Standartization of SAT and GRE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Standartization of SAT and GRE - Essay Example The biasness of the universities associating the scores of such examination in admission procedure are also been studied over here. Thesis statement: The SAT and GRE examinations are biased in their scoring pattern and has little effectiveness in determining the performance of the students in colleges due to degradation in its standard. Meritocracy in America and SAT: The importance of SAT cannot be overlooked. SAT has established itself as the primary gatekeepers for the entry in university of America. The admissions system in America became more selective because of the increase in the number of applicants every year and the limited number of seats in American universities. In this environment the importance of SAT cannot be ignored. SAT acts as a mechanism to rank students and allow entry into the universities based on he scores. SAT has been to predict the performance of the students over the years. (Nagasaki, 44) Another important factor which deals with SAT is the benefits asso ciated with it. Sat and Act provides the facilities of scholarships. The scholarship is granted to the students based on their merits. Providing of such scholarships facilitates students from economically weak class to peruse their education. Often it was found that meritorious students would stop pursuing higher education due to financial constraint, but the competitive examinations helped them a lot by the grant of the scholarships (Wadsworth). SAT and Act acts as the guiding factor to a numerous college and universities all over the United States and the admission procedure is claimed to be followed based on the merit of students. (Sebastian) The meritocracy of America is popular over the decades. However in recent times the model of meritocracy has been in question. The globalization of the world and the popularity of the education system of America have turned the education system as a medium for grasping more economic benefits. The universities have also cited social discrimin ation against the students of various races seeking an admission in the universities. The origination of SAT happened in the year 1926 as an effort to enable youths from various parts of the worlds to attend the universities regardless of their social backgrounds. The idea of nationwide scholarship test was framed by James Bryant Conant. (Toch) However in recent times social factors have taken much significance in the admission criteria. The educational inequality has been a striking factor. Often it is found that meritorious students emerging from the lower class in the society are deprived from proper educational facilities and they fail to make an entry to the graduate schools. The African Americans are found to attend less prestigious schools. These inequalities have spread also in the higher education system of the country. Studies reflect that Latin and Americans belonging from the northern parts of the country tend to score lower in their SAT exams in comparison to the Whites . However the difference in SAT scores by them have been claimed to be due to the difference in the level of education they received in their school levels. Whether it is due to the fact of quality of education or due to discrepancy in the SAT scores the effect of the social class on SAT scores cannot be ignored. (Shephard, 347) It is claimed that examinations like SAT and GRE are predictor of family

To What Extent the East Asian Model Is Transferable To Other Developing Countries1 Essay Example for Free

To What Extent the East Asian Model Is Transferable To Other Developing Countries1 Essay The economic status of East Asia has become one of the most flourishing and positively growing regional economies in the globe in recent times and something to reckon with. The region has turned to be the home of the global significance as well as the most affluent economy consisting of countries such as; Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore South Korea and Taiwan. There have been numerous and major factors that have turned the economic success of the region to be a positive gain to the countries (Chang, 14). Some of the key constructive factors that have contributed to the developments of the positive economic status in the region includes: positive legal and political environments for both commerce and industry, through the plentiful natural wealth of different kinds, to ample supplies of comparatively low-cost, trained, and flexible employment. The success of the regional economic developments can highly be adopted in many other developing countries. This paper looks into the extent into which the model that has been adopted by the East Asian region, and how well is it suited to be adopted by other developing countries globally (the suitability of the East Asian model into the development of developing countries’ economies) (Hira, 21). Literature review The most successful developing countries over the last over the last half a century have come from East Asia. The rapid economic growth of the eight Asian economies which is often referred to as ‘East Asian Miracle’ brought along two major questions; (I) what policies and other factors contributed to that growth? (ii) And can other developing countries replicate those policies to stimulate equally rapid growth? There have been numerous analyses on the success and also based on case studies econometric data, and economic theory, offers a list of the ingredients that contributed to that success (Kwon et al, 32). Researchers have been done, concerning the model deployed by the East Asian economies and how the countries have managed to navigate through economic crises. World Bank and financial institutions, has conducted the applicability of the development model applied by the East Asian countries into the developing countries. The development evidence of the East Asian fin ancial system has been impressive, especially when compared to that of other developing countries. How can such a record be accounted for? What lessons can we draw from it? What has been the role of public policy? These are questions that have aroused heated debate in recent years, especially among the mainstream neoclassical school and the non-orthodox or revisionists (Saggi, 36). According to World Bank 1993, the ‘East Asian Miracle’ model has been a positive gain to the Asian economies which can as well be adopted in the developing countries. In addition, Haggard, 2004 noted that, there is no fixed definition of what is contained in the ‘East Asian model’ of development. How economies grew, how industrial structures were transformed, how governments intervened in solving coordination problems, pursuing efficient policies, making credible commitments, etc. varied depending on time and location (Hughes, 18). Different writers select different characteristics, often depending on what country (or countries) they are studying, and, at times, in function of their ideological preferences. At the clear risk of over-simplification, but so as to maintain the discussion manageable, four major features will be selected that have, arguably, been both common to, and crucial for, the experiences of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea over the periods he re examined (Chang, 26). Introduction The historical, trade and industrial growth in East Asia described as ‘East Asian Miracle’ brought a huge attention into the world and has provided a large literature on the economic development theories since then (World Bank, 1993). The countries, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, followed Japan, which itself was the very first country that succeeded, becoming an industrialized country outside the famous western economy, and achieved similar economic success in the phase of development following the Second World War from the 1950s to the 1970s and named as the four Asian Tigers. Then the three newly Industrializing economies (NIES) of Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia also managed to take off becoming large enough to reach the respective status of middle income countries in the second phase from the 1970s to the 1990s. (Chang 2006, World Bank, 1993, Jomo, 2001).The adoption of the given model led to the adoption of a strategies directed towards t his regional economic development and in turn coming to be a central aspect in development these economics and the model was denoted as the ‘East Asian Development Model (EADM)’. The model has different defining clauses and includes factors such as state control over finance, direct support for state owned enterprises by the government, import substitution industrialization in heavy industry and shift to export-led industry, a high dependence on export markets and a high rate of domestic savings among other practices. The nature of this model EADM was opposed to the protestations of the IMF-led Washington Consensus, model, which itself constitutes principles, and policies that are aimed at global economy work through the act of harmonizing the way that national economy operates. For example, the models work through the act of reducing barriers to international trade such as tariffs deregulation led to reductions in government control with the pushing for free trade practices. However, the World Bank’s influential study, on the East Asian Miracle represents the neo-classical claim in the current East Asian debate by acknowledging that, the frequent use of state intervention in the East Asian development process, but also inefficiency of the intervention. According to World Bank (1993), the intervention was not harmful, though still not helpful. However, it is widely recognized now that the export-push strategies in East Asia are very much linked to selective industrial policy and state intervention actively promoted economic growth in the region. According to Wade (1992), the development of a concept of the governed market theory, explains the East Asian success by three causes; (I) high levels of productive investment. (ii) Relatively an increased investment in certain key industries and finally (iii) exposure of many industries to international competition. It is argued that such economic policies, incentives, controls and risk spreading mechanism allow them to sustain rapid development, which produces different level productions and its huge outcomes in the private sector. This theory emphasizes on capital accumulation rather than resource allocation as per the orthodox theory as the principle source of growth (Nissanke Ernest, 11). It is unrealistic to assume that there is only one development model and it can be mostly agreed that nations have been taking their own or different ways of pursuing the EADM model with diverse development strategies. Hence, this paper will argue based on the World Bank’s famous distinctions of the model; Northeast Asian model; based on the Japanese paradigm of industrial policy and more active state intervention, which refers namely the NIEs countries Southeast Asian model; described that more open and market-friendly regimes, which refers ASEAN-3 countries; Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia It is often criticized that, the re-applicability of the Northeast Asian model by claiming is not possible in the contemporary context, not only because it ignores the importance of the global market, but also owing to the Unique historical context of Northeast Asia and the constraints under the new regime of the ‘WTO’. Therefore, the first goal of this paper is to refute the initial condition argument while addressing analytical shortcomings of this orthodoxy theory; it deals mostly with static concerns and thus has little say about dynamic changes, and also it downplays the social-political dimensions of the economic development, adopting just a kind of ‘economic determinism’ in their approach (Richter, 44). Positives from the East Asian Model Diversity in ecosystem, population, ethnicity, religion, social structure, and political regime Equally great diversity in GDP, per capita income, and economic development High growth sustained over a long period almost throughout the region. Associated with this high growth are high, savings and investment rates, active, but managed external opening, export orientation, industrialization, and general improvements in social indicators. Accomplishments and Characteristics of the East Asian Development Paradigm One of the major achievements of the model is the rapid economic growth of the region. For example, the implementation of the model led to the real income per capital grow four times bigger than it was previously in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea. Another accomplishment of the model was declining inequality. This is whereby; the positive gains and economic developments were evenly distributed