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Translated by Ben Krasner, Accademia Britannica, Arezzo

Nantes, 26/02/02 

Teachers in the French region Loire-Atlantique are up in arms: they are asking for 500 supplementary positions in order to make up for the current shortage. At the moment there are only 5 teachers for every hundred students. France Presse reports that the offer of 150 positions has been knocked back. In the meantime, some schools in the region have been occupied by students’ parents.

Washington, 25/02/02 

Parents are lining up to enrol their children in the only bilingual school in the American capital. According to the Associated Press many parents are willing to drive halfway across the city each morning if it means they can get their children into the J.F.Oyster School where lessons are held in both English and Spanish. Another bilingual school is in the pipeline.

Lusaka, 23/02/02 

There are at least 1,200,000 under-age orphans in Zambia, a country whose total population is less than 10 million. 700,000 of these orphans lost their parents because of AIDS. This information comes from UNICEF’s agent Gabriel Fernandez who is participating in the Lusaka mission, reports MISNA. The little country is home to more than 75 thousand homeless children who live each day trying to survive.

Hamburg, 23/02/02 

In the German city-state of Hamburg a Chinese school will open for the numerous immigrants coming from the populous Asian country.  The official announcement, anticipates the Sunday paper Welt am Sonntag, will take place in May, after Mayor Ole von Beust returns from his trip to Shanghai. The initiative reflects the desire to strengthen cultural and economic relationships between China and Hamburg.

Treviso, 23/02/02 

In the papers, on the radio, and on the television the subjunctive tense is too often ignored.  Consequently, the students of the Ciardi school have decided, with their teachers, to start “The movement for the defence of the subjunctive tenses.”  The daily online newspaper Il Nuovo reports that the initiative was welcomed by academics.

London, 22/02/02

Vacations during the high season are too expensive, so many British parents are taking their children on holiday during the school year.  The BBC reports that this new trend causes over 10 thousand school days per year to be missed.  The educational authorities have suggested measures to mitigate this phenomenon.

Ivrea, 22/02/02

Bated breath in Florena Elementary School in Ivrea: Two children, Luca and Alice, were found to be missing after a school break.  The worst was feared, reports the Repubblica, faced with the possibility of a maniac kidnapper. Luckily this wasn’t the case: Luca simply didn’t believe Alice’s father had a python, so she brought him home to see it.

Singapore, 22/02/02

At the Singapore Children’s Society, which runs a telephone assistance program for children,  more and more calls are received from children who complain of being bored. This signal, reports the The Straits Times, was taken very seriously because it is a harbinger of another grave problem: a sense of loneliness that can precede suicide.

Aix-la-Chapelle, 21/02/02 

The Karl-Kuch Elementary School of Aix-la-Chapelle has earned the name “Friend of the Forests” from the ecological organization Greenpeace.  WDR reports that the school started a program designed to create awareness about the environmental risks of deforestation and that it was received with strong enthusiasm by its students.  “We must reduce the demand for tropical wood,” concluded the little ones.

Colombo, 16/02/02 

Amnesty International has accused the Tamil Tigers of enlisting a number of 12-year olds among the thirteen young people recently enlisted in this movement, which has been fighting against the government forces of Sri Lanka  for nearly 20 years. Amnesty International has written an open letter to the guerrillas asking what has happened to these children. The letter lists the names of the thirteen children , their birth dates, and where they come from.

Washington, 15/02/02 

The tradition of school visits to the White House which were suspended after September 11 has started up again. CNN reports that the First Lady, Laura Bush, greeted the first students who arrived from Aurora, Illinois; Saline, Michigan; and from Washington D.C itself. There is a long waiting list for schools from all over the US.

Casablanca, 13/02/02 

There was a great welcome at the airport for Samir El Aboubi, another of the numerous Moroccan children suffering from heart disease treated by the Swiss humanitarian organisation, Terre des Hommes. The four year old Samir suffered from a severe form of congenital heart disease before undergoing a successful operation at the University Hospital of Geneva. 

