April 22, 2009
Source: china.org.cn
Vocational education in China has undergone substantial changes over the past few decades as people's education concepts have developed, according to economist and Chairman of China Vocational Education Association Cheng Siwei.
In 2008, vocational and professional institutions enrolled 11 million new students, bringing the total number of students receiving a vocational education to more than 30 million, Cheng said at the 2009 China International Vocational Education Forum. The forum opened Monday in Changsha, the capital city of central China's Hunan Province. According to Cheng, vocational training has developed very fast over the years, with more than 100 million people in all work fields participating in various training courses.
However, Cheng pointed out that China's booming vocational education is still in its primary stage. Compared with other forms of education, it is still the weakest link in the education industry due to slow infrastructure construction and system barriers. Improving the quality of education and maintaining stable development are two of the challenging tasks that lie ahead.
Statistics show that among employees working in the manufacturing and service industries, 50 percent are rural migrant workers, and less than 20 percent of those have received professional training. Furthermore, China is short of skilled workers and innovative talents, especially senior technicians. A structural adjustment in terms of talent levels is urgently needed for the industry to progress.
Cheng said vocational education is education for everyone. It plays an irreplaceable role in realizing fair education, creating jobs and improving the competitiveness of "made in China" products.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
China to spend $9.52 bln in '09 on rural projects
Apr 22, 2009
Source: Reuters
China's State Council, or cabinet, announced on Wednesday plans to spend 65 billion yuan ($9.52 billion) on rural education, health care and irrigation projects, state news agency Xinhua said.
The cabinet said the global downturn was worsening and its impact on agricultural production and the rural economy had become more pronounced as commodity demand and prices slumped, the agency said.
It was not clear if the spending was part of an earlier plan to spend 370 billion yuan on rural infrastructure.
Strong steps must be taken to boost rural employment by increasing training and financial support, the agency said. ($=6.83 yuan) (Reporting by Kirby Chien, Editing by Dean Yates)
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Information Flash 200904
1. The author and trainer of “The 7e Way of Leaders”, Mr. Lu, completed a 42.195 km marathon within 6 hours and raised SG$51,00.00 for the charity of Singapore early this year. Mr. Lu believes that if, and only if, we try our best to achieve a goal, we can do it!
We received 100% satisfaction from the participants and Company owner Mr. Meng said that they would like to collaborate more with ULOM on training programmes in the future.
3. The economic crisis is affecting the business environment. ULOM is planning a series of stress relieving programmes for professionals. For details, please call us at (86) 21 5079 3962 or please pay attention to our Information Flash.
4. ULOM secured a one-year business management services contract with R&M China Co., Ltd. in March 2009. ULOM will be responsible for the major marketing and administrative work of R&M China Co., Ltd.
5. ULOM Management Consultancy (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. participated in the Corporate Image & Product Trade Forum organized by the of Shanghai Pudong District Government on 5th March 2009. During the forum, a few entrepreneurs enquired about staff training plans with ULOM.
6. ULOM was elected to be a member of Shanghai Public Relation Association in February 2009.
2. ULOM tailor made and implemented the “Customer Services” training programme for Shanghai Tongzi Automotive Service Co., Ltd.
We received 100% satisfaction from the participants and Company owner Mr. Meng said that they would like to collaborate more with ULOM on training programmes in the future.3. The economic crisis is affecting the business environment. ULOM is planning a series of stress relieving programmes for professionals. For details, please call us at (86) 21 5079 3962 or please pay attention to our Information Flash.
4. ULOM secured a one-year business management services contract with R&M China Co., Ltd. in March 2009. ULOM will be responsible for the major marketing and administrative work of R&M China Co., Ltd.
5. ULOM Management Consultancy (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. participated in the Corporate Image & Product Trade Forum organized by the of Shanghai Pudong District Government on 5th March 2009. During the forum, a few entrepreneurs enquired about staff training plans with ULOM.
6. ULOM was elected to be a member of Shanghai Public Relation Association in February 2009.
Friday, April 10, 2009
China’s graduates emerge to a harsher world
April 9 2009
Source: The Financial Times
Getting a job is no easy task anywhere in the world right now and China is no exception, despite the fact that the economy is still growing.
Therefore, many of the more than 6m young people who are due to graduate from university in China this June are becoming nervous.
“I don’t know where I am going to go three months from now,” says Zhang Ming, an undergraduate at China Youth University for Political Sciences.
Set to finish an international trade degree this summer, he took entry exams for a post-graduate law studies programme, hoping for a chance to delay his entry to the job market beyond the current trough.
But he missed the required mark by a few points.
Now he will be forced to move out of relatively affordable student housing and lose a monthly stipend – and is clueless as to his future.
The government is as worried as the students themselves. Yin Weimin, minister of human resources and social security, has spoken of a “grave” situation and named the unemployment threat to fresh graduates as his most serious concern beside the growing army of jobless migrant workers.
None of this, however, is a surprise. Education experts say the current problems are only partly the result of the global financial crisis. They are also rooted in structural distortions stemming from failed education policies.
“One factor is that about a decade ago, we started aggressively recruiting more students into university,” says Zhao Beiping who has been giving counselling at the student career centre at Wuhan University of Technology for decades.
He observes that this has not been matched by efforts to enhance the quality of university education, nor by training to make students fitter for the job market.
“For many students, getting into university is their goal in life, and they don’t think beyond that, and unfortunately it’s the same problem with the parents,” he says, adding that “our country’s university education and human resources training are not suited to the needs of a market economy.”
In more specific terms, graduates are often well-trained in theoretical subjects but lack the practical skills and thinking wanted by employers.
Job expectations among graduates are also a gross mismatch to what is available.
“Graduates are fixated on getting jobs as civil servants, in foreign companies or big state-owned companies, and in the big cities – in short, jobs which, they have been led to believe, are the best-paid and safest,” says Mr Zhao.
As exports have plunged over the past few months, companies in the export-dependent coastal cities have become extremely cautious about hiring new staff.
The state cannot make up for that gap – in civil service exams late last year, there were only 1.3 jobs on offer for every 100 applicants.
Teachers also complain that China’s one-child policy and the rapid increase of incomes in many urban families has produced a generation that sorely lacks qualities such as the ability, treasured by older Chinese, to “eat bitterness”, or survive through hard times without complaining.
“We are talking about spoiled young people here,” said a teacher at Xiamen University who asked not to be named.
Surveys conducted by several universities indicate that students – forced to recognise reality – are starting to adjust their expectations.
While graduates at Wuhan University of Technology used to ask for starting salaries of Rmb2,000 to Rmb4,000 a month three years ago, many will now settle for Rmb1,800.
But these are just average numbers, and there is much less of a change in attitude at leading national institutions such as Peking University, Tsinghua University or Fudan University.
Graduates from relatively well-off families with household registrations in the capital or other wealthy cities, such as Shanghai or Guangzhou, are also much less inclined to lower their expectations.
That leaves those such as Mr Zhang, whose home is in Guizhou, one of China’s poorest provinces.
“I want to work in an export enterprise somewhere in south-east China,” he says.
“But it looks like that might not work out right away, so maybe I need to go to some more backward place to work first.”
University administrations are eager to use the current crisis to give their students a better sense of what they need to prepare for when they graduate.
As a result, they are starting more counselling programmes. The government, meanwhile, urges local authorities and schools to hold more job fairs.
But that does not change the fact that there are too few jobs in the first place.
Graduates, such as Mr Zhang, from less well-known institutions and with what education experts refer to as “fashionable degrees” are losing out.
He went to job fairs held at Peking University and Tsinghua University last month. “But the morning was reserved for their own students, and by noon, there was almost nothing left,” he says.
Source: The Financial Times
Getting a job is no easy task anywhere in the world right now and China is no exception, despite the fact that the economy is still growing.
Therefore, many of the more than 6m young people who are due to graduate from university in China this June are becoming nervous.
“I don’t know where I am going to go three months from now,” says Zhang Ming, an undergraduate at China Youth University for Political Sciences.
Set to finish an international trade degree this summer, he took entry exams for a post-graduate law studies programme, hoping for a chance to delay his entry to the job market beyond the current trough.
But he missed the required mark by a few points.
Now he will be forced to move out of relatively affordable student housing and lose a monthly stipend – and is clueless as to his future.
The government is as worried as the students themselves. Yin Weimin, minister of human resources and social security, has spoken of a “grave” situation and named the unemployment threat to fresh graduates as his most serious concern beside the growing army of jobless migrant workers.
None of this, however, is a surprise. Education experts say the current problems are only partly the result of the global financial crisis. They are also rooted in structural distortions stemming from failed education policies.
“One factor is that about a decade ago, we started aggressively recruiting more students into university,” says Zhao Beiping who has been giving counselling at the student career centre at Wuhan University of Technology for decades.
He observes that this has not been matched by efforts to enhance the quality of university education, nor by training to make students fitter for the job market.
“For many students, getting into university is their goal in life, and they don’t think beyond that, and unfortunately it’s the same problem with the parents,” he says, adding that “our country’s university education and human resources training are not suited to the needs of a market economy.”
In more specific terms, graduates are often well-trained in theoretical subjects but lack the practical skills and thinking wanted by employers.
Job expectations among graduates are also a gross mismatch to what is available.
“Graduates are fixated on getting jobs as civil servants, in foreign companies or big state-owned companies, and in the big cities – in short, jobs which, they have been led to believe, are the best-paid and safest,” says Mr Zhao.
As exports have plunged over the past few months, companies in the export-dependent coastal cities have become extremely cautious about hiring new staff.
The state cannot make up for that gap – in civil service exams late last year, there were only 1.3 jobs on offer for every 100 applicants.
Teachers also complain that China’s one-child policy and the rapid increase of incomes in many urban families has produced a generation that sorely lacks qualities such as the ability, treasured by older Chinese, to “eat bitterness”, or survive through hard times without complaining.
“We are talking about spoiled young people here,” said a teacher at Xiamen University who asked not to be named.
Surveys conducted by several universities indicate that students – forced to recognise reality – are starting to adjust their expectations.
While graduates at Wuhan University of Technology used to ask for starting salaries of Rmb2,000 to Rmb4,000 a month three years ago, many will now settle for Rmb1,800.
But these are just average numbers, and there is much less of a change in attitude at leading national institutions such as Peking University, Tsinghua University or Fudan University.
Graduates from relatively well-off families with household registrations in the capital or other wealthy cities, such as Shanghai or Guangzhou, are also much less inclined to lower their expectations.
That leaves those such as Mr Zhang, whose home is in Guizhou, one of China’s poorest provinces.
“I want to work in an export enterprise somewhere in south-east China,” he says.
“But it looks like that might not work out right away, so maybe I need to go to some more backward place to work first.”
University administrations are eager to use the current crisis to give their students a better sense of what they need to prepare for when they graduate.
As a result, they are starting more counselling programmes. The government, meanwhile, urges local authorities and schools to hold more job fairs.
But that does not change the fact that there are too few jobs in the first place.
Graduates, such as Mr Zhang, from less well-known institutions and with what education experts refer to as “fashionable degrees” are losing out.
He went to job fairs held at Peking University and Tsinghua University last month. “But the morning was reserved for their own students, and by noon, there was almost nothing left,” he says.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Plants (3)
Four small plants convey our hope of better times to come. Wish them would flourish and have their own living space in such a small flowerpot.Monday, March 30, 2009
Chinese Vice President stresses innovation in training young cadres
March 30, 2009
Source: Xinhua
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Monday called for innovation in nurturing and selecting young cadres.
"The training and selecting young cadres is of great importance for the lasting stability of the Party and the state," said Xi at a national panel discussion on the issue.
Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, called on Party committees at all levels to explore new ways to ensure the healthy growth of a generation of young cadres.
He said the work of training and selecting of young cadres deserved continuous attention, given the succession of old cadres by the new and their cooperation was an unending process.
He urged Party committees to educate young cadres with Marxist theories to improve their theoretical attainment.
"The education of ideal and conviction is a fundamental task," he said. The young cadres should be guided and helped in fortifying their conviction in socialism with Chinese characteristics.
He also called for Party committees to enhance the education of Party spirit among young cadres and strengthen the cultivation of their morality, stressing the education of loyalty and resisting corruption.
Xi said young cadres should be encouraged to temper themselves at the grass-roots level positions.
"The promising ones should be sent to the places featuring harsh conditions."
Source: Xinhua
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Monday called for innovation in nurturing and selecting young cadres.
"The training and selecting young cadres is of great importance for the lasting stability of the Party and the state," said Xi at a national panel discussion on the issue.
Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, called on Party committees at all levels to explore new ways to ensure the healthy growth of a generation of young cadres.
He said the work of training and selecting of young cadres deserved continuous attention, given the succession of old cadres by the new and their cooperation was an unending process.
He urged Party committees to educate young cadres with Marxist theories to improve their theoretical attainment.
"The education of ideal and conviction is a fundamental task," he said. The young cadres should be guided and helped in fortifying their conviction in socialism with Chinese characteristics.
He also called for Party committees to enhance the education of Party spirit among young cadres and strengthen the cultivation of their morality, stressing the education of loyalty and resisting corruption.
Xi said young cadres should be encouraged to temper themselves at the grass-roots level positions.
"The promising ones should be sent to the places featuring harsh conditions."
Hangzhou hands out coupons to subsidize education
2009-03-29
Source: China Daily
On Friday Hangzhou in east China began to distribute more than 100 million yuan ($14.6 million) in coupons to help financially-stricken students or workers pay for academic education or vocational training in an effort to better prepare them for competition in the tightening job market.
Potential beneficiaries for coupons in the scenic city of Zhejiang province include fresh graduates from universities in Hangzhou, local students in Hangzhou universities and school-age children of migrant workers. Each coupon has a face value of 100 yuan and a receiver may get 300-2,000 yuan.
A senior Hangzhou official explained that the objective for the coupon plan was to help students and workers improve their academic credentials and professional skills to better compete in the fierce job market.
“We are handing out coupons with the hope to subsidize college education for the financially-disadvantaged students, who can use the coupons to pay part of their tuition. Meanwhile, we want to help workers in Hangzhou boost their educational levels or vocational skills,” said Sun Zhenzhou, deputy secretary-general of Hangzhou city government in the provincial capital.
About 100,000 fresh graduates in 47 universities are entitled to five coupons, or 500 yuan, per person. College students from low income families in Hangzhou will receive 2,000 yuan and children of migrant workers will get 300 yuan, both of which can only be used to pay tuition.
Permanent urban residents who take vocational training courses and manage to get certificates can receive 500 yuan. However, taking the “dual-certificate system” courses for both professional credentials and academic certificates means 1,200 yuan each. Residents with no high school education can also have 1,700 yuan if they apply for such training.
The education coupons carry real names of receivers and are instructed to be used in designated educational institutions.
The first 114 institutions designated for academic education included the Hangzhou Normal University and the first 72 institutions for vocational training included the Zhejiang Training Center for Employment. Courses are provided in 86 kinds of positions, including lathe men, electricians and software programmers.
The coupons are valid from April 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010.
Source: China Daily
On Friday Hangzhou in east China began to distribute more than 100 million yuan ($14.6 million) in coupons to help financially-stricken students or workers pay for academic education or vocational training in an effort to better prepare them for competition in the tightening job market.
Potential beneficiaries for coupons in the scenic city of Zhejiang province include fresh graduates from universities in Hangzhou, local students in Hangzhou universities and school-age children of migrant workers. Each coupon has a face value of 100 yuan and a receiver may get 300-2,000 yuan.
A senior Hangzhou official explained that the objective for the coupon plan was to help students and workers improve their academic credentials and professional skills to better compete in the fierce job market.
“We are handing out coupons with the hope to subsidize college education for the financially-disadvantaged students, who can use the coupons to pay part of their tuition. Meanwhile, we want to help workers in Hangzhou boost their educational levels or vocational skills,” said Sun Zhenzhou, deputy secretary-general of Hangzhou city government in the provincial capital.
About 100,000 fresh graduates in 47 universities are entitled to five coupons, or 500 yuan, per person. College students from low income families in Hangzhou will receive 2,000 yuan and children of migrant workers will get 300 yuan, both of which can only be used to pay tuition.
Permanent urban residents who take vocational training courses and manage to get certificates can receive 500 yuan. However, taking the “dual-certificate system” courses for both professional credentials and academic certificates means 1,200 yuan each. Residents with no high school education can also have 1,700 yuan if they apply for such training.
The education coupons carry real names of receivers and are instructed to be used in designated educational institutions.
The first 114 institutions designated for academic education included the Hangzhou Normal University and the first 72 institutions for vocational training included the Zhejiang Training Center for Employment. Courses are provided in 86 kinds of positions, including lathe men, electricians and software programmers.
The coupons are valid from April 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010.
E China city to launch second coupon package
2009-02-24
Source: Xinhua
The government of Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, is planning to release a second batch of purchasing coupons in April to further boost the city's consumption, said an official on Tuesday.
Hangzhou earlier distributed 100 million yuan (about US$14.28 million) in coupons to low-income citizens in January, prior to Chinese lunar new year.
