Kurt Cobains Death free essay sample

Kurt Cobain: Murder or Suicide? On April 8, 1994 Kurt D. Cobain’s body was found in his home in Seattle, Washington. Cobain was the front-man for Nirvana, a 90’s grunge band hailed as the â€Å"flagship band† of Generation X, who delivered notable hits, for example, â€Å"Smells Like Teen Spirit† and â€Å"Heart-Shaped Box. † His passing stunned the country, prompting many duplicate feline suicides and leaving a large number of the adolescent inclination sad and relinquished. In spite of the fact that everybody realized he was a self-destructive medication junkie, nobody accepted that he murdered himself. Individuals frequently hypothesized that Courtney Love was his killer, not that she held the firearm to his head, however that she recruited somebody to slaughter him. So the inquiry despite everything stands 17 years after the fact: Did he end it all or not? Hypothesis #1 Murder: Love DeWitt Many individuals started to speculate that Courtney Love, Cobain’s spouse and mother of their girl Frances Bean, and Michael DeWitt, a male caretaker that dwelled in the Cobain living arrangement, had something to do with his demise. We will compose a custom exposition test on Kurt Cobains Death or then again any comparable point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Individuals started to state that Love and DeWitt contrived to murder Kurt in light of the fact that the two were infatuated with one another, and Courtney realized that Kurt would not release her that without any problem. DeWitt and Love were never blamed for taking part in an extramarital entanglements. The main thing that prompted this hypothesis was a note that DeWitt had composed Kurt about figuring out how to deal with his obligations, Frances and Courtney, and to get it together. Hypothesis #2 Murder: Love Pays Someone to Kill Cobain After Kurt’s passing a man of his word who calls himself El Duce, the lead artist of a LA band called â€Å"the Mentors,† had told correspondents that Courtney Love had offered him $50,000 dollars to murder Kurt Cobain. Despite the fact that he had said he couldn't complete her offer since his band was visiting, he carried it to the public’s consideration that Love would have very generously compensated some contract killer to slaughter her better half. Another purpose behind this is Kurt and Courtney were near the very edge of separation and he needed her name pulled out of the will, so before he could do as such, she needed him dead. Leading for what reason would Love request that somebody do a deed, for example, this the first run through gathering them and openly? Likewise how might her name being pulled out of the will obliterate her since her band, Hole which she was the lead artist and guitar player of, was similarly as fruitful as his, which implied making a similar measure of cash as he did? Hypothesis #3 Suicide: Cobain Reached the Peak of Fame I accept that the decision of death was totally right: Kurt Cobain had ended it all. There is generous proof that his demise was self-delivered. Not exclusively was he discharged from detox around seven days before his demise, yet he additionally had a companion get him a fired firearm days before that. Cobain was a heroin fanatic, clinically discouraged and furthermore bipolar. He regularly told individuals, in particular his band mates, how he needed to kick the bucket. Proof #1: Heroin Blood Levels On April 14, 1994 the Seattle Post-Intelligencer discharged the official toxicology report that reasoned that Cobain’s blood levels contained 1. 52 milligrams of heroin for every liter of blood. Numerous individuals on the fleeting trend of his homicide will trust Grant, a specialist and the principle individual attempting to demonstrate Cobain was killed, when he guarantees that anybody with that measure of Heroin in their framework couldn't continue infusing themselves not to mention get a firearm and fire it. However, unfortunately for the individuals who has chosen to trust Grant it is notable among specialists and addicts the same that in the event that you have done heroin for a long time, at extremely high dosages which regularly prompted overdoses, as Cobain encounters frequently, that you will build up a high resilience which implies it will take higher adds up to get you high and a much higher add up to kill you. Proof #2: The Suicide Note It is quite often a given that when there is a note in the region of a dead body it was in all likelihood a self destruction. The note that was just a couple of feet from the dead group of Kurt Cobain was composed to disclose his expectation to leave not just Courtney, as they were anticipating a separation which is an integral explanation on why individuals accept she had something to do with it, yet Seattle and the music business too. At the base of the note there are a couple of lines that regularly make individuals question if those were likewise composed my Kurt. Those last lines are supposed to be the main ones that construe self destruction, despite the fact that to me the manner in which he composed the rest suggests it also, are accepted to be composed either by Courtney or the caretaker. Any individual who has taken medications realizes that when you shoot up that your capacities gradually shut down, which is one clarification for the distinction close by composing, or even the way that he was self-destructive, perhaps he was crying which would obscure his vision and make it difficult to compose accurately. Proof #3: The Gun Cobain had utilized a Remington Model 11, 20 Gauge Shotgun to fire himself. Leading with the fear inspired notions, individuals state he utilized only a normal chasing rifle (Remington Model 700), which isn't correct. Additionally numerous individuals state that he shot himself in the left sanctuary, which has neither rhyme nor reason since leading he was correct given so it would be extremely cumbersome for him to stretch around with a massive shotgun to fire himself on the left side. Likewise individuals ought to figure out how to not think all that they see on the grounds that the image of his passing that was distributed was a phony, and furthermore the explanation numerous individuals accept the sanctuary hypothesis. No blood was ever found on the correct side of his head, which implies that the slug didn't enter the left side nor leave the right. The clinical examiner’s report says that he held the firearm into his mouth and discharged the shot. There is abundant proof that it was in his mouth as a result of the consumes and buildup left there. Additionally numerous individuals feel that on the grounds that there are no fingerprints on the trigger that he didn't shoot himself, they accept the weapon was cleaned off. Weapon specialists have asserted that fingerprints can be quenched when the firearm draws back in the wake of being shot. End No issue what anybody says, I realize that Kurt Cobain ended it all, regardless of whether the lethal blow was because of the heroin or the slug, he executed himself. In addition to the fact that he was self-destructive, discouraged, and bipolar, he had arrived at the pinnacle of notoriety. What's more, in his book Journals he composes an area where he discusses when he hits the pinnacle of notoriety he was going to slaughter himself, and this was composed before Nirvana at any point had gotten a gig. Another odd event is that he kicked the bucket when he was 27 years of age, alongside different icons, for example, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. His sister told fans in the book Heavier Than Heaven composed by Charles R Cross in 2001 that when Kurt was youthful he frequently discussed how he needed to join the Forever 27 Club. There is abundant proof that he had executed himself and to help my view simply take a gander at his passing testament. For those whom think he was killed, there isn't one single bit of proof that shows that any other person infused the heroin into his framework or shot him in the mouth. Indeed Kurt Cobain was an American icon, yes his demise has definitely influenced the music world and yes he was on the highest point of the world yet nobody removed that from him other than himself. The main explanation these hypotheses have come about is a direct result of a couple of reasons: it is difficult to settle that somebody so powerful could slaughter themselves, it is difficult to accept that his ‘psychotic’ spouse had nothing to do with his demise and that those individuals particularly Grant simply need to bring in cash from the books and motion pictures they continue making about it.

