Youth Empowerment Scheme for Poverty Reduction

Youth Empowerment Scheme for Poverty Reduction The depiction of Nigeria as a paradox by the World Bank (1996) cannot be faulted. The paradox is that the level of poverty is a contradiction of the countrys enormous wealth. Nigeria is immensely endowed with human, oil, gas, agricultural, and untapped mineral resources, just to mention but a few. Unfortunately, despite these endowments, the country remains one of the poorest in the world. In its 2000 Human Development Report, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) placed Nigeria among the 30 least developed countries (LCDs) of the world (UNDP, 2000). Although poverty is rampant in Nigeria, it is more prevalent in certain areas; and with a much more devastating dimension in rural communities. One of these areas is the Niger Delta region, which is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy because of its significantly high level of oil reserves. The region has vast oil reserves but remains poor, underdeveloped and torn apart with conflict (Eweje, 2007). Amnesty International (2005) confirmed that the Niger Delta remain among the most deprived oil communities in the world with 70 per cent living on less than US$1 a day, which is the standard economic measure of absolute poverty. Decades of political and economic marginalization that resulted from the neglect of the Niger Delta region by successive Nigerian governments, and the initial hesitation of multinational companies (MNCs) to attend to their social responsibility and contribute to social development, enshrined poverty in the region (Idemudia, 2007). According to Orogun (2009), the many years of oil production has benefited the federal, state, and local governments as well as the multinational oil companies, yet this huge profit has yet to improve the deplorable human condition, misery index of the indigenous inhabitants; nor has it fostered sustainable economic development in the oil producing communities. Sequel to this, the youth of the region have incessantly expressed their grievances by attacking deployed law enforcement and security agents, vandalizing oil installations, kidnapping and taking foreign oil workers hostage, bearing arms against the state, and forming militia groups in order to draw governments and multinationals attention to their plight. Globally, there have been growing demands on MNCs to provide community development programmes and assistance to their host communities, especially in developing countries in other words, meeting locally defined social and economic goals. This is primarily because developmental projects and other social infrastructures are lacking in most of these countries; and most of the time they are not provided by the state. Multinational corporations, as Etheredge (1999) believes, have an obligation to act as responsible members of the societies which grant them legal standing. He goes on to say that MNCs good corporate conduct does not only imply responsibilities that are only within the bounds of minimum legal requirements but also social responsibilities that are both acceptable and beneficial to various social constituencies that surround business enterprises. In developing countries, MNCs are expected to provide some social services and welfare programmes in addition to their normal economic activities. Although these are not the functions of businesses in economic terms; but in the developing countries, as Eweje (2006) stresses, these roles are expected from MNCs as an expression of demonstrating corporate social responsibility (CSR). Elucidating this view, Wasserstrom and Reider (1998) maintain that oil and gas companies in Asia, Latin America and Africa, for instance, are facing demands from the local community to provide education and healthcare programmes. They continued, saying that, these programmes are not give-aways, but involve training and working with community members to allow them to plan for meeting their own needs in the future. Wasserstrom and Reider (1998) further noted that by establishing such programs and working with the demands of the community, firms find less resistance to their operations, not only from the local community but from environmental and human rights special interest groups as well. Against this background, the Multinational oil companies in the Niger Delta have demonstrated commitments to the reduction of poverty through their respective community development initiatives. The study, therefore, evaluates the youth development strategies of Shell (normally called Shell Petroleum Development Company SPDC) in the Niger Delta. From the foregoing, it suffices that MNCs have a role in development not only through capital investment but more importantly by investing in human capital and providing local people with the tools to drive their own economic development (Nelson, 1996). Statement of the problem The high incidence of poverty in the Niger Delta is in sharp contrast to the regions critical importance to the Nigerian economy. The Niger Delta oil contributes enormously to the well-being of the Nigerian state, which depends on the oil industry for approximately 95% of export earnings and 80% of government revenue (SPDC, 2009); yet the poverty level in the region is higher than the national average (Clark et al., 1999; NDDC, 2004). Zandvliet and Pedro (2002) illustrated the picture of the region in the following words: About 70 per cent of the community lack access to clean water, has no passable roads or electricity supply, a shortage of medical facilities, a large number of dilapidated schools and suffers from severe environmental degradation due to oil production. After over 40 years of oil exploration and hundreds of billions of dollars of oil revenue, the oil producing communities have received little attention from successive administrations, particularly in the areas of socio-economic and infrastructural development. The cumulative circumstances have led to perceived alienation, and the result of which is the frequent social disorder as the only means by which attention could be drawn to them. Obi (2008) states the following as being responsible for the regions agitations: Oil pollution, extreme poverty, high levels of youth unemployment, pollution, perceived discriminatory employment practices against locals by oil companies and socioà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ economic and political marginalization and neglect by successive administrations constitute the main grievances against the oil companies and the government. The prevalence of poverty is very high in the Niger Delta, with over 70% living on less than a dollar per day in the rural areas. This soaring incidence of poverty is in sharp contrast to the regions position as the treasure base of the nation. This, notwithstanding, it is a political culture of