London, 12/02/02 

What do you do to encourage youngsters not abandon their studies early on? According to Estelle Morris, British Minister of Education, you must create an approach that accommodates diverse learning styles. We must give up, she explained to the BBC, the old teaching doctrine of one lesson for every type of student.  The government’s suggestions are summarized in a green paper which has been heavily criticized by the opposition.

Roma, 12/02/02 

An international protocol that prohibits the military involvement of minors has been put into force.  High Commissioner of the UN, Mary Robinson, has sent a copy to all the participating states to have it ratified and thereby executed.  The Misna agency reports that there are currently  500,000 minors under arms throughout the world.

Lucca, 09/02/02

In Altopascio, in the Tuscan province of Lucca, ten percent of the student population is composed of immigrants. The Rebublica reports that it is for this reason that report cards will be prepared in Arabic, Russian, Chinese, and Albanian as well as Italian.  The purpose of this initiative is to better inform the families of these students of their children’s progress.   

Lome, 08/02/02 

The little African country of Togo suffers from an extraordinarily high illiteracy rate, particularly among women. It is for this reason the non-government organization The Dove has launched a literacy program in the rural areas of the country.  One salient problem, reports CNN, will be the struggle against a tradition that is reluctant to educate women.

Paris, 06/02/02 

The Marseillaise, the bellicose national anthem of France, is the object of a new initiative by Jack Lang, the Minister of Education.  The AFP reports that  72 thousand copies of a new cd-book with the anthem will be distributed to French schools.  It relates the circumstances in which this famous war song was written. Naturally it is called Allons enfants de la patrie.

Vicenza, 6/02/02 

Today’s notions of physical education also include pistol and air-rifle shooting. Going to the shooting range is what two schools in Vicenza have chosen to offer their students as part of their sports options, according to the Italian daily La Repubblica. Such a choice is now possible because schools have more autonomy and can make agreements with the various sports bodies and associations.

New York, 5/02/02 

5 months after the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, elementary school 234 which is located just a couple of blocks from the World Trade Center in Manhattan has reopened. CNN reports that the school was closed after the smoke and ash resulting from September 11 had made classes impossible. Until recently, he building was utilised as an operations base by the Red Cross and the Fire Department.

Beijing, 5/02/02 

China has declared war on the poverty which still afflicts many parts of this immense country. Overhauling the school system has been identified as one of the priorities which will help achieve this goal. China Daily reports that President Jiang Zemin spoke of three needs when addressing a Communist Party meeting: increasing incomes, increasing health spending and increasing education spending.

Paris, 5/02/02 

Restructuring French school timetables has long been under discussion, reports France Presse, and this includes transferring the present lessons held on Saturdays to Wednesdays which is traditionally a mid-week holiday. However, the proposals have so far met with opposition from families and from teachers’ unions.

Geneva, 4/02/02

Poverty, hunger and economic exploitation which goes as far as prostitution - according to the UN Committee for Children’s Rights this is the fate which befalls a third of the children of Chile. The committee points out that many minors suffer from abuse, above all in their home environments but even within such public institutions as the National Children’s Service.

London, 2/02/02

The BBC reports that an analysis of school tests taken in 2001 shows that the spelling of English children is getting worse. Most children did not know how to correctly spell  more than half the words in a test. The most frequently misspelled word is technique, which the children spelled as tecnique or techneck. Even in creative-type tests, where the writer can choose what words to write, mistakes are on the increase.

Iquitos, 30/01/02

Prostitution has become the only means of survival for many children and teenagers of both sexes in this Peruvian city, the provincial capital of Loreto. A non-government organisation La Restinga has denounced this situation through the press agency Misna . Child prostitution also results in the transmission of many diseases.

Paris, 27/01/02

In Doubs, a French village of about 200 souls, the Myon primary school’s population of 47 children come from 5 different villages and are divided into 2 classes which obviously embrace a number of levels. The agency AFP reports that, since the teaching standards were dismal, the parents decided to take action by occupying the school and asking for an extra teacher to be sent.