throughout the populations. Thirdly, the model led to a quick reduction of the technology gap through massive investment in human capital, importation of foreign technology, export orientation, and the opening of markets for foreign direct investment as a means of introducing advanced technology. Finally, the model led to reduction of poverty rates in the region (Saggi, 51). Adaptability of ‘East Asian Miracle’ into the Developing Countries (To What Extent Can the Model Be Used By the Developing Countries) Less developed, countries or better still developing countries globally are nations denoted by the poor living standard as well as underdeveloped in industrial aspects. Base as well as a low human development index, when compared to other countries. One of the aspects used to differentiate between a developed and an underdeveloped country is the value of the county’s GDP per capita. Less developed nations are countries that have not realized a considerable degree of industrialization in relation to their populations. In most cases, they are said to have medium or poor standards of livelihood. There is a well-built relationship connecting low earnings and high populace growth. Once an expansion strategy is chosen, the proper policy systems will in turn certainly be formed or laid down as the foot print to development, and in turn the outcome of economic growth is, to a greater extent, determined by whether the preferred developmental strategies are right or wrong. If only the m acroeconomic setting and government guiding principles are well thought-out, and not looking into positives and negatives of the given development plan, then a general idea of where the problems lie is impossible. Modification plans thus raised can barely give solutions to problems existing in the wealth of African states (Hughes, 40). The implementation of the East Asian Model in the developing countries would somehow be of great achievement in terms of development. One of the major contributors to the development of the East Asian is the growth driven by trade and investment. For each of the countries in the region, the long term growth path as well as the achievement of industrialization can be tracked by income trends as well as structural shifts in GDP and exports. The exceptional feature of East Asian growth is that it has been achieved through the very existence of East Asia as a powerful arena of economic interaction among its members, and not merely by â€Å"market-friendly† policies or good governance of individual countries alone (Kwon et al, 57). One of the achievement or realization that has contributed to the development of the East Asian regions in terms of economy is the realization of the economic growth through participation in a series of dynamic production network that is generated by pri vate firms. This has been benefited by Linked by trade and investment, a system of international division of labor with clear order and structure exists in the region. Taking this approach into the developing country, the model can be of positive gain to the developing nations. The model also explains the importance of the private sector in the economic development of a nation. This can be adopted in the developing nations as it would lead to the increase of the country’s GDP (Kwon et al, 68). Another point that can be borrowed from the East Asian development model is the interaction among the members of the region. Thus, can be deployed in other regions such as Africa and also becomes a success. This would lead to the formation of powerful arena in terms of economic interactions between different countries. Moreover, good governance should be adhered in order to achieve the benefits from the model implementations. For the developing countries to develop and adopt the model into positive gains, the developing countries, have no choice but to initiate development, and undertake international integration via trade and investment. The East Asia model has also described the need to have well established political, social and economical conducive environment for a better economic development. This van as well be adopted in the developing nations which are greatly denoted by poor political establishments, and deteriorated social and economic aspects (Hira, 71). One of the developing regions or countries is the African states. The biggest question that remains for the African states is: Can African learn from the ‘East Asia miracle’ development model? Yes, the model can be of great help to a number of African nations as majority of them are categorized as developing countries. Since 1970’s all the way to the late 1990’s, East Asia has experienced has embarked on a model that has resulted in an outstanding evidence of high and unrelenting fiscal growth. The model has become a development model to other developing regions as is the case of African states (Chang, 49). One of the major aspects of the model is the East Asian regions embarked on the plan to increase the value and the amount of exported goods and as well reduce the number of imported goods. Through the increase in the volume of exports from the Asian countries, there was an increase in the volume of finished goods and the success in export trade has seen maintenance of high deposition and domestic venture rates. This provides the capital essential for economic expansion. Consequently, reducing the dependence on foreign investment and embark on home trade, investment and in turn increasing the value of GDP (Nissanke Earnest, 63). Following the attainment of independence, the third world countries were faced with the task of identifying the right approaches to build up their economies. This was meant to exterminate poverty as soon as they could. Many of these countries (developing) turned to strategies that targeted industrialization acceleration. This opted choice by some countries brought along an economic system that was an unclear macro policy setting and designed distribution structures for properties and the micro-management need for self-sufficiency. The result of the countries that deployed this approach to develop their economy, were shocked as such economic structures smothered economic growth. In return the economies of these countries which followed such strategies didn’t step forward at all, as some of the nations fell behind development as they were faced with more problems (Chang, 80). In contrast to this scenario, the development plans adopted in the East Asia signified an extra choice and approach to economic development. The region members gave massive contemplations to their resource state of affairs, and in turn they took advantage of their ample labor availability resources which provided them with low costs of labor. This approach allowed them to establish industries that are labor intensive as an economy development take-off. In addition, in order to achieve positive results in their economy development, the countries had to adjust their industrial organization. This approach was deployed in the ‘East Asia miracle’ model, which turned to be a success in the region. However, the approach of the same by the developing countries would be of great benefit to the countries and their regions such as Africa (Richter, 55). Another advantage of the miracle model for the developing countries is that, it teaches the developing economies to sustain a constructive macro-economic situation as well as the correct basic policies. The Asian countries have maintained their debt within bearable limits. One of the factors that has dragged the economic development and prosperity of the developing economies is the massive and inability to control their debts. The countries are heavily indebted to the financial institutions such as the World Bank and IMF, such that, they are unable to control their debts owed to another stable and developed countries. With the inability to control their debts, the developing countries couldn’t control their inflation as well as both their home and foreign debts to a definite extent. Most of the developing countries are agriculture products dependent in terms of their productions. The East Asian models for economic development guaranteed the effectiveness of their policies whic h in turn was to enhance an increase in agriculture production (Jomo, 76). Other positive which can be of great advantage and can also be adapted into other developing countries includes the foundation of fundamental sound development policies. A large portion of economy development in East Asian can be attributed to getting the fundamentals needed correctly. These factors or fundamentals include responsible and disciplined fiscal and monetary policies, which are beneficial in maintaining moderate rates of inflation in the developing countries. Inflation is one of the factors that are a hindrance to economic stability in these developing countries. In addition, the model called for the conducive economic environment for private investment. For the developing countries, it helps realize the vital and the importance of the private sector in the economic development of the countries. In addition to the importance of the private sector in the economic development, the East Asian â€Å"miracle† model also advocated for high investments in education. To th e developing countries, investment in education, such as post secondary education, vocational and technical skill training developed a better educated labor force suited for rapid economic development (Kwon et al, 86). High rising and saving rates were also a practice advocated by the model. The East Asian governments developed a relatively sound and stable financial system. This was achieved through strengthening prudential regulations and supervision of financial institutions and setting limits on competition. They also expanded the financial system network by promoting postal saving systems to successfully increase the accessibility of financial savings instruments to non-traditional savers. Finally, the fundamentally sound development policies included actively seeking foreign technology through foreign licensing, capital goods imports, and liberalization of foreign direct investment. The policies were some of the adaptable policies what would work well with numerous developing countries globally (Hughes, 98). In fact, since the 1970s, Africa nations have continuously explored and re-assessed their development strategies, so as to seek out with a unique development pattern suited to Africa. This exploration is still underway. In this regard, African country can gain some ideas from the experiences of East Asia. A favorable macroeconomic policy environment is needed to support the practice of comparative advantage development strategies. For this purpose, productive factor markets and finished products, markets, which are feasible and fully competitive, must be established, so as to conform to the smooth operation of the market mechanism. Some African countries are making efforts in this direction while adjusting their structure. Meanwhile, they should pay special attention to adjusting policies (Hira, 89). Agricultural policy for agriculture remains the mainstay of the economy in most African countries; the support of the agricultural sector is significantly to economic development. The experiences in East Asia have shown that with the right agricultural policies and a measure, agriculture plays an important role in pushing the national economies forward. Many African countries have improved, to differing degrees, in prices and the circulation of goods, as well as agricultural tax policies. But there is a long way to go. Improving the management of State assets and raising profits in most African countries. State enterprises play a significant role in production and employment. However, poor profits and large losses have become an emerging problem facing economic development. Many countries have proposed the privatization of State enterprises. So far, the process has made little progress and has had little effect. In this aspect they still need to explore new methods of reform (Nissank e Ernest, 78). Defining government functions either under the marketing economy or the planned economy, government plays a very important role in economic development, only differing in its functions. The experiences in East Asia have indicated that the government should intervene only in the fields where it is needed, leaving markets to operate freely. Only in those fields, such as developing human resources, constructing and protecting infrastructure, environmental protection and so on. Where markets are not able to operate, will the government need to intervene? This will create a stable, sustainable and fair environment for the operation of market mechanisms. Choosing suitable development strategies and forming correct policies, this is a precondition for achieving favorable results, but not the