governments at all levels in Nigeria and the elites to lay blame on the multinational corporations for the poverty situation in the region. Such culture of blame goes further in inciting the community members into believing that the MNCs are the architects of the regions poverty, and believing that the companies are massively exploiting them, but giving too little or nothing in return to them in form of development. Consequently this has occasioned persistent community protests, agitations and conflicts. The widespread poverty afflicting the people of the region has led to a condition of despair and the recourse to violence against the state and multinationals by the youth. The youths resentment stems from the regions loss of their traditional means of livelihood which are farming and fishing, caused by the activities of the oil companies, such as environmental degradation, oil spillage and gas flaring. Similarly, faced with massive unemployment and a bleak future due to absence of both government and private employment, the youth, which constitute a larger proportion of the region, have persistently expressed their frustration through hostage taking, arson directed at oil installations and attacks on the Nigerian state. Although successive Nigerian governments at different times have put up a lot of poverty alleviation programmes, yet all attempts to put the Niger Delta on course of development have been unproductive. Among the ills that hamper the development of the region are corruption and bad governance. For instance, while the institutions of the state at all levels (federal, state and local governments) are very corrupt, making it difficult for budgeted funds to trickle down to the target population; politics on the other hand is used to promote individual and sectional interests, as against the pursuit of public good. Therefore, due to this lack of significant government commitment to the development of the region, poverty has remained a pervasive problem in the Niger Delta. Hence, conditions have continued to worsen and poverty has become a major issue in the region in spite of her rich resource base. This failure to provide the developmental needs of the communities has led to the reliance by the region on the multinational oil companies to step in and fill this wide development gap. Accordingly, MNCs in the Niger Delta have responded to this challenge by employing community development strategies geared towards poverty reductions in their host communities. The need for MNCs involvement in poverty reduction cannot be overemphasized. As Ite (2004) pointed out, foreign direct investment flowing to developing countries has the potential to make important contributions to the development of local economies, including creating jobs, capacity building, and the transfer of technology. As a result, multinational corporations (MNCs) can have a positive impact in developing countries, especially through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives focusing on sustainable development and co-operation with civil society. As corporate citizens, multinational companies have contributed in various ways to local community development in the area as a way of addressing the unemployment, poverty and squalor that are stacking realities of daily living for the people of the area. For instance, Shell has been involved in educational initiatives, healthcare services and youth development projects, just to mention but a few. The main focus of the study which is on youth development scheme is a vocational training programme in which participants acquire necessary skills for self employment or eligibility for employment, such as welding, auto mechanics and electrical work. The study, therefore argues that the youth development scheme is an empowerment scheme that has improved the livelihood of the participants; although the efforts of the multinationals are constrained by factors which are political economic and social. However, the strategies must be sustainable if they have to make long term impact on poverty reduction. Has the vocational training on the youths been empowering? Have the youth been empowered by the vocational training? Do the community participate in the scheme and what is the level of their participation? RESEARCH QUESTIONS The following questions will be addressed: To what extent have youth vocational training been empowering? How much does the community participate in the scheme? What are the barriers that hamper MNCs community development efforts in the area? OBJECTIVE OF STUDY The general objective of the study is to evaluate the youth development initiatives of Shell multinational, aimed at poverty reduction among the youth of the Niger Delta. To evaluate the impact of youth development strategies on the participants To examine the level of participation of youth in the projects To identify the barriers of CD efforts of the multinational oil companies in Niger Delta 1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY The study seeks to be a contribution to the already existing literature on Niger Delta. It will serve as a reference source to the authorities of Nigeria, multinational oil companies, and other Niger Delta stakeholders in gaining more insights into the root causes of the persistent conflict in the region; and consequently look in a new direction for a more effective approach aimed at addressing the crisis. There is minimal evidence in literature about community development initiatives of the multinationals in Niger Delta. This research adds to the literature on MNCs CD assistance in the region. It also shows that business has an obligation to help in solving problems of public concern. In addition to spurring economic growth and prosperity to the Nigerian state, the community assistance of multinational corporations in Niger Delta should be commended. However, the condition of the region demands a more vigorous corporate social responsibility by the MNCs in the pursuit of community development. Poverty reduction is an important development concern, which requires sustained involvements of the stakeholders in addressing community needs. The study highlights the usefulness of the MNCs corporate social responsibility in reducing poverty among the youth, which represent one of the major assets of any community. In this respect, the study contributes to knowledge on poverty in Nigeria. SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF STUDY The study evaluates the impact of vocational and skills training programmes employed by Shell to empower the youth. It will also examine the level of youths participation in the programmes. Thirdly, it will identify the factors that constrain the CD efforts of the multinationals in the Niger Delta. It will examine several government intervention programmes in the region and why they yielded no positive results. Among the