Wang Guoping, secretary of the city's Committee of the Communist Party of China, said this 600 million worth yuan worth of coupons will be used in sectors including tourism, social security, and education which the government wants most to boost.
However, the first batch of coupons distributed, which came from the city's financial department, have raised doubts about the legality of the government using money in coupons, and whether the coupon distribution would upset the city's economic balance.
Wang said that having taken the above doubts into consideration, the city government is considering encouraging citizens to subscribe to the second batch of coupons with their after-tax salary.
Quake-hit Chengdu in the southwest and the eastern city of Nanjing last month gave low-income residents coupons for shopping and entertainment.
These programs are part of a larger national effort to boost domestic consumption in response to the impact of the global economic downturn.
Source: Xinhua
The government of Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, is planning to release a second batch of purchasing coupons in April to further boost the city's consumption, said an official on Tuesday.
Hangzhou earlier distributed 100 million yuan (about US$14.28 million) in coupons to low-income citizens in January, prior to Chinese lunar new year.
Wang Guoping, secretary of the city's Committee of the Communist Party of China, said this 600 million worth yuan worth of coupons will be used in sectors including tourism, social security, and education which the government wants most to boost.
However, the first batch of coupons distributed, which came from the city's financial department, have raised doubts about the legality of the government using money in coupons, and whether the coupon distribution would upset the city's economic balance.
Wang said that having taken the above doubts into consideration, the city government is considering encouraging citizens to subscribe to the second batch of coupons with their after-tax salary.
Quake-hit Chengdu in the southwest and the eastern city of Nanjing last month gave low-income residents coupons for shopping and entertainment.
These programs are part of a larger national effort to boost domestic consumption in response to the impact of the global economic downturn.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
World Bank cuts China GDP estimate again, to 6.5%
March 18, 2009
Source: MarketWatch
The World Bank has cut China's gross domestic product estimate for 2009 to 6.5% -- a forecast that falls below the mainland's own projection of an 8% expansion this year.
In its latest view of the Chinese economy released Wednesday, the World Bank said the exports from the mainland "have been hit badly" in the wake of the global financial turmoil, affecting the country's manufacturing sector.
The global monetary authority's latest view on the Chinese economy follows recent downgrades of its projections for global GDP growth and imports in 2009. In November, the World Bank had cut China's 2009 GDP estimate to 7.5% from 9.2%.
China's economic growth slowed to 6.8% in the fourth quarter of 2008 from the year-earlier period, capping full-year growth to 9%, preliminary figures showed in January. In 2007, the economy ballooned 13%.
The World Bank revision comes barely a week after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said the country could achieve the 8% growth target this year, helped by the strength of its domestic market and the government's economic stimulus measures.
David Dollar, World Bank's country director for China wrote in a statement that mainland was "a relative bright spot in an otherwise gloomy global economy."
"Shifting China's output from exports to domestic needs helps to provide immediate stimulus while laying the foundation for more sustainable growth in the future," Dollar wrote.
Data released earlier this month showed that Chinese exports tumbled 25.7% to $64.8 billion in February from the year-earlier period, underscoring the impact of the weakening global demand for Chinese goods and services amid an economic downturn.
Still, other official figures showed strong bank lending and an increase in February fixed-asset investments, reflecting efforts by the Chinese government to support the economy by introducing various measures to boost spending and to encourage banks to make loans to domestic companies.
Louis Kuijs, a senior economist and the main author of the World Bank report, said the somewhat lower growth wasn't likely to jeopardize China's economy or social stability, "especially not if the adverse consequences of the downturn for employment and people's livelihoods can be limited through the social safety net, preferably combined with education and training."
The Chinese stock markets were largely unmoved by the World Bank report, with the Shanghai Composite Index recently rising 0.5% to 2,228.21, while the Shenzhen All Share Index gained 1.1% to 737.74.
Source: MarketWatch
The World Bank has cut China's gross domestic product estimate for 2009 to 6.5% -- a forecast that falls below the mainland's own projection of an 8% expansion this year.
In its latest view of the Chinese economy released Wednesday, the World Bank said the exports from the mainland "have been hit badly" in the wake of the global financial turmoil, affecting the country's manufacturing sector.
The global monetary authority's latest view on the Chinese economy follows recent downgrades of its projections for global GDP growth and imports in 2009. In November, the World Bank had cut China's 2009 GDP estimate to 7.5% from 9.2%.
China's economic growth slowed to 6.8% in the fourth quarter of 2008 from the year-earlier period, capping full-year growth to 9%, preliminary figures showed in January. In 2007, the economy ballooned 13%.
The World Bank revision comes barely a week after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said the country could achieve the 8% growth target this year, helped by the strength of its domestic market and the government's economic stimulus measures.
David Dollar, World Bank's country director for China wrote in a statement that mainland was "a relative bright spot in an otherwise gloomy global economy."
"Shifting China's output from exports to domestic needs helps to provide immediate stimulus while laying the foundation for more sustainable growth in the future," Dollar wrote.
Data released earlier this month showed that Chinese exports tumbled 25.7% to $64.8 billion in February from the year-earlier period, underscoring the impact of the weakening global demand for Chinese goods and services amid an economic downturn.
Still, other official figures showed strong bank lending and an increase in February fixed-asset investments, reflecting efforts by the Chinese government to support the economy by introducing various measures to boost spending and to encourage banks to make loans to domestic companies.
Louis Kuijs, a senior economist and the main author of the World Bank report, said the somewhat lower growth wasn't likely to jeopardize China's economy or social stability, "especially not if the adverse consequences of the downturn for employment and people's livelihoods can be limited through the social safety net, preferably combined with education and training."
The Chinese stock markets were largely unmoved by the World Bank report, with the Shanghai Composite Index recently rising 0.5% to 2,228.21, while the Shenzhen All Share Index gained 1.1% to 737.74.
Time to nurture, educate migrant workers
2009-03-21
Source: China Daily
China should act now to "strategically and thoroughly" reexamine the policies for millions of migrant workers who are unemployed due to the economic crisis, said a leading policy maker.
Liu He, deputy director of the Office of the Central Leading Group on Finance and Economy, said the need of the hour is to provide occupational training and education for the migrant workers.
"This is not just about employment but also something that has severe social implications," Liu told China Daily in an exclusive interview on Friday.
"If we do not tackle the problems of migrant workers in right earnest, the economic upgradation efforts may languish," he said.
China has recently unveiled the 4-trillion-yuan stimulus package and 10 other programs to help industrial sectors combat the crisis. "We need millions of skilled workers to translate the programs on paper into reality and hone the competitiveness of the industrial and manufacturing sectors," said Liu.
The shortage of skilled workers has, however, been a major problem for China for some time now, he said.
Millions of workers who used to earn their livelihood by producing export goods at the coastal factories have found themselves jobless as many factories closed down due to the crisis. On a rough estimate nearly 20 million workers have become unemployed due to the crisis.
The main problem for many migrant workers is that they do not have adequate funds for farming or to start small businesses back in their hometowns.
"If we don't take the labor problem seriously, it could lead to severe employment and social problems," Liu warned.
He said in the short term, the employment problem could be cushioned if the government is able to channel some of the jobless migrants back to their homes and encourage them to start farming by offering subsidies and professional training.
This is imperative as many of the migrant workers may find it difficult to get their old jobs back as consumers across the world are becoming thriftier and trade protectionism is on the rise. Many of the factories in China are also facing the piquant situation of production capacities far surpassing demand.
"This makes it hard to open new factories and create more jobs," he said.
"In the long run, if we have to solve China's migrant problem, we should look for strategic arrangements," said Liu.
"The strategic arrangement should focus on revamping China's industry and income distribution policy," said Liu.
The government should continue to support labor-intensive industries and increase domestic consumption to create more jobs for migrants.
In addition, migrants should be given urban household registration rights and the same social welfare as city residents. China's urbanization rate is around 45 percent and annually, about 230 million migrants are moving between cities and their rural homes.
In his work report to the National People's Congress in early March, Premier Wen Jiabao said the government would take quick measures to provide training and social security benefits to farmers and migrant workers.
According to Liu, China's goal of achieving 8 percent economic growth this year depends largely on global trade protectionism, job prospects for migrant workers and the severity of the financial crisis.
He said all the three problems are "closely interlinked" to one another.
"Free trade is not only a gospel for China's growth but also for the rest of the world," said Liu. "Ever since the financial crisis unfolded, many countries have agreed on free trade but in reality, they focus on trade balance and often encourage protectionism."
Though the globalization era was dominated by recession, Liu said it is not good to strive for a single country-based trade balance or even trade surplus.
"Such a scenario would be retrogressive for global development and also affect the rebuilding of the new international financial order," said Liu.
Criticizing countries for not doing enough to analyze the causes and lessons of the financial crisis, Liu said they are rather far too busy with stimulus packages.
Liu warned that the crisis could be followed by a sharp price hike globally just as it happened after the Great Depression (1929-33).
Most of the developed countries are lacking in new growth policies often needed to stimulate the real economy, he said.
"In the coming decade, there would be no effective global coordination and the potential risks of ups and downs also exist. In such a scenario the financial crisis could last longer than expected and we should be prepared for it," said Liu.
Source: China Daily
China should act now to "strategically and thoroughly" reexamine the policies for millions of migrant workers who are unemployed due to the economic crisis, said a leading policy maker.
Liu He, deputy director of the Office of the Central Leading Group on Finance and Economy, said the need of the hour is to provide occupational training and education for the migrant workers.
"This is not just about employment but also something that has severe social implications," Liu told China Daily in an exclusive interview on Friday.
"If we do not tackle the problems of migrant workers in right earnest, the economic upgradation efforts may languish," he said.
China has recently unveiled the 4-trillion-yuan stimulus package and 10 other programs to help industrial sectors combat the crisis. "We need millions of skilled workers to translate the programs on paper into reality and hone the competitiveness of the industrial and manufacturing sectors," said Liu.
The shortage of skilled workers has, however, been a major problem for China for some time now, he said.
Millions of workers who used to earn their livelihood by producing export goods at the coastal factories have found themselves jobless as many factories closed down due to the crisis. On a rough estimate nearly 20 million workers have become unemployed due to the crisis.
The main problem for many migrant workers is that they do not have adequate funds for farming or to start small businesses back in their hometowns.
"If we don't take the labor problem seriously, it could lead to severe employment and social problems," Liu warned.
He said in the short term, the employment problem could be cushioned if the government is able to channel some of the jobless migrants back to their homes and encourage them to start farming by offering subsidies and professional training.
This is imperative as many of the migrant workers may find it difficult to get their old jobs back as consumers across the world are becoming thriftier and trade protectionism is on the rise. Many of the factories in China are also facing the piquant situation of production capacities far surpassing demand.
"This makes it hard to open new factories and create more jobs," he said.
"In the long run, if we have to solve China's migrant problem, we should look for strategic arrangements," said Liu.
"The strategic arrangement should focus on revamping China's industry and income distribution policy," said Liu.
The government should continue to support labor-intensive industries and increase domestic consumption to create more jobs for migrants.
In addition, migrants should be given urban household registration rights and the same social welfare as city residents. China's urbanization rate is around 45 percent and annually, about 230 million migrants are moving between cities and their rural homes.
In his work report to the National People's Congress in early March, Premier Wen Jiabao said the government would take quick measures to provide training and social security benefits to farmers and migrant workers.
According to Liu, China's goal of achieving 8 percent economic growth this year depends largely on global trade protectionism, job prospects for migrant workers and the severity of the financial crisis.
He said all the three problems are "closely interlinked" to one another.
"Free trade is not only a gospel for China's growth but also for the rest of the world," said Liu. "Ever since the financial crisis unfolded, many countries have agreed on free trade but in reality, they focus on trade balance and often encourage protectionism."
Though the globalization era was dominated by recession, Liu said it is not good to strive for a single country-based trade balance or even trade surplus.
"Such a scenario would be retrogressive for global development and also affect the rebuilding of the new international financial order," said Liu.
Criticizing countries for not doing enough to analyze the causes and lessons of the financial crisis, Liu said they are rather far too busy with stimulus packages.
Liu warned that the crisis could be followed by a sharp price hike globally just as it happened after the Great Depression (1929-33).
Most of the developed countries are lacking in new growth policies often needed to stimulate the real economy, he said.
"In the coming decade, there would be no effective global coordination and the potential risks of ups and downs also exist. In such a scenario the financial crisis could last longer than expected and we should be prepared for it," said Liu.
Eating Food That’s Better for You, Organic or Not
March 22, 2009
Source: The New York Times
In the six-and-one-half years since the federal government began certifying food as “organic,” Americans have taken to the idea with considerable enthusiasm. Sales have at least doubled, and three-quarters of the nation’s grocery stores now carry at least some organic food. A Harris poll in October 2007 found that about 30 percent of Americans buy organic food at least on occasion, and most think it is safer, better for the environment and healthier.
“People believe it must be better for you if it’s organic,” says Phil Howard, an assistant professor of community, food and agriculture at Michigan State University.
So I discovered on a recent book tour around the United States and Canada.
No matter how carefully I avoided using the word “organic” when I spoke to groups of food enthusiasts about how to eat better, someone in the audience would inevitably ask, “What if I can’t afford to buy organic food?” It seems to have become the magic cure-all, synonymous with eating well, healthfully, sanely, even ethically.
But eating “organic” offers no guarantee of any of that. And the truth is that most Americans eat so badly — we get 7 percent of our calories from soft drinks, more than we do from vegetables; the top food group by caloric intake is “sweets”; and one-third of nation’s adults are now obese — that the organic question is a secondary one. It’s not unimportant, but it’s not the primary issue in the way Americans eat.
To eat well, says Michael Pollan, the author of “In Defense of Food,” means avoiding “edible food-like substances” and sticking to real ingredients, increasingly from the plant kingdom. (Americans each consume an average of nearly two pounds a day of animal products.) There’s plenty of evidence that both a person’s health — as well as the environment’s — will improve with a simple shift in eating habits away from animal products and highly processed foods to plant products and what might be called “real food.” (With all due respect to people in the “food movement,” the food need not be “slow,” either.)
From these changes, Americans would reduce the amount of land, water and chemicals used to produce the food we eat, as well as the incidence of lifestyle diseases linked to unhealthy diets, and greenhouse gases from industrial meat production. All without legislation.
And the food would not necessarily have to be organic, which, under the United States Department of Agriculture’s definition, means it is generally free of synthetic substances; contains no antibiotics and hormones; has not been irradiated or fertilized with sewage sludge; was raised without the use of most conventional pesticides; and contains no genetically modified ingredients.
Those requirements, which must be met in order for food to be labeled “U.S.D.A. Organic,” are fine, of course. But they still fall short of the lofty dreams of early organic farmers and consumers who gave the word “organic” its allure — of returning natural nutrients and substance to the soil in the same proportion used by the growing process (there is no requirement that this be done); of raising animals humanely in accordance with nature (animals must be given access to the outdoors, but for how long and under what conditions is not spelled out); and of producing the most nutritious food possible (the evidence is mixed on whether organic food is more nutritious) in the most ecologically conscious way.
The government’s organic program, says Joan Shaffer, a spokeswoman for the Agriculture Department, “is a marketing program that sets standards for what can be certified as organic. Neither the enabling legislation nor the regulations address food safety or nutrition.”
People don’t understand that, nor do they realize “organic” doesn’t mean “local.” “It doesn’t matter if it’s from the farm down the road or from Chile,” Ms. Shaffer said. “As long as it meets the standards it’s organic.”
Hence, the organic status of salmon flown in from Chile, or of frozen vegetables grown in China and sold in the United States — no matter the size of the carbon footprint left behind by getting from there to here.
Today, most farmers who practice truly sustainable farming, or what you might call “organic in spirit,” operate on small scale, some so small they can’t afford the requirements to be certified organic by the government. Others say that certification isn’t meaningful enough to bother. These farmers argue that, “When you buy organic you don’t just buy a product, you buy a way of life that is committed to not exploiting the planet,” says Ed Maltby, executive director of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance.
But the organic food business is now big business, and getting bigger. Professor Howard estimates that major corporations now are responsible for at least 25 percent of all organic manufacturing and marketing (40 percent if you count only processed organic foods). Much of the nation’s organic food is as much a part of industrial food production as midwinter grapes, and becoming more so. In 2006, sales of organic foods and beverages totaled about $16.7 billion, according to the most recent figures from Organic Trade Association.
Still, those sales amounted to slightly less than 3 percent of overall food and beverage sales. For all the hoo-ha, organic food is not making much of an impact on the way Americans eat, though, as Mark Kastel, co-founder of The Cornucopia Institute, puts it: “There are generic benefits from doing organics. It protects the land from the ravages of conventional agriculture,” and safeguards farm workers from being exposed to pesticides.
But the questions remain over how we eat in general. It may feel better to eat an organic Oreo than a conventional Oreo, but, says Marion Nestle, a professor at New York University’s department of nutrition, food studies and public health, “Organic junk food is still junk food.”
Last week, Michelle Obama began digging up a patch of the South Lawn of the White House to plant an organic vegetable garden to provide food for the first family and, more important, to educate children about healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables at a time when obesity and diabetes have become national concerns.