Why Powerful Men Sexually Harass Women

Why Powerful Men Sexually Harass Women We know from ongoing investigations that a large portion of the workforce in the US is female. What's more, were additionally very much aware that however the numbers might be equivalent, the force conveyance isnt. Just 15 ladies filled in as CEOs of Fortune 500 organizations in 2009. Indeed, even at the upper and center degrees of the executives and administration, men prevail. Furthermore, with power comes misuse. At the point when a lady documents an inappropriate behavior grievance, its once in a while about a colleague irritating her. Its typically a chief, boss, or somebody higher up the natural pecking order. Recounted proof recommends that for certain men, power gives openings and access. Numerous culprits dangle potential occupations, increases in salary, or advancements before ladies with the suggestion that if youre pleasant to me, Ill be pleasant to you. Be that as it may, is lewd behavior about sex and desire, or control and mastery? Is power the impetus that flips the off switch into an on position for certain men who might some way or another not act along these lines in the event that they werent in control? The individuals who study human conduct will in general concur that influential men explicitly badger ladies more than men on equivalent balance with their female colleagues, however what triggers that is begging to be proven wrong. Most, nonetheless, concur that lewd behavior isn't about want yet mastery. Noted legitimate researcher Catharine A. MacKinnon spends significant time in sex uniformity issues under sacred and worldwide law. In her book Directions in Sexual Harassment Law co-composed with Reva B. Siegel, MacKinnon states: ...[S]exual provocation is...the articulation, in sexual terms, of intensity, benefit, or dominance....To comprehend inappropriate behavior principally as far as lost sexual want isn't right for a large number of similar reasons that it is a slip-up to comprehend assault as basically a wrongdoing of enthusiasm or desire. acknowledgment of relational violencethe want to command womenhigh authoritarianismdifficulty seeing others’ viewpoints (trouble being empathetic)belief in sex-job stereotypesendorsement of stereotypic perspectives on male sex-job standards While the inclination is to interface the above qualities to male conduct, it may be increasingly exact to accuse hormones explicitly an excess of testosterone. Broadly perceived as a main consideration in predominant conduct, testosterone likewise impacts men in different ways (and can also impact ladies with raised levels in their own bodies). Expounding on The Testosterone Curse for Psychology Today, Leon F. Seltzer, Ph.D. takes note of the numerous characteristics related with high-T (high testosterone) guys: ...[D]ominant people likewise will in general be very serious, and are every now and again blessed with whats usually known as the executioner sense. ....[I]n merciless organizations, its irrefutably an asset....[but] a driving need to contend with others sabotages the sympathy, getting, resilience, and empathy important to continue close, caring relationships.At its most noticeably awful, high-T strength and intensity can include beast power, viciousness, and battling conduct of all kinds....Their increasingly delicate sentiments actually blunted by raised testosterone levels, they tend not to be especially concerned aboutor, so far as that is concerned, intrigued inthe sentiments of others....Sadly, theres is by all accounts something about high testosterone levels that adds to a practically savage edge of mind....Complementing this inclination to be incautious, rash, or even crazy, are an assortment of research discoveries showing that high-testosterone guys are bound to be imprud ent, restless, unreliable.... As indicated by anthropologist and antiquarian Laura Betzig, the purpose of governmental issues is sex. She refers to rulers from the beginning of time who routinely occupied with inappropriate behavior and rape, including: For what reason is each man with a major array of mistresses a dictator? Since gathering womenâ€like tribute, similar to work, as homageâ€tends to require power. People...tend to surrender favors on two records. One is, they recover some help; the other is, they get beat up on the off chance that they dont. There are, to put it plainly, positive and negative assents. since they can Influential men have a both an overactive moxie when contrasted with typical men, yet they are additionally all the more ready to bet that they can pull off their sexual activities....[I]n my conclusion, it is simply the situation of intensity that makes men haughty, narcissistic, egocentric, oversexed, jumpy, dictatorial, and wanting much more force, however there are special cases to this standard. Influential men for the most part have a sharp eye for female excellence and attractiveness....Every willing lady affirms the intensity of the amazing man....It isn't too theoretical to even think about thinking that influential men live in a sexualized or eroticized world. In addition to the fact that they expect to have intercourse at whatever point they extravagant, yet they likewise expect that each lady is continually ready to offer this support, and appreciate it. They are...opportunistic and simply take what they need. It likely comes as a total astonishment when someone doesn't a gree. The illegality, and the familiarity with offense, makes the sex much progressively appealing... Sources:Betzig, Laura. Sex ever. Michigan Today, michigantoday.umich.edu. Walk 1994.MacKinnon, Catharine A. what's more, Reva B. Siegel. Headings in Sexual Harassment Law. p. 174. Yale University Press. 2004Seltzer, Leon F., Ph.D. The Testosterone Curse (Part 2). PsychologyToday.com. 6 May 2009.Sex and Power: Powerful Men Have an Overactive Libido. Spiegel Online. 27 May 2011.

Mondale, Walter Frederick

Mondale, Walter Frederick Mondale, Walter Frederick (Fritz Mondale), 1928â€", Vice President of the United States (1977â€"81), b. Ceylon, Minn., LL.B., Univ. of Minn., 1956. A liberal Democrat, he was active in the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party and served as state attorney general (1960â€"64). When Hubert Humphrey became vice president in 1964, Mondale was appointed to replace him in the U.S. Senate; he served until 1977. In 1976 Jimmy Carter chose Mondale to be his vice president; Mondale subsequently became one of the first vice presidents to be significantly involved in an administration. Carter and Mondale ran for reelection in 1980, but lost to the Republican ticket of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush . In 1984 Mondale, as the Democratic presidential nominee, became the first major-party candidate to choose a woman, Geraldine Ferraro , as a running mate. The Mondale-Ferraro ticket lost to the incumbents. Mondale was U.S. ambassador to Japan from 1993 to 1996. After the death of Minnesota Senat or Paul Wellstone shortly before the 2002 vote, Mondale was nominated to run in his place but failed to win the election. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies

A Study On The s Las Meninas ( The Maids Of Honor )

At first glance, the 17th century paintings of the Baroque period, India, and China may not have much in common, but upon closer inspection there are relationships and divergences to consider beyond the surface. These details can be seen between Bichitr’s Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaykh to Kings, Wang Hui’s A Thousand Peaks and Myriad Ravines, and Diego Velà ¡zquez’s Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor). While each carries the style of its own location of origin, they all showcase influence and subject matter similarities and differences worth making note of, most specifically the presence of duality in focus within the paintings. The first painting is 17th century art from India, Bichitr’s piece depicts Jahangiri being seated among an†¦show more content†¦(Sullivan). The third of the paintings stemming from the Baroque period done by Velà ¡zquez is one of his many works for the court, setting the tone in the particular area, while not extending much further (49, Bazin). The court employing Velà ¡zquez was that of King Philip IV, with the focus of this painting being the king’s daughter. This particular piece has not only the artist himself depicted, the children of the court scattered about, but also a mirror in the back showing the King and Queen standing as the painter is depicted to be painting their portrait. Each point of attention draws way from the former, then pushing to the next in a cycle of focus. Once Velà ¡zquez started using almost strictly the style of portraits, he mastered the art using the available means to the fullest. The painting at hand in particular uses his mastery of portraiture to the fullest in varying who is being painted and their positions on the canvas (59-60, Bazin). Each painting draws influence from their individual location of origin, mostly in subject, to appeal to the patrons of the time. While each piece was created within the 17th century, there are obvious differences from place to place in how they were meant to be created. This is evident in the materials used for the paintings, Velà ¡zquez’s piece being oil on canvas, Hui’s being a hanging scroll consisting of ink on paper, andShow MoreRelatedSan Velazquez s Las Meninas2698 Words   |  11 PagesKim 1 Diego Velà ¡zquez s Las Meninas Las Meninas by Diego Velà ¡zquez is depicted as a group portrait of Spanish King Philip IV (8 April 1605 - 17 September 1665) at the Habsburg court. The painting well demonstrates Velà ¡zquez s painting techniques that can be recognized by dramatic mood, rich color and extreme contrast between light and dark. It is absolutely extraordinary and implies influences Velà ¡zquez has had, especially Flemish Baroque realism. Velà ¡zquez had a deeper ambition in his mind whenRead More Criticism Of Diego Velà  zquezs Las Meninas, Sebastià  n de Morra, and Baltasar Carlos and a Dwarf3930 Words   |  16 Pagesequal value, he was known as â€Å"the painter’s painter,† as demonstrated in the paintings Las Meninas, Sebastià  n de Morra, and Baltasar Carlos and a Dwarf. Las Meninas is a pictorial summary and a commentary on the essential mystery of the visual world, as well as on the ambiguity that results when different states or levels interact or are juxtaposed. The painting of The Royal Family also known as Las Meninas has always been regarded as an unsurpassable masterpiece. According to Palomino, it ‘wasRead MoreDoes Being Older Mean Making More Money?1666 Words   |  7 Pages10 The Spirit of Baroque Study Guide 1. What statement best describes the function of the Taj Mahal, in Agra, India? a. a mosque dedicated to the Mughal faithful b. a tomb for the wife of an emperor and himself c. a shrine marking the site of an incident in the life of Muhammad d. a temple where worshippers honor the Great Buddha Page ref: 259 2. Of the baroque qualities below, which is most clearly illustrated in Berninis Ecstasy of St. Teresa, centerpiece of the Cornaro Chapel?

The Impact of Mental Illnesses and Health Problems from...

The Impact of Mental Illnesses and Health Problems from Work-Related Stress on Employees in Office Jobs Introduction Year after year a behavioral change began to impact her life; she became irritable, fatigued and gained almost fifty pounds. She was no longer fun to be around and isolated herself away from everyone. Her kids would ask if she was okay and knew something was wrong. The work-related stress and harassment she received from her bosses triggered symptoms of depression. The job took place at Unknown Healthcare where she was an administrative assistant. An office job that paid fairly well, however, was stressful because of the rigorous demands from the bosses and the abusive behavior in which they treated her. She was working 9-5 everyday with some days of overtime while being a single parent with two young kids. She decided it was in her best interest to quit the job and find something where she would be happier and healthier. However the damage was already done as she currently, to this day, suffers from chronic depression. After leaving the job she began taking anti-depressants and found a job that she loves. You can see a huge improvement in behavior, as she has more energy and is enjoyable to be around again. She will be interviewed in a different segment with regards to the study. Stress in the workplace is a common safety and health issue in the 21st century and can lead to mental illnesses such as depression if untreated for years. Not onlyShow MoreRelatedHealth And Safety Of Workers1699 Words   |  7 Pagesincreasing steadily for a number of decades. Consequently, concern regarding the influence of overtime and longer working hours on the health and safety of workers has grown amongst both members of the scientific community and the healthcare industry itself. 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Hypothesis Supply Chain Management in Today’s Business Climate Free Essays