limitations of this study is inability to cover the entire oil producing communities of the chosen state of study due to time, financial constraint and proximity. The geographical terrain of the communities and the presence of security personnel also constitute an impediment to reaching certain key individuals. Further, the volatile condition of the area poses difficulties to the researcher as fresh conflict is capable of springing up at any moment. Hence, the researcher would, as a matter of caution avoid some locations, that otherwise would have provided useful information to the study. OPERATIONALIZATION OF CONCEPTS In this section, the important points and variables to be considered are described to foster a clear understanding of the proposed inquiry. Niger Delta Niger Delta is defined both geographically and politically. The former comprises of states in the South-South geo-political zone, namely, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States; while the political Niger Delta extends to the neighboring oil producing states of Ondo, Abia and Imo, for reasons of administrative convenience, political expedience and development objectives (UNDP, 2006). The study focuses on the geographical Niger Delta, with River State as the case study. Multinational Corporations (MNCs) and Multinational Oil Corporations (MOCs): Multinational Corporation is a firm which control and organize production using plants from at least two countries (Caves, 1996:1). Multinational oil corporations are corporations operating in more than one country for the purpose of exploring for, producing, refining, and marketing oil. In Nigeria, there are many of these multinationals oil corporations such as: Shell, Texaco, Chevron, Elf, Exxon, Mobil, Agip, Fina, and Total, just to mention a few. For the purpose of this study, Shell multinational will be my case study; although references will be made to other multinationals, where necessary. Poverty: Poverty connotes a condition of human deprivation or denial with respect to the basic necessities of life food, shelter, and clothing. It is above all a symptom of embedded structural imbalance, which manifests in all domains of human existence (Hamdok, 1999). The author also believes that poverty is highly correlated with social exclusion, marginalization, vulnerability, powerlessness, isolation, and deprivation. Community Development (CD): Community Development means improving the quality of peoples lives and expanding their ability to shape their own futures through improving their access to opportunities to better themselves (Soubbotina, Sheram World Bank, 2000). Community development in this study refers to the provision of capacity to the youth of the Niger Delta, through vocational training, with the ultimate goal of reducing unemployment among them. Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS): The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD, 2000) defines CSR as the commitment of business to contribute to sustainable development, working with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve their quality of life. According to Idowu and Papasolomou (2007), CSR addresses the fundamental role that business plays, or ought to play in society. Corporate social responsibility in the current study refers to Shells community development programmes targeted at youth, with the view of improving their livelihood through job creation programmes. Capacity Building: Capacity building is the process by which individuals, groups, organizations, institutions and societies increase their abilities to perform core functions, solve problems, define and achieve objectives; to understand and deal with their development needs in a broad context and in a sustainable manner (UNDP, 1997). UNDP. (1997). Capacity Development Resources Book. New York: UNDP Eade (1997) is of the view that within the concept of capacity building is the idea of development, which is an empowering process; while the notion of overcoming poverty is part of the process of development [Eade, D. (1997]. Capacity Building: An approach to people-centered Development. Oxford: Oxfam Publication. Capacity building as employed in this study refers to the process of equipping the youth with skills such as welding, electrical work, auto-mechanics, which will enable them to become gainfully self-employed, thereby reducing poverty. Chapter three: Methodology This chapter presents the research methods used to guide and accomplish the study objectives. It discusses the research design, how the researcher intends to gather his data, the type of techniques to be employed in assembling the information, the respondents, and the method of analyzing the data. The appropriateness of the design, the target population, the sampling frame and the size of the sample are also discussed. 3.1 Research Design The study will utilize the qualitative research approach, using in-depth interview, and will be analyzed descriptively. Qualitative in-depth interview provides a valuable means to probe intensely into subjective realities; covering a wide range of topics because of its flexible formality. According to Kvale (1996), qualitative in-depth interviewing approach is comparable to wandering together with interviewees; while interviewers who genuinely want to understand are on a journey with interviewees, giving the later an opportunity to communicate stories in their own perspectives. Kvale, Steiner. (1996). Interviews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Potter (1996) confirms that the ability of interviewing to explore the subjective perception has made in-depth an essential data collection tool in research. Potter, W. J. (1996). An analysis of thinking and research about qualitative methods. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. The method enables the researcher to understand the experience and viewpoint of the interviewee and gather information about issues that cannot be comprehended by other means. On it flexibility feature, Lindlof and Taylor (2002) advised that it can be conducted wherever two people can talk in relative privacy. Similarly, Fontana and Frey (1998) are of the view that it can take the form of face-to-face interviewing and telephone interviewing. Rubin Rubin (1995) further maintain that another quality of in-depth interview is its malleability in redesigning the study by the researcher based on new information emerging from his probing. In-depth interviewing is most appropriate for this study because of the aforementioned merits; and more importantly, because of its distinctive ability to generate rich information on topics that have limited literature and topics that have been relatively understudied as the current study. Lindlof, T. R., Taylor, B. C. (2002). Qualitative communication research methods (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Fontana, A., Frey, J. H. (1998). Interviewing: The art of science. In N. K. Denzin Y. S. Lincoln (eds.) Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative Materials (pp. 47-78). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Rubin, H. J., Rubin, I. S. (1995). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 3.2 Population and Sample The population of the study will be drawn from Obia-Okpor community of River State. The youth of this community who have been involved in the Shell projects will constitute the sample frame. A total of seven respondents will be selected from among the sample frame to make up the sample size for the study. This number is considered suitable for the in-depth interviewing, as the interview itself will cover a wide-range of questions. It is hoped that the diverse contributions of the seven respondents will provide extensive information to the researcher. In qualitative research, a sample is chosen, not to be representative of a larger population but rather for the depth and insights the sample can offer the researcher on the topic of interest (McCracken, 1988). [McCracken, G. (1988). The Long Interview. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.] Also, an official of the multinational company who is directly involved in the youth projects will be interviewed in order to have his insight into t he impact of their projects on the youth. 3.3 Data collection: The research will use both primary and secondary sources in collecting data. Semi-structured interviews will be employed as primary data collection method. This is the type of interviewing conducted with a written list of questions and probes that are used as an interview guide (Bernard, 1988). [Bernard, R.H. (1988). Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications] McCracken (1988) discusses many benefits of conducting semi structured interviews with interview guide. Some of these benefits include the fact that the guide ensures that the researcher discusses all the topics that are vital to the understanding of the issues under study. Also the guide allows the researcher to focus attention on listening to the informants responses, thus offering more understanding of the testimony and better probing by the researcher. McCracken (1988) also stated that the guide does not hinder the open nature of the interview process. There is still opportunity for the researcher to follow the informants interesting lines of thought and their unexpected explanations of the issues. A semi-structured interview is the most useful interview format for conducting qualitative research. This is because the interview is neither highly structured as is the case of an interview comprising of all closed-ended questions nor is it unstructured such that the interviewee is simply given the permission to talk freely about whatever comes up. Semi-structured interviews present topics and questions to the interviewee, but are carefully designed to draw out the interviewees ideas and opinions on a given topic, as opposed to leading the interviewee toward preconceived choices. They rely on the interviewer following up with probes to get in-depth information on topics of interest. This study will also rely on secondary data obtained from textbooks, journals, periodicals, newspapers, reports from both the government of Nigeria and multinational corporations. 3.4 Data Analysis: After data collection, notes and recorded interviews will be transcribed and descriptively analysed. Interview transcripts and notes will be copied and pared down to represent major themes or categories that describe the topic being studied. Transcripts are also coded as they are transcribed. This involves assigning a particular theme or idea a number or keyword (the code) and then marking the code next to any text on the transcript that concerns the relevant theme. Otherwise called thematic analysis, it is a process for coding qualitative information. A thematic approach will be employed in the analysis of the transcribed data. According to Gibson (2006), thematic Analysis is an approach to dealing with data that involves the creation and application of codes to data. The data being analyzed might take any number of forms an interview transcript, field notes, policy documents, photographs, video footage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ there is a clear link between this type of analysis and Grounded theory, as the latter clearly lays out a framework for carrying out this type of code-related analysis. This general approach to qualitative data analysis was first developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967) and termed grounded theory to refer to the fact that the data for analysis (in the proposed study, the transcribed responses of interviewees) are grounded in their experiences and the context of the topic under study. The researcher will create codes to label the findings, and will analyze the interview data obtained from each participant independently. The notion of Capacity Building Capacity building is in some sense as old as development assistance itself. Slogans such as helping people to help themselves and the proverb, teach a man to fish point directly at capacity building. Capacity building is a relatively new concept in the field of development, emerging in the 1980s (Lusthaus, Adrien Perstinger, 1999). Lusthaus, Adrien Perstinger. (1999). Capacity Development: Definitions, Issues and Implications for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. Universalia Occasional Paper, (34), p.1 As with the concepts such as globalization, development, and sustainability, the term capacity building is an ambiguous concept that means different things to different people, groups and organizations. Although many people use these terms, their definitions do not conform to the same, as each puts emphasis on a certain aspect of capacity development (James, 2001). (James, R. (Ed.). (2001). Power and Partnership: Experiences of NGO Capacity Building. Oxford: INTRAC Publication. However, a group of these definitions have emphasized that capacity building is a tool to build and improve the skills, resources and ability of people to implement, monitor and assess a project. Thus, capacity building is seen as a process by which individuals, groups and organizations, institutions and societies increase their abilities to perform core functions, solve problems and define and achieve objectives; to understand and deal with their development needs in a broad context and in a sustainable manner (UNDP, 1997) UNDP. (1997). Capacity Development and UNDP: Supporting Sustainable Human Development. New York: UNDP. Morgan (1993) conceives capacity building as the ability of individuals, groups, institutions and organizations to identify and solve development problems over time. Another definition sees capacity building as an approach to development