Education - May 2009

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(Still) Separate and Unequal: Roma Education in Central and Southeast Europe

The Roma are one of Europe’s largest, least known, and most disadvantaged ethnic minorities. Numbering approximately 10 million, the Roma—also commonly referred to as Gypsies—are scattered across the continent, with especially large concentrations in Central and Southeastern Europe. Poor and lacking access to quality education, many Roma live at the margins of society. In 2005, nine Central and Southeastern European governments launched the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015, a set of programs and funding initiatives aimed to address disparities between Roma and non-Roma in the areas of education, employment, housing, and health. Equal access to educational opportunities is a cornerstone of efforts to combat poverty among European Roma and to ensure their full and equal participation in society.

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How Technology Can Support Education in Africa

From May 27-29, the eLearning Africa 2009 Conference will be held in Dakar, Senegal. Some 350 people from sixty countries will speak, and attendance will exceed the 1,500 people who showed up last year. The sheer size of the conference signals growing interest in Africa in the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in education.

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Europe is Out, the Americas Are In: Surprising New Trends in U.S. Study Abroad Data

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SPECIAL FEATURE: Does Size Really Matter? Reflections on India's 15th General Elections

Though administered admirably and having produced a more stable ruling coalition government, India’s recently-concluded 15th general election signals the emergence of a dangerous complacency - both in India and abroad - regarding the mere existence of Indian democracy itself. The conduct of this year’s elections, along with the world’s response to it, should compel leaders worldwide to initiate more critical debates centered on the quality - and not quantity - of Indian democracy.

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Education in Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s history is a complex and violent one marked by a series of foreign evasions and occupations. The twentieth century history of Afghanistan is highlighted by its gaining independence from Great Britain in 1919, the Soviet Union invasion in 1979 followed by a lengthy proxy war with U.S. backed mujahedin forces.