full condition for ideal development. An effective and powerful government is a basic guarantee for the realization of the development aim. During the past three years, the African economies have contin ually risen and the overall situation has been improved. But the adjustment of strategies and improvements in external conditions requires time. Africa will be able to step on the path of continuous economic growth only if it undertakes long-term efforts and carries out suitable economic reforms (Chang, 101). Reasons why the development model won’t work with other developing countries Letdown of the East Asian growth Model Despite the progress made by the East Asia region in terms of economic developments, criticisms of the model have been raised as well as the models, adapted to other countries such as the developmental one. In addition, the adaptability and sustainability of the model have been questioned. The path trodden by East Asia has not always been smooth as some nations in the region failing to achieve high growth, and the states were hit by occasional setbacks. East Asia has had its share of hardships in its history, with hot and cold wars, social instabilities and financial crises. In addition, the structural weakness of the model is a posing threat to the adaptability of the system into other countries economy development. Despite the weakness, not a sign of the end of the system, it may instead be a signal that the model in dire need of repair in order to be a success even to other different regions (Nissanke Ernest, 92). Moreover, the East Asian model has evolved over time and adapted to the changes that has occurred in the region such a political, societal and economic changes which have not only occurred in Asia but also in other parts of the world. The fundamental question from this is whether the model can adapt to some of the most significant changes and developments that change the economic landscape of the developing countries such as democratization and domestic economic liberalization, globalization in parallel with regionalization, and the emergence of a new economy driven by information technology. The model can be able to adjust to significant changes in the region, but at the same time fail to adapt to the same changes in other regions such as Africa (Chang, 120). East Asian countries were constantly showing a lot of structural strains and rigidities. The model was hampered by four main failures that affected the credibility and applicability of the model into the developing nations globally. One of the failures is that, the model neglected the differences involving the government mechanism and the elected policy as well as the market liberalization. In addition, the failure to reorganize the financial structure was a stumbling block for the model to be adopted in the developing countries. Finally, the congested and non-transparent corporate sector within the developing countries such as the African states was a stumbling block to the implementation of the model (Kwon at al, 136). Asian Financial Crisis In 1997 Despite the growing status as one of the blossoming economic growth globally, the east Asia economy had to overcome some worrying and threatening financial crises. The Asian region was at some time faced with a severe financial crisis, Fro example is the ‘Asian financial Crisis in 1997’ also known as Asian Contagion. This was a succession of money devaluations that had spread through a good number of Asian markets. This financial menace started in Thailand, and spread to other Asian countries such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and South Korea. The  Asian financial crisis  was a period of  financial crisis  that gripped much of East Asia beginning in July 1997, and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown due to  financial contagion (Harrold, 66). The currency markets first failed in Thailand as the result of the governments decision to no longer peg the local currency to the U.S. dollar. Currency declines spread rapidly throughout South Asia, in turn causing stock market declines, reduced import revenues and even government upheaval. According to Krugman’s Paul view, the east Asia economic growth had historically been due to the increase of capital investment. However, the total factor productivity of the region had only increased marginally or not increased at all. In the case of long term prosperity, there ought to have grown only in total factor productivity and not capital investment. The collapse of the Thai Baht in July 1997 was followed by an unprecedented financial crisis in East Asia, from which these economies are still struggling to recover. A great deal of effort has been devoted to trying to understand its causes. One view is that there was nothing inherently wrong with East Asian economies, which have historically performed very well. These economies experienced a surge in capital inflows to finance productive investments that made them vulnerable to a financial panic. That panic–and inadequate policy responses–triggered a region-wide financial crisis and the economic disruption that followed. In addition, The weaknesses of the financial sector in the East Asian region were masked by rapid growth and accentuated by large capital inflows, which were partly encouraged by pegged exchange rates (Harrold, 103). Key Root Causes Of The Asian Financial Crisis In summary, the main causes of the financial crises in Asia were: Large current account deficits that left the countries vulnerable to changes in investor confidence and macroeconomic conditions (i.e., slower growth). Overvalued exchange rates that were often pegged to the U.S. dollar, which was, at that time, appreciating quite rapidly. Rapid and unsustainable increases in asset prices, especially stock market and real estate prices. A currency mismatch between assets and liabilities that left banks and enterprises vulnerable to exchange rate devaluations. Inadequate bank regulation and supervision. Implicit and explicit government guarantees that made high-risk projects (including projects which relied upon continued appreciation in real estate prices) attractive to investors. Political instability Lessons learned from the Asian crisis In East Asia, in addition to supporting the International Monetary Funds programs, the Bank provided Structural Adjustment Loans to prop up and re-capitalize on selected banks by supporting bond issues. In addition, the World Bank set up credit lines to help finance imports. The Asian crisis menace came as an eye opener and as a surprise to policymakers, investors, and academics alike, where buy despite majority accepting the menace was expected it would have been controlled and avoided too. This would be of great help to the developing economies such as the African States cases. The recommendations that were passed for the prevention of Asian financial crisis prevention would be of great help to prevent the re-emergence of such a case again. In addition, the crisis was an eye opener to the economies of developing countries as well as the importance of the IMF. These include conditional financing, bail out from the such menaces as well as the structural adjustment package. As seen from the Asian Financial Crisis case, financial intervention from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank played a vital role in reversing the scenario. As a result of the crisis, many nations adopted protectionist measures to ensure the stability of their own currency. Often this led to heavy buying of U.S. Treasuries, which are used as a global investment by most of the worlds sovereignties. Financial and government reforms in countries like Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia. It also serves as a valuable case study for economists who try to understand the interwoven markets of today, especially as it relates to currency trading and national account management. In summary, of the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the East Asia’s experience suggests that while a classic panic may have played a role, financial sector weaknesses were a major contributor to the recent financial crisis. Such weaknesses appear to reflect the inability of lenders to use business criteria in allocating credit and implicit or explicit government guarantees against risk. This implies that it would be prudent to accompany efforts to spur recovery in East Asia by reforms designed to strengthen the financial system. ‘East Asian Miracle’ Application To African Countries (Kenya) From the early 1970s onwards, the nations of East-Asia, also known as the Asian Tigers due to their astounding growth and expansion economically that demystified the conformist economic theory based on the western model of growth that adopted industrial development as an approach for overall development. Numerous researchers have pointed out that, contrasting the western model, the Asian model is premised on capital build up as well as that of human capital, which are seen as influential in the growth of these countries economies. The Asian economic growth has been very notable such that it has served as a textbook case for strategy makers in numerous Least Developing Countries such as is the case in Africa (Nyongo, 2007). This growth incident has baffled various economic historians as well as geographical experiences recorded so far leading to researchers to argue that, success in Asian countries was based on an updated version of primitive accumulation and that, their success can be a model if only their high savings rates can be replicated. This is in   contrast to African economies such as Kenya, which took off at the same time and indeed rate as the Asian economies. Contlarry of the Asian countries, Kenya recorded dismal and unsatisfactory growth and development over the last two decades prompting a number of scholars to call the incident â€Å"a crisis of proportion. This rather tremendous contrast between the two regions, that so recently shared a similar turbulent past, raises many questions which should be of interest as well as a challenge to policy makers, especially in Africa to discern what went wrong with their policies and policy implementation, against what went right with Asian coun tries. Such questions that beg urgent answers are even more pertinent when one considers that, Kenya was poised to grow faster than the Asian countries considering its resource advantages. For example, at the time of self-government countries such Kenya and Ghana were said to have had a healthier growth prediction than any country among the Asian tigers. According to the world bank, (2003) â€Å"it would be hugely important for African researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to have the opportunity to observe directly the economies of East Asia and Southern Asia themselves to discuss economic policy reform directly with the academics, practitioners and policy makers from the Asian region.† However, one point that should be kept in perspective is that, there are no two nations that are similar so as to assume that expansion and growth in one can be replicated in the other. One point to be noted in cases of development, there are some fundamental factors that must be in place for a country to latch into the development phase and the rest depends on the model the country pursues to sustain the development. Many policy makers and indeed some academics in Kenya, and Africa at large have, for quite some time now, tended to attribute Africa’s poor development record of its historical past, specifically blaming it on her colonial legacy, and later neo-colonial ‘manipulation by western countries’. Such attitude holds no ground when one considers that Asian countries had a comparable historical environment, which limits the extent to which these arguments can be held to justify the poor development record of many African states 50 years on. One point to be noted when it comes to Kenyan case and other African countries is that, African economies at the time, were not capable of creating good governance on their own, nor could they be expected to assemble the human and capital resources necessary to ensure a development process. According to Nissanke (1998), the failure of African states to economically develop like the Asian case, after independence is that, whilst all seemed to have a common goal of accelerating the pace of economic growth and thus development, they tended to diverge on such issues as: the role of the state, the degree of openness that could be accommodated, the desirable partner of investment in social services versus economic services, and the government-private sector relations. The long-standing results obtained   were not dissimilar, suggesting that, failure was the outcome of a wrong mix of policies which are uncoordinated, absence of institutions, external environment, lack of societal prepared ness, which