which encompasses all the fields that influence the development sphere (Eade, 1997) Eade, D. (1997). Capacity Building: An Approach to People-Centered Development. Oxford: Oxfam Publications. In this approach to development, capacity building identifies the weaknesses that people experience in achieving their basic rights, and finding proper means through which to build up (develop) their ability to overcome the causes of their exclusion and suffering. To have successful capacity building is attainable through a strong process of learning and education. And for capacity building to be sustainable, new technologies, new knowledge and information need to be introduced, especially in this period of globalization. This is because development is not comprehensive without sufficient knowledge in this age of globalization and information and technology. Capacity building is a comprehensive process that involves all dimensions of life. It is not so much a matter of just implementing a project or enhancing a particular aspect of life. It is an approach to development which aims to enhance the capability of people in its broadest and in a comprehensive manner. As a people-centered activity, capacity building is a process of community development where people are the focus of capacity enhancement. It creates an enabling environment where people are developed in order to manage themselves and contribute to their societies. To this end, community development becomes the ultimate output of capacity building process. Thus, capacity building is a response to community development needs. Capacity building therefore is seen as women and men becoming empowered to: bring about positive changes in their lives; about personal growth together with public action; about both the process and the outcome of challenging poverty, oppression and discrimination; and about the realization of human potential through social and economic justice. Above all, it is about the process of transforming lives, and transforming societies (Eade Williams, 1995). Eade Williams. (1995). The Oxfam Handbook of Development and Relief. Oxford: Oxfam Publications. In this process of capacity building, people acquire and improve their abilities. This creates an avenue for them as individuals and as members of the community to achieve their development objectives. Capacity Building and Sustainability The concept of sustainability has generated varied interpretations in literature, just like other development concepts. Although the concept emerged as a human response to the human destruction of the environment, it has been argued that sustainability cannot be an issue for a solely social and natural science (Kohn, 1999). Notwithstanding the myriad definitions and interpretations of sustainability, the ultimate goal of the concept is to improve human well being (Sachs, 1999). Capacity building, therefore, as an approach to development is linked to sustainable development. While sustainable development is an attempt to provide improved livelihood for the people, it is through the process of capacity building that the potential of people to achieve sustainability in their lives can be realized. Eade (1997) likened achieving the objectives of sustainable development to the outcome of capacity building, and maintained that both cannot be differentiated. Kohn, J., Goody, J., Hinterberger, F., Straaten, J. (1999). Sustainability in Questions: The Search for a Conceptual Framework. Northampton: Edward Elgar Sachs, W. (1999). Planet Dialectics: Explorations in Environment and Development. Halifax: Fernwood Publishing. Capacity Building and Empowerment Empowerment is a cross-disciplinary term, mainly used in fields of Education, Psychology, Community Development, Economics, among others. The understanding of the concept varies among disciplines, too. Based on this many meanings of the term, it has been seen as a construct easy to define by its absence but difficult to define in action, based on the idea that it takes different forms in different people and contexts (Rappoport, cited in Page Czuba, 1

Comparing Poe’s Fall of the House of Usher and Taylor’s Venus, Cupid, F

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher and Peter Taylor’s Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time Various authors develop their stories using gothic themes and characterizations of this type to lay the foundation for their desired reader response. Although Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† and Peter Taylor’s â€Å"Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time† are two completely different narratives, both of these stories share a commonality of gothic text representations. The stories take slightly different paths, with Poe’s signifying traditional gothic literature and Taylor approaching his story in a more contemporary manner. Gothic texts are typically characterized by a horrifying and haunting mood, in a world of isolation and despair. Most stories also include some type of supernatural events and/or superstitious aspects. Specifically, vampires, villains, heroes and heroines, and mysterious architecture are standard in a gothic text. Depending upon the author, a gothic text can also take on violent and grotesque attributes. As an overall outlook, â€Å"gothic literature is an outlet for the ancient fears of humanity in an age of reason† (Sacred-Texts). Following closely to this type of literature, Edgar Allan Poe uses a gloomy setting, isolation, and supernatural occurrences throughout â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher†. From the onset of the story, it is apparent that Poe is employing a gothic theme upon his work. The narrator’s portrayal of the home of his longtime friend, Roderick Usher was as follows, â€Å"I looked upon the scene before me – upon the bleak walls – upon the vacant eye-like windows – upon a few rank sedges – and upon a few white trunks of decayed trees† (Poe, 75). T... ... Poe’s â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher†, they both can be classified collectively under gothic literature. In other words, although these stories exhibit two completely different plots, it has been found that they have matching frameworks. Works Cited Bronzino, Agnolo. Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time. 27 Mar. 2003 arthp/bio/b/bronzino/biograph.html>. Oates, Joyce Carol. â€Å"Realism of Distance, Realism of Immediacy [Review of The Collected Stories]. Critical Essays on Peter Taylor. Ed. Hubert H. McAlexander. New York: G. K. Hall & Company, 1993. Sacred-Texts: Gothic. 3 Apr 2003 . Taylor, Peter. â€Å"Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time†. The Literature of the American South: A Norton Anthology. Ed. William L. Andrews. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1998. PID 8308 1 Marlow Engl. 12 Sect. 24

Why is college education necessary?