But Mrs. Obama also emphasized that there were many changes Americans can make if they don’t have the time or space for an organic garden.
“You can begin in your own cupboard,” she said, “by eliminating processed food, trying to cook a meal a little more often, trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables.”
Popularizing such choices may not be as marketable as creating a logo that says “organic.” But when Americans have had their fill of “value-added” and overprocessed food, perhaps they can begin producing and consuming more food that treats animals and the land as if they mattered. Some of that food will be organic, and hooray for that. Meanwhile, they should remember that the word itself is not synonymous with “safe,” “healthy,” “fair” or even necessarily “good.”
Source: The New York Times
In the six-and-one-half years since the federal government began certifying food as “organic,” Americans have taken to the idea with considerable enthusiasm. Sales have at least doubled, and three-quarters of the nation’s grocery stores now carry at least some organic food. A Harris poll in October 2007 found that about 30 percent of Americans buy organic food at least on occasion, and most think it is safer, better for the environment and healthier.
“People believe it must be better for you if it’s organic,” says Phil Howard, an assistant professor of community, food and agriculture at Michigan State University.
So I discovered on a recent book tour around the United States and Canada.
No matter how carefully I avoided using the word “organic” when I spoke to groups of food enthusiasts about how to eat better, someone in the audience would inevitably ask, “What if I can’t afford to buy organic food?” It seems to have become the magic cure-all, synonymous with eating well, healthfully, sanely, even ethically.
But eating “organic” offers no guarantee of any of that. And the truth is that most Americans eat so badly — we get 7 percent of our calories from soft drinks, more than we do from vegetables; the top food group by caloric intake is “sweets”; and one-third of nation’s adults are now obese — that the organic question is a secondary one. It’s not unimportant, but it’s not the primary issue in the way Americans eat.
To eat well, says Michael Pollan, the author of “In Defense of Food,” means avoiding “edible food-like substances” and sticking to real ingredients, increasingly from the plant kingdom. (Americans each consume an average of nearly two pounds a day of animal products.) There’s plenty of evidence that both a person’s health — as well as the environment’s — will improve with a simple shift in eating habits away from animal products and highly processed foods to plant products and what might be called “real food.” (With all due respect to people in the “food movement,” the food need not be “slow,” either.)
From these changes, Americans would reduce the amount of land, water and chemicals used to produce the food we eat, as well as the incidence of lifestyle diseases linked to unhealthy diets, and greenhouse gases from industrial meat production. All without legislation.
And the food would not necessarily have to be organic, which, under the United States Department of Agriculture’s definition, means it is generally free of synthetic substances; contains no antibiotics and hormones; has not been irradiated or fertilized with sewage sludge; was raised without the use of most conventional pesticides; and contains no genetically modified ingredients.
Those requirements, which must be met in order for food to be labeled “U.S.D.A. Organic,” are fine, of course. But they still fall short of the lofty dreams of early organic farmers and consumers who gave the word “organic” its allure — of returning natural nutrients and substance to the soil in the same proportion used by the growing process (there is no requirement that this be done); of raising animals humanely in accordance with nature (animals must be given access to the outdoors, but for how long and under what conditions is not spelled out); and of producing the most nutritious food possible (the evidence is mixed on whether organic food is more nutritious) in the most ecologically conscious way.
The government’s organic program, says Joan Shaffer, a spokeswoman for the Agriculture Department, “is a marketing program that sets standards for what can be certified as organic. Neither the enabling legislation nor the regulations address food safety or nutrition.”
People don’t understand that, nor do they realize “organic” doesn’t mean “local.” “It doesn’t matter if it’s from the farm down the road or from Chile,” Ms. Shaffer said. “As long as it meets the standards it’s organic.”
Hence, the organic status of salmon flown in from Chile, or of frozen vegetables grown in China and sold in the United States — no matter the size of the carbon footprint left behind by getting from there to here.
Today, most farmers who practice truly sustainable farming, or what you might call “organic in spirit,” operate on small scale, some so small they can’t afford the requirements to be certified organic by the government. Others say that certification isn’t meaningful enough to bother. These farmers argue that, “When you buy organic you don’t just buy a product, you buy a way of life that is committed to not exploiting the planet,” says Ed Maltby, executive director of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance.
But the organic food business is now big business, and getting bigger. Professor Howard estimates that major corporations now are responsible for at least 25 percent of all organic manufacturing and marketing (40 percent if you count only processed organic foods). Much of the nation’s organic food is as much a part of industrial food production as midwinter grapes, and becoming more so. In 2006, sales of organic foods and beverages totaled about $16.7 billion, according to the most recent figures from Organic Trade Association.
Still, those sales amounted to slightly less than 3 percent of overall food and beverage sales. For all the hoo-ha, organic food is not making much of an impact on the way Americans eat, though, as Mark Kastel, co-founder of The Cornucopia Institute, puts it: “There are generic benefits from doing organics. It protects the land from the ravages of conventional agriculture,” and safeguards farm workers from being exposed to pesticides.
But the questions remain over how we eat in general. It may feel better to eat an organic Oreo than a conventional Oreo, but, says Marion Nestle, a professor at New York University’s department of nutrition, food studies and public health, “Organic junk food is still junk food.”
Last week, Michelle Obama began digging up a patch of the South Lawn of the White House to plant an organic vegetable garden to provide food for the first family and, more important, to educate children about healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables at a time when obesity and diabetes have become national concerns.
But Mrs. Obama also emphasized that there were many changes Americans can make if they don’t have the time or space for an organic garden.
“You can begin in your own cupboard,” she said, “by eliminating processed food, trying to cook a meal a little more often, trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables.”
Popularizing such choices may not be as marketable as creating a logo that says “organic.” But when Americans have had their fill of “value-added” and overprocessed food, perhaps they can begin producing and consuming more food that treats animals and the land as if they mattered. Some of that food will be organic, and hooray for that. Meanwhile, they should remember that the word itself is not synonymous with “safe,” “healthy,” “fair” or even necessarily “good.”
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Vocational education to help laid-off Chinese workers find jobs
2009-03-12
Source: Xinhua
BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China plans to expand the scale of vocational education this year to train more laid-off rural workers who seek re-employment with new skills, the Ministry of Education said on Thursday.
Vocational schools will enroll 8.6 million students this year, 500,000 more than last year's figure, said a ministry's notice issued to local education departments.
"Governments should encourage vocational schools to help home-returning migrant workers acquire necessary skills so that they can get re-employed soon," said the notice.
Migrant workers, most of whom work on assembly lines in China's economically booming regions, were the hardest-hit group amid the economic downturn sweeping the country.
Government statistics in February showed that about 20 million, or 15 percent of the country's total migrant workers, lost their urban jobs and returned to their rural hometowns.
Besides creating more job opportunities, governments have encouraged workers to receive skill training as preparation for reemployment in future.
The ministry said governments would provide subsidies to such vocational training programs, but did not give details.
The ministry will strengthen regular inspections on whether local vocational schools have fulfilled their tasks.
In 2008, 35 million migration workers attended training lessons at vocational schools, and another 50 million farmers took training courses on farming skills.
The ministry also urged schools in rural areas to guarantee the enrollment of children of migrant workers, who previously studied at schools in cities but now have to return home with parents.
Students at primary and junior secondary schools should enjoy equal treatment such as free tuition and textbook fees, and free accommodation at schools poorer areas.
China has been putting a total of 218.2 billion yuan (31.9 billion U.S. dollars) in the 2006-2010 period into education in order to gradually provide free education for all rural students at primary and junior secondary schools.
Source: Xinhua
BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China plans to expand the scale of vocational education this year to train more laid-off rural workers who seek re-employment with new skills, the Ministry of Education said on Thursday.
Vocational schools will enroll 8.6 million students this year, 500,000 more than last year's figure, said a ministry's notice issued to local education departments.
"Governments should encourage vocational schools to help home-returning migrant workers acquire necessary skills so that they can get re-employed soon," said the notice.
Migrant workers, most of whom work on assembly lines in China's economically booming regions, were the hardest-hit group amid the economic downturn sweeping the country.
Government statistics in February showed that about 20 million, or 15 percent of the country's total migrant workers, lost their urban jobs and returned to their rural hometowns.
Besides creating more job opportunities, governments have encouraged workers to receive skill training as preparation for reemployment in future.
The ministry said governments would provide subsidies to such vocational training programs, but did not give details.
The ministry will strengthen regular inspections on whether local vocational schools have fulfilled their tasks.
In 2008, 35 million migration workers attended training lessons at vocational schools, and another 50 million farmers took training courses on farming skills.
The ministry also urged schools in rural areas to guarantee the enrollment of children of migrant workers, who previously studied at schools in cities but now have to return home with parents.
Students at primary and junior secondary schools should enjoy equal treatment such as free tuition and textbook fees, and free accommodation at schools poorer areas.
China has been putting a total of 218.2 billion yuan (31.9 billion U.S. dollars) in the 2006-2010 period into education in order to gradually provide free education for all rural students at primary and junior secondary schools.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Crisis could cost Singapore 99,000 jobs: DBS
Feb 25, 2009
Source: AFP
Singapore could lose a total of 99,000 jobs during the current recession, with more than half of the cuts in the key manufacturing sector, an analysis by local bank DBS said Wednesday.
"There will be a net loss of about 99,000 jobs due to the current recession and we also expect this to stretch into 2010", the bank said in its report.
Unemployment is likely to hit 4.8 percent this year and peak at 5.0 percent by the middle of 2010, it said.
"Labour markets are expected to deteriorate further," DBS added.
"The manufacturing sector is expected to be the worst hit with job losses of about 58,000 as the global recession chokes up demand for our manufactured exports."
The bulk of output from Singapore's manufacturing sector ends up as exports to the world's major economies, but recessions in those markets have severely affected local factories.
DBS said it has also downgraded its growth outlook for the city-state to a contraction of 4.8 percent this year from 3.8 percent previously, due to the "sharp collapse in global demand and export sales."
An "aggressive" stimulus package totalling 20.5 billion Singapore dollars (13.4 billion US) will only cushion the blows from the recession, the bank said.
Latest official data in Singapore said the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 2.6 percent in December, and companies laid off 7,000 workers during the last three months of 2008.
Singapore's worst recession occurred in 1964, just before independence, when the economy shrank 3.8 percent.
Source: AFP
Singapore could lose a total of 99,000 jobs during the current recession, with more than half of the cuts in the key manufacturing sector, an analysis by local bank DBS said Wednesday.
"There will be a net loss of about 99,000 jobs due to the current recession and we also expect this to stretch into 2010", the bank said in its report.
Unemployment is likely to hit 4.8 percent this year and peak at 5.0 percent by the middle of 2010, it said.
"Labour markets are expected to deteriorate further," DBS added.
"The manufacturing sector is expected to be the worst hit with job losses of about 58,000 as the global recession chokes up demand for our manufactured exports."
The bulk of output from Singapore's manufacturing sector ends up as exports to the world's major economies, but recessions in those markets have severely affected local factories.
DBS said it has also downgraded its growth outlook for the city-state to a contraction of 4.8 percent this year from 3.8 percent previously, due to the "sharp collapse in global demand and export sales."
An "aggressive" stimulus package totalling 20.5 billion Singapore dollars (13.4 billion US) will only cushion the blows from the recession, the bank said.
Latest official data in Singapore said the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 2.6 percent in December, and companies laid off 7,000 workers during the last three months of 2008.
Singapore's worst recession occurred in 1964, just before independence, when the economy shrank 3.8 percent.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Chinese culture and business etiquette
A 5-hour workshop can be tailor-made and /or organized by ULOM in a very fun-fill environment (non-classroom).
Time: Afternoon
Time: Afternoon
Workshop fees: RMB1,000 per participant inclusive of one Chinese afternoon tea session
Minimum class size: 15 participants
Maximum class size: 25 participants
Date: To be fixed once there are enough applicants to start a class
Contact: (86) 21 5079 3962 or email: info@ulomconsultancy.com
Irrigation and rain reduce drought-affected area in China
9 Feb 2009
Source: Xinhua / China View
· As of Monday, the acreage of drought-hit farmland was reduced by 25 million mu.
· China still have 276 million mu farmland and 136 million mu cropland affected by the drought.
· The area of affected winter wheat in the eight provinces stood at 130 million mu.
BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Increasing irrigation and rainfalls have helped ease the rare drought sweeping north China, with significant drop in affected arable land, according to the latest data released Monday by the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
As of Monday, the acreage of drought-hit farmland was reduced by 25 million mu (1.67 million hectares) from the peak of 299 million mu on Feb. 7, and that of cropland was reduced by 24.37 million mu.
The eight winter wheat growing provinces including Hebei and Shanxi posted a combined drop of 21.44 million mu of affected winter wheat from Sunday and a drop of 22.99 million mu from Saturday.
The country still have 276 million mu farmland and 136 million mu cropland affected by the worst drought in half a century, which leaves 3.46 million people and 1.66 million livestock short of drinking water as of Monday.
The area of affected winter wheat in the eight provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi and Gansu stood at 130 million mu.
Source: Xinhua / China View
· As of Monday, the acreage of drought-hit farmland was reduced by 25 million mu.
· China still have 276 million mu farmland and 136 million mu cropland affected by the drought.
· The area of affected winter wheat in the eight provinces stood at 130 million mu.
BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Increasing irrigation and rainfalls have helped ease the rare drought sweeping north China, with significant drop in affected arable land, according to the latest data released Monday by the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
As of Monday, the acreage of drought-hit farmland was reduced by 25 million mu (1.67 million hectares) from the peak of 299 million mu on Feb. 7, and that of cropland was reduced by 24.37 million mu.
The eight winter wheat growing provinces including Hebei and Shanxi posted a combined drop of 21.44 million mu of affected winter wheat from Sunday and a drop of 22.99 million mu from Saturday.
The country still have 276 million mu farmland and 136 million mu cropland affected by the worst drought in half a century, which leaves 3.46 million people and 1.66 million livestock short of drinking water as of Monday.
The area of affected winter wheat in the eight provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi and Gansu stood at 130 million mu.
Irrigation covers more than half of drought-hit wheat farmland in China
2009-02-08
Source: Xinhua / China View
· Irrigation has covered 52.7% of the wheat farmland in drought-hit provinces in China by Saturday.
· A total of 85 mln mu of wheat land have been irrigated in eight drought-stricken provincial regions.
· The central gov't has decided to earmark 400 million yuan to local governments for drought relief.
BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Irrigation has covered 52.7 percent of the wheat farmland in drought-hit provinces in China by Saturday, said the Ministry of Agriculture.
A total of 85 million mu (about 5.67 hectares) of wheat land have been irrigated in eight drought-stricken provincial regions, the ministry told a meeting on Sunday.
Minister Sun Zhengcai said it is of importance to fully use machines in the fight against drought.
He asked local governments to increase subsidies for farmers to buy more irrigation-related and water-saving equipments, and make every effort to expand the irrigation coverage and save water.
By Saturday, 152 million mu of wheat farmland, which accounted for 95 percent of the drought-stricken crops in China, was affected in eight provincial regions including Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi and Gansu.
Rain and snow from Friday to Sunday in the southeastern part of northwest China and the southwestern part of north China has reduced the area of drought-affected farmland by 20 million mu.
China experienced the most severe drought for decades. As of Saturday, 299 million mu of crops, 4.42 million people and 2.2 million heads of livestock were affected.
The crops affected was 110 million mu more than the average level during the same period in past years.
During a visit to central China's drought-hit Henan Province on Saturday and Sunday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has urged officials in drought-hit areas to place "top priority" on relief work as agricultural stability concerns China's bid to revive its economy.
China has declared the highest level of emergency in response to the drought, employing artificial means to induce rains and allocating 86.7 billion yuan (about 12.69 billion U.S. dollars) as subsidies to farmers.
In addition, the central government has decided to earmark 400 million yuan to local governments for drought relief.
Source: Xinhua / China View
· Irrigation has covered 52.7% of the wheat farmland in drought-hit provinces in China by Saturday.
· A total of 85 mln mu of wheat land have been irrigated in eight drought-stricken provincial regions.
· The central gov't has decided to earmark 400 million yuan to local governments for drought relief.
BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Irrigation has covered 52.7 percent of the wheat farmland in drought-hit provinces in China by Saturday, said the Ministry of Agriculture.
A total of 85 million mu (about 5.67 hectares) of wheat land have been irrigated in eight drought-stricken provincial regions, the ministry told a meeting on Sunday.
Minister Sun Zhengcai said it is of importance to fully use machines in the fight against drought.
He asked local governments to increase subsidies for farmers to buy more irrigation-related and water-saving equipments, and make every effort to expand the irrigation coverage and save water.
By Saturday, 152 million mu of wheat farmland, which accounted for 95 percent of the drought-stricken crops in China, was affected in eight provincial regions including Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi and Gansu.
Rain and snow from Friday to Sunday in the southeastern part of northwest China and the southwestern part of north China has reduced the area of drought-affected farmland by 20 million mu.