San Paulo, 25/01/02

The daily paper O Estado de S:Paulo reports how strong disciplinary measures have long been the norm in Brazilian schools and how it took Baptist teachers from the US to change the relationship between teachers and students. By eliminating corporal punishment, the Baptists have introduced a model of education based on the active participation of students.

London, 25/01/02 

Influenza and gastritis are widespread in Great Britain right in the period when thousands of students are doing their exams. Fortunately the evaluation system is not as rigid as it was in the past when all exams were concentrated in one single period and when a student’s absence could therefore be catastrophic. The new exams, according to the BBC, are modular and can be carried out in 6 sessions from January to June and candidates can choose when to have their exam.

Vancouver, 23/01/02 

Teachers in the Canadian province of British Columbia have been agitating for months and the exasperated students have started walking out of their classrooms by way of  registering their protests. Reuters reports that the government has been asked to help sort out the situation. Teachers do not have the right to strike in British Columbia but they have been demonstrating by refusing to do any out-of-school activities.

New Delhi, 22/01/02 

It seems necessary, according to The Times of India, to have a campaign of sex education in Indian schools in order to solve problems like teenage pregnancies and sexual harassment. Associations of teachers, psychologists and doctors have been asking for this campaign, which has been made necessary by the raising of the average age of marriage; in the past, marriage was between adolescents.

Tokyo, 23/01/02

Birth rates are dropping and Japanese toy makers are trying to save the situation. The daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun  reports that a large part of what was traditionally designed for children is being adapted for an adult market. This new interest of the manufacturers happens to coincide with the desire of the adult population to rediscover the amusements of their childhood.

Chicago, 22/01/02

Just a short time ago they were absolutely banned, but today mobile phones can be brought to school by American students on condition that they are only used outside class times. Safety considerations have contributed to the end of this ban, according to CNN , but there are those who object that in an emergency situation too many mobile phones being used at the same time could in fact obstruct the emergency services.

Rouen, 21/01/02

In a fiery weekend on the roads of Rouen, around 20 cars were destroyed by flames. The agency France Presse reports how a police patrol caught three youths red-handed while they were setting fire to the umpteenth car. The three are suspected of having started the other fires as well as throwing rocks at a bus.

Kabul, 19/01/02

The humanitarian aid organisation Doctors Without Borders has charged that, in the valley of Karai, one of the Afghani provinces most affected by the war, one child out of seven is malnourished. The international aid presently arriving is not sufficient to deal with the vast food crisis which has been exacerbated by a drought that is causing large numbers of animals to drop dead.

London, 16/01/02

The British government is proposing to take a hard line against violence in schools. The BBC reports that the Minister of Education, Estelle Morris, has proposed issuing a immediate directive that would expel for life students involved in the most serious cases. The proposal, which is to be discussed with the association of school principals, has been greeted favourably by teachers.

Florence, 16/01/02

She was accused of mistreating a difficult student by shutting her mouth with adhesive tape. But the judge, according to the daily paper La Repubblica, pointed out some contradictions in the charges and finished up by agreeing with those who made light of the matter and suggested there was a misunderstanding. And so a Florentine primary-school teacher’s  reputation was restored and those bring charges are themselves facing charges of false accusation.

Ouagadougou, 16/01/02

The agency Misna reports that meningitis is continuing to strike the people of Burkina Faso, especially babies and children. For this reason, after last year saw almost 2000 deaths, the health authorities of this African country have launched a widespread prevention campaign. Over three and a half million citizens between two and thirty years of age will be vaccinated.

Wellington, 15/01/02

In the New Zealand district of Kaikohe, a large number of used computers in excellent condition were on sale at bargain prices. Somebody smelled a rat and the Evening Post reported how the truth was not long in coming out. The computers had in fact been supplied to students doing computer courses at specially low prices and the students in turn were cashing in by selling them on.

