A ten-year-old boy who immolated himself in Bijapur succumbed to his injuries on Saturday. The fourth standard student was reportedly depressed because his teacher had threatened to punish him if he did not do his homework.
The child was admitted to hospital with severe burns last week after his suicide attempt. No case has been registered against the teacher. The incident came to light after the boy was found missing at the school prayer meeting.
Ironically, had just read yesterday, in times of india view and counter view on the issue
Study says homework doesn’t help students score better grades
According to the study carried out by University of Virginia researchers – one in which they looked at the transcripts and grades of more than 18,000 Xth grade students – homework doesn’t necessarily help children get higher grades, although it may help them get better standardised test scores. On the face of it, the criticism is valid in India as well. Students in a large number of schools here – both public and private – are burdened with large amounts of homework from an early age. But to conclude from this that homework per se is unnecessary would be to throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Does homework need to be rethought so that it is less of a burden and engages the child more effectively? Certainly. As the co-author said, homework should be used to integrate what is going on in the classroom, not simply make the student work for the sake of working. That being said, having homework in some form at least is essential in the Indian system where teacher quality, interest and student per teacher ratio are all often below acceptable norms. In such an environment where classroom learning can be painfully inadequate, homework’s supplementary effect can be crucial. The homework-free style can only work in an ideal education system, and India’s is very far from that.
Even more importantly, the study only measures a narrow, quantifiable aspect of homework’s effects. There are other intangibles that are crucial. Handling homework equips students with a whole set of work and life skills – from taking responsibility for one’s work to work discipline to learning how to research information – that are essential in work life and higher education. And isn’t learning those skills as much a part of a child’s education as learning how to score well in an exam?
COUNTERVIEW
Homework should be abolished
Meghna Roy
School is stressing out our youngsters, as evidenced in the high number of school students committing suicide. We should, therefore, be committed to removing stress from the school system. A primary contributor to stress is the oppressive burden of daily homework foisted on the student. Wrestling with piles of homework, whose load seems to increase every day, parent and kids alike are exhausted in equal measure. The truth is that much of the take-home assignments are simply an act of faith, without benefiting the overworked students.
After long-drawn school hours, kids return home and immediately get down to tackling the day’s homework. Where is the time to relax and do other extra-curricular activi-ties? Little wonder that kids, these days, appear highly-strung and reluctant to go to school. School-related stomachaches, headaches, sleep problems and depression are on the rise. The constant pressure of moving from one deadline to another leaves them perpetually harassed. Parents too have a hard time, often doing a major part of the homework to help out the child. Is homework necessary to get good grades? There’s no foundation for this belief. The fear and pressure of homework exhaust students, killing their curiosity and most importantly their keenness and desire to learn. In many countries like the US, Denmark and Japan, schools have cut down on or entirely eliminated homework, since it contributes nothing to learning or creativity.
At home the debate over homework is yet to have an impact. Even though there’s been discussion around inordinately heavy school bags which burden children, directly linked to the issue of homework. More than a decade ago the Yashpal committee report had proposed concrete suggestions to lessen the school bag load. Regrettably, they haven’t yet come to fruition. Junk the pointless system of homework, and don’t overburden our kids.
4 children arrested near Idinthakarai face sedition charges
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, The Hindu
A Coast Guard aircraft flies over anti-nuclear protestors, who began a jal satyagraha against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) by standing the whole day in the sea on Thursday. The year-long protest turned violent on Monday. PTI Photo
Four boys, aged between 15 and 16 years, who were arrested by the police during and after Monday’s clash between the anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project protesters and the police near Idinthakarai, are now facing serious charges including sedition.
All the four – one each from Vairaavikinaru, Idinthakarai and two from Kudankulam – have been lodged in the Juvenile Home on the South Bypass Road near the western entrance of Vaeinthaankulam New Bus Stand in Tirunelveli.
If the sedition charges framed against them are proved, they can be punished with imprisonment for life.
The Kudankulam police have registered a case against the boy from Vairaavikinaru under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 431 (damaging road, bridge, river, channel etc.), 121(A) (conspiring to overawe, by means of criminal force or the show of criminal force, the Central Government or any State Government), 395 (dacoity), 307 (attempt to murder) r/w 149 IPC (unlawful assembly) and Sec 3 of TNPPDL Act (causing damage to public property).
The boy from Idinthakarai, who was reportedly arrested during the clash, is facing charges under Sections 147, 148, 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) r/w 144 Cr. P. C and 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation), 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 307, 427 (mischief to cause minor damage) IPC r/w 149 IPC and Section 13 of Unlawful Assembly Act and Section 3 of TNPPDL Act.