were by and large   constraints overcame by their Asian counterparts. Elsewhere O’Connel (1996) commenting on such failure, emphasized that, African states and especially Kenya, have evolved from a shortage of capital diagnosis of the 1960s and 1970s, to a diagnosis of policy failure of the 1980s and, finally, to a diagnosis of institutional failures of the late 1990s. However, other researchers who, when comparing the source of growth in Asia with those of Germany, UK, USA and Japan, conclude that, by far the most important source of economic growth in these countries is capital accumulation, accounting for between 48% to 72% of their economic growth (Nyongo, 2007). Others have pointed out that, it is rather a combination of both capital accumulation and human capital accumulation (learning by doing) which have been the productive engine behind the unprecedented growth, pointing out that, physical capital critical in the growth process, is rather passive and subsidiary to human capital accumulation. This contrasts to the above group of industrialized nations where technical progress played a vital role in their development, accounting for between 46% and 71% of their economic growth (Aryeetey International Conference). Whereas capital accumulation and indeed human capital development accounts for growth differentials between Africa and Asian countries, it all depended on policy choices each the countries in Asia took, for such development has not been uniform in most Asian economies either. Rather, Asian countries which have recorded unprecedented growth episodes have combined not only right and consistent policies over time, but also their societal preparedness had an even greater role to play to this end. It has thus been pointed out that, countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and of late Vietnam have all had an element of societal preparedness, which is highlighted in the culture of hard work, drive to succeed, and high propensities to save (Nyongo, 2007). Others even argue that, the Chinese culture (of hard work and their strive for excellence) entrenched in most of these countries in part explains their drive to grow at the rates that far exceed the growth recorded elsewhere. The dismal performance of a number of African economies has also been explained in the context that, factors attendant in the Asian region, were not to be found in African countries, and no wonder that, no one country latched into development phase close to the Asian Tigers (Aryeetey International Conference, 2003). Although many African countries have borrowed a leaf from their Asian counterparts, especially in the areas of human capital development, the new paradigm shift has mainly focused on institutional development. This is even more pertinent considering that, Africa has not been short of capital. Indeed, despite the massive foreign aid and to a lesser extent direct capital flows, African economies have not developed as expected. This reinforces the belief that, capital inflows, whether local or foreign, cannot make an impact in the absence of a conducive environment characterized by transparency, governments, good governance, democratic political economy, conducive economic, social-cultural, and legal environment (Harrold, 96). Findings and conclusions At the turn 21st century, there has much dialogue and discussion about the ‘miracle model’ in East Asia and its effectiveness in the economic development and its sustainability. The East Asian economic development model, which built the hypothetical and institutional structure of growth in the area, is liable along with the rest of what was one time called the East Asian Miracle. In an attempt to give a rich, textured analysis, it’s clear from the paper that, the model can be of positive gain to the developing countries in terms of economic development. Despite the ‘East Asian development model’ a workable option for the developing and less developed countries, it had its own shortcomings. The contributors provide a cohesive review of the East Asian development model, exploring its cultural heritage, the political context through which it arose, its basic assumptions, and its recent failures. In particular, they identify the causes and consequences of the Asian economic crisis, describe the features of economic development throughout the region, and discuss the strategic responses of Asian firms to newly  developing economies of countries such as African states. The sustainable and swift economic growth in East Asia has attracted wide attention in Africa, and they believe the successful experiences of East Asia should be followed to develop African national economy vigorously. It’s clear that the model deployed by the countries in the region (East Asia) was effective in raising the country’s GDP and in turn it was worthy to be deployed in the African countries which are an example of developing states. Despite the growing challenges over the time, the model can be of great help to numerous growing economies. However, the fact that the East Asian model is so attractive to many African countries is bound to have profound implications for development practitioners. Western aid is not the only game in town anymore, and the global development  agenda is no more immune from the influence of a rising Asia than the global economic system has turned out to be. Developing countries can now choose between an ever-growing variety of donors, trading partners, investors and development strategies. Whether or not we agree with the models they pick or even with the idea of a development model at all we would do well to listen to and engage with these views. Therell be no point in trying only to reform and improve western aid if the real debate is happening somewhere else. References Adams, Francis G.  Public Policies in East Asian Development: Facing New Challenges. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Praeger, 1999. Print. Aryeetey, E., International Conference Asia and Africa in the Global Economy. (2003).  Asia and Africa in the global economy. Tokyo: United Nations University Press. Chang, Ha-Joon.  Rethinking Development Economics. London: Anthem Press, 2004. Print Chang, Ha-Joon.  The East Asian Development Experience: The Miracle, the Crisis and the Future. London: Zed / TWN, 2006. Print. Harrold, P., Jayawickrama, M., Bhattasali, D. (1996).  Practical lessons for Africa from East Asia in industrial and trade policies. Washington, DC: World bank. Hira, Anil.  An East Asian Model for Latin American Success: The New Path. Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 2007. Print. Hughes, Helen.  Achieving Industrialization in East Asia. Cambridge [England: Cambridge University Press, 1988. Print. Jomo, K S.  Growth after the Asian Crisis: What Remains of the East Asian Model? New York: United Nations, 2001. Print. Kwon, Jene K., and Jung Mo Kang. The East Asian Model Of Economic Development.  Asian- Pacific Economic Literature  25.2 (2011): 116-130.  Business Source Complete. Web. 11 May 2014. Nissanke, Machiko, and Ernest Aryeetey.  Comparative Development Experiences of Sub- Saharan Africa and East Asia: An Institutional Approach. Aldershot, Hants, England: Ashgate, 2003. Print. Nyongo, P. A. (2007).  A leap into the future: A vision for Kenyas socio-political and economic transformation. Nairobi: African Research and Resource Forum. Richter, Frank-Jürgen.  The East Asian Development Model: Economic Growth, Institutional Failure and the Aftermath of the Crisis. Basingstoke [u.a.: Macmillan [u.a., 2000. Print. Saggi, Kamal.  International Technology Transfer to Developing Countries. London: Commonwealth Secretariat, 2004. Print. Source document

The Joy Luck Club - Playing the Game :: Free Essay Writer

The Joy Luck Club - Playing the Game A vivid portrait of the struggles, as well as the joys, of three generations of Asian American families is painted for us on the off white canvas used by Amy Tan in 1989, the pages of her book, The Joy Luck Club. In this portrayal of Chinese immigrants and their American born children, four family stories are brought to light, through a series of vignettes told from the view points of eight women, as they change and grow in their lives. Lives that become the pigment that, along with Tan’s taintless brush strokes become a painting fit for a museum. As the stories are unveiled to us, we begin to find the connection between mothers and daughters, as well as ties between friends. These connections, however, often turn out to be lacks of connections, as the generations find themselves having a hard time relating to one another. One family in which misconceptions occur throughout the entirety of the daughter’s life is the Jong family, whose story leads us through generations of women, who, by living their out their lives, look at things instead as simply, playing the game. The mother of the Jong family, Lindo, is a member of the Joy Luck Club, and an American immigrant who, throughout her life, as always tried to keep a balance between her Chinese self, and her new American self. Lindo fears that she may have given her daughter, Waverly, too many American opportunities, and therefore denied her of her Chinese heritage. With the Americanization of her daughter, she feels she may have closed the doors on part of her own self as well, and become herself, too American. Before Lindo came to America, she learned at an early age the power of invisible strength, of hiding ones thoughts until the time is right to reveal them. She discovers these values while in an unhappy relationship to a man she was betrothed to at an early age. â€Å" I wiped my eyes and looked in he mirror. I was surprised at what I saw. I had on a beautiful red dress, but what I saw was even more valuable. I was strong. I was pure. I had genuine thoughts inside that no one could see, that no one could ever take away from me. I was like the wind. I threw back my head and smiled proudly to myself, and then I draped the large embroidered red scarf over my face and covered these thoughts up.

Industrial Attachment

| | | About Us  |  HREA News  |  E-Learning | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Study Guides | | | Home > Learning Centre > Study Guides > Persons with disabilities | | | | | | | | | Human rights of persons with disabilities| | | | | | Introduction Rights at Stake International and Regional Instruments of Protection and Promotion National Protection and Service Agencies Advocacy, Educational and Training Materials Other ResourcesIntroductionDisability and persons with disabilities Persons with disabilities are entitled to exercise their civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights on an equal basis with others.Disability â€Å"summarizes a great number of different functional limitations occurring in any population in any country of the world. People may be disabled by physical, intellectual or sensory impairment, medical conditions or mental illness. Such impairments, conditions or illnesses may be permanent or transitory in nature. † (Standard Rules on the Eq ualization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities). Different expressions are used when referring to persons with disabilities. For example, the term â€Å"differently-abled persons† indicates that disability is not perceived as a deviation from the norm.The term â€Å"disabled persons† might be misinterpreted to imply that the ability of the individual to function as a person has been disabled. This guide uses the term â€Å"persons with disabilities†, which is consistent with the language used by the United Nations (UN). The UN estimates that there are 500 million persons with disabilities in the world today. This number is increasing every year due to factors such as war and destruction, unhealthy living conditions, or the absence of knowledge about disability, its causes, prevention and treatment.The majority of persons with disabilities live in less developed countries where people lack access to essential services such as health care. Moreover, the re exists a clear relationship between poverty and disability. The risk of impairment is greater for a family that lives in poverty, while and at the same time, a disabled family member places higher demands on the family's resources. Among persons with disabilities, the following form particularly vulnerable groups that face discrimination based on two grounds: women, children, elders, victims of torture, refugees and displaced persons, and migrant workers.For instance, women with a disability are discriminated against because of their gender and also because of their disability. Development of disability policy The work of the UN constitutes the most important actions taken by an international organization in the area of disability. Based on the International Bill of Rights, the UN formulated the first specific document regarding disabilities in 