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Educación sexual en los colegios I

Gonzalo Cardenal M.

Por: Gonzalo Cardenal M

En muchos centros la educación sexual pasa por clases prácticas de cómo utilizar los preservativos. Esa es la única salida que les ofrecen a los jóvenes.

Si hay un aspecto que se está imponiendo por igual por todo el mundo, ya sea en Europa, América Latina o África son los llamados “programas de educación sexual” y que en gran medida no son otra cosa que un sistema de adiestramiento de los niños en la ideología de género y en los anticonceptivos y el aborto.Eso sí, estos programas siempre aparecen disfrazados de un aspecto educativo cuyo único y aparente objetivo es evitar los embarazos no deseados y las enfermedades de transmisión sexual. Estas políticas no son solo apoyadas, sino que son promovidas generalmente por organizaciones supranacionales como las Naciones Unidas, que en muchos casos supedita la ayuda financiera a países pobres, o en vías de desarrollo a la aplicación de estos programas de adoctrinamiento, de colonización imperialista, como lo ha denunciado y denominado con toda la boca y repetidamente el papa Francisco.

Como un ejemplo de la imposición de estos programas pudiéramos citar el reciente informe de la Unesco, en el que pedía a la Asamblea General de la ONU que impusiera más exigentemente programas de adoctrinamiento, en este caso el LGTBI, en los colegios de todo el mundo.

La realidad es que son decenas de miles los colegios que en todos los continentes llevan aplicando en años programas de educación sexual. Pero hasta ahora nadie se había parado a analizar si realmente estos son eficaces o son únicamente pura ideología (la de género).Esto es lo que ha realizado Cochrane, una red global de investigadores del ámbito de la salud que realizan informes muy completos generando así información destinada a que se tomen mejores decisiones en el mundo de la Salud.

El estudio de estos expertos ha revisado los datos de más de 55,000 jóvenes de países como Inglaterra, Escocia, Sudáfrica, Chile, Kenia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe o Malawi. Y han realizado un seguimiento que va desde las edades de año y medio hasta los 7 años. Es decir, una muestra amplia y duradera en el tiempo.

La conclusión a la que llegan es devastadora para los promotores de estos programas educativos: no reducen el número de embarazos ni las enfermedades de transmisión sexual. Es más, no tienen ningún efecto en los jóvenes.¿Los jóvenes están mejor informados? Sí, pero los jóvenes también están recibiendo un bombardeo de mensajes de carácter sexual que anula esta información. En estos programas todo vale, todo se permite, la clave es el deseo y el único freno que se les ofrece es el preservativo. Y esta política se demuestra claramente ineficaz.En muchos centros parte de la educación sexual pasa por clases prácticas de cómo utilizar los preservativos. Esa es la única salida que les ofrecen a los niños y jóvenes… como única defensa.El autor principal del informe, el doctor Mason-Jones, insiste en que tal y como se diseñan estos programas actualmente “no tienen ningún efecto sobre el número de jóvenes infectados con el VIH, otras infecciones de transmisión sexual o el número de embarazos”.La próxima semana concluiremos con más información, habilitando a nuestros padres a revisar y cuestionar estos programas, cuando intenten imponerlos en los colegios de sus hijos, si es que ya no se los están impartiendo.

Fuente: http://www.laprensa.com.ni/2017/07/08/opinion/2259520-educacion-sexual-en-los-colegios-i

 

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Africa: Kenya should be focused on recycling, not banning plastic bags

Noticias

África/Kenia/Julio del 2017/Noticias/https://theconversation.com/

 

Kenya recently announced a ban on one of the most common materials used in the country’s packaging sector – plastic bags. This includes the use, manufacture and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging.

This isn’t the first time the East African nation has tried to do this and the directive comes about 10 years after the first attempt. That one failed, primarily because of a lack of consistent follow up on the agreed implementation plan.

My research on the management of plastic waste in urban Kenya shows that this new ban is not realistic. The policy direction is not based on the local context or any extensive research regarding implications of the ban. It doesn’t consider the impact that it will have economically or give due consideration to other environmental alternatives.

Kenya’s plastic bag industry

Plastic materials offer a number of advantages over other conventional packaging materials. They are malleable, light, low cost and can be produced in a variety of shapes and sizes. Because of this, every year over 260 million tons of plastics are produced globally. Of this, nearly one trillion plastic bags are made and used. This makes them an important feature of the packaging sector.