string(31) " branch stores material needs\." Gathering and distributing information is as old as the human race itself. From the early days of cave paintings to today†s modern computer databases, human being has constantly searched to improve the way we communicate. In the business climate of today you must either have a state of the art information network or no clients. We will write a custom essay sample on Hypothesis Supply Chain Management in Today’s Business Climate or any similar topic only for you Order Now The cutthroat world of bushiness is cruel if your company can not keep up with the cutting edge technology. The way to beat the competition is to have the most state of the art information gathering and distribution network. Having this type of network is not the only battle, being able to use this system properly comes in handy as well. This paper is a walk through of information technology as it relates Supply Chain Management. Along this journey stops in the past, present, and future are made. Hypothesis Supply Chain Management in today†s business climate is the wave of the future. The gathering and distribution of information is the most important task in business today. History of Information Technology The evolution of Information Technology starts from the inception of the human communication. The real leaps and bounds came at the birth of the computer. Previously gathering of information took place without the use of real technology. Granted the use of writing letters and the use of telephone and telegraph speed the flow of information. These early forms did not have great storage capacity or easy access by many parties. The best analogy to use is a row of matches all lined up end to end. Traveling from one end to the other is the way the precomputer days had information flowing. With the use of a computer as a distribution point the picture of the matches changes from the line to a circle, with the distributor in the middle reaching all concerned groups at the same time. This visual perception shows the need for Supply Chain Management. The reason for Supply Chain Management is to make money. The easiest way to do so is to save time and space. The quick distribution of information does both. Information technology was first used as just a simple and efficient way of giving information out within the company. The main reason that these first uses were so simple is that the computer was also in its developmental stages. (Gordon, 1996) The painful fact was as much as companies wanted to more utilize the technology at hand it was expensive and consumed rooms full of space. With the later development of the desktop workstation corporations were better able to put the information at the fingertips of all their employees. This giant leap in both computer technology and information technology paved the way for some of the Supply chain†s current uses. The previous uses where to gather information from satellite sites throughout the company’s domain and bring this information back to a central processing point. Examples of the types of information transferred are employee and supplier records, inventories, and sales figures for the branch. This one way flow of information was the old school of thinking when it comes to the science of information management. Supply Chain Management says that you have your information flowing in more than one direction to work. Specific hardware changes that helped boost the importance of Supply Chain Management are the shrinking of both the size and cost of each computer. The reduced size of memory chips made for the easy shrinkage of the computer due to the large portion of space that this component takes up. Other hardware improvements include the reduced size of the tubes in the monitor making them less like the floor console televisions of old. Along with all of these improvements another strange thing happened, the price went down, as new technology became available. The use of the computer to distribute and gather information became affordable to all companies great and small. Increased storage capacity allowed companies to gather and hold more information at their fingertips. (Davidow, 1996) The other changes in Supply Management came in software development. The increased power of computers led software designers to actually create programs like databases and spreadsheets. The ease of use and organized storage of information made new programs appealing to the business world. The need to store and distribute information became the market niche for companies like Lotus, JD Edwards and Computer Associates. Addressing concerns such as security and accesses were two points of emphasis for corporate software buyers. The big hurdle to cross was not how to just gather information within your own organization but to also explore outside those boarders to gain more cost and time savings with suppliers and customers. The tool that answered this call was the development of the Internet and the World Wide Web. This network of computers combined with the new hardware allows for the communication of information around the world in seconds. The other thing the Internet brings to the table is information that any one could access even from the privacy of their homes. The important change here is now you can reach potential suppliers and customers very inexpensively. Remember that information is not just for company employees, but the consumer who likes to make informed purchases. Enhancement of networks and systems allows your suppliers to solicit you to meet your need. This is different from the old style in which you contact the vendor with a need. With all the legwork being done to provide your company it†s supply†s you can concentrate on giving the customer what they want. All this is possible from properly managing your Supply Chain (Ross et al. , 1996). Current Supply Chain Applications Companies use Supply Chains in many different ways that suit their business needs. A company like Mrs. Fields cookies uses its Supply Chain resources to gain valuable information about each of its branch stores material needs. You read "Hypothesis Supply Chain Management in Today’s Business Climate" in category "Essay examples" Along with this flow of information to central spot, the company provides direction and guidance back to the store managers from afar. By evaluating sales and inventory data district mangers make recommendations as to sales improvements and continued growth. Projections on material usage and personnel decisions and scheduling are handled from a central point. Companies like Microsoft use information technology to direct a global customer base and handle questions and concerns surrounding their product. Microsoft customer service representatives handle hundreds of electronic messages sent via the Internet about the customer†s latest purchase. Other uses include companies like Martian Marietta who use information gathering through the internet and suppliers to bid lower on contracts. The company does this by sending out specs of the project and letting teams of manufacturing employees† design to way to build the product. All the product requirements go to the suppliers for quotes and delivery schedules. From there the information goes back to the sales force who puts a dollar figure to the bid. This information exchange takes usually less than one week while leading competitors take over months. The reason other take so long is because of the face to face meetings and data organization time. Martin Marietta†s quick turn time does more than allow the sales force to bid on many contracts but allows for very accurate price quotes as well. Today many companies use the Supply Chain in different ways to suit their own needs. The basic principals are still the same, gain information and mold it while cutting down on the time it takes to get material and distribute the product to the customer. Gordon, 1996) One of the major tools used today is the Internet. Firms throughout the world use this global communication medium. The biggest importance to companies is keeping them in touch with the doings of other similar companies around the world. Uses of the Internet include soliciting potential customers as well as finding out what the competition is doing. This inexpensive form of advertising has become a favorite for marketing directors of all firms. This new medium allows for the connection to previously unreachable markets. Some companies like Amazon Books are a virtual company using the Internet as its headquarters. What Amazon does is sell books, but instead of being located in the local mall their location is Amazon. om on the Internet. This is an example of a true virtual Supply Chain, by reaching customers and suppliers alike with out actually being there. To place an order all that is requires is to gain access to the virtual store and then find what book you are looking for. The book arrives at your door by any number of package carriers, with a savings of 15 % or greater over a local bookstore. The reason prices are so cheap is there are no locations to lease and few employees run a store that services literally millions of customers from one location. Importance of Information In today†s global economy the transfer of a company’s information is a daunting task. The role of a CIO in today†s large companies is more important than ever. Some companies have given the CIO equal ranking to that of the CEO. The current structure of the economy dictates that a company must be able to manage its information and Supply Chain assets. The most important part of any organization is the people. Tapping the information that is available is the task of the CIO. The job of knowledge management falls as the responsibility of all employees, though the majority of the burden lies on the CIO. Guiding and directing the Information assets of the company is also a task of the CIO. Falling behind competitors is a dangerous proposition, utilizing all of your employees and suppliers is the only way to gain new information and stay one step ahead of the competition. (Davenport, 1996) Other current IT considerations include the cutting down on time and space between customer needs and the companies answer to those needs. A prime example is the American auto industry. In the 1970†³s the turn time for a concept car to make the production line was any where between three and five years. Now though the use of the Supply Chain automakers converse with what the customer wants then relays the information to the design team then to purchasing then finally on to the production team to complete the build. The current turn time is around 18 months. This is a time reduction of over 50%; the cost savings are tremendous. The implementation process takes less time and the customer gets more input to the final product. These are the ideal benefits of Supply Chain Management at work for you. Some companies have even passed some of the money they are saving back to the customer. (Gerkits, 1997) Asian companies have a great idea that relates to information technology and the Supply Chain. This idea is that they share information between competitors not just with suppliers and customers. The reason that they do this is to cut down on research and development costs. The Information Technology has endless possibilities in this field, a general storage position that is accessible by all parties. The idea is that you dump information into the pool and you pull out information that is beneficial to your organization. As the information resides in a database, a person has the opportunity to mold that knowledge and redeposit the information in the knowledge warehouse thus, synergy results. This above process allows for two plus two too equal 5 or more. This information sharing is a fairly new concept to American companies and especially new in the world of Supply Chain Management. The possibilities are endless provided that you control the flow of information and every participant is an equal benefactor. Rasmus, 1996) This sharing of in formation leads to the major concern of Supply Chain Management as it progresses into the next century. That is the issue of security, and how to control that sensitive information does not fall in to the wrong hands. Conceivably your company’s information assets, the people, could sell your in formation to others on the world market. The business espionage game has become big money; companies will pay any price to get an edge. This scenario looks less likely with increased sharing of information. Security remains a real concern with the internal access to information. The problem comes when your supplier has permissions to your database and uses this information to unfairly compete with your customers. With all employees having new information at their fingertips how do you prevent retrieval of personnel files and trade secrets to those who do not have the need to know? The answer is in many of today†s current software packages; the main stream idea is to limit access. What a company can do is install the information transfer programs but only allow certain sections to certain people. This variety of system is very popular with today†s companies because it solves the problem and is very inexpensive. Remember that anyone who wants to crack your security system can if they spend the right amount of money and time. (Gopal and Gagon, 1995) Current Company Values Due to recent large jumps in the value of the Stockmarket some analysts have thrown out the theory that companies are over valued. This statement may be true under the old accounting principles where a company’s worth is the amount of liquid assets it holds. With the increased emphasis on information technology and Supply Chain Management companies are being looked at in a new light, this light is that people are information assets. This notion makes it rather difficult to put a price on a company. People are now assets on a balance sheet because they can transfer information and add to existing information. The best way to picture this is that every employee has a nugget of information to give to each company. Each employee drops their nugget in the database with the others, but instead of forgetting it they are able to extract back out information. They take a look at all of the nuggets and add to them pool creating a new nugget. From the new knowledge someone else gains a new insight and then adds this information to the pool. This type of relationship is what makes the employees so valuable to your company and to those companies of your suppliers and customers. This is the best reason why the Stockmarket has set record highs in recent years. Investors know there is an X dimension to a company that does not show up on a balance sheet (Drucker, 1995). Future Implications of Supply Chain Management One of the changes that may occur is that employees could work at more than one place imparting information that they gain from other experiences. This takes consulting one step farther and hires workers out to the highest bidder. Imagine sitting at home working for Pepsi and Coke at their same time developing new manufacturing techniques. The reason you could do this is because of telecommuting and one company does not necessarily know that you work for the other. There is nothing wrong with collecting two salaries for the same amount of knowledge. The value placed on the information that people gather and distribute will increase for the future. The most important business task done today is to collect and distribute information for your company that was gathered from your suppliers and customers. Some other new ideas are to follow in Amazon. com†s footsteps and become a virtual storefront on the Internet. Some companies now use the Internet to control the total logistics of their operation from ordering to customer distribution. With the increased processing of information the customer has the ease of staying at home to make purchases. The new technology of the future brings so much more information to the table than in the past, with this increased amount of information people can make more informed choices in both purchasing and delivery (Coull and Rothman, 1993). Drawbacks of Supply Chain Management With information technology providing today†s managers with literally thousands of pieces of information on one topic how do they still make the right choice? The final decision on a problem or project rests in the hands of the same person it did before all this information was so readily available. The problem is too much information. This problem leads to thinking too long about a project and the window of opportunity closes before your company has time to react. The decision-makers of the company have to sort vast amounts of information sifting through to find the pieces that are most useful to them. Information overload is a very real problem with larger supplier and customer databases. The manager still makes the call, right or wrong on a decision. Hopefully they possess more information than in the past. One of the other problems with the Supply Chain is that when first put on the market it promised to reduce the number of workers there by increasing productivity. The problem is that Supply Chain Management has only displaced jobs and no real productivity gains show up in most sectors of the economy (Attewell, 1996). Other hindrances to Supply Chain Management include less face to face interaction. This is a problem mostly on a sales side of the house. Companies are now on a Just In Time delivery system that brings their goods to the factories when they are ready to use them. The ordering process for this system uses Supply Chain values. What happens is that a buyer’s inventory’s records post on the supplier’s system. They have a min. max. system in place telling the supplier when to ship the product. This definitely cuts down on the number of people in business who come by to check inventory levels and see if you are ready to place another order. With the new inter-plant communication people see less and less of their co–workers and supervisors. Telecommuting has also taken off for some companies. This method of work has very little face to face dialog. The customer may lose out as well; they do not receive the face to face support that they have know in the past with a particular product. Even know some companies do not answer your questions about a purchase with a real person a canned message is on a computer with options. This method of customer service is less expensive for companies so expect this trend to increase. This problem is more one for Social scientist than for smart business operations. (Davidow, 1995) The final drawback is the value of your company. This is not only a problem for investors, but also when you go to borrow money. How do you determine the exact worth of the corporation? Earlier we learned that company now has more value placed on them than just the liquid assets. How does a lending institution loan money, certainly not on the value of people? They need hard assets to back up a loan. What we have is two different values of the same firm. The problem comes when your market value far exceeds your lending value. The reason is that you may need a certain amount for a loan to stay competitive, yet because of hard asset value you can not afford it. The sale of more stock is an option, yet companies may not want to put themselves in a position to have a hostile take over (Rayport and Sviokla, 1995). Conclusion As the technology of gathering and distributing information and supplies increases our business world faces problems. The positive aspects far outweigh the changes that companies will make to accommodate new Supply Chain assets. Companies are currently getting on board the information technology train; this trend appears to continue in the future. Over the history of humanity there has never been a lack of need for information. The science of Supply Chain Management can either make or break business today based on utilization of the service. The company that remembers employees now play a major role in adding data to the information warehouse will reap large rewards. The personal uses of Supply Chains are still a bit behind the business world but still make home life a lot easier by paying the bills electronically. The value system has a way of righting itself, so company values on both the market and in lenders’ eyes will equal in the end. The best proof positive example that the use of Supply Chain Management works is with the U. S. automakers and the recent increases in market share they have seen. The turnaround owes its success to the faster processing of information, especially the desires of the customer. Supply Chain Management is the most important set of skills and tasks that a company has today. How to cite Hypothesis Supply Chain Management in Today’s Business Climate, Essay examples