Of the four, the children from Kundankulam are facing grave charges as they have been booked under Sections 147,148, 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 431, 188 IPC r/w 144 Cr. P. C., ,291 (continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue), 294(b), 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India), 124(A) (sedition) 307 IPC r/w 149 IPC and 3 of TNPPDL ACT and Section 4 of Endangered Species Act.
Robert Paganin fed the new formula to his six-month-old son Harry for four weeks before discovering it was making his son sick. Picture: Supplied
NESTLE is conducting tests on a new baby formula recipe after receiving complaints from parents that it is making their children extremely sick and agitated.
Constant crying, rashes, dark green watery poo, dehydration and vomiting are among the symptoms babies have been experiencing since Nestle’s NAN H.A. 1 Gold switched to a “new improved” recipe.
Sarah Wells from Launceston in Tasmania put her 10-week-old son Oliver on the new formula and said she immediately noticed the bad side effects.
“A week after being on the formula, and the second can, Oliver’s face broke out in nasty eczema,” Ms Wells told news.com.au.
Ms Wells contacted Nestle, and was told by a customer service representative that babies often have reactions when switching to a new formula, then offered a $50 gift voucher.
Robert Paganin from Blackburn North in Victoria fed the new formula to his six-month-old son Harry for four weeks before he discovered it was making his son sick.
“Within 48 hours of changing he was fine, he was drinking the bigger bottle and finishing it, whereas on the other one he was refusing to drink,” Mr Paganin said.
“I am extremely disappointed and disgusted in Nestle playing with our babies’ wellbeing.”
Nestle external relations manager Margaret Stuart said the company ran tests when it switched calcium chloride for potassium chloride in the formula recipe.
“This testing did not show anything that could cause the reactions that parents are describing,” Ms Stuart said.
Ms Stuart said that the company takes concerns from parents very seriously, and in response to comments Nestle is running further testing using an independent laboratory in Australia.
“While we do not yet have final results, preliminary results of the microbiological profile indicate no food safety issue,” she said.
“Old recipe was fantastic, new and improved a total disgrace , after 3-4 feeds of Nan H.A. Gold1 my baby was producing dark green liquid poo, excessive wind and restlessness,” posted Brett4646.
Meanwhile Joy16 posted: “We haven’t had such terrible days and nights like this before. Our twins cried constantly for 6 hours.”
“It is terrible!! It’s even worse when u ring the company and tell them and they still don’t take you seriously! My son smells revolting! He cries non stop!,” posted 4babies.
Monthly A State Govt Initiative Under Central Scheme
Bharat Yagnik TNN
Ahmedabad: This is a dirty joke played on the sensitivities of lakhs of children who go to government-run primary schools in Gujarat. ‘Puzzle Magic’, a monthly magazine which is circulated in 35,000 schools across the state under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, carries lewd jokes which would shock even adults.
The 50-page May 2012 issue, which has hit schools in the new academic session, has four pages of jokes which have caused a furore in academic circles. It is brought out by Golibar Publications, which is headed by editors Mohsin Golibar and Yunus Golibar, both well-known names in the field of school publications.
While the magazine has reached most target audiences, the Modi government is now scampering to recall all the copies as this has come at a time when the ‘Kanya Kelavni’ programme has just started to ensure the enrolment of girls in schools. Most IAS officers who have fanned out across the state in this annual exercise were at a loss trying to explain to teachers how such content could get into a publication brought out exclusively for the state government.
Apparently, the contract for the publication was awarded to Ahmedabad-based Amisha Printers by the state school education under the district primary education programme, which is funded by the Union ministry of human resources development. Amisha then awarded the sub-contract to Golibar Publications.
Editor Mohsin Golibar said this was only the second issue of ‘Puzzle Magic’. “It is a terrible mistake and we are withdrawing all the copies.” Asked how this has happened, he said, “I was away and had left finalization of the content to my staff who have goofed up.”
DPEP’s director Manoj Agarwal said the jokes are in extremely bad taste. “This is intolerable…we are cancelling the contract,” he said.
NOT A LAUGHING MATTER
Man to lover: “I would give Rs 5000 to kiss a beautiful woman like you” Lover: “Oh! My loss last night. Mahesh kissed me and paid nothing”
Wife to husband: “How much did you pay to have fun with Sheela last night?” Husband: “One hundred rupees” Wife: “Shameful! When her lover came to enjoy with me, he paid only fifty rupees”
A census official came to Champaben’s house and asked: “You have sons who are 3 and 5 years old. How come, when your husband died 9 years back?” Champaben replied: “My husband may have died but I am alive”
There is a 130 year long record of religious Jewish opposition against the zionist scheme | SourceNeturei Karta
The sole one starting terrorism in the middle east is Israel, King David Bombing July 1946, before any state of “Israel” was founded at all. | Source
During the King David bombing, zionist terrorist organisations killed 91 people with a single bomb attack. So far the myths who started bombings | Source
Israel committed over 77 massacres during the Nakba | Overview of all massacres
The first massacre of the Nakba in Deir Yassin where zionist terror organisations behaved like nazi’s in WWII | Source | Video
Deir Yassin is just one of the examples how Israel wipes of complete villages off the map of this very earth. Every red dot on this map represents a vanished Palestinian town |Map
Skipping some massacres, but this footage of Sabra & Shatilla could easily be mixed up for Holocaust footage | Photos | Documentary
Holocaust comparisions do not make me happy, but this footage must be seen and please make up your own mind | PhotosHashoah vs Al-Nakba
And before you jump into conclusions, this footage of Abu Ghraib style “trophy pictures” of Israel’s own soldiers says it all | Photos
The Nakba, intended to ethnic cleanse Palestine for the sake of the greater Israel never ended. | Article by Alan Hart
It goes on even today. In a continuous process of ethnic cleansing | Overview & resources
Most people do not even have the slightest idea of the magnitude of the genocide on Palestine which killed est. 5.1 Million Palestinians since 1948 | Research
Genocide is committed in 2 ways: By direct violence or passively: by deprivation |Researchby Dr. Gideon Polya
The policies of Israel to deprive people are similar to those which cause the death of 1 in6 million, so 1 million Jewish people who died due to deliberate deprivation by the Nazi’s during world war 2. Yet, Israel is doing the same on Palestine. | More
These deprivation policies are even proven for Israel went to Supreme Court to prevent documents about near starvation from leaking | Source
Every mean possible is deployed by Israel to deprive cause illness and death while it keeps displaying a bodycount cause by direct aims and confirmed hits only. To be very clear: The alleged rockets from gaza have killed 21 Israeli in 11 years | SourceIsraelproject
Israel inciting alleged threats of Gaza is hiding the facts about the myths about the home made flares | The Facts | The Footage
Israel accusing Iran of being a so called nuclear threat was revuked before by the IAEA |Source Febr 2012
Israel itself, is denying any investigation into it’s own nuclear arsenal which it’s possession it has been denying as in forever. While in Vanunu already exposed pictures of the Dimona nuclear weapon plant from 1985 | Footage
Aside from this, US gave Israel, short before the Cast Lead Massacre 1000 GBU-39 bunker busters which it pounded indiscriminately on high dense urban areas of Gaza |Source
In the soil of Gaza, 75 Tons of depleted uranium were found after the assault on Gaza |Report 1 | Report 2 | Report 3
These weapons not only kill on impact, but while Israel folds it hands, kills on passively by causing cancer, increasingly as well | Report
Which fits the zionist plan: “Shoot them, kill them, otherwise give them cancer” | Report
If one gets inflicted by diseases like cancer: Deprive them of medical aid | Overview of facts of death due to deprivation of medical aid
Or Israel kills by denying access to medical aid, 173 children died this way | Report
35 babies died (still births) before they could be born, because their mother was denied access to medical care, as well as 18.000 women a year develop complications during pregnancy due to restrictions of movement to medical aid facilities | Report, Facts, Resources and Video footage
In a shocking report of Israeli Physicians for Human Right it shows, that even inside 1948 (which is called Israel nowadays) people of Palestinian origin are severely infringed on their rights to medical assistance, treatments and even denied access. Causing high deathrates, less survival chances if inflicted by a terminal disease and even factor 4 to 5 reducing birthrate caused by racist policies | Report by PHR Israel
Dialysis supplies, which cost about 29 dollar per treatment are prohibited from entering or delayed, causing continuously over 400 lives to be in danger, making the ill hostage of deliberate politics | Facts, Resources, Footage
Cancer and Thallasamia patients neither have medications | Facts & Footage
May 19, 2012: 204 types of medication and 218 types of medical consumables are depleted. 200 others are on their way to depletion. Because the siege on Gaza | Source
While UN is celebrating “Long and healthy Lives” achievements, Israel prevents entry of vaccines, which is an obligation of UNRWA in Gaza for the refugees who also lack action or use of their mandate, putting Gaza’s children at vunerable ages at risks aside those they already are exposed to by all other factors | Facts
