Parents' education level bolsters kids' learning capacity

Parents educated beyond high school do have a role in bolstering their kids' language skills and academic success, says a new study. "If you want your kids to do well in school, then the amount of education you get yourself is important," said Pamela Davis-Kean, psychologist at the University of Michigan (U-M). "Even after controlling for parental income, marital status and a host of other factors, we find that the impact of parental education remains significant," Davis-Kean said. One of the studies examined the long-term effects of parental education on children's success in school and work, beginning when children were eight years old and extending until they were 48. Another study examined how language skills and school readiness of three-year-olds were positively affected when mothers returned to school. "In every case, we've found that an increase in parental education has a positive impact on children's success in school," said Davis-Kean. "And this impact is particularly strong when parents start with a high school education or less. "These findings may be reassuring to parents at a time when many are unemployed or worried about future job prospects," she said. "They clearly show that in terms of the effect on children's achievement, it's more important for parents to get a good education than to get a high-paying job," she said. "Of course, the more education you have, the more likely it is that you'll find a good job, so an increase in education often leads to an increase in income." More education might mean that parents are more likely to read to their children, she suggested. Or it could be that parents who are in school need to be more organized in order to get everything done, so they tend to create a more structured home environment, with dinner and bedtime occurring at regular times, for example. Creating a more structured environment for children - as opposed to giving them lots of free time - has been getting something of a bad reputation lately. But she believes that for the vast majority of American children, the value of free time has been exaggerated. "There's this idealistic, nostalgic idea that free time gives children a chance to go out and play, and just experience nature," she said. "But in reality, in today's world where both parents are likely to be employed outside the home, what free time means for most kids is sitting in front of the TV, playing video games and generally being bored with no stimulation."

Indian students in Australia - Krishna happy with safety steps

Sydney: India's External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, the first senior minister to visit Australia since the recent spurt in attacks on Indian students, said here on Thursday that he was satisfied with the steps taken by authorities here to ensure the safety of the students. Indians are "by and large most welcome in Australia", Krishna observed, according to ABC Online. Krishna met New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees about violence and difficulties faced by Indian students. Later he said he was happy with what he has heard from the premier. "Indians by and large are most welcome in Australia," ABC Online quoted him as saying. Krishna says he does not believe that Australia is a racist nation, adding that he was satisfied with the reassurance he received and will return to India with the premier's message. "Indian students are going to be safe in Australia," he said. At least 19 Indian students have been brutally attacked in Melbourne and Sydney, with the first attack in the recent spurt taking place on May 9. Besides the attacks, an education and migration scam has been exposed and a college, where many students are Indian, has shut down, putting a question mark on their future. Krishna is expected to meet Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith on Friday. IANS.

Education bill unacceptable in present form, say activists

Bhubaneswar: The bill passed by parliament on Tuesday to ensure free and compulsory education is unacceptable in its present form, child rights activists said on Thursday. "It is unacceptable because by no means it guarantees the quality of education," Prabir Basu, national convenor of Campaign against Child Labour (CACL), told sources. CACL is an umbrella organization of over 6,500 groups working to eradicate child labour in the country. "The bill is going to exclude or deprive in some way or the other millions of children from different age groups, social and economic categories," he said, adding it did not recognize the right of children in the 14-18 age group to free and compulsory education. Basu also said the legislation did not have any clear directions or commitment on the financial responsibility of state and central governments. According to CACL executive member Ranjan Mohanty, the bill stops citizens from approaching courts if this fundamental right is violated and only allows them to complain to the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which has no judicial powers. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2009, which accords that right to children in the 6-14 age group, was given parliamentary approval on Tuesday with the Lok Sabha passing it. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill July 20. "CACL has been demanding the re-drafting of the bill when it was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha in December 2008. We have noticed that many of our demands were raised and supported by many of the members both in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha during the debate," Mohanty told sources. It was unfortunate, he said, that the "highly flawed bill" was passed without any of the suggested amendments being considered. IANS.