reckoning for countries like ours. Sink or swim. Do or decline.''

The Prime Minister has ever since been reminding the British voters and students, of this fateful contest. 

Like it or not, he tells them, they are engaged in an historic global battle, putting their wealth and privileges against the hunger and industry:

Of fast growing emerging countries. Unless they pull their fingers out, the prime minister hints gloomily, they will end up a bunch of global losers.

His fellow Tory cabinet ministers have eagerly seized the baton. William Hague, the foreign secretary, urges diplomats to be more salesman like, thus to help the British companies win the  ''global race for jobs and for wealth''. 

Michael Gove, the education secretary, wants to lengthen the school day:

To bring Britain into line with more diligent Asian countries  -lest it continues to face a  ''significant handicap'' in the global race. 

For the Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, cutting the welfare flab is the key to being trim for the contest.

'''Eric Pickles, the communication secretary, advocates improving the national grasp of  = ''English''  in order to keep Britain  ''ahead of the chasing pack.''

The global race trope appeals for several reasons because international competition is occasionally of the cutthroat kind they describe. International comparison, which talk of a global race encourages, can also be particularly useful for pushing reforms.

Mr Gove often cites the   OECD's international  PISA test results to argue that Britain's ever-rising exam pass rates are no cause for celebration. 

Much more important, he points out, is how British pupils fare relative to others. 

By one account, the Conservatives global race fixation began with this eminently sensible observation.

There is some truth in this. One very highly respected journalist, puts it across as such : '' Returning to Britain after four years in Delhi, I was dismayed by the  lack of ambition  among young Britons compared with their Indian counterparts.

Bucking Britons up, prodding them to consider global benchmarks and alerting them to how the world's changing    - all this is very laudable. But the global race concept is nonetheless misleading, both in theory and as a guide to what the Tories are up to''.

Having said that, just let me tell you about the latest school survey in Pakistan: 

''Learning levels of students across rural Pakistan are tumbling despite rhetoric and massive investment and interventions in school education system by respective provincial governments."

As almost  57 per cent Grade 5  students cannot read Grade 2 English sentences and cannot do two-digit division.

More alarmingly almost half of such students have been found unable to read simple Class-2  level story text in   Urdu/Sindhi/Pashto.

The educationists say students' low learning levels bring into question the competence of teachers as well as the examination systems that are promoting incompetent students to next grades. 

This unique Post and honour continues:

With respectful dedication to the Prime Minister Mian M Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan,  Bilawal Bhutto, and the Students, Professors and Teachers of Pakistan.

See Ya all on  !WOW!  — the World Students Society Computers-Internet-Wireless:

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Good Night & God Bless!

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless