1,000 more schools in educationally backward areas okayed

NEW DELHI – The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) Friday approved the setting up of 1,000 additional model schools by state governments in educationally backward blocks (EBBs), taking the total number of such schools to be established to 3,500.

The CCEA had approved the setting up of 2,500 schools by the state governments in November … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 1,000 more schools in educationally backward areas okayed.

UAE students to be trained on emergency response

Abu Dhabi, April 23 (IANS/WAM) School students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be trained on how to respond to risky and emergency situations, officials have said.

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) is conducting inspection checks in more than 300 schools in the region as part of a project on health and safety conditions …. Read the original article  : UAE students to be trained on emergency response.

Psychedelic psychotherapy? Study tests magic mushroom drug to aid treatment of cancer anxiety

Psychedelic trips aid anxiety treatments in study

NEW YORK – The big white pill was brought to her in an earthenware chalice. She’d already held hands with her two therapists and expressed her wishes for what it would help her do.
She swallowed it, lay on the couch with her eyes covered, and waited. And then it … Read more »»».

Wis. Legislature agree to regulate payday lenders, take steps to turn around troubled schools

Wis. lawmakers agree to regulate payday lenders

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin lawmakers agreed Thursday to regulate the payday lending industry for the first time and take steps to turn around the most troubled public schools.
The measures won final approval in the Assembly late Thursday and were headed to Gov. Jim Doyle as lawmakers wrapped up the …. Original source  : Wis. Legislature agree to regulate payday lenders, take steps to turn around troubled schools.

Sallie Mae: Shift away from private lending in federal student loan program costs 2,500 jobs

Sallie Mae cuts 2,500 jobs citing student loan law
NEW YORK – Sallie Mae says a new law that cuts banks out of the federal student loan business is costing 2,500 workers their jobs.
The nation’s largest student lender has told 1,200 staffers in service centers in Killeen, Texas, and Panama City, Fla., they will …. Source article  : Sallie Mae: Shift away from private lending in federal student loan program costs 2,500 jobs.

Take-your-kid-to-work day appears to lose steam; schools urge parents to keep kids in class

Take-your-kid-to-work day appears to lose steam

CHICAGO – More than a decade after it began, take-your-kid-to-work day appears to be losing steam. Now it’s keep-your-kid-in-school.
Thursday marked the 17th year for Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day. But some school districts sent strongly worded letters or e-mails to parents explaining that taking a child to … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Take-your-kid-to-work day appears to lose steam; schools urge parents to keep kids in class.

Coaches, college officials praise NCAA for expanding tourney to 68 teams

Coaches, college officials praise NCAA
NEW YORK – Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was one of the leading proponents for expanding the NCAA tournament to 96 teams, and even he liked what he heard Thursday.

The NCAA announced plans to increase the field for the men’s tourney from 65 to 68 teams beginning next year, satisfying many critics …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Coaches, college officials praise NCAA for expanding tourney to 68 teams.

Rally urges University of Wyoming to let former ’60s radical William Ayers speak on campus

Wyoming rally denounces ban of Ayers’ address

LARAMIE, Wyo. – Some University of Wyoming students and faculty are denouncing the college’s refusal to let former 1960s radical William Ayers speak on campus.
About 80 people attended a rally Thursday organized by a group calling itself Wyoming Students for Free Speech. UW student Meg Lanker says the university … Original article on : Rally urges University of Wyoming to let former ’60s radical William Ayers speak on campus.

Sallie Mae nearly doubled lobbying spending as government debated student loan overhaul

Sallie Mae intensified lobbying amid loan overhaul
NEW YORK – Student lender Sallie Mae spent $1.86 million to lobby the U.S. government in the first quarter, as lawmakers debated the passage of a law that cut private lenders out of the federal student loan program.
The amount was nearly double the $970,000 the company spent …. Read the original article  : Sallie Mae nearly doubled lobbying spending as government debated student loan overhaul.

Study of twins suggests better teachers help kids improve reading skills faster

Study: Better teachers help children read faster

SEATTLE – Genetics play the biggest role in determining how fast a child learns to read, but a good teacher can make a measurable difference as well, according to a study released Thursday.
Florida State University used twins assigned to different classrooms to develop the conclusions.
Researchers studied more than 550 … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Study of twins suggests better teachers help kids improve reading skills faster.