1971 in the Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons. Important other documents followed but none of them are legally bindi ng.The 1980s mark the main phase of activity regarding establishing international norms pertaining to persons with disabilities. In 1981, the General Assembly declared the first International Year of Disabled Persons. It was followed by the World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons in 1982 and the Decade of Disabled Persons 1983-1992. Throughout the 1990s all UN conferences dealt with disability rights and addressed the need for protective instruments (World Conference on Human Rights 1993, Fourth World Conference on Women 1995, Habitat II 1996).At present, the Ad Hoc Committee on Disabilities is involved in a process to create a convention that protects disabled persons on an international level. A high level of awareness is also demonstrated by the European Union, the year 2003 was declared as the European Year of People with Disabilities. Other important regional observances include the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002), the African Decade of Di sabled People (2000-2009), and the Arab Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012). Back to Top] Rights at StakePersons with disabilities suffer from discrimination based on society's prejudice and ignorance. In addition, they often do not enjoy the same opportunities as other people because of the lack of access to essential services. International human rights law determines that every person has:1. The right of equality before law 2. The right to non discrimination 3. The right to equal opportunity 4. The right to independent living 5. The right to full integration 6.The right to securityPolicy regarding disabilities is often dominated by the notion of â€Å"equalization of opportunities†, which means that society must employ its resources in such a way that every individual, including persons with disabilities, has an equal opportunity to participate in society. [Back to Top]   International and Regional Instruments for Protection and PromotionInternational legal instrument s take the form of a treaty (also called agreement, convention, or protocol) that binds the contracting states to the negotiated terms.When negotiations are completed, the text of a treaty is established as authentic and definitive and is â€Å"signed† by the representatives of states. A state can agree to be bound to a treaty in various ways. The most common are ratification or accession. A new treaty is ratified by those states that have negotiated the instrument. A state that has not participated in the negotiations may, at a later stage, accede to the treaty. The treaty enters into force, or becomes valid, when a pre-determined number of states have ratified or acceded to the treaty.When a state ratifies or accedes to a treaty, that state may make reservations to one or more articles of the treaty, unless reservations are prohibited by the treaty. Reservations may normally be withdrawn at any time. In some countries, international treaties take precedence over national la w; in others a specific law may be required to give a ratified international treaty the force of a national law. Practically all states that have ratified or acceded to an international treaty must issue decrees, change existing laws, or introduce new legislation in order for the treaty to be fully effective on the national territory.The binding treaties can be used to force governments to respect the treaty provisions that are relevant for the human rights of persons with disabilities. The non-binding instruments, such as declarations and resolutions, can be used in relevant situations to embarrass governments by negative public exposure; governments who care about their international image may consequently adapt their policies. The following international instruments protect the rights of persons with disabilities.They mainly focus on protecting disabled persons from discrimination and creating equal opportunities for them to participate in society:UNITED NATIONSUniversal Declarat ion of Human Rights (1948) (article 3, 21, 23, 25) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948 and provides human rights standards accepted by all member states. The UDHR represents the normative basis that led to formulating the standards concerning persons with disabilities that exist today.In Article 25 (1) the UDHR specifically mentions the socio-economic rights of people with disabilities: the right to an adequate standard of living, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age. Article 7 guarantees equality before the law and equal protection by the law for all people, including against discrimination. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) (article 26) This treaty lists several rights that are relevant to disability.Article 26 states that all people are equal befo re the law and have the right to equal protection of the law. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) (article 2) The Covenant does not explicit refer to disability. However, disability can be included under â€Å"other status† in article 2 (2), which calls for non-discrimination on any grounds such as race and color, and â€Å"other status†. To more fully elaborate on the strategies for implementation of the rights set forth in the International Covenant onEconomic Social and Cultural Rights, the Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights — the monitoring body of the Covenant — issued:General Comment 5 (1994) This General Comment by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights formulates obligations of states to eliminate discrimination of persons with disabilities in the areas of equal rights for men and women (â€Å"double discrimination†) (article 3 of the ICESCR), work (ICESCR articles 6-8), social security (article 9), protection of the family (article 10), adequate standard of living (article 11), right to physical and mental health (article 12), right to education (articles 13 and 14) and the right to take part in cultural life and enjoy the benefits of scientific progress (article 15). Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons (1971) This declaration was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly and states that: â€Å"The mentally retarded person has, to the maximum degree of feasibility, the same rights as other human beings. â€Å"Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (1975) This declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly is the first international document that tried to define the term â€Å"disability. † The Declaration includes a number of social and economic rights as well as civil and political rights.Declaration on the Rights of Deaf-Blind Persons (1979) Article 1 of the Declaration states that â€Å"†¦every deaf-blind person is entitled to enjoy the universal rights that are guaranteed to all people by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the rights provided for all disabled persons by the Declaration of the Rights of Disabled Persons. â€Å"Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (1979) (article 3) The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, usually abbreviated as CEDAW, does not include any specific article on disability rights, but aims to protect the rights of all women, whether disabled or not. Disabled women face double discrimination based on their gender and secondly, on their disability.In General Recommendation 18 the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, the monitoring body of the CEDAW convention, stresses that disabled women suffer from double discrimination and are a particularly vulnerable group. It recommends that governments provide information on disabled women in their period reports and on special measures th at governments have taken to ensure that women with disabilities â€Å"have equal access to education and employment, health services and social security, and to ensure that they can participate in all areas of social and cultural life. â€Å"A major outcome of the International Year of Disabled Persons (1981) was the formulation of the World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons (WPA) (1982).The WPA is a global strategy to enhance disability prevention, rehabilitation and equalization of opportunities, which pertains to full participation of persons with disabilities in social life and national development. The WPA also emphasizes the need to approach disability from a human rights perspective. Convention (No. 159) concerning Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) (1983) This treaty of the International Labour Organization (ILO), a UN specialized agency, obligates states to â€Å"formulate, implement and periodically review a national policy on voc ational rehabilitation and employment of disabled persons† (article 2).This treaty also emphasizes the principle of equal opportunity: â€Å"positive measures aimed at effective equality of opportunity and treatment between disabled workers and other workers shall not be regarded as discriminating against other workers† (article 4). Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) (article 2, 6, 12, 23, 28) This treaty lists disability as one of the grounds discrimination is prohibited on (article 2). In addition, article 23 directly addresses the rights of children with disabilities stating that disabled children are entitled to a â€Å"full and decent life† of dignity and participation in the community. Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illnesses and the Improvement of Mental Health Care (1991) This document adopted by the UN General Assembly sets detailed standards for the protection of persons with mental disabilities.It emphasizes that all per sons have the right to the best available mental health care and that persons with a mental illness shall be treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person. Individuals with mental disabilities also have the right to protection from economic, sexual and other forms of exploitation, physical or other abuse and degrading treatment. The Principles stipulate that there shall be no discrimination on the grounds of mental illness and that persons with a mental illness shall have the right to exercise all civil, political. In case a person lacks legal capacity due to his or her mental illness any decisions related to the well-being of this person shall be made only after a fair hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal established by domestic law.Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993) Adopted by the General Assembly in 1993 in the aftermath of the Decade of Disabled Persons, the Standard Rules do not c onstitute a legally binding document for member states. However the Standard Rules are the most comprehensive set of human rights standards regarding disability police to date and represent â€Å"a strong moral and political commitment of Governments to take action to attain equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities. † The document addresses preconditions for equal participation, target areas of equal participation, implementation measures and monitoring mechanisms.Implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities are monitored by the UN Special Rapporteur on Disability. The first Special Rapporteur, Bengt Lindqvist (Sweden), was appointed in 1994, and his mandate was renewed twice, in 1997 and 2000. In 2003, Sheikha Hessa Khalifa bin al-Thani (Qatar) was appointed as the Special Rapporteur. Beijing Declaration on the Rights of People with Disabilities (2000) This declaration was adopted at the World NGO Summit on Disability and calls for a higher standard of living, equal participation and the elimination of discriminatory attitudes and practices. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2007) This treaty was recently adopted and enters into force in May 2008. Back to Top] AFRICAN UNION (FORMERLY ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY, OAU)African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1981) (article 18) The Charter contains article 18 (4) which states that disabled persons have the right to special measures of protection and article 16 (1) provides that every individual shall have the right to enjoy the best attainable state of physical and mental health. COUNCIL OF EUROPEThe Council of Europe is a regional intergovernmental organization consisting of 45 countries. It aims to defend human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law. All members of the European Union also belong to the Council of Europe.The Council of Europe has not adopted any specific human rights tre aty on persons with disabilities, but created two important treaties that include the protection of disabilities rights:European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950) (article 5) Article 5 of the Convention states that the right to liberty and security can be infringed upon on grounds of mental disability: â€Å"No one shall be deprived of his liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure prescribed by law: [†¦ ] the lawful detention of persons for the prevention of the spreading of infectious diseases, of persons of unsound mind, alcoholics or drug addicts or vagrants. European Social Charter (1961) (article 15) The Charter works as the counterpart to the Convention addressing social and economic rights, such as the right to work, or the right to social security. The Charter was the first human rights treaty to explicitly mention disability. In addition the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has adop ted several recommendations about policies regarding persons with disabilities:Recommendation (818) on the Situation of the Mentally Ill (1977) This document outlines recommendations regarding the protection of mentally ill persons in court, and the legislation rules on the confinement of mentally ill persons.Recommendation (1185) on Rehabilitation Policies for the Disabled (1992) This recommendation urges member states to ensure active participation in society and equal opportunities for disabled persons. Recommendation No. R(92)6 on a Coherent Policy for the Rehabilitation of People with Disabilities (1992) This instrument recognizes the rights of disabled persons to be different and focuses on the right to independent living and full integration into society. EUROPEAN UNIONThe European Parliament has adopted several resolutions referring specifically to the protection of disability rights. The Resolution on the human rights of disabled people (1995) urges the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, to take steps to ensure equal opportunities for disabled persons.The Resolution on threats to the right to life of disabled persons (1996) seeks to protect the right to life and states that the European Parliament is â€Å"opposed to the practice of the active killing by doctors of patients in a persistent vegetative state and disabled new-born children. † Finally, the Resolution on the Commission's communication on equality of opportunity for people with disabilities (1997) recognizes that â€Å"there are 37 million disabled people in the European Union who do not enjoy full civil and human rights† and reminds member states of their responsibility to implement disability protection laws on the national level. In December 2000, the Council of Ministers of the European Union adopted a (binding) general Framework Directive on equal treatment in employment prohibiting direct and indirect discrimination on the grounds of religio n or belief, age, disability or sexual orientation.The Framework Directive is binding upon the current member states, while candidate member states are required to have completed national implementation of the Directive before joining the EU. ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS)American Convention on Human Rights (1969) (article 24) The Convention does not explicitly address the subject of disability, but contains the classical human rights guarantees. For example, Article 24 states the right to equal protection. Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the area of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (Protocol of San Salvador) (1988) (article 18) This treaty specifically that persons with disabilities are entitled to receive special attention in order to achieve the greatest possible development of his or her personality.It also obliges governments to implement special measures to facilitate the full integration of persons with disabilities. Inter-America n Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (1999) This Convention aims to prevent and eliminate all forms of discrimination against disabled persons and to promote their full integration into society. [Back to Top]  National Protection and Service AgenciesSeveral countries such as the Australia, India, the United Kingdom and the USA have passed and implemented national anti-discrimination laws, guaranteeing full participation in society by persons with disabilities. In Australia, the Disability Discrimination Act was passed in 1992.The objectives of the Act are â€Å"to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination against persons on the ground of disability in the areas of: work, accommodation, education, access to premises, clubs and sport; and the provision of goods, facilities, services and land; and existing laws; and the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs; and to ensure, as far as practicable, that persons with disabilities have the same rights to equality before the law as the rest of the community; and to promote recognition and acceptance within the community of the principle that persons with disabilities have the same fundamental rights as the rest of the community. † In India, two national instruments were passed, the Rehabilitation Council of India Bill and the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act. In the United Kingdom, the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 aims to end the discrimination which many persons with disabilities face.The Act enumerates rights in the areas of employment, access to goods, facilities and services and buying or renting land or property. In the United States, civil rights law regarding persons with disabilities is based on a number of laws among which the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the most important one. The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in emp loyment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications. Examples of further national legislation are the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Rehabilitation Act. Back to Top] Advocacy, Educational and Training MaterialsFor advocatesGuide to Disability Rights (and dealing with the system) This guide provides practical information on employment, free medication, social security benefits, special education, and tax benefits. Training Materials for Lawyers and NGOs on the European Convention on Human Rights and the rights of people with mental health problems and/or developmental disabilities (Mental Disability Advocacy Center, Budapest, 2002). This training manual was written for lawyers and NGOs attending training seminars organised by the Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC) and partner NGOs during 2002.The materials are intended to provide insight into the European Convention on Human Rights and mental disability in Central and Eastern Europe. The goal of this manual is to provide an initial look into the human and civil rights of people with mental health and/or developmental disabilities in this region. Subsequently definitions of mental health problems and developmental disabilities are given here along with relevant articles of the European Convention on Human Rights and case law of the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture. For teachersTen messages about children with disabilities (UNICEF) Practical tips for to help children with disabilities learn in a safe and equitable environment.The Disabled: â€Å"Making Our Own Charter† (by Richard Pierre Claude in: Popular Education for Human Rights: 24 Participatory Exercises for Facilitators and Teachers, HREA, 2000) This is a highly participatory and can be adapted to diverse settings and cultures. At the conclu sion of this exercise participants should be able to identify some of the special needs of persons with disabilities; justify identifying the needs and rights of the disabled in the form of a brief Preamble to a Charter for the Disabled; identify a series of human rights of the disabled that specifically reflect their needs and are not inconsistent with existing broader international and national rights standards; and adopt a plan of action to ensure that disable people learn about their human rights. [Back to Top]   Other ResourcesDisabled Persons and Human Rights European Year of People with Disabilities (2003)International Day of Disabled Persons Organisations advocating for and educating about the rights of persons with disabilities  Ã‚  | | | back to top| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Also available in:| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Subscribe| | | | | | | | | Enter your email address to subscribe to HREA mailing lists. | | RSS Feeds| | | | | | | | | | | Related e-learning course| | | | | | The Rights of Persons with Disabilities| | | | | | | | | | Key terms| | | | | | Disability – a physical, mental, or sensory impairment, permanent or temporary, that limits the capacity to perform one or more essential activities of daily life | |Handicap – the loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in the life of the community on an equal level with others. It describes the encounter between the persons with a disability and the environment. | | Rehabilitation – the process to enable disabled persons â€Å"to reach and maintain their optimal physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric and/or social functional levels†| | | | | | | | | | | â€Å"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights† Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1| | | | | | | | | | Some facts| | | | | | – in most countries, 1 out of 10 persons has a disability | | – more than half of world's persons with disabilities don't have access to essential services| | war and destruction, unhealthy living conditions, absence of knowledge about disability, its causes, prevention and treatment are factors that account for the rising number of and social exclusion of persons with disabilities| | – there is a clear link between poverty and disability| | | | | | | | | | | Historical dates| | | | | | 1817 – the American School for the Deaf, the first permanent school for the deaf in America, is founded in Hartford, Connecticut (USA)| | 1829 – Louis Braille invents the raised point alphabet that has come to be known as Braille| | 1848 – the first residential institution for people with mental retardation is founded by Samuel Gridley Howe in Boston (USA)| | 869 – the first wheelchair patent is registered with the U. S. Patent Office| | 1920s – first vocational rehabilitation programs to provide services to WWI veterans with disabilities| | 1948 – Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by UN General Assembly| | 1962 – Ed Roberts, quadriplegic paralyzed from the neck down due to childhood polio, achieves admission to the University of California at Berkeley (USA), a victory during the 1960s disability movement. | | 1971 – Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons| | 1973 – the first handicap parking stickers are introduced in Washington, D. C. (USA)| | 1975 – Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons| | 976 – passage of an amendment to Higher Education Act of 1972 in the USA provides services to physically disabled students entering college| | 1979 – the U. S Olympic Committee organizes its Handicapped in Sports Committee| | 1981 – UN General Assembly proclaims 1981 International Year of Disabled Persons| | 1982 – UN General Assembly adopts the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons| | 1983 – ILO Convention (159) on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons)| | 1983-1992 – Decade for Disabled Persons| | 1992 – UN General Assembly proclaims that 3 December every year be observed as the International Day of Disabled Persons| | 993 – UN General Assembly adopts the UN Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities| | 1993-2002 – Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons| | 1994 – First Special Rapporteur on Disability, Bengt Lindqvist appointed| | 2000-2009 – African Decade of Disabled Persons| | 2003 – European Year of People with Disabilities| | 2003-2012 – Arab Decade of Disabled Persons | | 2007 – UN General Assembly adopts the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities| | | | | | | | | | | This guide was developed by Anna Langenbach. Copyright  © Human Rights Education Associates (HREA), 2003. All rights reserved. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Accessibili ty | Copyright | Publications | RSS | Privacy | FAQs | | | |

Christian Education Essay

