[Education For Tomorrow: No 102, 2009]International NewsVenezuela10 Years of social progress sees record numbers in education A recent report issued by the Venezuela Ministry for Education shows that in 2008 student enrolment increased to 66.7 per cent in pre-school; 86.2 per cent in elementary school; 68.1 per cent in secondary education; and 42.3 per cent in higher and university education. These figures show the significant increase in student enrolment since 1998 (when President Chavez was elected for the first time), when the numbers were 43.3 per cent in pre-school; 86.2 per cent in elementary; 46.8 per cent in secondary education; and 23.6 per cent in higher and university education. Likewise, there are currently 7.7 million people enrolled at different levels of education, compared with 6.2 million in 1998, an increase of 23.7 per cent. Another achievement of the last decade consists of the increase of education facilities; going from 24,000 in 1998 to 28,000 in 2008. Furthermore the School Food Programme — which provides free meals in schools — currently assists 4,150,000 children, compared with only 119,000 in 1998. Venezuela Information Centre Cuba UN development report The United Nations Development Program's Human Development Report 2009 again highlighted some of Cuba’s extraordinary achievements. Cuba’s education index is equal highest in the world, along with Australia, Finland, Denmark and New Zealand. Cuba’s education index is 0.993 of a possible score of 1. Its adult literacy rate is 99.8 per cent and school enrolments are 100 per cent. Public expenditure on education in Cuba is 14.2 per cent of total government expenditure. This is higher than Australia (13.3 per cent) and the US (13.7 per cent). Cuba tops the world in the ratio of female to male enrolment in primary, secondary and tertiary education, at 121 per cent. Over the 50 years of Cuba’s socialist revolution, in spite of the ongoing economic blockade and with meagre resources, Cuba has achieved health and education standards for its people that are the envy of the world. www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk Gaza Childhood in ruins Israel’s 23-day bombardment of Gaza in December 2008, killed around 1,400 people. One year on, a generation of children is growing up amid the wreckage of that attack, traumatised — and radicalised — by the experience . . . The 23-day war in numbers Statistics from the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme • 1,420 Palestinians killed, 446 of them children • 5,320 injured, 1,855 of them children • 4,000 houses destroyed • 16,000 houses damaged • 94.6 per cent of children aged 6 to 17 heard the sound of sonic jetfighters • 91.7 per cent of them heard shelling by artillery • 92 per cent saw mutilated bodies on TV • 80 per cent were deprived of water or electricity • 50.7 per cent left home for a safer place • 25.9 per cent report one symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • 39.3 per cent report more than one symptom • 9.8 per cent report full criteria of PTSD Harriet Sherwood, The Guardian |