Plastic bag manufacturing forms a sizeable portion of the plastic manufacturing sector. It has a long history dating back to the 1930s. Today there are over 30 plastic bag manufacturers with a combined capital investment worth over USD$77.3million (Ksh5.8 billion). They employ up to 9,000 people, both directly and indirectly. Some 100 million plastic shopping bags are given out every month by supermarkets. This is a massive contribution to the plastics sector and to the country’s economy.

Plastic bags also have an extremely important role in the average person’s daily life as they stand out for their excellent fitness for use, resource efficiency and low price. For Kenya, where 56% of the population live on less than a dollar per day, plastic bags support the “kidogo” economy – synonymous with the majority. This economy is based on the small amounts people buy – for example one cup of cooking oil, or a handful of washing powder or squeeze of toothpaste. To take these home they need the small plastic bags.

Pollution

But because plastic bags are resistant to biodegradation, they cause long-term pollution to various natural environments from oceans to soil. Of the 4,000 tons of single use plastic bags produced each month, about 2,000 tons end up in Kenya’s municipal waste streams. Half of these are lightweight bags with a thickness of less than 15 microns.

Because of these issues, a variety of policy measures can be introduced to manage plastic waste. These include a ban on the production of certain plastics, levying taxes, mandatory recycling targets and adoption of anti-plastic bag campaigns.

Kenya has chosen the path of a ban on use, manufacture and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging. But my research shows that plastic waste recovery and recycling is a better strategy for sustainable plastic waste management. This is particularly true for developing economies because employment opportunities can be created within the recycling chain.

One option that won’t work is substituting plastic bags with biodegradable ones. First, the tear strength of biodegradable packaging bags is low compared to their petrochemical counter parts. They also have a high rate of water absorption. Most developing countries are also not equipped with the technological capacity to produce biodegradable material. Lastly, they are still not cost effective. The cost of most bio plastic polymers fall in the range of USD$2-5 per kg, compared to approximately USD$1.3 per kg for the usual petrochemical polymers. These factors make biodegradables a poor substitution.

Which is why the solution lies with plastic recovery and recycling.

Recovery and recycling

The reuse and recycling of plastic waste makes much more sense – particularly since Kenya doesn’t have a petrochemical industry needed to make plastic. Raw materials for the plastics and polythene industries are imported from overseas.

Plastic waste recycling is not a recent phenomenon in Kenya – it dates back to the 1960s. A 2001 survey showed that over 90% of Kenya’s plastic manufacturing industries have internal reprocessing capacity for their own waste and rejects.

Trading in plastic waste has been practised in Kenya since the 1980s. Waste pickers and small-scale traders started to sell unprocessed plastic waste directly to plastic producers for use as a raw material in the manufacture of new plastic products.

This plastic waste collection, by informal actors, presents a more realistic and sustainable solution to plastic waste management in Kenya. The waste becomes a source of raw material for the production of plastic materials, creating an interdependent relationship between solid waste management systems and plastic production.

Kenya needs to create an integrated plastic waste management system. It already has three well established categories of plastic waste recycling industries. These need to be properly linked to plastic waste collection and separation chains.

It would need the support and coordination from government, industry and civil society at all levels. Including:

  • Separating plastic waste from other waste streams and the further separation of various plastic materials for effective use of different polymer wastes in production.
  • The protection of waste pickers and those who add value including washing and sorting to plastic waste
  • The allocation of space for waste separation centres
  • Technological and financial support for waste processing
  • Education outreach programs
  • Plastic product marketing to popularise the diverse products
  • Introducing deposit and return systems in supermarkets
  • Improved transport logistics or plastic products and plastic waste so that such can reach their destinations in time.

Kenya would be better off pursuing waste management strategies. These include waste separation and the development of rules that require plastic industries to take back certain quantities of plastic waste from the solid waste management system to enhance recycling.