I. The Definition of Education 1. We affirm that in its most basic meaning, education is the triune God teaching His truth to mankind. (Genesis 1:27-31; Psalms 19:1-9; 94:8,9; John 1:1-9). We deny that education is solely mental or physical activity associated with learning the thoughts and experiences of other human beings. (Psalm 119:99). 2. We affirm that education is the action or process by which a person comes to know and use God’s truth, and the education is learning to think God’s thoughts after Him and to see things as He sees them. (Isaiah 55:8,9; John 5:19,20). We deny that education is merely the action or process by which a person acquires knowledge or skills. 3. We affirm that education is lifelong and that it incorporates every thought, experience, and activity of man. (Deuteronomy 6:7-12; 11:18-20; Isaiah 29:24; Matthew 9:13; 24:32; Mark 13:28; 1 Corinthians 4:6; 14:31). We deny that education is confined to formal schooling in traditional classroom settings or to tutorial relationshi ps. (Matthew 5:1-48; 6:1-34; 7:1-29; 11:29) II. The Purpose of Education 4. We affirm that the purpose of education is both to reveal God and to bring students into conformity with His revealed will. (Luke 24:27; John 7:17; 14:21, 23,24). We deny that the sole purpose of education is to accomplish human perfection and understanding of the material world. 5. We affirm that the ultimate goal of education should be to orient human beings Biblically toward the knowledge of God, humanity, and the rest of God’s creation, in order to prepare them to take their places in family, Church, and society to the glory of God and in the service of Christ’s Kingdom and their fellowman. (2 Kings 22:8-23:26; Malachi 4:4-6; Matthew 20:26-28; Acts 16:30-34). We deny that the ultimate purpose of education should be human self-development and self-fulfillment. (Acts 2:37-47). III. The Nature and Role of God in Education 6. We affirm that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things and is the Source of all truth. (Genesis 1:1-27; Psalm 55:22; 119:151; 121:1-8). We deny that human beings, society, or the external world are sources of truth in and of themselves. (Psalm 14:1). 7. We affirm that God created, sustains, and will consummate all things through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, education must focus on the Person of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17). We deny that â€Å"education† that omits reference to Jesus’ role in this world is education at all. (John 14:6). 8. We affirm that the Holy Spirit of God teaches and enlightens every believer in Jesus Christ and leads that person into all truth. (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13).We deny that human beings can find or understand all truth through human effort alone. (Romans 3:11,12) 9. We affirm that the existing personal God has communicated truth to all mankind through personal revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ and through propositional, verbalized revelation of Himself in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. (Genesis 15:1; 17:1; Exodus 3:2-15; Isaiah 6:1-8; Mark 9:7; Luke 3:22; 24:27; John 1:1,2; 12:28; Acts 9:4,5; Hebrews 1:2,3). We deny that the individual person is capable of learning all truth from within himself or from human teachers and secular learning materials. (John 7:15,16; 1 Timothy 6:3-5) IV. The Nature of Truth and Reality in Education 10. We affirm that truth is what is known to God about Himself and all of His creation, and that it is absolute, eternal, and objective. (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalms 25:10; 57:3; 119:142,151). We deny that truth is solely what is known to one or more individuals or to mankind collectively, and that is relative, temporal, or subjective. (Romans 1:25; 3:3,4; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) 11. We affirm that the existing, personal-infinite God has chosen to reveal truth to us both through special revelation, which is communicated to us by means of the Bible and God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and through general revelation, which is communicated to us by means of His rational and nonrational creation; and that education should entail the pursuit of learning, which is derived from all of these sources of revelation. (Genesis 1:28; 2:19,20; Daniel 4:37; John 1:14,17; 14:6; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; Hebrews 1:1,2). We deny that truth is found only in human beings, in nature, or in a combination of the two, and that a person’s sole purpose in education should be to attain learning apart from God’s revelation. (I Kings 17:24; 1 John 2:27). 12. We affirm that in God’s design all of the particular elements of the universe are united into a meaningful whole; that it is one purpose of education to help learners to find relationships among these elements and, thus, to find their meaning; and that Biblical revelation is the ultimate criterion for this meaning. (Genesis 1:1-31; Psalm 19:1). We deny that the particular elements of the universe exist without rationality, order, and meaningful relationships derived from the Supreme God. (Genesis 3:1-24) 13. We affirm that true reality originates with God and is spiritual and eternal, as well as material and temporal, and that the content of education is complete when it includes all true reality. We deny that true reality originates with mankind; that it is limited to what is material and temporal; and that the content of education is complete when it is limited to the study of material reality. (I John 2:27). V. The Content of Education 14. We affirm that freedom of inquiry is central to man’s innate desire for truth, and that all truth is God’s truth. Therefore, we encourage inquiry into all fields of knowledge not forbidden in the Bible. (John 8:31,32; 2 Corinthians 3:17). We deny that public and private schools ought to restrict freedom of investigation into religion by teachers and students so long as that investigation does not interfere with the legitimate duties of teaching and learning. 15. We affirm that freedom of inquiry and academic freedom have a legitimate place in the pursuit of truth and in the framework of the learning and teaching process. (John 8:32,36). We deny that academic freedom implies the right to disobey or contradict the Scriptures as the embodiment of God’s truth in this world, or to violate a contractural agreement with an employer. (James 3:14; 5:19) 16. We affirm that all curriculum content must be integrated with and interpreted by God’s truth as revealed in the Bible. (John1:9; Romans 1:20; 2 Timothy 3:15-17). We deny that there is any real separation between secular and sacred truth, and that secular learning should be treated in isolation from God’s revealed truth. (Philippians 4:8,9). 17. We affirm that scientific investigation is a valid and necessary means of studying the universe and of discovering its orderly operation. (Genesis 1:14; Psalms 19:1,2,4,6,7,8; 104:19; Daniel 2:21; Matthew 16:2,3; Luke 21:25,26). We deny that scientific investigation is incompatible with any truth revealed in the Bible, and that science education may rightly reject or ignore all non-empirical sources of truth. (Romans 1:19,20) 18. We affirm that God is the Author of all true ethics; that true ethics is based on absolute truth and unchanging principles of right and wrong, as revealed in the Bible; that there are ethical absolutes that apply equally to all people everywhere; and that one purpose of education should be to help students to discover these unchanging Biblical standards of right and wrong and to reflect on the logical consequences of departing from these standards. (Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 7:7-11; Matthew 5:17,18; Romans 1:19,20). We deny that students should be taught that neutrality with regard to ethics is either possible or desirable in any sphere of human activity; that people can choose what is right behavior for themselves without regard to the absolute standards of moral behavior revealed in the Bible; that ethics is situational; and that ethics can properly be based on the assumption that truth and morality are relative and changing. (Deuteronomy 28:14,15; 30:8-10; Matthew 5:19,20; Romans 1:25-32; 2 Thessalonians 2:4, 10-12; 2 Timothy 3:2,70 4:3,4). VI. The Nature and Role of the Learner 19. We affirm that a human being has worth because he has been created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27; Romans 8:29,30). We deny that a person has worth merely because he exists or because he says it is so. (Psalm 33:16; 53:1-3; Proverbs 12:15; 14:9). 20. We affirm that every human being is created in the image of God and is, therefore, in need of development in the spiritual areas of existence as well as in the intellectual and physical areas, and that true education of the whole person must include attention to all three aspects of human life. (Genesis 1:26). We deny that human beings are merely higher animals without soul or spirit, and that any education that addresses only the intellect and body, while ignoring the spiritual aspect of human beings, is appropriate to their nature. 21. We affirm that, though we are created in the image of God, because of the fall of Adam we are born sinful and need to experience salvation through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ in order to r each our full potential. (Romans 5:8,10). We deny that we are born perfect and uncorrupted, and that we are inherently good by nature and in need of education alone to achieve our highest potential and to attain a state of fulfillment. (Romans 3:10-12,23). 22. We affirm that education must include the consideration of sin as a fact of human behavior. (Acts 2:38; Romans 1:28-32; 3:23-25; 6:23). We deny that textbooks and curricula should ignore the fact of sin or rebellion against God in human behavior. (Luke 3:7,8; Romans 6:12) 23. We affirm that people who are restored to a proper relationship with God must receive instruction from the Word of God—the Bible—concerning the rights and responsibilities of this privileged position, and that providing such instruction is one of the most important responsibilities of education. (Proverbs 9:9). We deny that people can learn the rights and responsibilities of the Christian life without studying the revelation of God’s truth in the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:14,15) 24. We affirm that students have the responsibility to attend to and to apply effort to a learning task. (Proverbs 23:12; Colossians 3:23; 2 Timothy 2:15). We deny that students are absolved from cooperating with a teacher and from exercising personal effort to learn. (Proverbs 5:12,13; 6:4-11; 13:4; 20:4) VII. What Education Should Produce in Learners 25. We affirm that education ought to cultivate in students the four basic skills of cognition, communication, imagination, and valuation. (2 Corinthians 10:5; Ephesians 4:29; Philippians 4:8,9). We deny that complete education can occur without attention to these four skills. (2 Timothy 2:15,16; 3:13; 4:3,4). 26. We affirm that education ought to promote development of the learner in at least three areas, viz., spiritual and moral growth, academic growth, and personal and social development. Examples of specific results in each area follow: 26.1 In spiritual and moral growth, learners should: (Psalm 143:10; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Colossians 3:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 2 Timothy 3:16) 26.1.1. consider the Bible God’s inspired Word and develop attitudes of love and respect toward it. 26.1.2. know the basic doctrines of the Bible. 26.1.3. have a desire to know and obey the will of God as revealed in the Scriptures. 26.1.4. make a decision to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 26.1.5. develop an understanding of a Christian’s role in the Church. 26.1.6. develop the mind of Christ toward right and wrong conduct. 26.1.7. develop self-discipline and responsibility bases on submission to God and all other authority. 26.1.8. develop a Christian world view. 26.2 In academic growth, learners should: (Philippians 4:8,9; Colossians 2:23; 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16,17) .26.2.1. reach their full academic potential. 26.2.2. gain a thorough command of the fundamental processes used in communicating with others, such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. 26.2.3. develop a thorough comprehension and command of science and mathematics. 26.2.4. develop an appreciation for and understanding of the humanities. 26.2.5. develop the use of good study habits. 26.2.6. pursue independent study and perform independent research. 26.2.7. be able to reason logically. 26.2.8. use critical thinking and Biblical criteria for evaluation. 26.2.9. develop good citizenship through understanding and appreciating the Christian basis of freedom, human dignity, and acceptance of authority. 26.2.10. develop understanding of and appreciation for God’s world and man’s responsibility to use and preserve it properly. 26.2.11. develop an appreciation of the fine arts through study and personal expression. 