Like water pollution: Only 5% of Gaza’s water is fit for human consumption. Supplies for aquifiers are prohibited from entering, causing water born diseases, blue baby syndrome, pollution and environmental damage. | Facts, footage, resources
March 5, 2012 Again dams are flooded deliberately | Report
“Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and therefore a basic human right.” ~ Kofi Annan | Website RighttoWater, legal resources, reports, research
Israel if not stealing or destroying poisons water wells, flooding sewage or even directly poisoning orchards deliberately | Report
Israel cuts electricity supplies, fuel, causing a severe crisis and blackouts sometimes over 18 hours a day. Directly targeting all which is functioning on electricity as well like dialysis machines, Intensive care and heart units, nurseries, and at the moment even endangering the ability to do surgeries | Report by UN
Electricity cuts also prevent aquifiers to work, sewerage and waterpumps, violating human rights but also endangering health | Report by Muftah
May 24, 2012: Even emergency rooms in Gaza now face dangerous situations and shut down | Report
While it slained 1500 people, of which 352 children only during 1 of the many massacre Operation Cast Lead on Gaza in 2008-2009, during 22 days | Photos | Videos | More
With not only “traditional” ammunition launched by tanks, naval vessels, drones, F16′s but also previously mentioned Nuclear as well as chemical weaponry like white phosphorus which is forbidden by law | Report
Israel deploys 24 hours a day drones and has an enhanced remote killing technology called ” Spot and Shoot ” | Report
With which it commits extra judicial killings in Gaza, turning the open air prison not only into a concentration camp but effectively into an extermination camp as well | Report 1 |Report 2 | Report 3
Over 825 people have been killed this way by drones only, in the last 5 years in Gaza |Report
Snipers at the Gaza border shoot at over 1 mile range people working on their lands to death. Seems to be more for fun than danger | Report
An example: This is 17yr old mentally disabled Khames, he was shot by snipers 10 times in head and upperbody | Case study
Already in 2004 doctors in Gaza cried out to this world about the shocking rise of deaths by snipers who are merely hunting kids | Report 2004
Not only in Gaza, in the west bank as well: A sniper shoots a 4 year old girl and paralyses her, she died earlier this year of wounds and complications | Report
Or are hunted to death in a chase: An example: A healthy 30 year old worker chased to death | Report
Or wounded, are refused treatment, and dumped by the army aside of a road, where one man died this way | Report
People are abducted and vanishing for Israel’s organ trade, sometimes corpses returned with missing bodyparts | Report
Hit and Run Attacks. Cars used to kill. Or to disable. Hence even people in wheelchairs are ran over. None of the attackers has been punished for murder . Yet one of the attacks received an award | Overview
Prisoners are deliberately neglected and refused medical aid. As extermination tool |Report
Israel uses over 105 torture techniques since 1967 resulting in at least 66 documented cases of torture deaths | Report
Israel deliberately wounds and kills unarmed civilians with riot dispersal gear (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) in illegal ways causing death like Mustafa Tamimi | Overview, facts
Israel arms settlers which caused an increase of racist induced settler violence wounded and deaths | Report
Israel inciting so called dangers from Palestinians, it violent every day In the first 3 months of 2012, over 1000 attacks on Palestinians | Overview Jan – Mar 2012
Not only killing inside Palestine, also those who want to visit it. Like the Mavi Marmara Massacre: 9 deaths | Overview, Footage, Facts
This list can go on for ever for in over 60 years, there still has not come an end to this genocide.
The first Inter-Governmental Agreement for setting up two 1000MW light water reactors was signed between India and the erstwhile USSR in 1988. In spite of people’s opposition to the project since then the authorities were careful not to publicise the Environmental Impact Assessment Report, and the Site Evaluation Study and Safety Analysis Report.
In a radius of 2 to 5 km declared as sterilization zone, there are 15989 local residents .More than 1 million people live within a 30 km radius. The Plant’s coolant water and low-grade waste can kill fish and fish eggs as other Power Plants are doing already.
The Atomic Energy Regulation Board has said, that there should be no tourism site within a radius of 20 km from the plant when Kudankulam is only 14 kms from Kanyakumari and only 60 kms by air from Thiruvananthapuram. An accident at
Kudankulam will be unmanageable because of the high density of population.
The functioning of this Nuclear Power Plant will destabilise the livelihood of the people living in the vicinity, pollute the environment in an unimaginable magnitude; and in case of an accident, the fallout will be beyond boundaries and uncountable! This protest is for those trying to make a living now and for posterity, as a Nuclear Plant anywhere is like having a Nuclear Plant everywhere…
Electricity, Water and Food Supply stopped in Idinthakarai
All roads and sea routes to reach Idinthakarai are blocked. Police personnel forcibly took away mobiles phones and water supply equipments.
School run by Dr. S P Udayakumar damaged badly last night. School bus is also damaged.
There are 8000 children among the 20,000 protesting people in Idinthakarai. Milk supply to the village is also prevented and its affecting the children badly.
Error: Please make sure the Twitter account is public.
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