Learning vs.. Securing a Career Should the students go to colleges and universities to learn and grow or to secure a sound future career? The answer to this question is debatable. Some people believe that universities should educate students on such lines which make them get a highly paid Job. To some extent this notion is acceptable as far as the economic conditions of the world are concerned.On the contrary, some say that college education should up bring the students In such a way that they hold a position of respect and professional recognition, moreover that they serve as an essential alluding block in the progress of society. A good Job or money Is not everything; knowledge and education are more than that. Just pursuing a degree may not guarantee you a lucrative Job but studying at a college may develop such skills In students that are necessary to lead a protocol life.It Is the knowledge of education, knowledge of empowerment, knowledge of responsibility and the knowledge of curiosity which makes a student an Intellectual personality – but not the degree he pursues nor the institution he goes to. So, students should endeavor for the pursuit f excellence and knowledge. There are many purposes for obtaining a college education. Firstly, it develops the character and personality of students which make their lives sound academically, professionally, and financially as well.It helps students to make themselves a promising career. College serves as a medium for students to fulfill their dreams. It gives them a chance to study and research in their preferred subjects and to pursue their Jobs in that field of their specialization. It provides them with a chance to get exposure within them. Universities tend to train dents to step in the modern world by giving them theoretical as well as practical knowledge. College education also helps the students to communicate with deferent people, which is beneficial in the corporate world.In short, it provides the n ecessary skills needed in a professional life. These college educations have brought about a revolution in the history. The Muhammad Anglo-oriental College, later named as Aligarh's Muslim University educated the Muslims of that time on modern lines to make them compete with their contemporaries, and served as a great platform in the placement of an independent nation – Pakistan. What if a student does not continue his education after school or does not take admission in a college or university?Will he be able to live a life of dignity and prosperity? The probability Is very low. One may earn more money even by not continuing studies at college, but as I mentioned earlier money is not everything – college education makes one academically sound. Therefore, the mall purpose for obtaining college education Is to develop the qualities of Intellectual curiosity and social responsibility wealth oneself, to think beyond the horizon, as well as to up bring oneself to such an I ntellectual personality that one gets a note-worthy Job because of his discern and mental capability.Why is college education necessary? By Muhammad Intense-Khan education should up bring the students in such a way that they hold a position of building block in the progress of society. A good Job or money is not everything; guarantee you a lucrative Job but studying at a college may develop such skills in students that are necessary to lead a prolific life. It is the knowledge of education, curiosity which makes a student an intellectual personality – but not the degree he knowledge.College education also helps the students to communicate with different university? Will he be able to live a life of dignity and prosperity? The probability is academically sound. Therefore, the main purpose for obtaining college education is to develop the qualities of intellectual curiosity and social responsibility within intellectual personality that one gets a note-worthy Job because of his discern and

Seven Strategies to Provide Help for Teachers

Seven Strategies to Provide Help for Teachers Most teachers are eager to learn, want to improve, and work hard at their craft. Some are more natural than others and innately understand what it takes to be an effective teacher. However, there are many teachers that need time and assistance in developing the skills it takes to be an outstanding teacher. All teachers have areas where they are strong and areas in which they are weak. The best teachers will work hard to improve in all areas. Sometimes a teacher needs assistance in identifying their strengths and weaknesses as well as a plan to improve. This is a crucial part of a principal’s job. A principal should know each teacher’s individual strength and weaknesses. They should develop a plan for providing help for teachers that focus on areas that need improvement. There are many ways that a principal can provide help for teachers. Here, we examine seven strategies that a principal may use in developing a plan of improvement for each teacher. Identify the Essential There are many areas that a teacher must be solid in to be an effective teacher. Being ineffective in one area often has an effect on other areas. As a principal, it is vital that you narrow the focus to what you consider being the biggest areas of need. For example, you may be working with a teacher in which you have identified six areas that need improvement. Working on all six areas at once will be overwhelming and counter-intuitive. Instead, identify the two that you believe are most prominent and start there. Create a plan that focuses on improving in those top areas of need. Once those areas improve to an effective level, then you can create a plan to work on other areas of need. It is critical that teacher understands that you are trying to help them throughout this process. They must trust that you have their best interest in mind. A strong principal will build a relationship with their teacher that allows them to be critical when they need to be without hurting a teacher’s feelings. Constructive Conversation A principal should have in-depth conversations on a regular basis with their teachers about the happenings