Concepts of Core Competences Resources-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Explain the Concepts of Core Competences Resources and apply these to relevant "THE" organisation. Hofstege Cultural dimensions Input Vs Output 3keys of financial analysis ,longitudinal,cross section,Ratio analysis Paticular concernes of "THE " managersThe operational context Answer: The operational context Following are the two current issues: - Rising operating costs: there is a major issue or concern that the expenses in operations will escalate at high rate in comparison of income which eroding the foundation. It is important that operators can supervise the energy costs, expensive insurance cost, labour shortage and labour related cost and standards of brands (Altinay et al., 2015). Rapid transformation and merging of multiple technologies: the tourism and hospitality industry are quickly shifting the base to internet related technology which also makes it easier integration. Thus, the industry ends up at more finished operational data. There are number of hotel operators that are taking complete advantage of the alternatives to streamline the operations however, the adoption is quickly impacted by the older system as well as outdated structure or infrastructure (Buhalis and Crotts, 2013). The human resource context Rapid change in labour situations: the tourism industry is facing labour as well as human resources issues which consist of the compression or shrinkage of the labour union along with union issues as well as increasing health care and advantage based costs (Law et al., 2014). Evolved customer expectations: the capacity to meet the needs of consumer and predict the changing needs which continues to be an important option. Most specifically, consumers are rapidly getting sophisticated in their usage of the technology for the sake of research, choose and buy lodging. Hofstede Cultural dimensions There are number of studies based on human behaviour which are crucial in the workplace of hospitality since the products in this industry cannot be mentioned as tangible specifically those aspects of services that are offered that cannot be just measured as good or bad. The approach or the behaviour of the workforce does have a positive as well as negative impact on the customer since the services can be distinguished from its provider (Mok et al., 2013). Thus, it is important to have a positive effect based study associated with culture differences. The concept of Hofstede has been presented as a highly balanced model on cultural differences and as most of the dimension are on broader side that it helps in evaluating as well as interpreting the attitude of employees in this industry. The financial context Escalated construction and renovation cost: there is obviously rise in renovation as well as construction cost which resulted in escalating the reinvestment in terms of capital and the exposure for many current hotels and rise in capital needs for newer construction (Page, 2014). Rise in consolidation of hotel companies: as there is consolidation of brans and there is proliferation in the reach of market owners that are finding it challenging to choose a brand that is represented in past in the market or that is never impacted by any kind of encroachment challenges. Input vs. output The hospitality industries are influenced by the state based economy because of rising induced impact from outcome and a major and direct or indirect as well as induced impacts from labour based income and employment instead of their relative lower multipliers. Another important thing is the hospitality industry has a strong as well as inter-dependent association with insurance and finance sector (Raj and Griffin, 2015). In addition, the hospitality industry is generating more income for labour as well as employment that did the other industry and it is also interesting that the other accommodation industry can develop more output that the industry. The product and markets context Effect of rising energy cost on consumer travel and demand of hotel: decrease in all kind of consumer travel may be possible as high energy cost that take a challenging bite out of corporate budgets as well as personal space along with expenditure on travel is one of initial discretionary items that needs to be eliminated (Riley, 2014). Rise in condo based hotels: the trending surge for condo based hotels and options based ownership brings on a complete new set of challenges for the developers, owners of units and management. SMART Specific: it is important for the industry to define their goals in terms of product offering as per the changing trends. Measurable: it is also important set the definite target which can be measured from time to time so that product can be customized as per customer taste. Attainable: it is important to take one step at a time with calculative risk. Reasonable: it is also important to set goals which are consistent with other already existing goals (Tran, 2015). Time frame: the trend and technology are rapidly changing so it better to keep a short time frame to change References Altinay, L., Paraskevas, A. and Jang, S.S., 2015.Planning research in hospitality and tourism. Routledge. Buhalis, D. and Crotts, J., 2013.Global alliances in tourism and hospitality management. Routledge. Law, R., Buhalis, D. and Cobanoglu, C., 2014. Progress on information and communication technologies in hospitality and tourism.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,26(5), pp.727-750. Mok, C., Sparks, B. and Kadampully, J., 2013.Service quality management in hospitality, tourism, and leisure. Routledge. Page, S.J., 2014.Tourism management. Routledge. Raj, R. and Griffin, K.A. eds., 2015.Religious tourism and pilgrimage management: An international perspective. cabi. Riley, M., 2014.Human resource management in the hospitality and tourism industry. Routledge. Tran, B., 2015. Expatriate selection and retention: Identifying and assessing the other characteristics beyond knowledge, skills, and abilities. InHandbook of research on global hospitality and tourism management(pp. 468-492). IGI Global