Fuente:

https://theconversation.com/kenya-should-be-focused-on-recycling-not-banning-plastic-bags-79679

Fuente imagen:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BNNAelPOFtbqxOfGLUDPiOZhBKhwuKSpwjUTMqiUUXFa781_YnI41k3LapkXl7MhKKfwnA=s85

 

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África Why Kenya’s electorate should be wary of bold education reform promises

Noticias

África/Kenia/Julio del 2017/Noticias/https://theconversation.com

 

Kenyan voters are being fed a daily diet of grand promises in the lead up to the country’s national elections. If either of the two main coalitions win power in polls scheduled for August 8, 2017, citizens can look forward to free maternity services, free public secondary school, farm subsidies, lower food prices and much more.

For better or worse, the education sector has been the easy target of numerous campaign promises. Kenya’s two rival political coalitions are both promising free secondary school education if elected. It’s an attractive offer given that it could ease the financial burden of millions of vulnerable families.

The pledge is not without some controversy. The ruling Jubilee Party and the rival National Super Alliance can’t seem to agree over who gave birth to the idea. Each coalition also has its own implementation strategy.

The opposition alliance has the more ambitious goal of implementing free secondary education within a month of being elected. The incumbents on the other hand are bringing forward their timeline to 2018 rather than the initial 2019.

Kenyans are no strangers to education promises. At independence in 1963 the founding president Mzee Jomo Kenyatta promised – but didn’t deliver – free universal primary education. It wasn’t until 2003, four decades later, that the promise finally became a reality.

It’s clear from the pronouncements made by both parties that not a lot of thought preceded the promises they are making and Kenyans are likely to be disappointed. In retrospect, the implementation of free basic education Kenyans reminds us that haphazard decisions have serious ramifications on the education sector and vulnerable members of society.

Already school heads are sounding the alarm bells. They want adequate infrastructure and deployment of more teachers to be in place before there’s a major change in policy.

Free primary school education

Free primary education is thanks to the winning coalition’s 2002 election manifesto. Apart from entrenching primary education as a basic right, the policy is credited with boosting enrolments. But the initiative faced numerous challenges.

There was no time to prepare the schools for the influx of learners just days into Mwai Kibaki’s presidency. School infrastructure was over stretched and the teachers were overworked. In spite of the overall success, moreover, free primary education has yet to reach all school going children.

One immediate effect of the chaos was that some parents opted for low cost private schools, particularly in slum areas. Parents went out in search of smaller classes that are associated with individualised attention and quality education.

Free basic education ended up creating inequalities that are more pronounced for poor households that can’t afford private education.

The current pledge of free secondary education comes smack in the middle of another unfulfilled promise: a free laptop for each pupil joining primary school. Many are still waiting for the Jubilee government to deliver on its 2013 campaign pledge that over a million learners would get free laptops in 2014.

Among the challenges along the way included poor planning, procurement disputes and insecurity. There was also lack of preparedness of public schools in terms of infrastructure development and re-skilling of teachers.

As of 2016, 11,500 pupils had received laptops. But disparity between what has been delivered and the monumental amounts of money allocated or spent is worrying and worth digging into.

Secondary schooling in Kenya

A secondary education subsidy was introduced in 2008 under the national coalition government of President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga. The stated aim was to curb high dropout rates by paying Sh10,265 (about USD$100) per student per year towards tuition fees. Parents would have to cater for boarding and uniform requirements.

The subsidy was further increased by about 25% to Sh12,870 in 2014 under President Uhuru Kenyatta. The president has intimated that the increase was in preparation for free secondary education resulting in annual subsidy allocation rising to Sh32 billion.

Kenya’s secondary schools has about 2.72 million learners. This is set to rise dramatically next year when, for the first time, the country plans to achieve 100% transition from primary to secondary school.

With these increasing numbers, making secondary education free at the rate proposed of Sh22,244 (about USD$215) per student per year means that the current budget will double to more than Sh60 billion.

The budget is still likely to increase further if costs related to uniform and lunch are included so as to make secondary education truly free as is being pledged.

Kenyans ought to be questioning whether the country is ready and able to offer free secondary education. In spite of the current subsidy many students are not attending school due to numerous hidden costs and fees associated with school uniform, materials, meals and administration. This is partly because the government has proved unable to enforceofficial school fee guidelines for public schools. The government has also struggled to remit the subsidy on time, making it harder for school managers to meet their obligations.

Planning for free education calls for sobriety to avoid a repeat of past mistakes. All stakeholders should be included in the planning of this major reform and leaders should be held accountable for the promises they make.