26.2.12. develop physical skill and coordination through participation in physical education and athletic activities 26.3. In personal and social development, learners should: (Isaiah 54:13,14; Matthew 6:19-21; 19:4-6; John 13:34, 35; Romans 8:14-17,31,32; 1 Corinthians 6:13,15,19,20; 7:10-16; 9:27; Ephesians 1:3-6; 5:15,16,22-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 2:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:8-12; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13; 1 Timothy 6:10,17; Hebrews 13:5) 26.3.1. develop a healthy personality based on properly understanding and accepting themselves as unique individuals created in the image of God. 26.3.2. learn to respect others because they are also made in God’s image. 26.3.3. become contributing members of society, realizing the interdependence of one person on another. 26.3.4. appreciate time as a God-given commodity and the individual’s responsibility for using it effectively. 26.3.5. develop a Biblical view of work and the prerequisite attitudes and skills for success in employment. 26.3.6. develop Biblical attitudes toward marriage and the family. 26.3.7. develop physical fitness, good health habi ts, and wise use of the body as the temple of God.26.3.8. develop a Biblical attitude toward material things. VII. The Nature and Role of the Teacher 27. We affirm that a teacher is a presenter of God’s truth and a guide to its discovery by students through the ministry of God’s Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 30:20,21; Jeremiah 3:15; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28-31; Colossians 1:28,29). We deny that any teacher can, without the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, guide others adequately to an understanding of God’s truth. 28. We affirm that a teacher who is a good example in the spiritual realm must consciously and deliberately have accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord. (1 Timothy 4:11,12). We deny that a teacher who denies Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord can be a suitable example in spiritual matters. (2 Timothy 3:5-7). 29. We affirm that a teacher is one who models the learning process by being a seeker of God’s truth as revealed in the Bible and by applying that truth to his own life. (Ezra 7:10; Jeremiah 29:13; Luke 6:40). We deny that a teacher should avoid seeking God’s truth or should seek the truth solely in ways others than through the Bible and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. 30. We affirm that teachers must know the content or subject matter to be taught. (Luke 4:4,8,12,16-22; 1 Timothy 6:2-5). We deny that it is possible to teach adequately without a thorough knowledge of the subject matter to be learned by students. (1 Timothy 1:7; 2 Timothy 2:1,2). 31. We affirm that teachers must create conditions that result in learners’ desire to learn. (Luke 2:46,47,49,52). We deny that it is possible to produce adequate learning in students who are not motivated to learn. (Proverbs 5:12,13,22,23) 32. We affirm that verbal communication used by teachers must be understood by and have the same meaning for both teachers and learners. (Ephesians 4:29; 2 Timothy 1:13). We deny that it is possible for teachers to produce adequate learning in students when they use language or ideas outside students’ daily life and language. (Ephesians 4:29) 33. We affirm that teachers must teach what is unknown through what is already known by learners. (Mark 11:12-14,20-24). We deny that it is possible for learners to learn adequately that which is not based on previous learning or experien ce. (Matthew 6:26-31). 34. We affirm that teachers should give students the opportunity to produce in their own minds the ideas or truths, and to become skillful at performing for themselves the acts or skills, to be learned. (Luke 9:1,2,6; 10:1,9,17). We deny that teachers should require students to acquire knowledge or skills without encouraging original thinking and applications of what they learn to other situations. 35. We affirm that teachers should confirm and test learning by review, repetition, and practical application, where necessary. (Luke 24:44; John 21:15-17). We deny that learning is adequately established generally by having students go once through a learning experience and then be tested for a mark or grade. (Matthew 14:15-21; 15:32-34). IX. Methodology of Education 36. We affirm that there is a variety of teaching and learning methods that may be appropriate for specific curriculum content with a particular learner or group of learners. A limited list of examples follows: 36.1. Demonstration (Matthew 6:9-15: Mark 6:41) 36.2. Involvement of students in learning (Mark 6:7-12) 36.3. Discipline and correction (Mark 11:15-17; 2 Timothy 3:15) 36.4. Discovery (Mark 14:66-72)36.5. Familiar Illustrations (Luke 6:4) 36.6. Individualized instruction (John 3:2-21; 4:5-26; Luke 19:1-8) 36.7. Lecture, formal teaching (Luke 6:20-49; 1 Timothy 4:13) 36.8. Memorization (2 Timothy 3:15) 36.9. Practice (Matthew 10; Luke chs. 9,10; 1 Timothy 5:4) 36.10. Questions and answers (Matthew 16:13-18; Luke 6:39) 36.11. Repetition (Matthew 16:21; 17:22,23; 20:18,19; 26:1) 36.12. Review (Luke 24:44) 36.13. Small group activity (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 6:7-12; Luke 10:1-11) 36:14. Visual aids (Matthew 22:19-21; Luke 13:19) We deny that there is one teaching method that should be used consistently to the exclusion of others. 37. We affirm that learning is most effective for all learners when more than one instructional modality is used, such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modalities. (Matthew 14:27-33). We deny that learning is effective for all learners when one instructional modality is used exclusively. X. Responsibility for Education ROLE OF PARENTS 38. We affirm that God entrusts children to their parents for their nurture and education; that parents have both a right and a duty to raise their children in a manner consistent with Biblical standards of responsible moral conduct; and that parents have the right, therefore, to educate their own children at home or to delegate the task to schools. (Deuteronomy 4:9; 6,7; 11:19; Proverbs 6:20,21; Ephesians 6:4) We deny that civil government or any other entity has legitimate authority to supersede parents in the nurture and education of their children, and that governing agencies have legitimate authority to compel students to attend public schools. (1 Timothy 5:4)39. We affirm that parents have both a right an a duty to teach their children about biological reproduction and sexual health and morality. (Genesis 35:22; 49:4; Leviticus 20:10-21; Deuteronomy 6:6,7; 22:22-30; 23:17; Proverbs 6:20-29) We deny that civil government on any level has legitimate authority to usurp parents’ responsibility to teach children about sexuality and reproduction or to establish mandatory sex education classes for children. ROLE OF SCHOOLS 40. We affirm that it is a schools’ responsibility to assist and to cooperate closely with parents in every aspect of a student’s education. (Mark 9:17-27). We deny that schools have no responsibility to assist and to cooperate with parents in the education of their children. 41. We affirm that it is the responsibility of the schools to be sensitive to the wishes and values of parents with respect to the content and methodology of their childrens’ education. (Philippians 3:5,6). We deny that it is the right of schools to decide arbitrarily and unilaterally what values system shall be the basis for the content and methodology of their students’ education. 42. We affirm that a school is an extension of the home, existing to supplement parent’s primary responsibility to educate their children. (Ephesians 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 3:4,5). We deny that schools have the right to supplant parents’ primary responsibility to educate their children.

Latin Names for Days of the Week

Latin Names for Days of the Week Romans named the days of the week after the seven  known planets–or rather, celestial bodies- which had been named after Roman gods: Sol, Luna, Mars, Mercury, Jove (Jupiter), Venus,  and Saturn. As used in the Roman calendar, the gods names were in the genitive singular case, which meant each day was a day of or assigned to a certain god. dies Solis,  day of the Sundies Lunae,  day of the Moondies Martis,  day of Mars (Roman god of war)dies Mercurii,  day of Mercury  (Roman messenger of the gods and god of commerce, travel, thievery, eloquence,  and science.)  dies Iovis,  day of Jupiter (Roman god who created thunder and lightning; patron of the  Ã‚  Roman state)  dies Veneris,  day of Venus  (Roman goddess of love and beauty)dies Saturni,  day of Saturn  (Roman god of agriculture) Latin and Modern Romance Languages All of the Romance languages–French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Catalan, and others- were derived from Latin. The development of those languages over the last 2,000 years has been traced using ancient documents, but even without looking at those documents, the modern-day names of the week have clear similarities to the Latin terms. Even the Latin word for days (dies) is derived from the Latin  from the gods (deus,  diis  ablative plural), and it too is reflected in the endings of the Romance language day terms (di or es). Latin Days of the Week and Romance Language Cognates (English) Latin French Spanish Italian MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday dies Lunaedies Martisdies Mercuriidies Iovisdies Venerisdies Saturnidies Solis LundiMardiMercrediJeudiVendrediSamediDimanche lunesmartesmià ©rcolesjuevesviernessbadodomingo lunedà ¬martedà ¬mercoledà ¬giovedà ¬venerdà ¬sabatodomenica Origins of the Seven-Planet Week Although the names of the week used by modern languages dont refer to gods that modern people worship, the Roman names definitely did name the days after the celestial bodies associated with particular gods- and so did other ancient calendars. The modern seven-day week with days named after gods associated with celestial bodies, is likely to have originated in Mesopotamia between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE. The lunar-based Babylonian month had four seven-day periods, with one or two extra days to account for the movements of the moon. The seven days were (probably) named for the seven known major celestial bodies, or rather for their most important deities associated with those bodies. That calendar was communicated to the Hebrews during the Judean exile in Babylon (586–537 BCE), who were forced to use the imperial calendar of Nebuchadnezzar and adopted it for their own use after they returned to Jerusalem. Theres no direct evidence for the use of celestial bodies as name days in Babylonia- but there is in the Judean calendar. The seventh day is called Shabbat in the Hebrew bible- the Aramaic term is shabta and in English Sabbath. All of those terms are derived from the Babylonian word shabbatu, originally associated with the full moon. All of the Indo-European languages use some form of the word to refer to Saturday or Sunday; the Babylonian sun god was named Shamash. Planetary Gods Planet Babylonian Latin Greek Sanskrit Sun Shamash Sol Helios Surya, Aditya, Ravi Moon Sin Luna Selene Chandra, Soma Mars Nergal Mars Ares Angaraka, Mangala Mercury Nabu Mercurius Hermes Budh Jupiter Marduk Iupiter Zeus Brishaspati, Cura Venus Ishtar Venus Aphrodite Shukra Saturn Ninurta Saturnus Kronos Shani Adoption of the Seven Day Planetary Week The Greeks adopted the calendar from the Babylonians, but the rest of the Mediterranean region and beyond did not adopt the seven day week until the first century CE. That spread into the hinterlands of the Roman empire is attributed to the Jewish diaspora, when the Jewish people left Israel for the far-flung elements of the Roman empire after the Second Temple destruction in 70 CE. The Romans didnt borrow directly from the Babylonians, they emulated the Greeks, who did. Graffiti in Pompeii, destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, includes references to the days of the week named by a planetary god. But in general, the seven-day  week  was not widely used until the Roman Emperor  Constantine the Great (306–337 CE) introduced the seven-day week into the Julian calendar. The early Christian church leaders were appalled at the use of pagan gods for names and did their best to replace them with numbers, but with no long-lasting success.   -Edited by Carly Silver Sources and Further Reading Falk, Michael. Astronomical Names for the Days of the Week. Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada 93:122–133Ker, James. Nundinae: The Culture of the Roman Week. Phoenix 64.3/4 (2010): 360–85. Print.MacMullen, Ramsay. Market-Days in the Roman Empire. Phoenix 24.4 (1970): 333–41. Print.Oppenheim, A. L. The Neo-Babylonian Week Again. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 97 (1945): 27–29. Print.Ross, Kelley. The Days of the Week. The Proceedings of the Friesian School, 2015.Stern, Sacha. The Babylonian Calendar at Elephantine. Zeitschrift fà ¼r Papyrologie und Epigraphik 130 (2000): 159–71. Print.