Abolishing Mandatory Attendance For Schools Essays - Student

Abolishing Mandatory Attendance For Schools Essays - Student Abolishing Mandatory Attendance For Schools So that nobody has to go to school if they don't want to, by Roger Sipher states that compulsory attendance laws should be abolished. His argument is that students that don't wish to be in school are antagonistic to the school and prevent others form learning, and therefore not be forced to attend school. There are six advantages. Although these six advantages produce enormous dividends, there are still some major flaws with his plan. First flaw with the plan is where are the children going to go? The children can't just run the streets not being able to even read or write. Therefore you need supervision, but with supervision comes money. And there are not many people who would even take this babysitting job because of the money. Money is the second big issue. The funds are just not there to run a quality, high-tech school and pay the teachers. Thirdly, can children of that age make a sound decision about something as important as school? No, of course not. Children of this age just don't have enough experience with life to make that important of a decision for their future. Another motive for children not performing up to standards is the pressure. Maybe to much pressure is being put on students to perform in this high-tech world. The emphasis as faded away from the basic skills of reading and writing and arithmetic and has now focused on technology. The pressure needs to be taken off the children at such a tender age in their lives. And be put back on what really matters. The students who chose to be antagonistic can be sent to alternative schools such as Boot camps, Boys and Girls club, YMCA, and other local programs and organizations. The problem here is not attendance; the problem here is attitude. Although this plan has great features there is however an effect that is detrimental. The ability to read, write, and even the basic arithmetic are skills that everyone NEEDS to know. What in the world are you going to do with a kid that is in his twenty's and can't perform these basic skills. This is not going to be good. Although Sipher's plan is a very good idea, the cons outweigh the pros. This plan would solve many problems, but in the long run it would create more.

Why Being a Perfectionist Can Be Harmful

Why Being a Perfectionist Can Be Harmful If you are a perfectionist, you are probably familiar with the feeling of wanting to get everything just right. You may struggle with handing in papers, agonize over projects at work, and even worry about small errors from the past. High standards are one thing, but perfectionism  is quite another. And as some researchers have discovered, pursuing perfection can have serious consequences to both mental and physical well being. What Is Perfectionism? According to researchers, perfectionists hold themselves to unrealistically  high standards  and become self-critical if they believe they haven’t met these standards. Perfectionists are also likely to feel guilt and shame if they experience failures, which often leads them to avoid situations where they are worried they might fail. Amanda Ruggeri, writing about perfectionism for BBC Future, explains, â€Å"When  [perfectionists] don’t succeed, they don’t just feel disappointment about how they did. They feel shame about who they are.† How Perfectionism Can Be Harmful Although many people see the pursuit of excellence as a good thing, researchers have found that on the extreme end, perfectionism is actually linked to lower mental health. In one study, researchers analyzed how perfectionism was related to mental health across previous studies. They looked at a total of 284 studies (with over 57,000 participants) and found that perfectionism was associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating disorders. They also found that people higher in perfectionism (i.e. participants who more strongly identified with perfectionist traits) also reported higher levels of overall psychological distress. In an article published in 2016, researchers looked at how perfectionism and depression were related over time. They found that people higher in perfectionism tended to have increases in depression symptoms, which suggests that perfectionism may be a risk factor for developing depression. In other words, although people may think of their perfectionism as something that helps them succeed, it appears that their perfectionism may actually be harmful for their mental health. Is perfectionism always harmful? Psychologists have debated this point, with some suggesting that there can be such a thing as adaptive perfectionism, in which people hold themselves to high standards without engaging in self-criticism over mistakes they make. Some researchers have suggested that a healthier form of perfectionism involves pursuing goals because you want to, and not blaming yourself if you fail to meet a goal. However, other  researchers suggest that perfectionism is not adaptive: according to these researchers, perfectionism is more than just holding yourself to high standards, and they don’t think perfectionism is beneficial. Is Perfectionism on the Rise? In one study, researchers looked at how perfectionism has changed over time. The researchers reviewed previously collected data from over 41,000 college students, from 1989 to 2016. They found that over the time period studied, college students reported increasing levels of perfectionism: they held themselves to higher standards, felt there were higher expectations placed on them, and held others to higher standards. Importantly, what increased the most were the social expectations that young adults picked up on from the surrounding environment. The researchers hypothesize that this could be because society is increasingly competitive: college students might pick up on these pressures from their parents and from society, which would increase perfectionist tendencies. How to Combat Perfectionism Since perfectionism is associated with negative outcomes, what can someone with perfectionist tendencies do to change their behavior? Although people are sometimes hesitant to give up their perfectionist tendencies, psychologists point out that giving up on perfection doesn’t mean being less successful. In fact, because mistakes are an important part of learning and growing, embracing imperfection can actually help us in the long run. One possible alternative to perfectionism involves developing what psychologists call a growth mindset. Researchers at Stanford University have found that cultivating a growth mindset is a crucial way to help us learn from our failures. Unlike those with fixed mindsets (who see their skill levels as innate and unchangeable), those with growth mindsets believe they can improve their abilities by learning from their mistakes. Psychologists point out that parents can play a crucial role in helping their children develop healthier attitudes towards failure: they can praise their children for making an effort (even if their results were imperfect) and help children learn to persevere when they make mistakes. Another potential alternative to perfectionism is to cultivate self-compassion. To understand self-compassion, think about how you would respond to a close friend if they made a mistake. Odds are, you’d probably respond with kindness and understanding, knowing that your friend meant well. The idea behind self-compassion is that we should treat ourselves kindly when we make mistakes, remind ourselves that mistakes are part of being human, and avoid being consumed by negative emotions. As Ruggeri points out for BBC Future, self-compassion can be beneficial for mental health, but perfectionists tend not to treat themselves in compassionate ways. If you’re interested in trying to foster more self-compassion, the researcher who developed the concept of self-compassion has a short exercise you can try. Psychologists have also suggested that cognitive behavioral therapy can be a way to help people change their beliefs about perfectionism. Although perfectionism is linked to lower mental health, the good news is that perfectionism is something you can change. By working to see mistakes as learning opportunities, and replacing self-criticism with self-compassion, it’s possible to overcome perfectionism and develop a healthier way of setting goals for yourself. References: Curran, T., Hill, A. P. (2017, Dec 28). Perfectionism Is Increasing Over Time: A Meta- Analysis of Birth Cohort Differences From 1989 to 2016. Psychological Bulletin. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/bul0000138 apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/bul-bul0000138.pdfDahl, M. (2015, Sept 17). Is it possible to be a perfectionist without driving yourself nuts? The Science of Us (New York Magazine). http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2015/09/perfectionism-but-without-driving-yourself-nuts.htmlLeahy, R. L. (2017, Mar 15). Successful imperfection. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anxiety-files/201703/successful-imperfectionLimburg, K., Watson, H. J., Hagger, M. S., Egan, S. J. (2016). The relationship between perfectionism and psychopathology: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73(10), 1301-1326. doi: 10.1002/jclp.22435 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311939754Neff. K. Definition of self-compassion. http://self-compassion.org/the-t hree-elements-of-self-compassion-2/ Pruett, K. D. (2017, May 18). Being parents of a perfectionist. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/once-upon-child/201705/being-parents-perfectionistRuggeri, A. (2018, Feb 21). The dangerous downsides of perfectionism. BBC Future. bbc.com/future/story/20180219-toxic-perfectionism-is-on-the-riseSmith, M. M., Sherry, S. B., Rnic, K., Saklofske, D. H., Enns, M., Gralnick, T. (2016). Are perfectionism dimensions vulnerability factors for depressive symptoms after controlling for neuroticism? A meta-analysis of 10 longitudinal studies. European Journal of Personality, 30(2), 201-212. doi: 10.1002/per.2053 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b6ad/6f32c90beb8b2c2e6f3a0b698bd781bed0ba.pdf

