RP primary school pedagogues most aware of their lofty social status among countries surveyed

MANILA, Philippines—Primary school teachers in the Philippines work the longest hours in what could be the most crowded classrooms in the world.

But among the countries surveyed, Philippine primary school teachers—some 80% work in public schools—have the best perception that their social status is higher than other persons with similar levels of education.

And next to India and Sri Lanka, the Philippines has the highest proportion of primary school teachers who say that their professional status is high.

These are among the findings of the latest World Education Indicators Survey of Primary Schools conducted by the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (more…)

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the South Asia Regional Office of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), New Delhi, are organising a Science Olympiad for students currently enrolled in Standard/Class 11 or equivalent in other SAARC countries.

”Students of Indian Higher Secondary and CBSE studying in 11th grade or equivalent in South Asian countries–Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, now have an opportunity to win IGNOU-UNESCO accredited merit certificates, prizes and awards,” IGNOU Vice Chancellor, Professor V N Rajasekharan Pillai announced today. (more…)

An Indonesian senior official said that the government is taking extra careful considerations whether to ratify the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) underwater heritage convention, local media reported here on Thursday.

“Indonesia still needs to carefully weigh up the benefits and consequences of ratifying (the convention),” Harry Untoro Dradjat, Director General for History and Archaeology at the Culture and Tourism Ministry’ said.

Harry said that ratifying the UNESCO convention on protection of the underwater cultural heritages needed careful preparation, including adequate legislation, human resources, infrastructure and funding, the Jakarta Post daily reported. (more…)

Ethiopia and Zimbabwe have added their first biosphere reserves to the network of reserves created by the United Nations to halt the loss of biodiversity and promote sustainable development. One of the two new Ethiopian reserves protects the place of origin of the plant Caffea Arabica, believed to be the first species of coffee ever cultivated.

The decision to include the reserves in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe was taken by the International Coordination Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, which concluded its annual session Friday at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

The Council also added 10 biosphere reserve sites in Iran, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Poland, Slovenia, South Korea, and Sweden, while five sites were extended in Chile, Costa Rica, Finland, Germany and Switzerland.

The World Network of Biosphere Reserves now numbers 564 sites in 109 countries.

Biosphere Reserves are areas designated under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme to serve as places to test different approaches to integrated management of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine resources and biodiversity. They are protected areas that are meant to demonstrate a balanced relationship between humans and nature. (more…)

Gwangneung Forest, a deciduous hardwood forest located in the central part of the Korean Peninsula, has been named a world Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

With the decision announced on Wednesday (local time) at the organization’s meeting in Paris, the 25,000-hectare forest which stretches over three major cities in Gyeonggi Province will now be protected through UNESCO’s integrated management system and its ecosystem will be closely monitored.

The forest is the fourth area in the country to receive the designation, after Mt. Seorak, Jeju Island and the Sea of Dado.

CONCERNS OVER the global merits of Killarney National Park and some of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions resulted in their removal from the Government’s shortlist for inclusion as World Heritage nominees.

Documents released through the Freedom of Information Act show the hopes for inclusion for Killarney National Park, Clara Bog, the Blasket Islands and the Aran Islands were ended after the Government’s Tentative List Expert Advisory Group raised concerns over the sites.

Earlier this year, Minister for the Environment John Gormley selected the Burren, Georgian Dublin, the Céide Fields, the Royal Sites of Ireland, the monastic site at Clonmacnoise, early Medieval monastic sites and the Western Stone Forts for the Government’s “tentative list” of nominees to Unesco as world heritage sites. (more…)

THE Lyme Regis Fossil Festival is being backed by UNESCO in recognition of its work in the area.

The organisation, which designates World Heritage Sites, has announced its patronage of the 2012 Jurassic Coast Earth Festival – including the Lyme Regis event.

The Lyme Regis Development Trust and the Jurassic Coast Team (JCT) have talked about initiatives being developed in the area with the body for some time – such as the fossil festivals and Studies Centre.

Marcus Dixon, chief executive officer of the trust, said: “This is a rare accolade and we are thrilled.” (more…)