A thousand schools to be upgraded shortly

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardane stressed the importance of developing educational activities in urban, rural and remote schools equally last week and said that 1,000 schools in the country will be developed to the maximum level within the next few months.

"This would enable children in junior schools to enter these senior schools which are equipped with more facilities for higher studies," he pointed out.

He said when this task is completed, the clamouring of parents to send children only to National Schools would be overcome.

Minister Gunawardane told the Junior Observer that he highlighted this matter at a recent prize-giving held at Nugawela Madya Maha Vidyalaya, and intends to implement it shortly.

Accordingly, under the new concept of developing 1,000 Government schools, the Minister is expected to upgrade the educational standards and activities of all junior schools countrywide.

He said that many parents are of the view that the idea of the education level of National Schools is higher than of other schools and this has become the main reason why they always try to send their children only to National Schools.

"This is a wrong impression. Unlike in the past, the education level of National Schools and other schools are now on par," he said.

Recalling the introduction of free education by Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara, Minister Gunawardane said the present day children are very fortunate to not only have free education, but also free access to various facilities to develop their co-curricular activities.

He said he planned to visit all schools in the country during the coming months to look into the needs of the children.

"The objective of this programme is to provide required laboratory equipment, Information Technology, English skills development centres, sports material, play ground facilities etc," he added.

Are you ready for Universal Children's Day ?

Universal Children's Day is one of the oldest UN days, and carries particular significance in the 21st century because of the prominence of children's issues in the Millennium Development Goals. . Established in 1954, it is celebrated on November 20 each year to promote international togetherness and awareness among children worldwide.In our country it is observed on October 1 along with International Day of older Persons.

UNICEF, the United Nations' Children's Fund, promotes and coordinates this special day, which also works towards improving children's welfare.This day is used to focus attention on child related issues and many schools and other educational institutions make a special effort to inform children of their rights according to the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child(CRC).

What plans have been made in your schools to observe your very own special day?In some areas UNICEF holds events to draw particular attention to children's rights. Many countries, including Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, hold Universal Children's Day events on November 20 to mark the anniversaries of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the CRC.

Universal Children's Day is not observed in the United States, although a similar observance, National Child's Day, is held on the first Sunday in June.

On December 14, 1954, the UN General Assembly recommended that all countries should introduce an annual event from 1956 known as Universal Children's Day to encourage fraternity and understanding between children all over the world and promoting the welfare of children. It was recommended that individual countries should choose an appropriate date for this occasion.

Many of the countries respected this recommendation and the Universal Children's Day has since been annually observed on November 20.

There are some countries, such as Australia which observes it on the fourth Wednesday in October, India which does so on Nevember 14, and our country which celebrate it on October 1.

On November 20, 1959, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and on November 20, 1989, it adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Since 1990, Universal Children's Day also marks the anniversary of the date that the UN General Assembly adopted both the Declaration and the CRC.

World Giving Index:

Sri Lanka listed among top ten

by Rohana JAYALAL

Sri Lanka is among the top 10 in the World Giving Index. It has secured the eighth place in the world in the list of most charitable nations registering a high level of contentment. This is revealed in a survey conducted by the UK's Charities Aid Foundation, according to the BBC World service. The survey, conducted in 153 countries, covering 95 percent of the world's population suggests that well-being is a more reliable indicator of philanthropy than wealth.

The 'World Giving Index' placed Australia and New Zealand jointly at the top, with the US in the fifth and the UK and Sri Lanka at eighth place.

World Giving Index - Top 10

1. Australia, New Zealand

3. Canada, Ireland

5. Switzerland, USA

7. Netherlands

8. United Kingdom, Sri Lanka

10. Austria

The index has aimed to analyse global generosity in giving money, time as a volunteer or helping a stranger.

Researchers have found that predictably, some of the richer countries with strong histories of philanthropy come out on top. They are countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the Republic of Ireland. The countries towards the bottom of the list include Greece, India and China.

The Charitable Aid Foundation, which was set up to foster a culture of giving, argues that the research will help governments around the world to encourage all of their population to be more philanthropic, whether through tax incentives or closer community cohesion.

The idea is to promote giving and create a positive cycle in which society improves, people become happier and are therefore willing to give more.

Insect brains - rich stores of new antibiotics

Cockroaches could be more of a health benefit than a health hazard, according to scientists from the University of Nottingham who have discovered powerful antibiotic properties in the brains of cockroaches and locusts.

Simon Lee, a postgraduate researcher who is presenting his work at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn meeting in Nottingham, describes how the group identified upto nine different molecules in the insect tissues that were toxic to bacteria.

These substances could lead to novel treatments for multi-drug resistant bacterial infections.The group found that the tissues of the brain and nervous system of the insects were able to kill more than 90 per cent of Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli, without harming human cells.

Studying the specific properties of the antibacterial molecules is currently underway in the laboratory. "We hope that these molecules could eventually be developed into treatments for E. coli and MRSA infections that are increasingly resistant to current drugs," explained Mr Lee.

"Also, these new antibiotics could potentially provide alternatives to currently available drugs that may be effective but have serious and unwanted side effects," he said.The pharmaceutical industry is generating fewer and fewer new antibiotics due to lack of financial incentives, meaning that alternative sources of new drugs are much needed.

Mr Lee explained why it is unsurprising that insects secrete their own antimicrobials. "Insects often live in unsanitary and unhygienic environments where they encounter many different types of bacteria. It is therefore logical that they have developed ways of protecting themselves against micro-organisms," he explained. - ScienceDaily