Economic Inequalities in The United States Research Paper

Economic Inequalities in The United States - Research Paper Example The wish of most Americans is to bring the economic equality to an end. The society has been involved in the search of the possible social solutions to the increased inequality. The possible solutions include reducing taxes on the income of the low class group, increased taxes on the wealth and income of the high class group and adjusting the social security tax. Social nature of the problem Economic inequality exists in the United States due individuals having varied amount of money, power or even prestige. This problem creates different social classes among the people. Individuals in higher classes enjoy higher income and have continued to accumulate their wealth, while the lower class individuals in the society incur higher rates of taxes on their low income. As inequality in terms of resources widens, individuals with more wealth have become powerful and are be able to attain their goals. They will be able to accomplish their vested interests at the expense of the lower social cl ass individuals. They are also influential in the society and are powerfully in making different decisions. Inequality in income results from several causes, some of these causes are relatively clear, others unknown and others are still under dispute. The basic cause of household income inequality at a structural level is variations in the yearly hours worked per household. It can be broken down into the product of the total number of workers, the yearly weeks worked and the weekly hours worked. This is a very significant factor among individuals in the lower class level. However, it remains minor among individuals who belong to the higher class. Beyond the total hours individuals have worked, income inequality arises out of; the variation of the income rates per hour and the income which has not been earned, these differences is mainly due to differences in the education level. Income inequality is common in the United States due to the variation of an individual position in terms of responsibility, its importance and the complexity. Income remains to be a common form of compensation. In most cases the market value is reduced by abundant supply hence, income is increased significantly by the possession of scarce skills. The most common source of income among the lower class individuals in America is not occupation but the government welfare. Causes of the problem There are several causes of economic inequality in the United States. These include; difference in the individual’s wealth and income, most individuals depends on the income they get from their jobs. Others however, benefits from both their job’s income and their wealth. The big problem is that those with higher sources of income get larger percentage of increase than those with little income. The wealthy are able to accumulate their wealth and income for several years unlike those with little income and no wealth. This creates a wide gap between the two groups of individuals. Those who are wealthy are in a position to vie for political offices and invest more money in order to win. They will also be able to interact with other individuals of the same class and who also have similar power and interests. Another cause of inequality in the capitalistic society is that there is an existing belief that the government influence has to be maintained at a minimal level (Sen and Foster1997). When the

Geographic Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geographic Information Systems - Essay Example Natural catastrophes such as hurricanes can have devastating effects on the life and economic stability of any area hit. This has been experiencing more than once in America where lives and property have been lost and the government forced to spend so much on rescue and restoration mission. It is, therefore, a big relief that such a problem can be effectively solved through GIS and thus reduce the loss or avert the danger as a whole. As mentioned earlier, GIS is all about collection and use of date. To solve the problem of the hurricane, several sets of data are necessary. First, the system must indicate the kind of problem expected, the specific time and region of the target and the population involved (Fu & Sun, 2011). This information will help in setting up a response plan and help evacuate the area if possible before the problem hits. The information will also help in alerting the authorities in time for mitigation measures (Singhroy, 2003). Secondly, the problem will also require information on the accessibility of the area, geological structure, weather pattern and hence the possible route of the hurricane in relation to the prevailing winds (Goodchild, 1996). In all these situations, the GIS provided vital information on the location, scale and possible effects of the hurricane on the people and the structures. Using the maps, the rescuers can locate the problem and even trace a safer route to evacuate the people and reach to them during the rescue operations (Goodchild, 1996). Further, the information also notifies the authority on the crisis that can result from the hurricane if it reaches the power plants. I believe that the development of the GIS is a welcome technological input to solving both natural and manmade problems. Using the information so developed, the danger is either evaded or the destruction

A Film Review On The Film Thunderheart

A Film Review On The Film Thunderheart In this film review Im going to discuss how the Native Indians and white Americans are presented in the film Thunderheart and the stereotypes within the film and in which extent it meets the overall purpose. Thunderheart is about an quarter Native Indian FBI agent called Ray Levoi that wont except his Native Indian background and considers himself to be a white American. However things changed when he was assigned to investigate murders that have taken place in the Badland South Dakota. Purely because of his background he was given this task, Ray wasnt keen on doing the task, his body langue said it all four minutes into the film he was very stiff all the way through the interview, small pauses when I was asked questions as well as denying that he knew his biological father who was half Sioux saying he died when he was a baby. Beside how he felt, to please the white man he thanks him and got on with it. Already made his mind up that these murders were done by the Sioux Indians, he go es to reservation area and looking for the prime suspect Jimmy who he believes is responsible for the murders because Frank Coutelle also an FBI agent who he admires told him so. However series of events that take place Ray starts to doubt that Jimmy is responsible, but Frank sidetracks him and makes him believe that the Native Indian police planed the evidence. The change doesnt come quickly 40 minutes into the movie Ray is still denying his heritage when he was asked by Maggie about his nationality he replied The United States this just shows the audience that he is willing to lie to everyone even to those that already know about it. But at some stage in the course of the story, Ray is freed from his stuck-up attitude to Indian culture with the help of spiritual journey that he experience, made to understand the many problems of the violence torn Indian community and forced to accept his own past (the film is set in the late 1970s). Inspired by real events that have took place on several American Indian reservations during the early 1970s, particularly the Wounded Knee incident in South Dakota. The aim of this film was to create a different version of the Wild West and not the Hollywood type where the American Indians are portrait to be savages, indigence and violent people that arent civilised. This film is trying to get away from that entirely and want to show what the American government has treated native Americans The opening scene of the film shows the Native Indians doing a Pow-wow dance, in the early hours of the morning just as the sun is rising. It is a beautiful setting with a blue sky and a tinted shade of light orange at the bottom of the horizon by the waking sun. This portraits them to be spiritual people that are connected to their culture and that they live a very simple life compare to the way the white Americans live. Pow-wow dance is about renewing thoughts of the old ways and to preserve a rich heritage and also that the community bond stays tight because without that they wont have much left. The Native Indians are shot in medium-close-up given them a sense of power and importance and not the outsider that isnt not part of the American dream. As it gets lighter the camera moves away giving a long shot of the whole ceremony that is surrounded by mounts which shows that they coexist with nature and that over the years nothing has changed in terms of the landscape. However this a lso shows how isolated they really are from the outside world and from the number of people that come to the ceremony it indicates that there arent many Native Indians left because normally large number of people would attend it. As the sun light gets stronger the Native Indian fade way, this is symbolic because it shows that the invasion of the white people happened so fast that feels like the change occurred over night and that the Native American become invisible as if they werent there anymore, just part of the history now. The background music that is played in this scene which consists of Shamanic drums, traditional Native American flute and people singing, is very peaceful, relaxing, makes you feel closer to natural life and gives the audience a flavour of what the native culture is like. Two minutes into the film the Extreme Long Shot, gives the audience the perfect view of the Badlands landscape, which shows that over the years there hasnt been any dramatic change, which in dicates that the Native Indians respect the natural habitat that they live in. In the next shot is depressing and mostly shocking to the audience because that last thing they expected. In this scene a Native Indian man is running from the distance, with windswept hair, clear sky, and the sun giving a warm feel and being in the middle of the screen enhances his beauty even more, giving the audience the impression that he is free as the wind, but the closer he gets you can hear that he is breathing heavily, tired and things arent what they seem. The audience were set to believe that everything was good like that American government tells them and all of sudden they witness someone being shot in cold blood. This just show that the white Americans are ruthless killers that have no remorse to what they are doing and are treating these people like animals, in which makes that white man the hunters and the Native Americans the prey. This shows that even the FBI agents that meant to restore order and peace are the same people that are committing these horrendous crimes . Even the people at the very top believe that the indigenous people dont fit into their society therefore they need to help these people that are caught in the illusion of the past to come to terms of the reality of the present. This just shows that the white man are there to change the indigenous people way of life, culture because they are burdening the image they are trying to sell to the rest of world, which consists of being on the move consistently and that hard labour pays. Indigenous This sense of place helps the movie with its weakest story element, the supposition that because the Kilmer character is a quarter Indian, he will somehow summon up his roots to help him decide between good and evil. An FBI agent at the time this film was shot would probably have had little difficulty in choosing between his roots and the rule book, and the rules would have won. Still, this is a movie, after all, and at the end there is a sense of rightness in the way everything turns out. There is also the sense that we have seen superior acting, especially by Kilmer.