Missouri tax revenues coming in worse than expected; budget director says more cuts needed

Missouri revenues down, more spending cuts planned

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Public schools took another funding hit Thursday as Gov. Jay Nixon cut more than $45 million from Missouri’s budget to offset worse-than-expected tax collections.
The governor’s latest actions bring to more than $900 million the total that has been vetoed or cut from this year’s $23.7 [..] Read the original article: here.

Fraternity inspired by Robert E. Lee bans Confederate uniforms after years of complaints

Frat inspired by Robert E. Lee bans Rebel uniforms

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A college fraternity inspired by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee has banned members around the country from wearing Confederate uniforms to “Old South” parties and parades after years of complaints that the tradition was racially insensitive.
The Virginia-based Kappa Alpha Order issued new rules to …. Original article  : Fraternity inspired by Robert E. Lee bans Confederate uniforms after years of complaints.

Government school students in Chandigarh too have buses

CHANDIGARH – Government school students here now have a privilege that students in government schools across the country may not have. The Chandigarh administration Thursday flagged off a bus service exclusively dedicated to government schools in this union territory.

Chandigarh’s Home, Education and Transport Secretary Ram Niwas flagged off the first of its kind service named [..] Read the original article: here.

Insurer balks at covering cost of litigation, settlement in Pa. school webcam spying case

Insurer won’t pay legal costs in Pa. webcam spying

PHILADELPHIA – An insurance company says it won’t pay legal costs for a suburban Philadelphia school district accused in a lawsuit of spying on students through laptop webcams.
Graphic Arts Mutual Insurance Company said in a lawsuit filed last week that its personal injury policy with the Lower … Original article on : Insurer balks at covering cost of litigation, settlement in Pa. school webcam spying case.

IIT-Delhi’s virtual lab to teach live experiments

NEW DELHI – The Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-Delhi) has almost completed its pilot phase to roll out a virtual lab that can benefit thousands of students and professors across India learn difficult experiments in engineering and technology.

“I am very keen for this development and the human resource development ministry is helping us achieve [..] Read the original article: here.

Shift away from private lending in federal student loan program costs 2,500 jobs at Sallie Mae

2,500 Sallie Mae jobs fall to new student loan law

NEW YORK – A new law that cuts banks out of the federal student loan business is costing 2,500 workers at Sallie Mae their jobs.
The nation’s largest student lender has told 1,200 staffers in service centers in Killeen, Texas, and Panama City, Fla., they will lose …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Shift away from private lending in federal student loan program costs 2,500 jobs at Sallie Mae.

South Korea moves to curb ‘Internet addiction’ with some 2 million people hooked on the web

SKorea targets Internet addicts; 2 million hooked

SEOUL, South Korea – Day and night, Lee Mi-hwa’s son stays on his computer, slaying dragons in his online fantasy world while his dinner and homework sit untouched.
Lee says the 15-year-old fights her attempts to get him to log off, screaming and physically lashing out at her entreaties. She …. Original article  : South Korea moves to curb ‘Internet addiction’ with some 2 million people hooked on the web.

IIT-Delhi to launch virtual lab within a year

NEW DELHI – The Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-Delhi) is planning to launch a virtual laboratory within a year to help engineering students in India, IIT professor and director Surendra Prasad said Thursday.

The “virtual laboratory” is expected to provide infrastructure in laboratory research and induce confidence in students.
According to IIT officials, initial tests … Read more »»».

IIT-Delhi’s innovative research to be displayed Saturday

NEW DELHI – Waterless urinals for urine harvesting, solar energy-based cooling system and around 300 other innovative research projects being pursued at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-D) would be showcased to the public on its annual open house Saturday.

I2Tech 2010 – the sixth open house of IIT-D – will feature the latest research projects, … Read this article on Gaea Times at : IIT-Delhi’s innovative research to be displayed Saturday.

India to regulate international school boards

NEW DELHI – India is set to regulate international school boards like International Baccalaureate (IB) that are giving affiliation to schools in the country but are out of the purview of the government accountability system.

A high-powered meeting, attended by secretaries from various ministries, Thursday discussed the issue and related matters. The meeting was held under … Read more »»».