in their classroom. These conversations not only give the principal perspective about what is happening in the classroom, they allow the principal to give helpful suggestions and tips through informal conversation. Most young teachers especially are sponges. They want to improve and seek out knowledge of how to do their job better. These conversations also are significant trust builders. A principal who actively listens to their teachers and works to create solutions to their problems will gain their trust. This can lead to helpful conversations that can immensely improve a teacher’s effectiveness. They will be more open when you are critical because they understand you are looking out for what is best for them and the school. Video/Journaling There are occasions in which a teacher may not see something as an area in which they need to improve. In this case, it may be advantageous for you to video a series of lessons so that they can watch it back to understand what you are seeing in your observations. Watching video of your teaching can be a powerful tool. You will be surprised at what you learn about yourself as you watch the tape back. This can lead to powerful reflection and realization that you do need to change to your approach in how you teach. Journaling can also be an exceptional tool to help a teacher improve. Journaling allows a teacher to keep track of different approaches they have used and to compare their effectiveness days, months, or even years later. Journaling allows to teachers to look back at where they were and see how much they have grown over the course of time. This self-reflection can spark a desire to continue to improve or to change an area in which the writing helps them realize they need to make changes. Model the Skills Principals are supposed to be the leaders in their building. Sometimes the best way to lead is to model. A principal should never be afraid to put a lesson together that focuses on an individual teacher’s weakness and then teach that lesson to the teacher’s class. The teacher should observe and make notes throughout the lesson. This should be followed up with a healthy conversation between you and the teacher. This conversation should focus on what they saw you do in their lessons that many of their lessons often lack. Sometimes a teacher simply needs to see it done right to understand what they need to change and how they are supposed to do it. Set up Observations With a Mentor There are teachers that are experts at their craft who are willing to share their insights and experiences with other teachers. This can be powerful in many different areas. Every young teacher should be given the opportunity to observe an established veteran teacher and have them serve as their mentor. This relationship should be a two-way street where the mentor could also observe the other teacher and provide feedback. There are so many positives that can come out of this type of relationship. A veteran teacher may be able to share something that clicks with the other teacher and sets them on the path of them becoming a mentor someday themselves. Provide Resources There are so many resources that a principal can provide a teacher that focuses on every possible area in which they may struggle. Those resources include books, articles, videos, and websites. It is essential to give your struggling teacher a variety of resources that provide multiple strategies for improving. What works for one teacher may not work for another. After giving them time to look through the material, follow it up with conversations to see what they took from the resources as well as how they plan to apply it to their classroom. Provide Specific Professional Development Another way to provide help for teachers is to give them professional development opportunities that are unique to their own individual needs. For example, if you have a teacher that struggles with classroom management, find an outstanding workshop which deals with classroom management and send them to it. This training can be invaluable to improving a teacher. When you send them to something you hope that they are able to gain valuable, applicable insights that they can immediately bring back to their classrooms and apply.

F451-Burning of Books essays

F451-Burning of Books essays In Fahrenheit 451, author Ray Bradbury, made an infamous statement that puts the entire novel into perspective for a reader. His notorious quote, There is more than one way to burn a book, compiles the entire concept that he was trying to portray through the characters. In Fahrenheit 451, the dystopian society that was depicted destroyed books through various methods and tactics. When Bradbury said, There is more than one way to burn a book, he was referring to the fact that the society he depicted in his novel wanted to destroy their one main source of knowledge in order to make everyone think the same. In order to do this, the members of the community burnt books in various ways. Examples such as brainwashing, murder, censorship, and various other methods were used to help burn books. One way of burning a book is to brainwash a person to the point where they no longer need to rely on the knowledge within a book, instead they are absorbed in their own life. For example, Montags wife sheltered herself from the need to get the knowledge from a book. Books at this time were filled with useful knowledge, however Mildred and the rest of the community were so brainwashed that they could not understand what the books were referring to in life. Instead they turned their attention from the books that held so many thoughts and life issues and focused on non-knowledgeable items such as the televised walls. When every single person in the community neglected the knowledge within the books and focused on the same thoughts and ideas, each one of them soon began to think the same, react the same and have the same feelings as one another. They were in a sense, brainwashed into thinking alike. Their minds were not open to the various ideas and thoughts that the books contained. T his in fact was a form of burning books; the brainwashed members ...