China experienced the most severe drought for decades. As of Saturday, 299 million mu of crops, 4.42 million people and 2.2 million heads of livestock were affected.
The crops affected was 110 million mu more than the average level during the same period in past years.
During a visit to central China's drought-hit Henan Province on Saturday and Sunday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has urged officials in drought-hit areas to place "top priority" on relief work as agricultural stability concerns China's bid to revive its economy.
China has declared the highest level of emergency in response to the drought, employing artificial means to induce rains and allocating 86.7 billion yuan (about 12.69 billion U.S. dollars) as subsidies to farmers.
In addition, the central government has decided to earmark 400 million yuan to local governments for drought relief.
China’s migrant workers face bleak outlook
February 8 2009
Source: Financial Times
China’s army of the rural unemployed has begun its long march back to coastal manufacturing centres. A year ago many of the annual migrants rapidly found work. But this year, in a sign of the impact of the global economic downturn, they are facing a bleaker scenario.
Employers in Shigu, an industrial area in the southern city of Dongguan, had to work hard this time last year to attract workers. Factories set up recruiting stations advertising the cleanliness of their dormitories and quality of their canteens. Milling workers, many of whom had jobs elsewhere but were on the lookout for an upgrade, queued up for tours of each factory’s facilities.
On Friday, however, Shigu was quiet. While many factories have posted job openings on their gates, last year’s beggars are this year’s choosers – and vice versa.
“It should be easier for us to recruit people this year,” said Chen Dan, an executive at the Huajian Group, a large shoemaker with a factory in the area.
“We will mainly recruit female workers,” he added, citing a preference common among Chinese manufacturers. “Before, we couldn’t find enough and had to take men.”
Next door to Huajian’s facility, a plastics factory advertised jobs for women between the ages of 18 and 40. That ruled out Zhu Zhaohuan on two counts. “Nobody wants to hire us, we’re over 40,” said Mr Zhu, who lost his job on a Dongguan construction site late last year. His wife, a factory worker, was also fired. The couple, from a poor rural area in nearby Huizhou, are struggling to support their two school-age children.
For China’s estimated 130m migrant workers, this inauspicious start to the Year of the Ox is only likely to get worse.
The return flow of workers from interior provinces, where they spend the festive season with their extended families, traditionally begins in earnest only after the Spring Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the lunar new year, which is Monday, February 9.
Last week Chen Xiwen, director of the government’s Central Rural Work Leading Group Office, cited an agriculture ministry estimate that 20m migrants had lost their jobs and returned home for the holiday. The figure, based on a survey of 150 villages and extrapolated across the country, was twice that calculated by the human resources ministry at the end of last year.
In raising the alarm that 20m unemployed migrants might soon be on the march – joined by perhaps 7m new entrants to the itinerant workforce – Mr Chen was putting on alert the Chinese bureaucracy, every level of which has been focused on making the migrants’ job hunt as “harmonious” as possible.
“We have demanded that companies and factories should avoid job cuts as best they can,” said Zhao Jiande, an official with the Shanghai labour bureau’s Migrant Workers Office. “Companies have taken measures to keep as many positions as possible – either through prolonging the holidays or shortening work shifts.”
Zhang Yuexing, a masseuse who has settled in Shanghai with her husband, personifies the government’s potential nightmare. Her five siblings, who recently lost their carpentry and manufacturing jobs, are stranded back on the family farm in inland Anhui province. “I’m the only one who returned after Chinese new year,” she said.
It is unlikely, however, that the Zhang family’s predicament represents a systemic threat to the Chinese Communist party’s grip on power, even if there are another 20m recently unemployed migrants loitering in villages across the country.
While that is a large number of potentially disaffected people, equivalent to the entire population of Australia, from the Chinese government’s perspective it is a huge relief that they are not all in one place.
Localised disturbances are a common occurrence and these are only likely to multiply in the months ahead. But Chinese workers focus their anger first on the factories and bosses that fire them, with local government officials quick to adopt an empathetic and supportive pose when disputes flare up.
Equally important, the Chinese state’s ability to sniff out and suppress the stirring of a more ambitious labour movement remains formidable.
“I don’t really see a huge threat to social or political stability,” says Han Dongfang, director of the China Labour Bulletin in Hong Kong.
“First they are not together; second they are not organised; and third they are [busy] looking for jobs.”
Source: Financial Times
China’s army of the rural unemployed has begun its long march back to coastal manufacturing centres. A year ago many of the annual migrants rapidly found work. But this year, in a sign of the impact of the global economic downturn, they are facing a bleaker scenario.
Employers in Shigu, an industrial area in the southern city of Dongguan, had to work hard this time last year to attract workers. Factories set up recruiting stations advertising the cleanliness of their dormitories and quality of their canteens. Milling workers, many of whom had jobs elsewhere but were on the lookout for an upgrade, queued up for tours of each factory’s facilities.
On Friday, however, Shigu was quiet. While many factories have posted job openings on their gates, last year’s beggars are this year’s choosers – and vice versa.
“It should be easier for us to recruit people this year,” said Chen Dan, an executive at the Huajian Group, a large shoemaker with a factory in the area.
“We will mainly recruit female workers,” he added, citing a preference common among Chinese manufacturers. “Before, we couldn’t find enough and had to take men.”
Next door to Huajian’s facility, a plastics factory advertised jobs for women between the ages of 18 and 40. That ruled out Zhu Zhaohuan on two counts. “Nobody wants to hire us, we’re over 40,” said Mr Zhu, who lost his job on a Dongguan construction site late last year. His wife, a factory worker, was also fired. The couple, from a poor rural area in nearby Huizhou, are struggling to support their two school-age children.
For China’s estimated 130m migrant workers, this inauspicious start to the Year of the Ox is only likely to get worse.
The return flow of workers from interior provinces, where they spend the festive season with their extended families, traditionally begins in earnest only after the Spring Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the lunar new year, which is Monday, February 9.
Last week Chen Xiwen, director of the government’s Central Rural Work Leading Group Office, cited an agriculture ministry estimate that 20m migrants had lost their jobs and returned home for the holiday. The figure, based on a survey of 150 villages and extrapolated across the country, was twice that calculated by the human resources ministry at the end of last year.
In raising the alarm that 20m unemployed migrants might soon be on the march – joined by perhaps 7m new entrants to the itinerant workforce – Mr Chen was putting on alert the Chinese bureaucracy, every level of which has been focused on making the migrants’ job hunt as “harmonious” as possible.
“We have demanded that companies and factories should avoid job cuts as best they can,” said Zhao Jiande, an official with the Shanghai labour bureau’s Migrant Workers Office. “Companies have taken measures to keep as many positions as possible – either through prolonging the holidays or shortening work shifts.”
Zhang Yuexing, a masseuse who has settled in Shanghai with her husband, personifies the government’s potential nightmare. Her five siblings, who recently lost their carpentry and manufacturing jobs, are stranded back on the family farm in inland Anhui province. “I’m the only one who returned after Chinese new year,” she said.
It is unlikely, however, that the Zhang family’s predicament represents a systemic threat to the Chinese Communist party’s grip on power, even if there are another 20m recently unemployed migrants loitering in villages across the country.
While that is a large number of potentially disaffected people, equivalent to the entire population of Australia, from the Chinese government’s perspective it is a huge relief that they are not all in one place.
Localised disturbances are a common occurrence and these are only likely to multiply in the months ahead. But Chinese workers focus their anger first on the factories and bosses that fire them, with local government officials quick to adopt an empathetic and supportive pose when disputes flare up.
Equally important, the Chinese state’s ability to sniff out and suppress the stirring of a more ambitious labour movement remains formidable.
“I don’t really see a huge threat to social or political stability,” says Han Dongfang, director of the China Labour Bulletin in Hong Kong.
“First they are not together; second they are not organised; and third they are [busy] looking for jobs.”
China: Worst Drought in 50 years
2009-02-09
Source: Global Voices Online
A worst drought in 50 years, affecting more than 12 provinces and more than 9.3m hectares, in northern China has hit 43% of the country's wheat crop. The Office of State Control and Drought Relief Headquarters warned that 3.7 million people and 1.85 million livestock had lost access to drinking water. In Feb 7, Premier Wen Jiabo visited a village in Henan and urged local officials to place “top priority' on relief work. Soon after Wen's visit, it started raining in the area… is that miracle? well, it is chemical cloud seeding.
The youtube video below showed the drought situation in Shandong province:
Due to the impact of financial crisis, a large number of migrant workers has returned home to rural area, the drought will make their lives even worse and affect the central government's policy in developing the internal market to deal with the crisis. badanjilin, a blogger with rural background is very worried about the negative impact of the drought:
虽然各地都在想方设法抗旱，然效果不甚理想，如果老天不给降水的话，夏收就会严重减产，加上金融危机，可想未来农民的日子咋过？这些年，基本上是风调雨顺，农民在粮食自给自足的前提下，外出打工，挣点钱来改善生活，一旦再不下雨，农民的生活将是雪上加霜。我是一个农民的儿子，而且自己也曾经务农两年，深知农民的疾苦，在所有行业里，农民是最苦的。三农（农业、农村、农民）是中国面临的最大问题，正因为这样，国家在每年初都出台一个以农民为中心的一号文件，惠及农民百姓。即便这样，对农民来说，还是有相当人口在贫困线下生活。
Although local government tried very hard to fight against the drought, if the weather continues like this, it will affect the summer harvest. With the financial crisis, we can imagine how hard the life of rural peasants will become. In the past years, the weather has been good, and the peasants can be self-sufficient in food supply. Extra labors can earn cash income to improve life. Now that the rain stops, their lives will be much harder. I am the son of a farmer, and I have 2 year farmer experience. I know how hard a farmer life is. Among all the occupation, farmer is the hardest. The three rural problem (agriculture, village and peasant) is also the biggest problem in China. That's why every year, the nation releases a document to give more benefit to peasants. However, there is still a certain number of rural population living under the poverty line.
Irrigation system and suggestion on rural collective
Pinklady from Tianya forum, among a number of voices, pointed out that the country had spent too little to develop a more effective irrigation system in good time. The blogger believes that the ultimate solution is the drip irrigation systems:
为什么，改革开放三十年了，我国华北地区的滴灌系统还没有建立起来？滴灌系统这玩艺儿也不复杂，不就是水泵加PVC管子吗？政府贴一点，农民掏一点，自个儿埋上不就得了。我们现在生产水泵加PVC管子不是小菜一碟吗？
Why, after 30 years of economic reform, we still haven't developed our drip irrigation system? It is not complicated at all, all we need is pumps and pvc pipes. The government only need to give some financial support and build the system. The manufacture of pumps and pipes is a piece of cake.
我来告诉你们，为什么我们在华北、西北地区大规模推广滴灌系统都失败了。关键的问题是，滴灌系统，他再小也得是个系统，一家一户，一亩三分地的搞没法搞。问题就在于包产到户，回到小农经济了就没法搞。和修库、修渠是一样道理，你不去组织农民，就没人去搞，单个人搞，水管都被人扒了去卖钱。还有，就是中国农村的宅基地和坟地把早把农田搞得的一团糟。你去看看以色列的集体农庄，乌有上有介绍，必须是大农庄，集体农庄才能搞这玩意儿。所以这个问题不是经济问题（不差钱），也不是技术问题（早解决了），是中国农村的体制问题。
Let me tell you, why we failed to promote the system in northern province. The key problem is that drip irrigation is a system, it cannot be done within a family in a small piece of land. Which means with our present policy of household production and small peasant economy, we cannot get it done. Similar to the construction of resvoirs and canals, we need to organize the farmers or else no one will build the system. Moreover, the scattered houses and tombs have messed up the land. In the collective farm of Israel, the drip irrigation system can only be built in big collective farm. So it is not a economic problem, and not a technical problem, but a problem of rural system.
Environmental crisis rather than developmental crisis
However, Wind on water, pointed out that money and development cannot solve the water shortage problem. Water is best stored underground.
在一路高歌的“小农经济”和“市场体制”行进中，有谁想到水资源的危机已经严重威胁我们的生存环境呢？官员们会讲，我们有钱，我们给农民“水源补贴”！以为“钱是万能”的？没准还加快水资源枯竭进程呢？！金钱主义正在毁灭人类的生存环境……
We have been singing the song of “small peasant economy” and “market economy” without realizing that the water crisis has already threaten our survival. The government officials continue to say that we have money, we can give peasant money as water subsidy. They still that money can solve the problem. However, money can make thing worse, and increase the speed in exhausting our natural water reserve. Monetarism is destroying human's survival.
Another omen?
Last year during the spring festival, the southern part of China was hit by a serious snowstorm, followed by an earthquake; this year, it is the drought. People are worried that there are more disasters to follow. A post has been circulating in the internet saying that the drought may be a sign for another series of earthquakes.
Source: Global Voices Online
A worst drought in 50 years, affecting more than 12 provinces and more than 9.3m hectares, in northern China has hit 43% of the country's wheat crop. The Office of State Control and Drought Relief Headquarters warned that 3.7 million people and 1.85 million livestock had lost access to drinking water. In Feb 7, Premier Wen Jiabo visited a village in Henan and urged local officials to place “top priority' on relief work. Soon after Wen's visit, it started raining in the area… is that miracle? well, it is chemical cloud seeding.
The youtube video below showed the drought situation in Shandong province:
Due to the impact of financial crisis, a large number of migrant workers has returned home to rural area, the drought will make their lives even worse and affect the central government's policy in developing the internal market to deal with the crisis. badanjilin, a blogger with rural background is very worried about the negative impact of the drought:
虽然各地都在想方设法抗旱，然效果不甚理想，如果老天不给降水的话，夏收就会严重减产，加上金融危机，可想未来农民的日子咋过？这些年，基本上是风调雨顺，农民在粮食自给自足的前提下，外出打工，挣点钱来改善生活，一旦再不下雨，农民的生活将是雪上加霜。我是一个农民的儿子，而且自己也曾经务农两年，深知农民的疾苦，在所有行业里，农民是最苦的。三农（农业、农村、农民）是中国面临的最大问题，正因为这样，国家在每年初都出台一个以农民为中心的一号文件，惠及农民百姓。即便这样，对农民来说，还是有相当人口在贫困线下生活。
Although local government tried very hard to fight against the drought, if the weather continues like this, it will affect the summer harvest. With the financial crisis, we can imagine how hard the life of rural peasants will become. In the past years, the weather has been good, and the peasants can be self-sufficient in food supply. Extra labors can earn cash income to improve life. Now that the rain stops, their lives will be much harder. I am the son of a farmer, and I have 2 year farmer experience. I know how hard a farmer life is. Among all the occupation, farmer is the hardest. The three rural problem (agriculture, village and peasant) is also the biggest problem in China. That's why every year, the nation releases a document to give more benefit to peasants. However, there is still a certain number of rural population living under the poverty line.
Irrigation system and suggestion on rural collective
Pinklady from Tianya forum, among a number of voices, pointed out that the country had spent too little to develop a more effective irrigation system in good time. The blogger believes that the ultimate solution is the drip irrigation systems:
为什么，改革开放三十年了，我国华北地区的滴灌系统还没有建立起来？滴灌系统这玩艺儿也不复杂，不就是水泵加PVC管子吗？政府贴一点，农民掏一点，自个儿埋上不就得了。我们现在生产水泵加PVC管子不是小菜一碟吗？
Why, after 30 years of economic reform, we still haven't developed our drip irrigation system? It is not complicated at all, all we need is pumps and pvc pipes. The government only need to give some financial support and build the system. The manufacture of pumps and pipes is a piece of cake.
我来告诉你们，为什么我们在华北、西北地区大规模推广滴灌系统都失败了。关键的问题是，滴灌系统，他再小也得是个系统，一家一户，一亩三分地的搞没法搞。问题就在于包产到户，回到小农经济了就没法搞。和修库、修渠是一样道理，你不去组织农民，就没人去搞，单个人搞，水管都被人扒了去卖钱。还有，就是中国农村的宅基地和坟地把早把农田搞得的一团糟。你去看看以色列的集体农庄，乌有上有介绍，必须是大农庄，集体农庄才能搞这玩意儿。所以这个问题不是经济问题（不差钱），也不是技术问题（早解决了），是中国农村的体制问题。
Let me tell you, why we failed to promote the system in northern province. The key problem is that drip irrigation is a system, it cannot be done within a family in a small piece of land. Which means with our present policy of household production and small peasant economy, we cannot get it done. Similar to the construction of resvoirs and canals, we need to organize the farmers or else no one will build the system. Moreover, the scattered houses and tombs have messed up the land. In the collective farm of Israel, the drip irrigation system can only be built in big collective farm. So it is not a economic problem, and not a technical problem, but a problem of rural system.
Environmental crisis rather than developmental crisis
However, Wind on water, pointed out that money and development cannot solve the water shortage problem. Water is best stored underground.