Kenya education Essay

An Overview of the Kenyan Education System: Issues and Obstacles to Learning Posted by Lee-Anne Benoit on April 27th 2013 I’m back again with an outline of what I’ve learned about the Kenyan Education system from the diverse experiences that I’ve had. You’ll notice this blog is slightly more academic in nature, but I felt that it was important to find research to back up my own observations. Education is perceived as one of the principal motivating factors behind national economic development and it is one of the most effective ways in which individuals can ever hope to achieve better opportunities and a higher standard of living in Kenya. For these reasons Kenya has invested heavily into its education system over the past twenty years. It is my primary objective in this blog to express all that I have learned about the primary and secondary education systems in Kenya in the short 12 weeks that I have been here. I discuss the structure of primary and secondary schools, the implementation of universal free primary education (FPE), limited and equitable access to education, obstacles to learning within the classroom, special needs education and inclusion. My understanding is derived from my experiences visiting and working at eleven different public and private schools in Kenya, two Masters courses in Special Needs Education that I audited, academic journal articles as well as several discussions and conversations that I have had with various individuals related to the field of education. Structure of Primary and Secondary Education To begin, I’d like to outline what I have learned about the structure of primary and secondary schooling in Kenya. I have gained most of my insight from visiting nine different public and private schools in Nairobi and Mombasa. During these visits I was able to tour each school, observe classes, and interact with administrators, teachers, and students. What follows is an account of some of the pertinent information that I have gathered. Children begin primary classes around the age of three years old. They enter a nursery program for roughly two years before commencing Standard 1. Depending on their final KCPE (Kenyan Certificate of Primary Education) examination marks at the end of Standard 8, students may or may not qualify to attend a secondary high school. Secondary school in Kenya has four levels, forms 1 – 4 and is completed only when students finish their KCSE (Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education) examinations. Again, student grades play a key role in determining whether or not students are able to attend university. Due to the ethnic diversity in Kenya (42 different tribes), children begin school speaking a variety of languages. Because of this, all students study their subject material predominantly in Kiswahili up until Standard 3 in a homeroom classroom. It is not until Standard 4 students are immersed in English and must follow a strict timetable of up to 10 lessons a day. The subjects taught in the primary grades include Math, English, Kiswahili, Science, Social Studies and Christian Religious Studies. Depending on the location of the school, students may study Islam. Looking through the Kenyan Primary Education curriculum documents, I noticed that art and music were indeed included in the syllabus. However, after inquiring after this, I discovered that art and music have been cut from the timetable due of the cost and perceived unimportance of the subject material. From the little experience I have, it seems as though the degree to which children are allowed to express themselves creatively through art and music depends largely on the school and classroom teachers. From personal observation I can say with confidence that the approach to education in Kenya is largely teacher centered and by the book. Teachers strictly adhere to the Kenyan syllabus for both primary and secondary students and textbooks are a teacher’s primary resource during lessons. Standardized examinations are the sole assessment techniques that I have noted being used in regular classrooms thus far to report student progress. Students in every grade level must complete these standardized examinations at the end of each term, including students in preprimary programs. Grades are critical indicators of success and failure in the lives of students for they ultimately determine whether or not one is able to advance to secondary school. As I mentioned earlier, students must complete their KCP examinations at the end of standard 8. These are national, standardized exams in all subject areas and are worth a total of 400 marks. Students must achieve a minimum of 250 marks if they wish to enter secondary school. In order to graduate High School students must complete their KCSE examinations, and achieve high grades if they wish to enter university. I would like to point out that Kenyan teachers have excellent classroom management. Most of the students that I have observed are incredibly well behaved and show a level of focus and respect that I have not seen on such a large scale before. I am impressed by teacher’s classroom control especially considering the large class sizes that they handle on a daily basis. I attribute this classroom control to the use of corporal punishment, which is considered to be the norm in Kenya. It has also been argued that students’ passivity in the classroom dates back to British colonial days and has been an aid and a challenge in encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning (Ackers and Hardman, 2001). Universal Free Primary Education Another key point that warrants discussion is the implementation of FPE, Universal Free Primary Education, in Kenya. Many of the challenges that the Education system currently faces are directly linked to the implementation of FPE. G. J. Cheserek and V. K.  Mugalavai argue that the main problems facing the education system are, â€Å"issues of access, equity, quality, relevance and efficiency in the management of educational resources,† (2012, 473). The following discussion will elaborate on such issues. As of January 2003, the NARC government established the FPE program to satisfy the pledge it made during the 2002 general elections in order to provide opportunities to disadvantaged children (Makori). This project was a great success in terms of the increased enrollment of disadvantaged children. More than 1.5 million children enrolled in public schools across the country, (Makori). However, the country was not yet prepared to accommodate such a large increase as can be seen by such drastic consequences. Few primary schools were built to accommodate the influx of students, which led to over crowding and congested classrooms. There was a shortage of teachers at the time, which led to the employment of unqualified teachers (Makori). Schools lost revenue from the lack of tuition fees, which led to a strain on teaching materials and resources as well as limited physical facilities (Makori). Lastly, teachers’ challenges increased as their class sizes grew. Although Primary School tuition fees have been abolished, several factors continue to impede access to education in Kenya. Many parents still cannot afford to pay for school uniforms, textbooks, transport, meals and supplies, without which students cannot attend school (Glennerster and Kremer, 2011). These fees are especially difficult for marginalized children such as females, orphans, and the financially underprivileged. Poor health and the inability to seek medical attention also impede many children’s access to education and negatively affect their academic performance, (Glennerster and Kremer, 2011). Many children cannot attend school due to intestinal worms, malaria, and other health concerns such as malnutrition, which can seriously affect their cognitive development. A teacher at the Kiambui Primary School informed me that many of the students arrived at school without having eaten breakfast and who did not bring lunches. Many teachers, despite their low salaries, felt obligated to bring food for the most needy. Lastly, there is an issue of distance and transportation. For some, transportation is unaffordable and the distance to school is too great to walk, which renders the possibility of attending school impossible (Glennerster and Kremer, 2011). Despite advancements in accessing primary education, access to secondary education has remained quite low in comparison. There are a number of reasons that account for this. For instance, secondary schools still require tuition payments. Although these fees have been reduced, it is still quite expensive for many. Distance also plays a major role for some in accessing education. As of 2011 there were approximately 26, 000 primary schools and 6, 500 secondary schools spread across the country, which meant that many communities did not have a nearby high school (Glennerster and Kremer, 2011). Poor KCPE examinations scores at the end of Standard 8 also create a barrier in accessing Secondary School. 2004 KCPE results show that a much higher percentage of students from private schools qualify for secondary school than public school, which has led to an overrepresentation of private school graduates attending top Kenyan Secondary Schools (Glennerster and Kremer, 2011). The quality of primary education, so it seems, acts as a serious barrier to obtaining secondary education. Finally, there is limited space in secondary school so parents and students alike must compete for placement in one if not one of the elite National schools. Yet another interesting point to note is that FPE does not enable all children equitable access to quality education; the key word here being ‘quality. ’ There is an alarming difference between the quality of education that public schools offer vs. that of private schools as noted earlier. After visiting both private and public schools I can attest to the difference. The five private schools that I visited had a low teacher to student ratio, more resources and materials for students, an adequate amount of desks for their student body, as well as electricity and running water. On the contrary, some of the public schools that I visited had class sizes of 60 to 80 students, limited electricity, insufficient textbooks and desks for students. There is much speculation that the poor performance of public school graduates on the KCPE examinations is due to a number of specific factors. For example, because of the increased enrollment in primary schools in 2003, teachers had to contend with extraordinarily large class sizes made up of a diverse range of students whose preparedness varied. Circumstances such as these diminish a teacher’s ability to differentiate their instruction and give individualized attention. Resources and materials are spread thin and mobility within classrooms becomes limited. It is thought that this large influx of â€Å"first generation learners† has contributed to declining test scores in the public school system (Glennerster and Kremer, 2011). It is also thought that poor performance in primary schools is perpetuated by an increasing stratification between public and private schools. This disparity becomes all the more clear when considering the disparity between the KCPE scores of public and private school graduates (Glennerster and Kremer, 2011). Under qualified teachers has also been stated as a factor as well as corruption. Obstacles to Learning Within the Classroom â€Å"For Kenya to be internationally competitive and economically viable, the Republic of Kenya requires an education system that will produce citizens who are able to engage in lifelong learning, learn new skills quickly, perform more non – routine tasks, capable of more complex problem-solving, take more decisions, understand more about what they are working on, require less supervision, assume more responsibility, have more vital tools, have better reading culture, quantitative analysis, reasoning and expository  skills† (Cheserek and Mugalavai, 2012, 472). As this statement explains, Kenya needs a strong education system that will train individuals to meet the growing economic needs of society. However, as discussed previously, evidence shows that students in public primary schools are achieving significantly lower their private school counterparts. There are a number of factors that can