Fuente:

https://theconversation.com/why-kenyas-electorate-should-be-wary-of-bold-education-reform-promises-79950

Fuente Imagen:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Bd3hwYglDizyahaRj6_1EZe99YmOS9VI2-NLB3vlAw7tcLA_87Iy4HMUhopObKRLOIPAHg=s85

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Kenia: Public universities staff reject new talks on higher pay

Noticias

Kenia / 05 de julio de 2017 / Fuente: http://www.nation.co.ke

Staff in public universities have rejected a new round of talks with their employer over the implementation of a Sh10 billion salaries and allowances deal.

The Inter-Public Universities Council Consultative Forum had invited the three unions; Universities Staff Academic Union (Uasu), Kenya University Staff Union (Kusu) and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (Kudheiha) to the capital’s ICEA building.

However, Uasu secretary-general Constantine Wasonga said the union would not engage in any form of renegotiations, insisting that their focus had shifted to the 2017-2021 collective bargaining agreement whose talks must start in September.

RELEASED SH4.8 BILLION

“We are saying a resounding no to phased payment. Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i should keep off the issue as he is behind the mess,” said Dr Wasonga.

He said the CS had committed that Sh10 billion was available and wondered why he had released Sh4.8 billion.

on Tuesday, Vice-Chancellors Committee chairman Francis Aduol said they were still optimistic that university staff would turn up for the talks.

“We have invited them for these talks so that we can find an amicable solution to this problem,” said Prof Aduol.

REFUSED TO JOIN STRIKE

On Tuesday, cracks emerged after staff at the Kisii University claimed there were lecturers who had refused to join the strike.

The Kisii University Staff Union lashed out at lecturers, accusing them of dodging the strike.

Uasu’s Kisii secretary-general Mactosh Onwonga said lecturers could not take part in the strike because they had not issued a notice as required by authorities, but they were on a go-slow.

In Nyeri, more than 2,000 Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology lecturers and staff downed their tools in solidarity with their colleagues countrywide.

Led by their three unions officials, the striking workers vowed to stay put until the government releases the Sh10 billion salary increment as agreed.

DEFIED OFFICIALS

In Mombasa, lecturers at the Technical University of Mombasa defied their union officials, refusing to join them in their strike and instead continued working.

A spot check by Nation at the institution revealed that the lecturers were supervising students who were continuing with their end of semester examinations.

READ: Lecturers to get huge payouts after deal

Uasu chairman in the university Joseph Ngare told the Nation that they had not joined their counterparts in the boycott as they had been holed up in a meeting to discuss the issue.

“At the moment, we are in a meeting with Uasu officials to discuss the same. I will brief you later on our plans,” the lecturer said on phone.

KEPT OFF DUTY

In Nakuru, activities at Egerton University’s main campus in Njoro remained paralysed as employees kept off duty.

“We will not end the strike until the government implements the collective bargaining agreement,” Mr Earnest Wayaya, national organising secretary for Kusu said.

Most public university workers in central Kenya joined their colleagues in the strike.

SALARY INCREMENT

At the Meru University of Science and Technology, Kusu and Uasu officials vowed to keep off duty until their demands were met.

Kusu Meru branch chairman Timothy Ramara said: “The collective bargaining agreement says we are supposed to be paid the salary increment by June 30, but up to now, we have not received anything, so, we will not report on duty as instructed by our national secretary-general Charles Mukwaya,” said Mr Ramara.

Fuente noticia: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/Public-varsity-staff-reject-fresh-round-of-talks-/2643604-4000316-ibscgz/index.html

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Kenya: How Social Media Post On Exam Leakage Landed Teacher in Court

Noticias

Kenya/03 de Julio de 2017/Allafrica

Reseña: Un maestro de escuela primaria se encontró detrás de las rejas por presumir en las redes sociales que filtró el año pasado  Certificado de los exámenes de la educación primaria.

A primary school teacher found himself behind bars for bragging on social media that he leaked last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination papers.

A witness told a Wundanyi court that Jackson Sais Mganga later claimed that his posting was a joke and he did not mean it.

«Upon interrogation, the suspect owned up that he posted the message and said he was joking but I did not believe him,» Investigating Officer Gresom Katola said in his testimony.

The accused is said to be the administrator of Teachers Notice Board Kenya, where he posted that he had prior knowledge of the examination papers and had revised them with his pupils.