在一路高歌的“小农经济”和“市场体制”行进中，有谁想到水资源的危机已经严重威胁我们的生存环境呢？官员们会讲，我们有钱，我们给农民“水源补贴”！以为“钱是万能”的？没准还加快水资源枯竭进程呢？！金钱主义正在毁灭人类的生存环境……
We have been singing the song of “small peasant economy” and “market economy” without realizing that the water crisis has already threaten our survival. The government officials continue to say that we have money, we can give peasant money as water subsidy. They still that money can solve the problem. However, money can make thing worse, and increase the speed in exhausting our natural water reserve. Monetarism is destroying human's survival.
Another omen?
Last year during the spring festival, the southern part of China was hit by a serious snowstorm, followed by an earthquake; this year, it is the drought. People are worried that there are more disasters to follow. A post has been circulating in the internet saying that the drought may be a sign for another series of earthquakes.
China speeds up expansion of rural retail network
2009-02-09
Source: China Daily
China will develop a retail network of 510,000 express stores in its vast rural hinterland by the end of 2010 as part of its efforts to help jobless rural workers get back to work, a top Chinese government said today at a press conference.
"We will build 250,000 new stores in 2009 and 2010 and these stores are expected to create about 770,000 jobs," said Jiang Zengwei, vice-minister of the Ministry of Commerce.
The ministry launched a plan in 2005 to develop a network of supermarkets and express stores in rural areas by offering subsidies to retailers. The network is expected to cover 75 percent of the rural townships and counties. By the end of last year, 260,000 stores were built.
About 20 million migrant workers were left jobless as the global economic crisis takes its toll on the Chinese economy, according to a recent survey by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Source: China Daily
China will develop a retail network of 510,000 express stores in its vast rural hinterland by the end of 2010 as part of its efforts to help jobless rural workers get back to work, a top Chinese government said today at a press conference.
"We will build 250,000 new stores in 2009 and 2010 and these stores are expected to create about 770,000 jobs," said Jiang Zengwei, vice-minister of the Ministry of Commerce.
The ministry launched a plan in 2005 to develop a network of supermarkets and express stores in rural areas by offering subsidies to retailers. The network is expected to cover 75 percent of the rural townships and counties. By the end of last year, 260,000 stores were built.
About 20 million migrant workers were left jobless as the global economic crisis takes its toll on the Chinese economy, according to a recent survey by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Gloomy figures underline scale of economic crisis
9 Feb 2009
Source: AFP
TOKYO, (AFP) - - Japan's Nissan Motor announced 20,000 job cuts Monday and a massive net loss for the year, deepening the gloom in the world's second biggest economy where a slump in exports is hitting hard.
The current account surplus shrank at a record pace in 2008 as the global economic crisis hit exports, official figures showed, while machinery orders fell for a third straight month in December.
Germany's trade surplus also fell, by 8.7 percent last year from the year before to 178.2 billion euros (226.8 billion dollars), according to official figures.
In Paris, the central bank said the French economy was likely to shrink 0.6 percent in the first quarter of the year from the last three months of 2008 -- a contraction which would put France in recession.
Falling global demand is not only hitting Japan -- nearly half of China's toymakers closed last year, Chinese media reported, a percentage amounting to more than 4,000 companies.
Meanwhile US President Barack Obama prepared to take his case for a massive stimulus package to the nation, warning of a "catastrophe" without immediate action as a pivotal vote looms in the Senate.
The Democratic-led Senate was expected later Monday to agree a procedural motion to override a Republican block and put the package -- which appears set to top 800 billion dollars -- to a full vote, possibly Tuesday.
"Because if we don't move swiftly to put this plan in motion, our economic crisis could become a national catastrophe," Obama said.
Monday's gloomiest news came out of Japan, where Nissan said it would axe 20,000 jobs worldwide and forecast a net loss of some 265 billion yen (2.9 billion dollars) in this financial year to March.
It blamed the global economic slowdown and the strong yen.
Chief executive Carlos Ghosn said the automaker's "worst assumptions on the state of the global economy have been met or exceeded."
"The global auto industry is in turmoil. Nissan is no exception," he said.
Japan has seen a slew of bad news in recent weeks amid slowing demand for its cars, electronics and other goods, deepening its first recession in seven years.
The current account surplus dropped 34.3 percent in 2008 from the previous year to 16.28 trillion yen, the finance ministry said -- the biggest decline since comparable records began in 1986.
The trade surplus alone plunged 67.3 percent last year to 4.03 trillion yen while exports slipped 3.0 percent. Imports rose 8.8 percent.
The slump in exports has taken a heavy toll on manufacturers, many of whom are losing money and reducing jobs and investment in factories and equipment.
Core machinery orders, a key gauge of corporate capital spending, fell 1.7 percent in December from the previous month, the third straight month-on-month fall, the government said.
In China, state media reported that of 8,610 toy companies operating at the start of 2008, only 4,388 were still functioning by year's end due to falling demand.
It has brought thousands of job cuts, notably in the southern province of Guangdong which produces roughly half the world's toys.
India, meanwhile, forecast economic growth of 7.1 percent for the current fiscal year, down from nine percent in 2007-08.
If confirmed, it would be the slowest growth rate since 2003. A number of economists have predicted growth could even fall below 7.0 percent.
The budget deficit for the current year is expected to be up to triple its target of 2.5 percent of gross domestic product because of populist spending announced even before the crisis hit.
The downturn had a direct consequence at the weekend when hundreds of shops belonging to India's biggest discount retailer were ransacked after security guards refused to report for work as they had not been paid.
In a statement emailed to AFP, the company said its staff were "fed up with non-payment of salaries for four months."
In Germany, Economy Minister Michael Glos said he would Monday hand in his resignation to Chancellor Angela Merkel, after being widely criticised for his perceived ineffectual management of the crisis.
Source: AFP
TOKYO, (AFP) - - Japan's Nissan Motor announced 20,000 job cuts Monday and a massive net loss for the year, deepening the gloom in the world's second biggest economy where a slump in exports is hitting hard.
The current account surplus shrank at a record pace in 2008 as the global economic crisis hit exports, official figures showed, while machinery orders fell for a third straight month in December.
Germany's trade surplus also fell, by 8.7 percent last year from the year before to 178.2 billion euros (226.8 billion dollars), according to official figures.
In Paris, the central bank said the French economy was likely to shrink 0.6 percent in the first quarter of the year from the last three months of 2008 -- a contraction which would put France in recession.
Falling global demand is not only hitting Japan -- nearly half of China's toymakers closed last year, Chinese media reported, a percentage amounting to more than 4,000 companies.
Meanwhile US President Barack Obama prepared to take his case for a massive stimulus package to the nation, warning of a "catastrophe" without immediate action as a pivotal vote looms in the Senate.
The Democratic-led Senate was expected later Monday to agree a procedural motion to override a Republican block and put the package -- which appears set to top 800 billion dollars -- to a full vote, possibly Tuesday.
"Because if we don't move swiftly to put this plan in motion, our economic crisis could become a national catastrophe," Obama said.
Monday's gloomiest news came out of Japan, where Nissan said it would axe 20,000 jobs worldwide and forecast a net loss of some 265 billion yen (2.9 billion dollars) in this financial year to March.
It blamed the global economic slowdown and the strong yen.
Chief executive Carlos Ghosn said the automaker's "worst assumptions on the state of the global economy have been met or exceeded."
"The global auto industry is in turmoil. Nissan is no exception," he said.
Japan has seen a slew of bad news in recent weeks amid slowing demand for its cars, electronics and other goods, deepening its first recession in seven years.
The current account surplus dropped 34.3 percent in 2008 from the previous year to 16.28 trillion yen, the finance ministry said -- the biggest decline since comparable records began in 1986.
The trade surplus alone plunged 67.3 percent last year to 4.03 trillion yen while exports slipped 3.0 percent. Imports rose 8.8 percent.
The slump in exports has taken a heavy toll on manufacturers, many of whom are losing money and reducing jobs and investment in factories and equipment.
Core machinery orders, a key gauge of corporate capital spending, fell 1.7 percent in December from the previous month, the third straight month-on-month fall, the government said.
In China, state media reported that of 8,610 toy companies operating at the start of 2008, only 4,388 were still functioning by year's end due to falling demand.
It has brought thousands of job cuts, notably in the southern province of Guangdong which produces roughly half the world's toys.
India, meanwhile, forecast economic growth of 7.1 percent for the current fiscal year, down from nine percent in 2007-08.
If confirmed, it would be the slowest growth rate since 2003. A number of economists have predicted growth could even fall below 7.0 percent.
The budget deficit for the current year is expected to be up to triple its target of 2.5 percent of gross domestic product because of populist spending announced even before the crisis hit.
The downturn had a direct consequence at the weekend when hundreds of shops belonging to India's biggest discount retailer were ransacked after security guards refused to report for work as they had not been paid.
In a statement emailed to AFP, the company said its staff were "fed up with non-payment of salaries for four months."
In Germany, Economy Minister Michael Glos said he would Monday hand in his resignation to Chancellor Angela Merkel, after being widely criticised for his perceived ineffectual management of the crisis.
China Moves to Bolster Domestic Consumption
FEBRUARY 9, 2009
Source: WSJ
BEIJING -- China announced new plans to lower distributions costs and improve the quality of its rural retail sector, hoping that less expensive, more reliable goods will help boost consumption amid the current economic downturn.
The Ministry of Commerce, announcing the planned measures at a press conference Monday, saying it aims to promote consolidation in the country's fragmented logistics and distribution industry, to improve its ability to deliver products cheaply to consumers. The ministry also outlined a plan to support the opening of "countryside stores" where rural residents can purchase safe, good quality products.
The government hopes to bolster domestic consumption to spur economic growth as exports and investment have fallen. The new measures are particularly aimed a spurring spending among China's more than 700 million rural residents, who are feeling the impact of the downturn: The government said this month that 20 million rural migrant workers have lost jobs in recent months. A severe drought in China's north, which some analysts say is the worst since 1951, is also threatening to damp rural consumption.
"Central to our policies should be increasing the consumption of low-income households," Jiang Zengwei, vice-minister of commerce, told reporters.
Ministry officials offered few details on their new plans, which come on top of other programs in place to stimulate rural consumption. They said that central government support for consolidation in the logistics and distribution sector would include intervening to prevent local government protectionism when it threatens to impede cross-regional mergers. It also will encourage firms to adopt e-commerce as a way of lowering business costs.
The ministry also plans to improve the quality, and hopefully the number, of small-scale retailers in the countryside, to both encourage more consumption create jobs. Officials said they will set administrative requirements, such as minimum capital requirements, to promote well-resourced stores that can afford to stock quality products.
The ministry didn't explain how its new regulations will make it easier for people to open up shops, but officials estimated that its plans will create some 77,000 jobs by 2010.
"Once these plans are put in place, I believe that we will see a phenomenal growth in consumption," Mr. Jiang told reporters. He said if the drought persists and affects rural consumption, "the government is prepared to come up with more measures to offset the consumption decrease."
Responding to a question Monday, Mr. Jiang said, that despite the government's focus on raising consumption, it will not attempt to spur a "Buy China" policy akin to the "Buy American" provision in the U.S. stimulus package. The Chinese government has warned in recent months of foreign governments becoming protectionist, and Mr. Jiang repeated the need for international trade to continue. "One country cannot satisfy its own demand simply by depending on its own production," he said.
Source: WSJ
BEIJING -- China announced new plans to lower distributions costs and improve the quality of its rural retail sector, hoping that less expensive, more reliable goods will help boost consumption amid the current economic downturn.
The Ministry of Commerce, announcing the planned measures at a press conference Monday, saying it aims to promote consolidation in the country's fragmented logistics and distribution industry, to improve its ability to deliver products cheaply to consumers. The ministry also outlined a plan to support the opening of "countryside stores" where rural residents can purchase safe, good quality products.
The government hopes to bolster domestic consumption to spur economic growth as exports and investment have fallen. The new measures are particularly aimed a spurring spending among China's more than 700 million rural residents, who are feeling the impact of the downturn: The government said this month that 20 million rural migrant workers have lost jobs in recent months. A severe drought in China's north, which some analysts say is the worst since 1951, is also threatening to damp rural consumption.
"Central to our policies should be increasing the consumption of low-income households," Jiang Zengwei, vice-minister of commerce, told reporters.
Ministry officials offered few details on their new plans, which come on top of other programs in place to stimulate rural consumption. They said that central government support for consolidation in the logistics and distribution sector would include intervening to prevent local government protectionism when it threatens to impede cross-regional mergers. It also will encourage firms to adopt e-commerce as a way of lowering business costs.
The ministry also plans to improve the quality, and hopefully the number, of small-scale retailers in the countryside, to both encourage more consumption create jobs. Officials said they will set administrative requirements, such as minimum capital requirements, to promote well-resourced stores that can afford to stock quality products.
The ministry didn't explain how its new regulations will make it easier for people to open up shops, but officials estimated that its plans will create some 77,000 jobs by 2010.
"Once these plans are put in place, I believe that we will see a phenomenal growth in consumption," Mr. Jiang told reporters. He said if the drought persists and affects rural consumption, "the government is prepared to come up with more measures to offset the consumption decrease."
Responding to a question Monday, Mr. Jiang said, that despite the government's focus on raising consumption, it will not attempt to spur a "Buy China" policy akin to the "Buy American" provision in the U.S. stimulus package. The Chinese government has warned in recent months of foreign governments becoming protectionist, and Mr. Jiang repeated the need for international trade to continue. "One country cannot satisfy its own demand simply by depending on its own production," he said.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Things you can do to help your child
Feb 7, 2009
Source: The Straits Times
Making the right choices for your child is never easy - especially when you are a time-poor parent unable to dip into the latest research tomes published on childhood academic development.
Most parents struggle with questions like: How to motivate kids to do better? Should you enrol them in school as early as possible? Is television good or bad for young minds?
1 Don't fast-track your child
Those born on Jan 1 may not benefit from starting school one year earlier
MYTH: 'My child needs to start school as soon as he can so that he gets a head start.'
REALITY: Delaying entry may be better - especially for those born late in the year and not ready for school.
HOUSEWIFE and former bank executive Khoo Lay Kim, 42, could not understand why her seven-year-old son was lagging behind his peers.
He was ranked 29th among 30 children in his Primary 1 class. At the suggestion of his teachers, she took him to an educational psychologist to assess him for learning difficulties.
Madam Khoo was told that her son had no problems, but that his December birthday could be the reason he was falling behind.
Surprised, she did some research of her own and found out that there was a lot to support the psychologist's claim.
Studies both overseas and in Singapore show that children born earlier in the year perform better than those born later in the year.
What Madam Khoo uncovered is something most Singaporean parents seem unaware of.
This is evident from the fact that parents with babies born on Jan 1 usually take up the option of having them attend primary school a year earlier than their peers born in the same year.
Last year, 80 parents chose to enrol their Jan 1-born children a year earlier, with only 20 opting to delay schooling.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
THE Ministry of Education conducted a study in the mid-1990s which showed that babies born in January perform better academically than those born in December.
The study compared the year-end results of the 1993 cohort of Primary 4 and 6 pupils against their birth dates.
It found that among Primary 4 pupils, January babies outscored December babies by, on average, four marks in English, five in a second language and six in Maths.
Pupils born in the earlier months of the year were nearly twice as likely to qualify for the EM1 stream, which was for the academically strong pupils. In 1993, 15 per cent of Primary 4 pupils born in January were eligible for EM1, compared to only 8 per cent of those born in December.
Among both top performers and under-performers, early babies scored higher in the Primary School Leaving Examination. But the difference among the bulk of pupils, those born in the middle months, was not significant.
When it came to streaming, 30 per cent of those born in January went to the Normal stream, compared to 35 per cent of those born in December.
Ministry officials said these findings were similar to those overseas. In Western countries where the school term begins in September, summer babies tend to fare worse than those born in winter.
Although the majority of studies show that these birthday-related academic advantages disappear after the first few years, a 2006 study of more than 200,000 children in 19 countries by American labour economists Kelly Bedard and Elizabeth Dhuey provides evidence that these initial differences have long-lasting effects on student performance.
Their data on children from Canada and the United States shows that the youngest members of each cohort are less likely to go to university.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
IN THE US and Britain, more parents are delaying their children's entry to school to give them a head start. This practice is known as 'academic red-shirting', after the practice of letting college football stars take a year off so that when they start playing for the university, they are a year older, bigger and stronger.
A Harvard University study found that in 1968, 96 per cent of six-year-olds in the US were enrolled in the first grade or above. By 2005, the number had fallen to 84 per cent.
Despite the research evidence suggesting that delayed entry may be advantageous to December-born children, most educational psychologists still advise 'on-time entry' because, they claim, differences level out after a few years.
For their social and emotional growth, it is also said to be better for children to mix with their own-age peers.
Parents with children who are lagging behind to a significant extent should seek professional advice from their preschool teachers or an educational psychologist before they delay their start.
The general advice is that if a child is lagging behind and he has the capacity to catch up, it is better to enrol him in school on time.
2 Choose best school, not top school
Better to be a big fish in a little pond, say experts
MYTH: 'If my child attends a top-performing school, he will thrive in its challenging environment.'
REALITY: Some children - even those of high ability - perform better in average-ability schools.
