Lady Joan:
Believe me, none of these hypocritical ideologues will FOOL ME with socialism or capitalism rhetoric any more. I have lived long enough in the heart of what modern civilization consider as the nexus of CAPITALISM for 20-something years! And the following reality is what I have found:
1. The societies in most developed nations take it as a major function of Govt to promote the education of children and society, by using public funds to establish and manage (by several mechanisms) the majority of the educational institutions; in several situations, Govts in industrialized nations set up systems to bus kids to and fro school, feed them and provide shelters when the parents can’t do these; as you would surmise, such practices would have been more needed to upgrade people and society in developing societies; talk of capitalism?
2. The societies in most developed nations take it as a Govt obligation to protect the citizens on public funds; respond to disasters, provide shelters when there is disaster; provide healthcare when citizens can’t afford it, and even pay a minimum wage to the elderly or handicapped, even when they have NEVER WORKED to contribute to any national pension or social security or welfare programs, etc; you don’t have this practice in Nigeria and most developing societies where such practices would have been more needed to protect people;
3. Most colleges and universities in the industrialized nations have scholarships and grants that any good student can use to go to school FREE OF CHARGE (FOC), from the Community College to Harvard/Stanford! Some of us even as foreigners received various legitimate scholarships to go to school in the industrialized nations! Confirm this! As you know, the scholarship programs are still a big fight in Nigeria; with some Experts telling Nigerians that Govt has no Business in educational support! Could you Believe that? What else is the revered Duty of Govt in a society if not to provide educational opportunities to people?
4. Govt promotion of business is another fallacy that is peddled all over the place. Do you realize that 90 percent plus of all the businesses of the Defense Industry and the accessory sectors are dependent on Govt clientele and patronage? Same with airline, the steel, plastic, oil and food industry et cetera. Do you know what Halliburton alone makes from Govt in a day? Not talking about other companies in construction, heavy machinery, etc. To paraphrase the elegant words of Collin Powel at the Republican Convention of 1996 (I believe): our society has to be careful about the growing cynicism people have about us and how we see and run things; a society that is so blessed with so much resources that it can afford to dish out monumental aid and assistance to several nations of the world cannot be seen complaining and coining ideological phrases to kick against the few scholarships to minorities who truly need them! We can do better!
5. Do you realize the corporate welfare in the industrialized nations, under the misguided notion that it is support for business that create jobs for the rest of society? Well, you may also realize that the global economic meltdown is the culmination of the failure of trickle-down economics, which is the hallmark of extreme capitalism; the fact is that NOTHING ever trickles down as the Greed mounts in a market economy of extreme capitalism. This is why Govt has learned to build its own workforce and take care of its people and society because at the End of the Day Govt has realized that it takes Responsibility for hunger, poor education, dangers, emergencies, and even family feuds! All the “private-this, private-public-that” clichés that folks throw around in our societies are shielded from blames whenever there is societal problem. Do you need examples? Let me know!
6. Now, for the so-called Socialist ideologues, from Castro through Chavez and others, what you find are self-crowned dictators, masquerading as the watch-dogs for people and society. Can you imagine Chavez or Castro saying that they are protecting their people from American Capitalism? It is like hawks protecting chicks or lizards protecting ants from the weather! In the final analysis, Govts design or foster the vision for developing strategies to take care of people and society, especially in the vital areas of infrastructures/utilities, education and security that are the keys to societal progress in modern civilization. Again, I am just tabling the FACTS among best practices societies so that we don’t misdirect or misguide our own, or fall victim to superficial processes that don’t have the fundamentals in the developed society in place. Take care. JUI
From: edo-nationality@yahoogroups.com [mailto:edo-nationality@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of joan.Osa Oviawe
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2010 3:24 PM
To: edo-nationality@yahoogroups.com
Cc: edo-nation; afenmai@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [edo-nationality] RE: Dr. Ebohon on Parent Management Board (PMBs)
LOL @ Dr. JUI
Now, I need to think which point to situate you on the ideological spectrum between the Obama form of leftist neo-liberalism of "Big Government" and the "small government" at all cost...capitalist fat cat mantra.
Anyhow...there is room for public/private partnership. :-)
If my memory serves me right, I remember interacting once with a Director of Public/Private Partnership at the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja. What struck me at the time was the notion that the govt was that committed to the idea to have a directorship position available in the Ministry. The Obasanjo regime certainly embraced the policy thrust of public/private partnership. The third sector (NGOs - non-governmental organizations) are missing from the public/private dichotomy. They are an increasingly important player in development.