The Necessity of Parent and Community Cooperation and Collaboration in Essay

The Necessity of Parent and Community Cooperation and Collaboration in Early Childhood - Essay Example In order to understand this issue and address it effectively, it is vital to answer the following questions: a) how do differences of alteration in society and families have an impact on children and early childhood programs? b) Why are parent/family and community involvement essential in early childhood programs? c) What are the benefits that accrue to parental and community involvement in early childhood programs? And finally, d) How can early childhood professionals encourage and support programs for involving families and communities? In the event that the above questions are addressed in the most appropriate manner; then we can be able to understand how important it is to engage both the parents and the community in early childhood programs.To begin, it is essential to note that parental or community involvement should not only be limited financing or volunteering to the schooling programs of the children. As a matter of fact, the legislation extends the right of parents and com munity to be involved in the daily running of the school programs through continued support and participation in the school’s governing structures ((Powell, 2009). As much as this partnership creates a framework for formal parent involvement, however, the home-school partnership should not be restricted to this. For instance, if we focus on the University of South Africa, they saw the need to introduce a Certificate of Parent Involvement in order to prepare teachers to implement effective school, family, community partnerships. ... As a matter of fact, legislation extends the right of parents and community to be involved in the daily running of the school programs through continued support and participation in the school’s governing structures ((Powell, 2009). As much as this partnership creates a framework for formal parent involvement, however, home-school partnership should not be restricted to this. For instance, if we focus on the University of South Africa, they saw the need to introduce a Certificate in Parent Involvement in order to prepare teachers to implement effective school, family, community partnerships. Changes in the society are also likely to influence the manner in which early childhood programs are governed. In this regard, it is vital to design the curriculum around the Epstein model of family and community and school partnerships (Epstein, 2005). This is because the early childhood field’s interest in parental involvement is based on various powerful ideas in regards to paren tal or communal responsibilities and influences. Indeed, early childhood programs aimed at shaping the relationship between parents, community and schools should actively support the parents to maximize program impact on children (Bredekamp, 2007). This is an idea that has been consistently bolstered by theories and scientific evidence that seeks to highlight on the lasting impact of families and communities on the development of the child. Parents have also been acquainted with the understanding and the apprehension of program goals and curriculum that seeks to promote the healthy child development. This is usually done through parenting education strategies. Secondly,

The Electoral College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Electoral College - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of the Electoral College as a system of indirect voting applied for the presidential elections in the USA. The Electoral College concept can be interpreted as an opposite voting mechanism to the majority system which counts directly the citizens’ votes and whoever candidate gets the majority of votes becomes president of the state. If the majority system had been applied to the Presidential elections in 2000, for instance, Al Gore would have been the winner since he received the majority of popular votes. When the Electoral College cast their votes the winner in that elections turned out to be his opponent: G.W. Bush. I will refer to the case as one of the four exceptions of the general rule according to which if a candidate wins the public vote he presumably wins the Electoral college vote too. During the times of the state legislation formation a group of framers, The Founding Fathers, known as the   "Committee of Eleven" in the Constitutional Convention, proposed an indirect election of president through a College of Electors: The function of the College of Electors in choosing the president can be likened to that in the Roman Catholic Church of the College of Cardinals selecting the Pope. The structure of the Electoral College can be traced to the Centurial Assembly system of the Roman Republic. Under that system, the adult male citizens of Rome were divided, according to their wealth, into groups of 100 (called Centuries).... citizens go to local voting booths to elect the next president and vice president of the country. Their votes are recorded and counted, then winners are declared. But the results of the popular vote are not guaranteed to stand because the Electoral College has not cast its vote. The size of the Electoral college has been set at 538 since the election of 1964. Each state is allocated as many electors as it has Representatives and Senators in the United States Congress. The number of electors is equal to the total membership of both houses of Congress (100 Senators and 435 Representatives) plus the 3 electors allocated to the District of Columbia, totalling 538 electors. How different is the process in different states - For 48 states it's known as the "winner-take-all system." The "district system," is observed in both Maine and Nebraska. In these states, two electors' votes are made based on the candidate who received the most votes statewide. The remaining electoral votes go by congressional districts, awarding the vote to the candidate who received the most votes in each district. How the electors are chosen in each state - All depends on the state legislature. According to Howstuffworks web site there are two common ways of selection: The elector is nominated by his or her state party committee (perhaps to reward many years of service to the party). The elector "campaigns" for a spot and the decision is made during a vote held at the state's party convention. (Howstuffworks) According to the Constitution there are no real educational or racial restrictions in order to classify for elector. In fact, electors are usually people devoted to politics, active political party members or political