IT HAPPENS every year, just before the annual Primary 1 registration exercise begins. Parents join churches, school alumni clubs and clan associations, or even move home, just to secure a place for their children in a popular school.
The assumption is that their children will automatically do better if they manage to get into a top school. But this is not always the case.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
Academic studies have looked closely into whether high-performing selective schools add value to a student over and above a regular school.
The results have been mixed. Some have found that selective schools do help children perform better. Others have found the reverse and identified a number of negatives - such as the 'Big Fish, Little Pond Effect', referred to as BFLPE for short.
Research done by academics, including that of Professor Herbert W. Marsh at Oxford University, has found that academic self-concept depends not only on your child's academic accomplishments, but also on the relative accomplishments of others in his class.
A key implication of this is that the self-concept of low- or average-ability students is helped if they attend an average- rather than a high-ability school.
These pupils will receive additional motivation from their classmates because their own achievements will appear more significant. They may be motivated to maintain their edge.
On the flip side, parents should note that the negative impact of high-ability peers on self-esteem is not large. Also, there are many students who are not affected by the so-called 'Big Fish, Little Pond Effect''.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Consider your child's strengths and weaknesses.
How important is it for your child to be top of the heap? How much would he be affected if he slipped from being fifth in class to, say, 38th?
Children who are focused on improvement and are less focused on how they compare to classmates thrive better in selective schools. They also tend to enjoy challenges and deal well with competition.
If you opt for a regular school near your home, there are other ways to stretch your child.
Some schools have advanced classes for students who are good in a particular subject, be it maths or the languages. Extra-curricular activities can also help to nurture any aptitude they have.
Many schools send their best maths students to mathematical olympiads and robotics competitions. Those strong in English can benefit from debate or drama competitions. So, in most schools, there is ample opportunity for your child to feel good about himself and shine.
RESOURCES
Go to the Education Ministry's website - www.moe.gov.sg - for advice on what to consider when choosing a primary school. Website www.kiasuparents.com lists the popular schools that held ballotting for Primary 1 places.
3 Read stories, play word games
Interacting with your child is key
MYTH: 'Buying my child plenty of books will get him into the habit of reading.'
REALITY: There is no replacement for spending quality time with your child in front of a book. You must read to - and with - your child.
FOR years now, there has been disagreement on what is the best way to teach children to read. It is one of the most hotly contested areas of education, dubbed by some as The Reading Wars.
At issue are two dramatically different teaching methods. First is the older way, termed phonics. It teaches children to sound out letters so that they can make words. For example, using the letters 'p' and 'h' together make the sound of the letter 'f', as in the word 'graph'.
This approach has been criticised for being a skill and drill method - uninspiring and perhaps even turning children off reading.
Those who support it say it provides a solid learning foundation and helps children develop decoding skills which can be applied to new and unfamiliar words.
Second is the whole-language approach where children read books for the story and construct meaning from what they read.
Proponents of this approach believe that children are readers and writers from the start. It is based on the premise that learning to read is as natural as learning to talk.
But this method, too, has its critics who say its approach of skipping unfamiliar words runs the risk of not learning vital words in the early stages of reading.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
The latest thinking is that both these approaches are not incompatible.
Reading experts, such as Harvard Professor Catherine Snow, who led a study of children's reading problems for the United States National Academy of Sciences, recommend that teachers and parents take the best of phonics and whole-language approaches to teach children reading. This has been called 'balanced instruction'.
According to this line of thought, teachers most effective in developing reading skills in their pupils use a combination of both approaches. The practices of good readers bear this out, where they first use rapid and automatic word recognition, then phonics for words that they do not know. Finally, they use the context to figure out the words that they cannot get from the first two steps.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Read to, and with, your child.
Being read to develops language and vocabulary and also develops children's ability for storytelling and re-telling.
But as reading expert Susan Harris-Sharples of Wheelock College points out, reading sessions must be interactive.
For younger children, this means developing their phonemic awareness (the sounds in words) through books such as Dr Seuss. For older children, stop halfway through the story and ask them to predict what might happen.
Professor Harris-Sharples suggests a game where parent and child can alternate reading the sentences.
In the early stages of reading, parents should not get 'too hung up on accuracy'. Instil the joy of reading first, then gradually build up the technical side.
In selecting books, choose books that have an appropriate level of difficulty.
Experts suggest the 'Five-Finger Rule'. Have your child open the book to any page and read it. Each time she comes to a word she does not know, she should hold up one finger. If she gets to five fingers before finishing the page, the book is too hard. If she does not hold up any fingers, it is too easy. If she holds up two or three fingers, the book is likely to be a good fit.
The books should also have high phonemic capacity and play with a diversity of sounds that help develop a child's phonemic awareness. An engaging story that arouses curiosity and stimulates the imagination of the child helps.
Of course, there are differences between boys and girls in the types of books they prefer. Boys prefer action, fantasy, adventure and books that provide information on a variety of subjects. Girls, on the other hand, enjoy books that deal with relationships.
Reading with your child will also help you spot any reading difficulties, such as reversing letters or words frequently.
Lastly, bear in mind poor reading can be due to a host of other reasons such as poor eyesight or hearing problems.
RESOURCES
There are several websites that give tips on how to get your child to read including www.greatschools.net and www.bookitprogram.com which lists the 100 best books for children.
4 Focus on effort, not grades
The right motivation can encourage positive self-belief
MYTH: 'The best way to motivate my child is to praise or reward him when he scores high marks.'
REALITY: Tying your praise to high scores runs the risk of linking your children's self-worth to how well they do in examinations. Praise their effort instead.
MOTIVATION is critical to a child's enjoyment of school and achievement. It can make the difference between a student who enjoys school and sails through lessons and one who cannot wait for it to be all over.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
Much research has been done in the area of child motivation over the last 30 to 40 years. Sydney University Associate Professor Andrew Martin, an expert on child motivation, distils the key findings.
First, he said, motivation is multifaceted.
'It's not the one thing. There are many aspects to it, from whether a child enjoys learning to how the child handles failure. And the majority of children, even those seen to be lacking in motivation, do well in some ways and not in others.'
Second, motivation levels are changeable - which means that parents should never give up on their children. They can always do something about it. Figure out why the child is unmotivated and, if the issue is dealt with, over time the child will respond.
But he adds that these strategies will work better when a parent and child have a good relationship.
'When parents have a good relationship with their children, they are in 'their world', not their friends, not the TV or Internet. And they can influence their children.'
Some of the latest research shows that academic resilience, which refers to a child's ability to deal with academic setbacks, plays a big part in whether a child remains motivated.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Lecturing children to be more motivated, or even telling them to improve their attitude or behaviour, is not really helpful.
Instead, it is vital to give children very specific information, advice, encouragement, direction and support. Children who have positive self-belief tend to get better results, do difficult schoolwork confidently, feel optimistic, try hard and enjoy school.
To build up your child's self-confidence, Prof Martin suggests challenging negative thinking traps. For example, a child who gets an 'A' may think it was luck. Parents should encourage him to recognise and take credit for his success.
He also recommends 'chunking' - where schoolwork is divided into bite-size pieces. The completion of each piece is seen as a success.
For example, in an essay, a student can succeed in many ways, including: fully understanding the question; breaking the question into parts; doing a search for information at the library or on the Internet; summarising the information he reads; organising the information under sub-headings, and so on.
Not only does this strategy provide multiple success experiences, it is also a very effective way of building motivation. The student is being rewarded with success throughout the essay, which sustains interest and persistence.
'When children do this, they immediately build more success into their life, which in turn leads them to think more positively about themselves.'
Prof Martin, who has given talks at the National Institute of Education here, said parents should avoid comparing their child's grades with those of their classmates.
Instead, they should focus on the child's personal best, in the same way that athletes try to better their running times.
'This way, they become academic athletes racing against themselves. Instead of looking around at everyone else's marks and how they compare, they are focused on their own game and try and improve for personal rather than competitive reasons.'
Praise is important but it should be tied to a child's effort, behaviour or attitude, rather than his results.
When a child comes back with an 'A', instead of saying 'You are a wonderful child to get an 'A'', the parent should say 'I know you worked hard on this exam. Good on you'.
This way the child does not end up thinking that his worth is based on the marks he gets. If he does, he may start to fear failure, because his parents' love is at stake.
Last but not least, Prof Martin reminds parents that the expectations they hold for their children are very powerful.
'They tell our children what we think of them and what they are capable of. Positive expectations that are achievable are the most optimal types of expectations. They tell a child we believe in them and they tell a child what to aim for.'
RESOURCES
How To Motivate Your Child For School And Beyond by Andrew Martin.
Visit www.lifelongachievement.com for student motivation assessment, products and services.
5 Use tuition intelligently
Private lessons are often worth the expense
MYTH: 'My child has to have a private tutor - tuition is a necessity these days.'
REALITY: It works for most children, and the best results can be achieved in subjects like Mathematics.
NOT for nothing is Singapore called a 'tuition nation'. A Sunday Times poll last year of 100 primary, secondary and junior college students found that only three had no tuition at all.
Of the other 97 students, 49 had private tutors, while 32 attended classes at tuition centres. The other 16 had both types of coaching.
The most popular subjects are Mathematics and English, and a typical session lasts two hours, and is either held at home or at a centre.
The poll found that students at tuition centres were getting younger, with the parents of kindergarten and nursery-level children asking for tuition in phonics and conversational English.
The market rate for private one-to-one home tuition is between $20 and $150 an hour, depending on the student's level and the tutor's qualifications. Group tuition classes cost between $60 and $350 monthly.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
Studies show that private tuition does help children do better in school. Individual one-to-one tutoring benefits students lagging behind or those with learning disabilities.
Students can be coached by a range of people, including retired schoolteachers or their own parents.
Many schools have peer tutoring where children who are strong in certain subjects tutor the weak.
Some research shows that student tutors provide the most emotional and personal support to students, but professional tutors provide better academic outcomes.
Other studies show that parents make effective tutors for their own children, especially in their early years. This helps parents understand what their children are learning in school and also helps build a better relationship between them and their young ones.
Academics have looked at whether tuition is better for certain subjects. Results show that it is best for Mathematics, largely because the subject is easier to teach.
Tuition is also more beneficial when the tutor uses the same textbooks and supplementary materials as those used in class.
Experts say the computer-based tutoring programs many parents are increasingly using, although inferior to face-to-face tutoring, can be beneficial. But they warn that a lot of software can be sub-standard and a waste of time and money.
Good educational programs are interactive, interesting and motivate students to want to learn more, and are closely linked to what is being taught in school. They also encourage independent thinking and help develop problem-solving, research and analytical skills.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Consider the type of tuition that best suits your child - group tuition or one-to-one.
A popular misconception is that one-to-one coaching always gives the best results. A child involved in such coaching can become anxious, as the scrutiny of the teacher is fully focused on him for the whole lesson.
But if you decide to send your child to group tuition, ensure that it offers a plan specifically tailored to your child's school curriculum.
When hiring a tutor, ask for referrals from other students' parents to find out more about their teaching methods.
When hiring a tutor from a tuition agency, be sure to read and understand the terms of the contract. If they claim to have certain qualifications, whether it is a degree or teaching diploma, ask to see the certificates.
In Singapore, there are cases of tutors claiming to be 'registered with the Ministry of Education'. The ministry has no such scheme. But it does require tuition schools to be registered as private schools.
6 Get involved at school
Kids do better if parents take an interest in their school
MYTH: 'My child's success at school all comes down to him working hard, not my attendance at parents' events.'
REALITY: Behind every successful child is a super-involved parent.
MANY parents who volunteer at schools to get ahead of others in the Primary 1 registration queue often stop getting involved once their children secure a place.
But education researchers say that parents should, ideally, continue to be closely involved in their children's schooling all the way through their education. There are many benefits to be reaped from this.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
Three decades of research overseas and locally have shown that the more parents are involved in their children's education, the better their children perform in school.
Children with more involved parents enjoy school more and have better school attendance. They are also more emotionally and socially well-adjusted and better able to handle stress.
A National Institute of Education (NIE) study here of 150 high-income couples published in 2001 found that it is not money, but active engagement in their children's education, that made a difference in how well their children performed in school.
NIE Assistant Professor Lana Khong Yiu Lan found that children of parents who do not leave everything to tutors, or who give up their jobs for their offspring's sake, often do well in examinations.
Such parents are often seen in or around school, trying to keep informed about the latest developments in education from the principal and other parents.
At home, they chat up neighbours whose children have good grades, seeking their advice on tutors and what enrichment programmes their children should take.
By comparison, the children of parents who are focused on their careers and who rely on tutors, family members or even maids to help their children cope with school, do less well.
Prof Khong chose to study high-income families because she wanted to see how well-educated parents in the top 20 per cent of earners allocate resources and time to their children's education. Her aim was to find out whether the way they help their children could be applied to the less well-off.
She concluded that the most important ingredients for good school performance are family involvement, sacrifice and awareness of educational matters, and that the less well-off who put in the same effort should not feel deprived in any way.
Parents can use community libraries and subsidised tuition programmes run by community self-help groups to give their children that extra edge.
All parents should also invest in spending quality and quantity time with their children, building good relationships with them. This will go a long way in helping their children.
'In the end, doing well in school and in life is not about money,' she said.
Much research has also been done on the importance of the role of fathers. Again, research has shown that children with involved fathers are better academic achievers. They are more likely to get As, and have better numeracy and verbal skills.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
There are many simple, everyday things that parents can do to become more engaged in their children's learning, according to Prof Khong.
For starters, parents can ask their children about their day in school.
'It signals the fact that you are interested in his schooling and think it is important,' she explained. 'Unfortunately, the only thing that some parents inquire about is their child's marks in school tests or exams.'
At home, parents can provide an environment that encourages learning and school activities. They should ensure there is some quiet time spent without the TV and other distractions when homework can be completed.
Parents are also advised to visit the school early in the year to meet the teachers and principal so that they can establish a mutual relationship of respect and trust.
Unfortunately, said Prof Khong, many parents turn up to meet their children's teachers only when their children perform poorly or misbehave.
She also advised parents to make friends with other parents. The parental grapevine is very useful for sharing information and ideas.
And one of the best things any parent can do is to become a volunteer in school.
A mother's or father's presence in school conveys an important message to the child about the value placed on schooling.
It also gives parents a good understanding of what the school community is like, the specific context that their child operates in every day, and the challenges teachers face.
But, if that is not possible because of work or commitments, look for other ways to help out at home.
For example, parents can make phone calls to other parents to help arrange school-related activities or assist in editing the school newsletter.
7 Switch off the television set
The box can stunt your child's development, so use it sparingly
MYTH: 'Watching educational and children's shows is good for my child and helps build his intelligence.'
REALITY: TV can restrict your child's development.
ADVERTISING executive Kelly Tan, 30, used to plonk her two-year-old daughter and five-year-old son in front of the television set whenever she needed to snatch some time for herself.
At weekends, her children used to watch up to 10 hours of mostly educational DVDs or children's programmes.
That was until her son's kindergarten teachers complained of his hyperactivity in class.
The child psychologist she consulted warned her that TV could be a key factor contributing to his condition and that she should restrict her children's viewing.
What she did not realise was that extensive research has been conducted on the effects of TV on children and that it shows it often does more harm than good.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
One of the leading academics in this area, Professor Dimitri Christakis from Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington, has conducted an extensive review of 78 studies published over the last 25 years.
His key finding is that the studies indicate that watching TV programmes or DVDs designed for infants actually delays language development.
For example, a 2008 Thai study published in the journal Acta Paediatrica found that if children under 12 months watched TV for more than two hours a day, they were six times more likely to have delayed language skills.
Another study found that children between seven and 16 months who watched baby programmes on DVDs knew fewer words than children who did not.
Infants as young as 14 months will imitate what they see on a TV screen, but they learn better from live presentations. For example, one investigation found that children learnt Chinese better from a native speaker than they did from a video of the same speaker.
Excessive TV can be a factor in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
A study of 1,300 children conducted by Prof Christakis in 2004 found that the amount of TV a child is exposed to between ages one and three has a direct effect upon later attention problems. Watching TV, in other words, can shorten attention spans.
The study found that a child who watched two hours of TV a day before age three would be 20 per cent more likely to have attention problems by age seven.
Why does TV have such a negative effect on children?
Prof Christakis explains that it exposes children to flashing lights, scene changes, quick edits and auditory cuts which may overstimulate developing brains.
Things happen fast on the TV screen, so children's brains may come to expect this pace, making it harder to concentrate if there is less stimulation.
In other research, he and his colleagues looked at the impact of early TV viewing on the cognitive development of those at school age. They found that children who had watched a lot of TV in their early years did not perform as well when they underwent tests to check reading and memory skills.
A separate New Zealand study discovered that those who watched the most TV were the least likely to go to university and get a degree.
It monitored the TV habits of 1,037 children aged between five and 15 in 1972 and 1973. When it was finally published in 2005, it tracked the educational achievements of the same children.
The study found that the 7 per cent of children who watched the box for under one hour a day were the most qualified by the time they were 26.