It's a dreary morning in the Pacific Northwest...it's rainy and cold. I hope y'all are faring much better in Atl.
Rgds,
jOo
On Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 12:12 PM, Igietseme, Joseph (CDC/OID/NCPDCID) <jbi8@cdc.gov> wrote:
Lady Joan, If you look out there well, you will find that there is a lot “private-this, private-public” clichés going around in our communities; I just wanted to table the FACTS among best practices societies so that we don’t misdirect or misguide our own, or fall victim to superficial processes that don’t have the fundamentals in place. Take care. JUI
From: edo-nationality@yahoogroups.com [mailto:edo-nationality@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of joan.Osa Oviawe
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2010 3:06 PM
To: edo-nationality@yahoogroups.com; edo-nation
Subject: Re: [edo-nationality] RE: Dr. Ebohon on Parent Management Board (PMBs)
Doc.,
Are folk advocating for parents to take over the management of schools and development of curriculum in Edo State?
Rgds,
jOo
On Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 10:47 AM, Igietseme, Joseph (CDC/OID/NCPDCID) <jbi8@cdc.gov> wrote:
Lady Joan:
TRUST me, I was expecting the comment that: “”….parents have a long history of influencing and agitating for major changes in the education system. Some examples: Charters schools……… …… Magnet schools………””” Investigate in essentially all counties in the US, most industrialized nation and progressive societies around the world and you will Find the following:
1. Education of the children and society is MAJOR duty of Govt IN ANY CIVILIZED SOCIETY! thus, there are commonly more public schools at the Elementary, High/Secondary Schools, Technical/Vocational and college/university levels than private institutions in most places in the civilized world; the operation and handling of the public educational institutions may differ from society to society; it is mainly at the State and County levels in the US; I believe there are just 5- or more federal Colleges in the US;
2. In fact, more than 60 percent of the private institutions are supported from PUBLIC funds from Govts, as area grants, yearly educational grants, etc; call Harvard and find out how much it received from Govt- and Govt-supported foundations or research agencies last year;
3. Yes, parents and communities play important roles in shaping education and curricula; but they don’t design them; certified educational experts do these as groups, agencies or individuals for the institutions, and parental inputs may be sought in some areas (e.g., history topics, areas of literature, religion in of focus in the society, ethico-moral issues etc ) but not the educational subject-matter basics: arithmetic/math, physics, chemistry, grammar, geography, biology etc which have EMPIRICAL theories and principles.
4. Of course a Govt-approved body is REQUIRED for the accreditation of the curricula in ALL Elementary, High/Secondary Schools, Technical/Vocational and college/university institutions, PRIVATE or PUBLIC! Find out; if not, nobody takes it SERIOUSLY! People can do whatever they like in unaccredited educational institutions, home schooling etc; however, there are Govt-approved certification requirements to ensure that whatever people organize for themselves meet certain NATIONAL standards!
As I have mentioned many times on this forum, we really need to know how the industrialized societies function before we advise or direct what we do in our under-developed societies properly. If not, we will continue to play catch-ups in all areas of societal development. Take few examples: Atlanta gas was divested from Govt in the late 1990s to the early 2000s; this is after more than 100 years of its establishment by Govt directed investment in the vital utility in the society. It will be wrong for a Nigerian who came to Atlanta in 2000 to go back in 2009 to advise Nigerian Govt that Gas infrastructural development and management is a PRIVATE BUSINESS AFFAIR! It is FOUL! Same with telephone, the internet, road networks and water supply. Govts deliberately design the blueprints for these VITAL Utilities that are key to societal progress and advancement in communication, business, et cetera. Once developed, the private sector is engaged for effective and efficient delivery, finishing, and management. This is what my twenty-some years in the Diaspora has taught me. I won’t do it or advise it differently because it will just represent another time-wasting exercise like the changing of school programs from 6-5-2-3 or 6-5-4 system to the 6-3—3-something that is going downhill now in Nigeria. Nigerian EXPERTS with vague knowledge about how best practices are developed are MISLEADING Nigerian Govts and leaders; it is NOT RIGHT! Take care. JUI
From: edo-nationality@yahoogroups.com [mailto:edo-nationality@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of joan.Osa Oviawe
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2010 10:20 AM
To: Edo-nationality; edo-nation
Subject: Re: [edo-nationality] RE: Dr. Ebohon on Parent Management Board (PMBs)
"however, try to verify and you will CONFIRM that parents dont TAKEOVER the management of core curricula and educational basics to any extent in any industrialized nation; and this is both in public and private education!" Dr. JUI
Doc., I think it depends on what you mean by "...core curricula and educational basics"
In the U.S. for example, parents have a long history of influencing and agitating for major changes in the education system. Some examples: Charters schools serve as an alternative to failing public schools and parents are amongst the major proponents of the Charter school Movement. Many parents are also core supporters of Magnet schools (called specialist schools in the UK), which arose out of the "Open Schools Movements" of the 1960's. There is also Home Schooling, which essentially provides parents with the freedom to teach/school their children at home. By the way, more and more parents are starting to Home School their kids- as the confidence in the public education system continues to wane.
Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark case (in the 1950's) that led to the desegregation of schools in America. Brown was a parent who sued the school board of Kansas for segregating black kids from white kids, arguing that it was a violation of the 14th Amendment (equal protection clause). The Supreme court agreed with Mr. Brown. This ruling effectively nullified the earlier ruling in 1896 in Plessy v. Ferguson where the Supreme court used the "separate but equal doctrine" to uphold racial segregation in schools. In more contemporary times, there are many instances were parents have sued school boards/districts as a way to effect some reform in schools or change in curriculum...vis a vis contentious issues like: sex education, recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, teaching religion, kids sexual privacy and other sundry issues. These are issues that have directly or indirectly impacted school curricula.
I encourage everyone to watch the new documentary that just came out: Waiting for Superman. It's about the failing public school system in the United States of America.
I will post a review of the documentary shortly, under a different thread.
Back to Edo State, school/community partnership is key. With lack of financial resources, government should find ways to engage poor parents in the academic success of their kids. One way is through the use of "Sweat Equity." The principle of sweat equity simply means, if you don't have money to give, you have your time and skills. There should be a parent volunteer corp that will provide valuable volunteer hours on weekends to schools. Many poor countries have, and are utilizing this model of making the money go far. For example, I don't see why parents can't supplement labor by helping to build tables and chairs for students, while government provides the raw materials: wood, nails. hammer etc.
Saludos,
jOo
On Sun, Oct 24, 2010 at 9:52 PM, Igietseme, Joseph (CDC/OID/NCPDCID) <jbi8@cdc.gov> wrote:
""""Reading JUI epistle, he made a spirited defence on what Oshiomhole can and cannot do about corruption. However, the question is not what Oshiomhole can do and cannot do about corruption but the lack of application of intellect in developing a good and sustenable policy formulation and implementation. """Unquote Avenbuan Omo Omwenyeke
AOO, if you explain yourself further, would it be right for us to assume that what you REALLY want from Gov Oshiomhole is: that the Governor should design and implement a foundational policy for erradication of corruption from people, their thought processes and possibly their genes? I am asking this question because (without chasing shadows) I am not sure Gov Adams can't do more than what a normal human being can do about an undesirable human tendency: that is, decry it, advocate laws against it, monitor/police, punish perpetrators, and fight hard to minimize or erradicate it within the laws of the society!
The following was my previous response previously, when you asked me: “.. what are the policies and laws in place to deal with corruption and mismanagement should this ugliness rears it head?””. First, irrespective of the tough stance he has against corruption and misdeeds by Govt officials, I believe it will be unlikely for Gov Adams to control the tendency of people to be corrupt or to mismanage State concerns; Gov Adams cant control the natural or unnatural instinct of a human being to commit a crime. Second, as you and I and everybody know very well, Gov Adams operates in Nigeria and within Nigerian laws; so the available instruments in the nations have been and will be used to address suspected cases of corruption and mismanagement. Besides, I am not Gov Adams Oshiomhole; but so far he has demonstrated no tolerance for some of the practices that foster corruption, which are evident in his war against god-fatherism in politics; intolerance for ineptitude by appointed or elected Govt officials; and strong action against poor or non-execution of Govt contracts, which are verifiable with Gov Adams' strict performance monitoring policies. When added to Gov Adams’ strong support for rapid prosecution of corrupt Govt officials, I believe he has a plan to control or minimize the crimes you mentioned. We have to use available FACTS to evaluate and judge Gov Adams; and I would like to re-state that: to employ other fantasized standards that are actually humanly IMPOSSIBLE to fathom to judge Gov Adams is certainly unnecessary, uncalled for and outrightly disingenuous!