Nairobi, 15/01/02

The Daily Nation reports on the outcome of a study conducted by the Kenya Legal Doctors’ Association which showed that in the year just finished the police killed 232 persons in the country’s urban areas. Twelve children were among the victims. In relative terms, for every ten people that lost their lives due to violence in Kenya’s cities, nine were killed by police weapons.

Belfast, 14/01/02

The police presence and army patrols around Catholic schools in South Belfast has had the hoped-for outcome: despite the threats by extreme Protestants, the teachers are regularly showing up for class, according to a BBC report. The Red Hand Defenders, an Orange organisation, recently declared that teachers of Catholic schools were “legitimate targets”.

Sofia, 14/01/02  

According to the sociologist Kolyo Kolev, in 5 years 14 per cent of Bulgarians between the ages of 14 and 21 will be illiterate. The daily newspaper Standart relates how Kolev is referring to a confidential report on education which documents very serious shortcomings and gaps in the teaching organisation. Clearly the accusation is intended to pressure the authorities into ensuring that the prediction does not come about.

Buenos Aires, 13/01/02

In the dramatic crisis that is wreaking havoc in Argentina, the Poblete family who live in the town of Merlo has some consolation. The Clarìn, a daily paper, reports that the three eldest daughters aged from 15 to 17 have all won the coveted La Bandera award in their respective classes. The proud parents deny that their daughters are mere swots.

Ludenscheid, 12/01/02

In addition to the traditional choice between English and French as the foreign language to be studied, Greek is now being offered to pupils in the primary school in this town in the German Sauerland region. The radio station  WDR announced that 19 children, 10 of whom are children of Greek immigrants, are attending Greek classes. They can already sing and play in both German and Greek.

Berlin, 11/01/02

Schools in Germany receive too little money and are overcrowded.  This report  comes directly from the German President, Johannes Rau.  The DPA says that the president requests intervention above all for the system’s youngest children, kindergarten and primary students.  Rau claims that the youngest pupils need individual attention. 

Brussells, 11/01/02

Children save the planet: one hundred and twenty primary school students from Great Britain, Sweden, and Belgium, reports the BBC, were welcomed by Margot Wallstrom , Environmental Commissioner for the European Union.  The youngsters demonstrated  great interest in environmental issues, in particular climate changes and recycling.

Chateauroux, 10/01/02

After someone pinched money from two primary school teachers in Chateauroux, the teachers subjected their students to intimate searches.  After the scandal was exposed, the teachers were suspended.  Sègolènè Royal, French Minister of Domestic Affairs, commented to AFP on  “ violence directed at children and the abuse of power”.

Hamilton, 9/01/02  

The American President George W. Bush chose a school in Hamilton, Ohio to sign the Education Reform Bill into law, according to CNN, because this school is in the electoral district of the Secretary of Education, John Boehner. This reform, which is a watered-down version of his electoral platform, promises sanctions for schools which do not achieve good results and  greater student mobility.

Calcutta, 8/01/02

According to an agreement between UNICEF and other organizations, school attendance will be increased as a means to improve consciousness about individual rights and public safety. The daily The Times of India points out that, in order to encourage greater attendance, pupils will be given hot meals, a service which is already compulsory according to the law but which is not always supplied.

Paris, 7/01/02

The centenary of Victor Hugo’s birth (in Besançon, 1802) began in French schools with the reading of a passage by the famous writer in every class when schools resumed after the Christmas holidays.  AFP reports Jack Lang, the French Minister for Education, pointed out how much his school system owed to Hugo who was among the first to champion the rights of children.

London, 6/01/02

Cramped classrooms: the managers of a school in the overcrowded eastern suburbs of London have solved the problem of the lack of space.  According to the BBC, nine large containers, used until recently for sea cargo to the Far East, have been modified to obtain six comfortable classrooms at one third the cost of traditional prefabricated classrooms.

Abuja, 05/01/02

The curse of Polio, according to the WHO, is still virulent in many countries.  This disease, which strikes children above all, is especially prevalent in Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  In Nigeria for example forty six thousand cases were registered in 2001, which was 50% worse than the previous year.