But shockingly, the over 20 per cent who sat in front of the TV for more than three hours each school day ended up doing the worst at all academic levels. Most failed to get high school certificates, trade diplomas or degrees.
The researchers also discovered that although excessive teenage TV viewing was strongly linked to leaving school without any qualifications, earlier childhood viewing had the greatest impact on getting a degree.
At this stage, even bright children and those from well-off families who watch a lot of TV are less likely to go on and get a degree.
The researchers concluded that excessive TV viewing leads to poor educational achievement. It displaces homework and revision and takes up time, which would be better spent in more educational pursuits, such as reading.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
If your child is under two, do not let him or her watch any TV at all, recommends the American Academy of Paediatrics.
For older children, some TV is beneficial but parents should be selective and limit viewing time to no more than two hours a day. It is important for parents to familiarise themselves with the media ratings systems, so as to make good viewing choices for and with their children. Compare products, read reviews, and choose wisely.
Check the age-appropriate level to see if a show contains violence, sexual themes and profanity.
Studies have shown that consuming media violence may desensitise children when it comes to real violence. Glamorised body images in the media create expectations about attractiveness, and some depictions of sex or substance use run the risk of normalising risky behaviour or illegal activities.
Do not hesitate to turn off the TV set or leave the cinema.
Where possible, parents should watch programmes with their children and talk about them.
Teach your children to deconstruct a movie by analysing it and taking it apart so that they can look carefully at its components. This helps to empower them and ensure that they control the media rather than let the media control them.
RESOURCES
Book - Elephant In The Living Room: Make Television Work For Your Kids by Dimitri A. Christakis, Frederick J. Zimmerman
8 Get them involved in sports
Research shows that being physically active helps kids do better in their studies
MYTH: 'Too much sports and ECA will distract my child from his studies.'
REALITY: Sports and extra-curricular activities enhance academic performance.
MOST parents think extra-curricular activities (ECAs), especially sports, are a waste of time and an unnecessary distraction for their children - especially in the lower primary levels.
Older children actively involved in sports or school clubs are often told by their parents to drop these activities months or even a year before major examinations.
But parents should pay heed to research showing that children involved in sports tend to do better in their studies.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
It is well documented that regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence assists in socialisation, school engagement, psychosocial development and academic motivation. It also reduces problem behaviour.
Many studies link sports activity with higher academic achievement. It has been noted that young athletes' school performance markedly improves during the sporting season, and falls away during off-season.
The latest cognitive neuroscience research demonstrates that physical activity actually contributes to important brain development in young children.
For example, a 2005 study on overweight kids at the Medical College of Georgia in the United States found that 40 minutes a day of aerobic exercise improved 'executive function' - the aspect of intelligence that helps us pay attention, plan and resist distractions.
Yet another experiment showed that the brains of physically fit children showed evidence of more extensive processing during each task.
Compared to sedentary kids, fit children had faster reaction times.
In a 2002 study by the California Department of Education, reading and mathematics scores were matched with fitness scores of over 900,000 students, aged 11, 13 and 15.
It found that higher achievement was associated with increased levels of fitness for every age group studied. The relationship between academic achievement and fitness was greater in mathematics than in reading, particularly in the fittest individuals.
Students who met minimum fitness levels in three or more physical areas showed the greatest gains in academic achievement at all three ages.
Other research has found that ECAs enhance educational outcomes up to a point, especially if sustained over time.
It is not the ECA participation per se that enhances educational outcomes. It is the fact that the activity provides skills, strengths, networks and support, plus social and personal rewards.
This has the effect of increasing a student's identification with the school and aligns him with its values.
Some activities also develop academic skills, or the skills related to motivation or engagement.
For example, getting involved in the school newsletter helps develop planning, time-management, thinking and decision-making skills and also reading and writing proficiency. The robotics club teaches teamwork and maths skills.
Challenging ECAs such as maths clubs can encourage a child to stretch and improve himself. When challenges are met, the child's confidence surges.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Parents should first consider the child's interests and enrol him in activities that they are sure he will enjoy.
If your child is interested in a particular sport, check if it is available at his school or at community centres or sports organisations. Make sure the child has the proper sports equipment, that it fits properly and that it has all the appropriate safety features.
Keep in mind, however, that enrolling your child in an organised sport or ECA involves a commitment on your part. Your child will need appropriate equipment, transportation and support.
Parents should note, however, that if the time put into the ECA by the child is so great that it leaves little time for homework, or the activity is so draining that the child has no energy left for school, this will interfere with his progress.
Obviously, there are exceptions. For example, if your child shows promise of becoming an Olympic athlete, you may want to choose sports over his academics.
Source: The Straits Times
Making the right choices for your child is never easy - especially when you are a time-poor parent unable to dip into the latest research tomes published on childhood academic development.
Most parents struggle with questions like: How to motivate kids to do better? Should you enrol them in school as early as possible? Is television good or bad for young minds?
1 Don't fast-track your child
Those born on Jan 1 may not benefit from starting school one year earlier
MYTH: 'My child needs to start school as soon as he can so that he gets a head start.'
REALITY: Delaying entry may be better - especially for those born late in the year and not ready for school.
HOUSEWIFE and former bank executive Khoo Lay Kim, 42, could not understand why her seven-year-old son was lagging behind his peers.
He was ranked 29th among 30 children in his Primary 1 class. At the suggestion of his teachers, she took him to an educational psychologist to assess him for learning difficulties.
Madam Khoo was told that her son had no problems, but that his December birthday could be the reason he was falling behind.
Surprised, she did some research of her own and found out that there was a lot to support the psychologist's claim.
Studies both overseas and in Singapore show that children born earlier in the year perform better than those born later in the year.
What Madam Khoo uncovered is something most Singaporean parents seem unaware of.
This is evident from the fact that parents with babies born on Jan 1 usually take up the option of having them attend primary school a year earlier than their peers born in the same year.
Last year, 80 parents chose to enrol their Jan 1-born children a year earlier, with only 20 opting to delay schooling.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
THE Ministry of Education conducted a study in the mid-1990s which showed that babies born in January perform better academically than those born in December.
The study compared the year-end results of the 1993 cohort of Primary 4 and 6 pupils against their birth dates.
It found that among Primary 4 pupils, January babies outscored December babies by, on average, four marks in English, five in a second language and six in Maths.
Pupils born in the earlier months of the year were nearly twice as likely to qualify for the EM1 stream, which was for the academically strong pupils. In 1993, 15 per cent of Primary 4 pupils born in January were eligible for EM1, compared to only 8 per cent of those born in December.
Among both top performers and under-performers, early babies scored higher in the Primary School Leaving Examination. But the difference among the bulk of pupils, those born in the middle months, was not significant.
When it came to streaming, 30 per cent of those born in January went to the Normal stream, compared to 35 per cent of those born in December.
Ministry officials said these findings were similar to those overseas. In Western countries where the school term begins in September, summer babies tend to fare worse than those born in winter.
Although the majority of studies show that these birthday-related academic advantages disappear after the first few years, a 2006 study of more than 200,000 children in 19 countries by American labour economists Kelly Bedard and Elizabeth Dhuey provides evidence that these initial differences have long-lasting effects on student performance.
Their data on children from Canada and the United States shows that the youngest members of each cohort are less likely to go to university.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
IN THE US and Britain, more parents are delaying their children's entry to school to give them a head start. This practice is known as 'academic red-shirting', after the practice of letting college football stars take a year off so that when they start playing for the university, they are a year older, bigger and stronger.
A Harvard University study found that in 1968, 96 per cent of six-year-olds in the US were enrolled in the first grade or above. By 2005, the number had fallen to 84 per cent.
Despite the research evidence suggesting that delayed entry may be advantageous to December-born children, most educational psychologists still advise 'on-time entry' because, they claim, differences level out after a few years.
For their social and emotional growth, it is also said to be better for children to mix with their own-age peers.
Parents with children who are lagging behind to a significant extent should seek professional advice from their preschool teachers or an educational psychologist before they delay their start.
The general advice is that if a child is lagging behind and he has the capacity to catch up, it is better to enrol him in school on time.
2 Choose best school, not top school
Better to be a big fish in a little pond, say experts
MYTH: 'If my child attends a top-performing school, he will thrive in its challenging environment.'
REALITY: Some children - even those of high ability - perform better in average-ability schools.
IT HAPPENS every year, just before the annual Primary 1 registration exercise begins. Parents join churches, school alumni clubs and clan associations, or even move home, just to secure a place for their children in a popular school.
The assumption is that their children will automatically do better if they manage to get into a top school. But this is not always the case.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
Academic studies have looked closely into whether high-performing selective schools add value to a student over and above a regular school.
The results have been mixed. Some have found that selective schools do help children perform better. Others have found the reverse and identified a number of negatives - such as the 'Big Fish, Little Pond Effect', referred to as BFLPE for short.
Research done by academics, including that of Professor Herbert W. Marsh at Oxford University, has found that academic self-concept depends not only on your child's academic accomplishments, but also on the relative accomplishments of others in his class.
A key implication of this is that the self-concept of low- or average-ability students is helped if they attend an average- rather than a high-ability school.
These pupils will receive additional motivation from their classmates because their own achievements will appear more significant. They may be motivated to maintain their edge.
On the flip side, parents should note that the negative impact of high-ability peers on self-esteem is not large. Also, there are many students who are not affected by the so-called 'Big Fish, Little Pond Effect''.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Consider your child's strengths and weaknesses.
How important is it for your child to be top of the heap? How much would he be affected if he slipped from being fifth in class to, say, 38th?
Children who are focused on improvement and are less focused on how they compare to classmates thrive better in selective schools. They also tend to enjoy challenges and deal well with competition.
If you opt for a regular school near your home, there are other ways to stretch your child.
Some schools have advanced classes for students who are good in a particular subject, be it maths or the languages. Extra-curricular activities can also help to nurture any aptitude they have.
Many schools send their best maths students to mathematical olympiads and robotics competitions. Those strong in English can benefit from debate or drama competitions. So, in most schools, there is ample opportunity for your child to feel good about himself and shine.
RESOURCES
Go to the Education Ministry's website - www.moe.gov.sg - for advice on what to consider when choosing a primary school. Website www.kiasuparents.com lists the popular schools that held ballotting for Primary 1 places.
3 Read stories, play word games
Interacting with your child is key
MYTH: 'Buying my child plenty of books will get him into the habit of reading.'
REALITY: There is no replacement for spending quality time with your child in front of a book. You must read to - and with - your child.
FOR years now, there has been disagreement on what is the best way to teach children to read. It is one of the most hotly contested areas of education, dubbed by some as The Reading Wars.
At issue are two dramatically different teaching methods. First is the older way, termed phonics. It teaches children to sound out letters so that they can make words. For example, using the letters 'p' and 'h' together make the sound of the letter 'f', as in the word 'graph'.
This approach has been criticised for being a skill and drill method - uninspiring and perhaps even turning children off reading.
Those who support it say it provides a solid learning foundation and helps children develop decoding skills which can be applied to new and unfamiliar words.
Second is the whole-language approach where children read books for the story and construct meaning from what they read.
Proponents of this approach believe that children are readers and writers from the start. It is based on the premise that learning to read is as natural as learning to talk.
But this method, too, has its critics who say its approach of skipping unfamiliar words runs the risk of not learning vital words in the early stages of reading.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
The latest thinking is that both these approaches are not incompatible.
Reading experts, such as Harvard Professor Catherine Snow, who led a study of children's reading problems for the United States National Academy of Sciences, recommend that teachers and parents take the best of phonics and whole-language approaches to teach children reading. This has been called 'balanced instruction'.
According to this line of thought, teachers most effective in developing reading skills in their pupils use a combination of both approaches. The practices of good readers bear this out, where they first use rapid and automatic word recognition, then phonics for words that they do not know. Finally, they use the context to figure out the words that they cannot get from the first two steps.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Read to, and with, your child.
Being read to develops language and vocabulary and also develops children's ability for storytelling and re-telling.
But as reading expert Susan Harris-Sharples of Wheelock College points out, reading sessions must be interactive.
For younger children, this means developing their phonemic awareness (the sounds in words) through books such as Dr Seuss. For older children, stop halfway through the story and ask them to predict what might happen.
Professor Harris-Sharples suggests a game where parent and child can alternate reading the sentences.
In the early stages of reading, parents should not get 'too hung up on accuracy'. Instil the joy of reading first, then gradually build up the technical side.
In selecting books, choose books that have an appropriate level of difficulty.
Experts suggest the 'Five-Finger Rule'. Have your child open the book to any page and read it. Each time she comes to a word she does not know, she should hold up one finger. If she gets to five fingers before finishing the page, the book is too hard. If she does not hold up any fingers, it is too easy. If she holds up two or three fingers, the book is likely to be a good fit.
The books should also have high phonemic capacity and play with a diversity of sounds that help develop a child's phonemic awareness. An engaging story that arouses curiosity and stimulates the imagination of the child helps.
Of course, there are differences between boys and girls in the types of books they prefer. Boys prefer action, fantasy, adventure and books that provide information on a variety of subjects. Girls, on the other hand, enjoy books that deal with relationships.
Reading with your child will also help you spot any reading difficulties, such as reversing letters or words frequently.
Lastly, bear in mind poor reading can be due to a host of other reasons such as poor eyesight or hearing problems.
RESOURCES
There are several websites that give tips on how to get your child to read including www.greatschools.net and www.bookitprogram.com which lists the 100 best books for children.
4 Focus on effort, not grades
The right motivation can encourage positive self-belief
MYTH: 'The best way to motivate my child is to praise or reward him when he scores high marks.'
REALITY: Tying your praise to high scores runs the risk of linking your children's self-worth to how well they do in examinations. Praise their effort instead.
MOTIVATION is critical to a child's enjoyment of school and achievement. It can make the difference between a student who enjoys school and sails through lessons and one who cannot wait for it to be all over.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
Much research has been done in the area of child motivation over the last 30 to 40 years. Sydney University Associate Professor Andrew Martin, an expert on child motivation, distils the key findings.
First, he said, motivation is multifaceted.
'It's not the one thing. There are many aspects to it, from whether a child enjoys learning to how the child handles failure. And the majority of children, even those seen to be lacking in motivation, do well in some ways and not in others.'
Second, motivation levels are changeable - which means that parents should never give up on their children. They can always do something about it. Figure out why the child is unmotivated and, if the issue is dealt with, over time the child will respond.
But he adds that these strategies will work better when a parent and child have a good relationship.
'When parents have a good relationship with their children, they are in 'their world', not their friends, not the TV or Internet. And they can influence their children.'
Some of the latest research shows that academic resilience, which refers to a child's ability to deal with academic setbacks, plays a big part in whether a child remains motivated.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Lecturing children to be more motivated, or even telling them to improve their attitude or behaviour, is not really helpful.
Instead, it is vital to give children very specific information, advice, encouragement, direction and support. Children who have positive self-belief tend to get better results, do difficult schoolwork confidently, feel optimistic, try hard and enjoy school.
To build up your child's self-confidence, Prof Martin suggests challenging negative thinking traps. For example, a child who gets an 'A' may think it was luck. Parents should encourage him to recognise and take credit for his success.
He also recommends 'chunking' - where schoolwork is divided into bite-size pieces. The completion of each piece is seen as a success.
For example, in an essay, a student can succeed in many ways, including: fully understanding the question; breaking the question into parts; doing a search for information at the library or on the Internet; summarising the information he reads; organising the information under sub-headings, and so on.
Not only does this strategy provide multiple success experiences, it is also a very effective way of building motivation. The student is being rewarded with success throughout the essay, which sustains interest and persistence.
'When children do this, they immediately build more success into their life, which in turn leads them to think more positively about themselves.'
Prof Martin, who has given talks at the National Institute of Education here, said parents should avoid comparing their child's grades with those of their classmates.
Instead, they should focus on the child's personal best, in the same way that athletes try to better their running times.
'This way, they become academic athletes racing against themselves. Instead of looking around at everyone else's marks and how they compare, they are focused on their own game and try and improve for personal rather than competitive reasons.'
Praise is important but it should be tied to a child's effort, behaviour or attitude, rather than his results.
When a child comes back with an 'A', instead of saying 'You are a wonderful child to get an 'A'', the parent should say 'I know you worked hard on this exam. Good on you'.
This way the child does not end up thinking that his worth is based on the marks he gets. If he does, he may start to fear failure, because his parents' love is at stake.
Last but not least, Prof Martin reminds parents that the expectations they hold for their children are very powerful.
'They tell our children what we think of them and what they are capable of. Positive expectations that are achievable are the most optimal types of expectations. They tell a child we believe in them and they tell a child what to aim for.'
RESOURCES
How To Motivate Your Child For School And Beyond by Andrew Martin.
Visit www.lifelongachievement.com for student motivation assessment, products and services.
5 Use tuition intelligently
Private lessons are often worth the expense
MYTH: 'My child has to have a private tutor - tuition is a necessity these days.'
REALITY: It works for most children, and the best results can be achieved in subjects like Mathematics.
NOT for nothing is Singapore called a 'tuition nation'. A Sunday Times poll last year of 100 primary, secondary and junior college students found that only three had no tuition at all.
