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When dealing with primary education, i.e. in
the teaching of the three R's or reading, writing and arithmetic,
we strongly believe that a dollar spent on the education of women,
particularly in Africa and the Indian subcontinent, is worth at least
three dollars spent on educating men. Women spend more of their time
with their children and once a woman understands the importance of
education she imparts this on her children. Men are less responsible
in this regard.
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To speak English, or indeed any other language,
correctly and to be grammatically correct is an indication of a successful
education.
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We must encourage achievement and in order to
do this there must be educational establishments which can test students
to the full extent of their capability. Certain institutions must
have higher standards than others - if this is elitism, so be it.
The only issue is to ensure that access to such institutions is not
restricted on the basis of the student's financial means.
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Government should not be able to dictate to or
control those institutions, which provide facilities for the most
talented. Such institutions ideally should be financially independent.
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International aid in the form of cash, loans, tractors and most
importantly arms has failed to produce satisfactory results since
the end of the Second World War to third world countries, particularly
in Africa. Western countries should direct their aid efforts to
the provision of education for the poorer countries, e.g. tax-free
salaries to western teachers who devote a minimum period of, say,
three years to teaching in any preselected countries.
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| It is crucial that higher education is provided
by the advanced countries to students from poorer countries. However
it is equally important that graduating students are encouraged to
return to their own countries. Any other policy drains the best talent
from the countries where the talent is most urgently needed. As a
corollary to this point access to cheaper skills in the form of graduates
from poor countries remaining behind removes the incentive for the
host country to improve its own productivity. |
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