MATIANG’I

In the alleged posting the suspect wrote, «The leaked papers which I revised with my pupils yesterday are the true papers, my pupils are going to pass with flying colours, very happy indeed!!»

In yet another message, the accused is alleged to have bragged and laughed off Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, saying his efforts to curb exam cheating had flopped.

«Somebody tell Matiang’i this is Kenya!!» he wrote in another post.
 The investigating officer told the court the message attracted the attention of Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) officials, who investigated and arrested Mr Mganga.

«Through his Safaricom mobile numbers on his Facebook page, we were able to trace and arrest the suspect, Mr Katola said.

FORENSIC ANALYSIS

He said two mobile phones seized from the suspect were subjected to forensic analysis and helped in linking the accused to the posts.

The suspect had denied committing the offence on November 1 last year at Mwatango Hills in Taita Taveta County.

Mr Mganga is accused of unauthorised possession of examination papers, materials or information contrary to section 27(1) of Knec Act 2012.

The charge indicates that the suspect had information on his Facebook page purportedly related to the contents of the 2016 KCPE examination papers without lawful excuse.

The suspect is out on a Sh600,000 bond.

Fuente: http://allafrica.com/stories/201706301058.html

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Kenia: Study shows students still being forced to repeat

Noticias

Kenia / 28 de junio de 2017 / Por: OUMA WANZALA / Fuente: http://www.nation.co.ke/

Students not performing well academically are still being made to repeat classes despite a ban on the practice, a new study has shown.

The report by National Taxpayers Association dubbed The School Report Card (2016), indicates that some parents or students themselves request the repetition.

“Despite a directive prohibiting student repetition, about 65 per cent of schools admitted having such cases,” the report that was released on Saturday says.

REMEDIAL TEACHING
The practice was banned in 2014 following concerns by parents.

The Education Act says learners who do not attain set targets should be helped to improve their performance through prescribed remedial teaching.

MODERATING FACTORS

An earlier study by the Kenya National Examinations Council established that repetition rarely helped students improve their grades.

The NTA report also showed that pupils’ retention in schools remained a challenge as it was driven by family income status and general truancy.

“Sickness accounts for more than 50 per cent of pupil absenteeism.

«On the other hand, a number of children are skipping school for no good reason; truancy accounts for 26 per cent of absenteeism, child labour (7.5 per cent) and boda boda riding, watching movies/football or playing video games (4.2 per cent),» the report adds.

“Though paltry, some pupils are sent home when they report late to school in the morning.”

BOOK RATIO
Learners in public schools are still sharing books despite more than 10 years of education funding.

“Students are still sharing textbooks, with at least three other pupils on average from Standard One to Eight.

«Just three schools reported a pupil-book ratio of 1:1,” says the report.

Fuente noticia: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Study-shows-students-still-being-forced-to-repeat/1056-3987200-3x1fcw/index.html

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Kenia: Schools face food shortages as prices soar

Noticias

Kenia / 21 de junio de 2017 / Por: DANIEL TSUMA NYASSY – MOHAMED AHMED / Fuente: http://www.nation.co.ke/

There is fear and anxiety among school principals over rising food prices with some saying they may be forced to close schools before third term ends.

Principals who spoke to the Nation on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue said most secondary schools are facing food shortages.

A principal from Kisii said they held a crisis meeting last week with their sub county director of education to discuss the problem.

«We were told to list down the food items we require as per our consumption and leave the information with the officials,» he said.

However, he said, it was not clear when food items will be supplied.

The principal added that their previous suppliers had stopped supplying them food at the old price following the skyrocketing of food prices in the country.

Another principal from Central region said cheap maize grains were not available for purchase.

«We usually buy direct from the silos at a lower price but we are served at first come first served basis thus not all schools get the commodity because it is not enough for everybody,» he said.

The principals were speaking at the Wild Waters recreation centre in Mombasa during their 42nd annual conference.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association chairman Indimuli Kahi said principals have to get letters from their respective county directors introducing them to the suppliers for them to access food stuff.

«The current arrangement is that principals get introduction letters from the education county directors for them to buy food for their schools,» said Mr Kahi.

He said the food crisis issue will be discussed with the principals together with ministry officials to decide on the way forward.

Fuente noticia: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/Schools-face-food-shortages/2643604-3978616-rh6kfv/index.html

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