Of the other 97 students, 49 had private tutors, while 32 attended classes at tuition centres. The other 16 had both types of coaching.
The most popular subjects are Mathematics and English, and a typical session lasts two hours, and is either held at home or at a centre.
The poll found that students at tuition centres were getting younger, with the parents of kindergarten and nursery-level children asking for tuition in phonics and conversational English.
The market rate for private one-to-one home tuition is between $20 and $150 an hour, depending on the student's level and the tutor's qualifications. Group tuition classes cost between $60 and $350 monthly.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
Studies show that private tuition does help children do better in school. Individual one-to-one tutoring benefits students lagging behind or those with learning disabilities.
Students can be coached by a range of people, including retired schoolteachers or their own parents.
Many schools have peer tutoring where children who are strong in certain subjects tutor the weak.
Some research shows that student tutors provide the most emotional and personal support to students, but professional tutors provide better academic outcomes.
Other studies show that parents make effective tutors for their own children, especially in their early years. This helps parents understand what their children are learning in school and also helps build a better relationship between them and their young ones.
Academics have looked at whether tuition is better for certain subjects. Results show that it is best for Mathematics, largely because the subject is easier to teach.
Tuition is also more beneficial when the tutor uses the same textbooks and supplementary materials as those used in class.
Experts say the computer-based tutoring programs many parents are increasingly using, although inferior to face-to-face tutoring, can be beneficial. But they warn that a lot of software can be sub-standard and a waste of time and money.
Good educational programs are interactive, interesting and motivate students to want to learn more, and are closely linked to what is being taught in school. They also encourage independent thinking and help develop problem-solving, research and analytical skills.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Consider the type of tuition that best suits your child - group tuition or one-to-one.
A popular misconception is that one-to-one coaching always gives the best results. A child involved in such coaching can become anxious, as the scrutiny of the teacher is fully focused on him for the whole lesson.
But if you decide to send your child to group tuition, ensure that it offers a plan specifically tailored to your child's school curriculum.
When hiring a tutor, ask for referrals from other students' parents to find out more about their teaching methods.
When hiring a tutor from a tuition agency, be sure to read and understand the terms of the contract. If they claim to have certain qualifications, whether it is a degree or teaching diploma, ask to see the certificates.
In Singapore, there are cases of tutors claiming to be 'registered with the Ministry of Education'. The ministry has no such scheme. But it does require tuition schools to be registered as private schools.
6 Get involved at school
Kids do better if parents take an interest in their school
MYTH: 'My child's success at school all comes down to him working hard, not my attendance at parents' events.'
REALITY: Behind every successful child is a super-involved parent.
MANY parents who volunteer at schools to get ahead of others in the Primary 1 registration queue often stop getting involved once their children secure a place.
But education researchers say that parents should, ideally, continue to be closely involved in their children's schooling all the way through their education. There are many benefits to be reaped from this.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
Three decades of research overseas and locally have shown that the more parents are involved in their children's education, the better their children perform in school.
Children with more involved parents enjoy school more and have better school attendance. They are also more emotionally and socially well-adjusted and better able to handle stress.
A National Institute of Education (NIE) study here of 150 high-income couples published in 2001 found that it is not money, but active engagement in their children's education, that made a difference in how well their children performed in school.
NIE Assistant Professor Lana Khong Yiu Lan found that children of parents who do not leave everything to tutors, or who give up their jobs for their offspring's sake, often do well in examinations.
Such parents are often seen in or around school, trying to keep informed about the latest developments in education from the principal and other parents.
At home, they chat up neighbours whose children have good grades, seeking their advice on tutors and what enrichment programmes their children should take.
By comparison, the children of parents who are focused on their careers and who rely on tutors, family members or even maids to help their children cope with school, do less well.
Prof Khong chose to study high-income families because she wanted to see how well-educated parents in the top 20 per cent of earners allocate resources and time to their children's education. Her aim was to find out whether the way they help their children could be applied to the less well-off.
She concluded that the most important ingredients for good school performance are family involvement, sacrifice and awareness of educational matters, and that the less well-off who put in the same effort should not feel deprived in any way.
Parents can use community libraries and subsidised tuition programmes run by community self-help groups to give their children that extra edge.
All parents should also invest in spending quality and quantity time with their children, building good relationships with them. This will go a long way in helping their children.
'In the end, doing well in school and in life is not about money,' she said.
Much research has also been done on the importance of the role of fathers. Again, research has shown that children with involved fathers are better academic achievers. They are more likely to get As, and have better numeracy and verbal skills.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
There are many simple, everyday things that parents can do to become more engaged in their children's learning, according to Prof Khong.
For starters, parents can ask their children about their day in school.
'It signals the fact that you are interested in his schooling and think it is important,' she explained. 'Unfortunately, the only thing that some parents inquire about is their child's marks in school tests or exams.'
At home, parents can provide an environment that encourages learning and school activities. They should ensure there is some quiet time spent without the TV and other distractions when homework can be completed.
Parents are also advised to visit the school early in the year to meet the teachers and principal so that they can establish a mutual relationship of respect and trust.
Unfortunately, said Prof Khong, many parents turn up to meet their children's teachers only when their children perform poorly or misbehave.
She also advised parents to make friends with other parents. The parental grapevine is very useful for sharing information and ideas.
And one of the best things any parent can do is to become a volunteer in school.
A mother's or father's presence in school conveys an important message to the child about the value placed on schooling.
It also gives parents a good understanding of what the school community is like, the specific context that their child operates in every day, and the challenges teachers face.
But, if that is not possible because of work or commitments, look for other ways to help out at home.
For example, parents can make phone calls to other parents to help arrange school-related activities or assist in editing the school newsletter.
7 Switch off the television set
The box can stunt your child's development, so use it sparingly
MYTH: 'Watching educational and children's shows is good for my child and helps build his intelligence.'
REALITY: TV can restrict your child's development.
ADVERTISING executive Kelly Tan, 30, used to plonk her two-year-old daughter and five-year-old son in front of the television set whenever she needed to snatch some time for herself.
At weekends, her children used to watch up to 10 hours of mostly educational DVDs or children's programmes.
That was until her son's kindergarten teachers complained of his hyperactivity in class.
The child psychologist she consulted warned her that TV could be a key factor contributing to his condition and that she should restrict her children's viewing.
What she did not realise was that extensive research has been conducted on the effects of TV on children and that it shows it often does more harm than good.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
One of the leading academics in this area, Professor Dimitri Christakis from Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington, has conducted an extensive review of 78 studies published over the last 25 years.
His key finding is that the studies indicate that watching TV programmes or DVDs designed for infants actually delays language development.
For example, a 2008 Thai study published in the journal Acta Paediatrica found that if children under 12 months watched TV for more than two hours a day, they were six times more likely to have delayed language skills.
Another study found that children between seven and 16 months who watched baby programmes on DVDs knew fewer words than children who did not.
Infants as young as 14 months will imitate what they see on a TV screen, but they learn better from live presentations. For example, one investigation found that children learnt Chinese better from a native speaker than they did from a video of the same speaker.
Excessive TV can be a factor in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
A study of 1,300 children conducted by Prof Christakis in 2004 found that the amount of TV a child is exposed to between ages one and three has a direct effect upon later attention problems. Watching TV, in other words, can shorten attention spans.
The study found that a child who watched two hours of TV a day before age three would be 20 per cent more likely to have attention problems by age seven.
Why does TV have such a negative effect on children?
Prof Christakis explains that it exposes children to flashing lights, scene changes, quick edits and auditory cuts which may overstimulate developing brains.
Things happen fast on the TV screen, so children's brains may come to expect this pace, making it harder to concentrate if there is less stimulation.
In other research, he and his colleagues looked at the impact of early TV viewing on the cognitive development of those at school age. They found that children who had watched a lot of TV in their early years did not perform as well when they underwent tests to check reading and memory skills.
A separate New Zealand study discovered that those who watched the most TV were the least likely to go to university and get a degree.
It monitored the TV habits of 1,037 children aged between five and 15 in 1972 and 1973. When it was finally published in 2005, it tracked the educational achievements of the same children.
The study found that the 7 per cent of children who watched the box for under one hour a day were the most qualified by the time they were 26.
But shockingly, the over 20 per cent who sat in front of the TV for more than three hours each school day ended up doing the worst at all academic levels. Most failed to get high school certificates, trade diplomas or degrees.
The researchers also discovered that although excessive teenage TV viewing was strongly linked to leaving school without any qualifications, earlier childhood viewing had the greatest impact on getting a degree.
At this stage, even bright children and those from well-off families who watch a lot of TV are less likely to go on and get a degree.
The researchers concluded that excessive TV viewing leads to poor educational achievement. It displaces homework and revision and takes up time, which would be better spent in more educational pursuits, such as reading.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
If your child is under two, do not let him or her watch any TV at all, recommends the American Academy of Paediatrics.
For older children, some TV is beneficial but parents should be selective and limit viewing time to no more than two hours a day. It is important for parents to familiarise themselves with the media ratings systems, so as to make good viewing choices for and with their children. Compare products, read reviews, and choose wisely.
Check the age-appropriate level to see if a show contains violence, sexual themes and profanity.
Studies have shown that consuming media violence may desensitise children when it comes to real violence. Glamorised body images in the media create expectations about attractiveness, and some depictions of sex or substance use run the risk of normalising risky behaviour or illegal activities.
Do not hesitate to turn off the TV set or leave the cinema.
Where possible, parents should watch programmes with their children and talk about them.
Teach your children to deconstruct a movie by analysing it and taking it apart so that they can look carefully at its components. This helps to empower them and ensure that they control the media rather than let the media control them.
RESOURCES
Book - Elephant In The Living Room: Make Television Work For Your Kids by Dimitri A. Christakis, Frederick J. Zimmerman
8 Get them involved in sports
Research shows that being physically active helps kids do better in their studies
MYTH: 'Too much sports and ECA will distract my child from his studies.'
REALITY: Sports and extra-curricular activities enhance academic performance.
MOST parents think extra-curricular activities (ECAs), especially sports, are a waste of time and an unnecessary distraction for their children - especially in the lower primary levels.
Older children actively involved in sports or school clubs are often told by their parents to drop these activities months or even a year before major examinations.
But parents should pay heed to research showing that children involved in sports tend to do better in their studies.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS
It is well documented that regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence assists in socialisation, school engagement, psychosocial development and academic motivation. It also reduces problem behaviour.
Many studies link sports activity with higher academic achievement. It has been noted that young athletes' school performance markedly improves during the sporting season, and falls away during off-season.
The latest cognitive neuroscience research demonstrates that physical activity actually contributes to important brain development in young children.
For example, a 2005 study on overweight kids at the Medical College of Georgia in the United States found that 40 minutes a day of aerobic exercise improved 'executive function' - the aspect of intelligence that helps us pay attention, plan and resist distractions.
Yet another experiment showed that the brains of physically fit children showed evidence of more extensive processing during each task.
Compared to sedentary kids, fit children had faster reaction times.
In a 2002 study by the California Department of Education, reading and mathematics scores were matched with fitness scores of over 900,000 students, aged 11, 13 and 15.
It found that higher achievement was associated with increased levels of fitness for every age group studied. The relationship between academic achievement and fitness was greater in mathematics than in reading, particularly in the fittest individuals.
Students who met minimum fitness levels in three or more physical areas showed the greatest gains in academic achievement at all three ages.
Other research has found that ECAs enhance educational outcomes up to a point, especially if sustained over time.
It is not the ECA participation per se that enhances educational outcomes. It is the fact that the activity provides skills, strengths, networks and support, plus social and personal rewards.
This has the effect of increasing a student's identification with the school and aligns him with its values.
Some activities also develop academic skills, or the skills related to motivation or engagement.
For example, getting involved in the school newsletter helps develop planning, time-management, thinking and decision-making skills and also reading and writing proficiency. The robotics club teaches teamwork and maths skills.
Challenging ECAs such as maths clubs can encourage a child to stretch and improve himself. When challenges are met, the child's confidence surges.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Parents should first consider the child's interests and enrol him in activities that they are sure he will enjoy.
If your child is interested in a particular sport, check if it is available at his school or at community centres or sports organisations. Make sure the child has the proper sports equipment, that it fits properly and that it has all the appropriate safety features.
Keep in mind, however, that enrolling your child in an organised sport or ECA involves a commitment on your part. Your child will need appropriate equipment, transportation and support.
Parents should note, however, that if the time put into the ECA by the child is so great that it leaves little time for homework, or the activity is so draining that the child has no energy left for school, this will interfere with his progress.
Obviously, there are exceptions. For example, if your child shows promise of becoming an Olympic athlete, you may want to choose sports over his academics.
Thousands of Chinese write to authorities, call for improving education service
6 Feb 2009
Source: Xinhua
BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Chinese wrote to the Ministry of Education in the past month to offer advice on the education plans for the next decade, according to a ministry official on Friday.
The Ministry of Education received about 1.1 million pieces of proposals in the past month, said Tian Huisheng, said a ministry official in charge of processing the public opinions.
People sent e-mails, letters and left posts on the ministry's Web site since the draft of the long-term plan on education reform and development was announced to solicit public opinions on Jan. 7.
The plan will be the country's first education development plan in the 21st century. It will include major guidelines and policies about education before 2020.
People from various backgrounds wrote to the ministry, including teenage students, retired teachers and pedagogy experts, said Han Jin, director of the education development planning division under the ministry in charge of drafting the plan. "The ministry has never ever received so many proposals."
Han recalled a letter from a 91-year-old retired teacher. He suggested the schools to improve training on students' handwriting as more and more young people are using computers.
"The proposals were about a wide range of topics but many focused on the biggest challenges in today's education service," Tian said.
Based on the proposals, the ministry made a list of top 20 problems people cared most about education service.
The top ten problems were: How to improve the number and quality of teachers in rural areas; how to realize quality education; how to reform the administration of educational institutions; how to reform the enrollment exams of all levels; how to improve preschool education; how to reduce the homework of primary and middle school students; how to fully implement the nine-year compulsory education program; how to reform higher education; how to improve the education service to rural residents and children of migrant workers; and to enable people to enjoy equal access to education.
"We will not leave out any valuable proposals. A team made up of dozens of education experts were processing the proposals round the clock," Tian said.
Education has long been one of the most talked about and controversial social problems among Chinese.
A survey by the National Bureau of Statistics issued in early 2008 showed that education was the fourth most important issue to the Chinese people, following health care service, social morality and social security.
"Education is relevant to every citizen. Students are from different backgrounds and interest groups. That's why an education development plan must be discussed widely in the society to reach a common understanding," said Prof. Yang Dongping, a pedagogy expert with the Beijing Institute of Technology.
The agenda of the public education policy should be set through such discussions, he said.
"We hope more people continue offering their ideas about the top 20 problems we announced today, especially practical proposals," Han said.
The proceeding to solicit public opinions will end by the end of this month.
Source: Xinhua
BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Chinese wrote to the Ministry of Education in the past month to offer advice on the education plans for the next decade, according to a ministry official on Friday.
The Ministry of Education received about 1.1 million pieces of proposals in the past month, said Tian Huisheng, said a ministry official in charge of processing the public opinions.
People sent e-mails, letters and left posts on the ministry's Web site since the draft of the long-term plan on education reform and development was announced to solicit public opinions on Jan. 7.
The plan will be the country's first education development plan in the 21st century. It will include major guidelines and policies about education before 2020.
People from various backgrounds wrote to the ministry, including teenage students, retired teachers and pedagogy experts, said Han Jin, director of the education development planning division under the ministry in charge of drafting the plan. "The ministry has never ever received so many proposals."
Han recalled a letter from a 91-year-old retired teacher. He suggested the schools to improve training on students' handwriting as more and more young people are using computers.
"The proposals were about a wide range of topics but many focused on the biggest challenges in today's education service," Tian said.
Based on the proposals, the ministry made a list of top 20 problems people cared most about education service.
The top ten problems were: How to improve the number and quality of teachers in rural areas; how to realize quality education; how to reform the administration of educational institutions; how to reform the enrollment exams of all levels; how to improve preschool education; how to reduce the homework of primary and middle school students; how to fully implement the nine-year compulsory education program; how to reform higher education; how to improve the education service to rural residents and children of migrant workers; and to enable people to enjoy equal access to education.
"We will not leave out any valuable proposals. A team made up of dozens of education experts were processing the proposals round the clock," Tian said.
Education has long been one of the most talked about and controversial social problems among Chinese.
A survey by the National Bureau of Statistics issued in early 2008 showed that education was the fourth most important issue to the Chinese people, following health care service, social morality and social security.
"Education is relevant to every citizen. Students are from different backgrounds and interest groups. That's why an education development plan must be discussed widely in the society to reach a common understanding," said Prof. Yang Dongping, a pedagogy expert with the Beijing Institute of Technology.
The agenda of the public education policy should be set through such discussions, he said.
"We hope more people continue offering their ideas about the top 20 problems we announced today, especially practical proposals," Han said.
The proceeding to solicit public opinions will end by the end of this month.
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