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| Sunday, 10 July 2005 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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French children's daily celebrates 10 years
This newspaper, which claims to be the only children's daily in the Western world, celebrated its 10th anniversary recently. Mon Quotidien, which caters to children between the ages of 10 and 14, started publication in Marais, Paris in 1995. Francis Dufour is the founder and editor-in-chief of the newspaper. He started the daily with the profits he acquired from a successful venture in educational quiz cards. The newspaper has 'Show the truth' as its motto and combines hard news and human interest stories with cartoons, articles on topics such as science and nature, and illustrated stories. A novel project is the inviting of three children twice a week to the daily editorial meetings held at the Mon Quotidien office. Both local and foreign stories that are being considered for the next edition are discussed over the hour-long meeting. The children will be able to present their opinions on what they like to see in the newspaper, at this meeting. A telephone number printed in the newspaper can be dialled by the children who are interested in attending these editorial meetings, and they will be selected on a 'first come, first served' basis. You too can send us your views on what you would like to see in your own paper, the Junior Observer. ############# July 11 - World Population Day : Tackling the growing problem
That is why, as the world celebrates World Population Day on July 11 (tomorrow), it is important to discuss and decide on population issues. World Population Day was inaugurated by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 1988, to mark the day global population reached five billion, on July 11, 1987 . The day focuses attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development plans and programmes, and the need to find solutions to these issues. This year's theme 'Equality Empowers' focuses on women's role in population control. It will emphasize the importance of investing in girls' education, and improving women's economic opportunities and access, for poverty reduction and development. The last census conducted in Sri Lanka in 2001 put the local population at around 19 million. However, the current population stands closer to 20 million. It is expected to reach 21.5 million in 2015. The world population stood at 6,451,705,074 as at July 4, 2005, according to statistics released by the US Census Bureau. China leads the figures with over 1.3 billion people, while India, Indonesia, Brazil and Pakistan come next. The global population grows by about 78 million every year and the United Nations estimates it to stand between 7.3 and 10.7 billion in 2050. The UNFPA, which deals with population issues, is a development agency that promotes the right of every man, woman and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. It extends its support to countries to use their population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and improve the livelihoods of their people. Maths orientation paper this month
Examinations Department sources said they have three key objectives in mind in presenting the orientation paper: giving the students an opportunity to get used to the structure of the O/L exam paper, helping teachers to find and correct students' weaknesses, and giving an opportunity to the Education Ministry to identify shortcomings in schools. Arrangements have been made by the Department to release the corrected answer scripts of the students along with their results, so that they can review their answers and get ready for the actual examination in December. The orientation paper is introduced under the Education Ministry's ongoing education reforms programme. It will cover the syllabus up to the end of the current school term and is prepared by the same panel who designs the O/L Maths paper. Marking of the orientation paper will be carried out regionally. ############ Scout, Girl Guide Movements strengthened The Ministry of Education has directed its attention to strengthening the Scout and Girl Guide Movements, as an activity parallel to the school curriculum. Instructions have already been made in this regard to all Provincial Education Secretaries and Provincial Directors of Education, through a circular. The Ministry, realising the role the Scout and Girl Guide Movements play in developing the skills and talents of schoolchildren, has instructed schools to set up Cub Scout, Scout, Little Friends, Girl Guide and Senior Girl Guide groups as deemed fit. As teachers with Diplomas in Science from National Education Academies have received Scout training, they can train Scout Groups in schools. The circular has also permitted teachers engaged in Scout activities in schools to perform their duties before and after school, by making the time table flexible, as for sports teachers. The heads of schools should make available a room and other facilities for the Scout activities of their schools. The principals have also been instructed to credit funds collected by Scout Groups to the School Development Society Account, to maintain a separate ledger for this purpose, and to spend such funds for Scout activities only on the recommendation of the teacher-in-charge. The Education Ministry expects to see the strengthening of the Scout and Girl Guide Movements in the school system through the efficient intervention and dedicated service of heads of schools and all parties connected to the Movements. ########### Help for Peraliya pre-school Hope for Children, a British charity working on behalf of handicapped, orphaned, poor and exploited children, has come forward to assist the Peraliya pre-school which was completely destroyed by the tsunami. The charity responded immediately after reading about the plight of the pre-school students in the Junior Observer. It has now supplied school equipment to the students and teachers, through one of its partner agencies, Saviya Development Foundation of Galle. Desks for the pre-school children, teachers' tables, chairs, steel cupboards, educational play material, storage racks, plastic cups and aluminium plates, a water filter and a toy and an umbrella for each of the 27 students have been provided by Hope for Children. Over Rs. 80,000 has also been provided for a play area. Another non-governmental organisation has sponsored a building for the school. |
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| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Politics | Produced by Lake House |
You enjoy reading your very own newspaper, the Junior Observer.
Likewise, children in France also enjoy their own newspapers. Although
they have many weeklies to choose from, there is only one daily, Mon
Quotidien (My daily) meant exclusively for children. 
Every second, hundreds of babies are born around the world. The global
population goes up by leaps and bounds every day, every hour, every
minute. But the resources required for their survival are not increasing;
if anything, they are dwindling. 
The Examinations Department has made preparations to present the
mid-year Mathematics orientation paper for GCE Ordinary Level students on
July 30. The orientation paper is presented with the objective of
increasing the average pass rate in Maths at the Ordinary Levels, from the
current 45 per cent to 60 per cent. 