As a related issue, realize that some of us reside in nations that pride their societies as the best contmporary civilization can offer mankind and thus their operations in education and societal management are regarded as the best practices and standards for humanity TODAY! For your information, parents and communities in the US, Germany, Japan, Gt Britain and essentially all industrialized nations do take active roles in education and civic activities involving their children, especially in facility provision, designing ethical/moral standards, et cetra ; however, try to verify and you will CONFIRM that parents dont TAKEOVER the management of core curricula and educational basics to any extent in any industrialized nation; and this is both in public and private education! And guess what? Even today in Atlanta, Govt still bus children from home to school! Some of us will go to Nigeria and tell the Govt that Education is now privately run! Na lie!!!!!! Go find out before we mislead Govt and misdirect generations of our children! Take care. JUI
From: edo-ciao@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Avenbuan Omo Omwenyeke
Sent: Sun 24-Oct-10 5:39 PM
To: ebohon@dmu.ac.uk; Edo-Nation@yahoogroups.com; edo-ciao@yahoogroups.com; edo-nationality@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Edo-ciao Re: [Edo-Nation] Dr. Ebohon on Parent Management Board (PMBs)
| Dear Dr. Ebohon, Good argument. These maracas playing ass kissing praise singing blind followers if anything are a total diservice to Oshiomhole. With all the exposure to a working government, these type of question like the one pose by Mr. Ben Osawe and the spirited defense of JUI would dumbfound any rationale sensible individual. Reading JUI epistle, he made a spirited defence on what Oshiomhole can and cannot do about corruption. However, the question is not what Oshiomhole can do and cannot do about corruption but the lack of application of intellect in developing a good and sustenable policy formulation and implementation. Like you rightly stated, why build without a foundation. What we have in Edo State is a continuos system of deep seated corruption with a bandage application. Let me say this, while I applaud Oshiomhole effort to change the way government runs but I am disappointed at his approach. His approach is not different from his predecessors and what that simply means is "escalation to commitment to the failing cause of action". To simply put it, it is pouring water in a basket and the basket can never retain water neither will it ever be filled. He will continue to dance around the issues applying bandage and making some popular decisions that really do not have an impart in the lives of the people. Check this out:
These "escalation to commitment to the failing cause of action" is excerbated by a thoughless quick fix approach with a deep seated culture of political undertone. Moreso, the governor is surrounded by pack of wolves and vultures who are careless of the well-being of the society they live. These behaviour are further normalized by citizens with political apathy. The blind followership by the likes of our brothers who think that objective opinions are a harm rather than what they government really needs to provide good service(s) to the people. That said, I agree with suggestion of the writer before about the use of property tax to fund the building the of elementary and high schools. For example, check the price of plot in Benin City and environ? Land are being sold at an alarming rate and Benin City has almost expanded to Ekiadolar on the west, to Oghara on the south, Okhuaihe to the east and Eyaen to the north. Check the conditions of the public or community schools? Mind you, the communities all have development associations. I ask, what is the development for when there is virtually no development? Not even a town hall... In addition, you have many mansions and castles on potopoto roads and none paying property taxes. Point, there is a Ministry of land and Survey, ministy of finance what is the roles of these ministries? My point here is total failure of government at all levels to reason, develop good policies, to enforce laws and regulations or to stimulate economic growth. What we have is a government that lack political or economic ideology. Finally, Dr. Ebohon, we as a people are too easily sway. Lucky Igbinedion played that game, so was Osunbor and now Oshiomhole. Convention Igbinedion attended, he repeated elementary message like roads, water, fruit factory in Ehor, cement or tourism in Lampese and what was the message of Osunbor and now Oshiomhole? It is a shame that, black African have severe issues running sustenable democracy or develop and sustain a working government. It is a shame when you have educated individuals that have issues with objective point of view or support mediocrity. Sincerely, Omo.
|
__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
visit our website:
http://www.edo-nation.net
You can also get a free email service from http://www.edo-nation.net.
This is the first Nigerian website to offer free emails and the only still offering it free.
"Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it." - Frantz Fanon
Please visit our web site:-
www.edo-nation.net
MARKETPLACE
Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use
.
__,_._,___
No comments:
Post a Comment