account for this disparity, which directly relate to the quality of primary education and the interactions between teacher and pupil. In 2001, Jim Ackers and Frank Hardman conducted a study on classroom interactions in primary schools in Kenya and found that the predominant teaching style was characterized by the ‘transmission of knowledge’ and was teacher focused in nature. Students were motivated to participate but answered preplanned, ‘closed’ questions and lessons often involved a high degree of choral response and repetition of memorized information (Ackers and Hardman, 2001). They go on to write that, â€Å"there were few examples of interaction between teacher and pupils that extended or even encouraged higher order thinking because of the domination of the recitation mode, where typically the teacher asks a series of pre-planned questions, initiates all the topics, and rarely interacts with the substance of the pupils’ answers except to evaluate them†(Ackers and Hardman, 2001, 12). Interestingly enough, this literature mirrors my own observations. I also noted the predominance of a rote learning style of teaching while visiting a number of primary schools. The teachers that I observed lectured on a topic for a large portion of a lesson and then questioned students to see what they were able to absorb. I did not observe any inter pupil interactions or discussions during class time. Rather, students spent the remainder of the class silently copying notes and answering questions from the board. I observed this pattern across multiple subjects and classrooms. Acker and Hardman point out that impediments to learning also include a lack of teaching resources and poor physical conditions of classroom spaces (2001). From what I have noted, the blackboard and student textbooks are the primary teaching aids in a lot of schools. Another obstacle to learning within primary grades is the size of the class. In many cases, teachers can have upwards to 80 students at a time in a regular sized classroom, which creates a congested environment. In such cases it is virtually impossible for a single teacher to meet the needs of every individual learner. Differentiation becomes ineffectual, as does mobility within the classroom. Resources are spread thin and many struggling learners are overlooked. In addition to overcrowded classrooms, teachers face many challenges, which in turn affect student performance. Firstly, they are under a great deal of pressure to teach all of the curriculum outcomes in order to prepare students for their examinations. Combined with a lack of funding and classroom space, teachers are at a loss when it comes to planning creative lessons. Secondly, teachers face a strong tradition of teaching practice that is both historically and culturally embedded. Attitudes towards change can be stubborn, making transformation a slow process. Thirdly, teachers lack an appropriate amount of support and assistance within the classroom as well as opportunities for professional development. As it stands, resource and literacy programs are virtually non-existent in schools, and the government cannot afford to pay for assistants within the classroom. Few primary schools can even afford a library. Fourthly, and in part due to distance, there are barriers to communication between home and school, which negatively impacts student progress. Lastly, primary school teachers work for very low wages, which can be demotivating for some, ultimately affecting their professional pedagogical practice. For many teachers and students alike, school can be a truly sink or swim endeavor. Special Needs Education and Inclusion My insight into special needs education derives from two sources. Firstly, I have audited two Masters level courses on special needs education in Kenya entitled Guidance and Counseling of Special Needs students and Issues and Problems in Special Needs Education. Secondly, I have worked for a short time at a private special needs school entitled Bright Hills. In addition to Bright Hills, I have also visited three different ‘Special Units’ in public schools: Kaimbui Primary School, Kilimani Primary School, and Muchatha Primary School. I would like to share some of the pertinent information that I have learned. According to my own personal experience and research, special needs education is predominantly segregated from general education classes. Many primary and secondary schools have classes termed ‘Special Units. ’ These classes are home to students who have a wide range of learning needs, which â€Å"cannot† be met by regular classroom teachers. I have been told that Special Units are inclusive in the sense that all students who have a disability or a special need share a common learning space. It is the role of the special education teacher to tackle the challenging task of differentiating lessons for many students who have varying degrees of learning dependency. Many of the students of Bright Hills Special Needs School are taught the regular primary school curriculum. However, other special needs students are given vocational training, which I observed at the Kiambui Special Unit and the Deaf and Blind Unit at the Kilimani Primary School. Learning skills such as beading and weaving give students the potential to earn a livelihood outside of school and become productive members of society. Although the Kenyan Minister of Education approved a policy in 2009 that supports the equitable access to quality education and training of learners with special needs, special needs education still faces many challenges. The factors that hinder the provision of education for special needs learners include vague guidelines that describe the implementation of an inclusive policy, insufficient data on children with special needs, ineffective assessment tools, curriculum, and a lack of qualified professionals, (Lynch, McCall, Douglas, McLinden, Mogesa, Mwaura, Njoroge, 2011). Many of the discussions in which I participated in my class: Issues and Problems in Special Needs Education mirrored this argument. Major issues that were discussed include the stigmatization of persons with disabilities, a lack of funding to equip teachers with the resources, materials and support required to meet learners needs, a lack of curriculum adaptations, differentiation, appropriate methodology and qualified personnel, inappropriate and biased assessment measures and the misdiagnosis of learning disabilities, which leads to the misplacement of Students in Special Units. I have also had several discussions concerning the implementation of inclusive educational practices within Kenyan Schools. Many of my classmates believe that inclusion is indeed the way forward in reforming the issues inherent in special needs education. Others however, believe that inclusive education is too ambitious a reform to make. Dr. Mary Runo stated in a lecture that she is not certain that inclusive education is what Kenya presently needs. Rather, the focus of reform should be on government policy and persistent negative attitudes towards disabilities. Although inclusive practices are in a fledgling state in Kenya, there are a few successful cases. Take for example the Kilimani Primary School, which is the only school in Nairobi that incorporates the hearing and visually impaired into general classrooms. Numerous supports are provided to students such as braillers, translators, adaptations, and individual assistance. The Kilimani School also has a segregated Special Unit for those who are deaf or blind as well as a Special Unit specifically for those who are deaf and blind, both of which are well equipped with qualified and dedicated teachers as well as a diverse range of teaching aids and resources. It is common practice for a Primary school to pull struggling students out of the regular classroom and place them in a Special Unit for a short time until they can successfully transition back into a regular classroom. The Kyangoma Primary School has 68 special needs learners, the majority of which study in a Special Unit. However, students who have physical disabilities or are highly functioning cognitively are integrated into general classrooms in order to follow the regular school curriculum. Although integration does not equate inclusion, it is evidence that there is a growing acceptance of inclusive practices. Overall, I would argue that special needs learners are segregated from regular classrooms for the most part and that levels of inclusive practice vary from school to school, depending on financial resources, teachers’ attitudes, and community support. Conclusion It is difficult to articulate all that I have learned about the Kenyan education system in the past twelve weeks, as my experiences have been diverse and I have come to understand the cultural context within which this system works. The education system in Kenya has been undergoing considerable change since the induction of Universal Free Primary Education in 2003. Despite the many deep rooted and interconnected problems that impede equitable access to quality education, reformation is high on the government’s list of priorities. One thing that I can confidently attest to is the unquestionable confidence and positivity that I have encountered in many Kenyans who strongly believe in the advancement of the education system. Kenya’s future is bright as long as these discussions continue and individuals strive to make change. References Ackers, J. , & Hardman, F. (2001). Classroom Interaction in Kenyan Primary Schools. Compare, 31(2), 245-61. Cheserek, G. , & Mugalavai, V. (2012). Challenges and Reforms Facing Kenyan Education System in the 21st Century: Integrating the Principles of Vision 2030 and Constitution 2010. Journal Of Emerging Trends In Educational Research & Policy Studies, 3(4), 471-478. Glennerster, R. , Kremer, M. , Mbiti, I. , & Takavarasha, K. (2011). Access and Quality in the Kenyan Education System: A Review of the Progress, Challenges and Potential. Retrieved from: http://www. povertyactionlab. org/sites/default/files/publications/Access%20and%20Quality%20in%20the%20Kenyan%20Education%20System%202011. 06. 22. pdf KENPRO (2010). Challenges Facing Inclusive Education in Regular Primary Schools in Kenya. KENPRO Online Papers Portal. Retrieved from: www. kenpro. org/papers. Lynch, P. , McCall, S. , Douglas, G. , McLinden, M. , Mogesa, B. , Mwaura, M. , & †¦ Njoroge, M. (2011). Inclusive Educational Practices in Kenya: Evidencing Practice of Itinerant Teachers Who Work with Children with Visual Impairment in Local Mainstream Schools. International Journal Of Educational Development, 31(5), 478-488. Makori, A. Implementation of universal primary education in Kenya: An analysis of its impact and progress towards achieving the EFA goal in Kisii District. Retrieved from: http://www. kaeam. or. ke/articles/vol1/makorifulltext. pdf Category: Uncategorized // 16 Comments  » 16 Responses to â€Å"An Overview of the Kenyan Education System: Issues and Obstacles to Learning† 1. women fashion show 2013 // June 25th 2013 Someone essentially help to make critically posts I would state. That is the very first time I frequented your website page and so far? I surprised with the analysis you made to create this particular publish incredible. Fantastic task! 2. Graham Mulligan // July 3rd 2013 Lee-Anne, thank you for this post. I concur with everything you describe regarding the current state of Primary Education in Kenya. Although there is much hope for change, there are enormous challenges ahead. I wonder what specific improvements can be made, especially in the many isolated and impoverished public primary schools. I am currently planning a short visit to do teacher training in some of these schools. Do you have any suggestions for me? cheers Graham 3. Rahab // July 4th 2013 Your observations are very insightful and on point. It is rather disturbing that all education activities in the Kenyan system end up creating bottle necks at some point or other. What are your suggestions on making the system create paths for learners graduating from the various levels of the system? How can the system encourage student creativity and participation both in school and out of school? Is there hope that the Kenya education system will ever become learner centered rather than content and teacher centered? 4. desigual sale // July 17th 2013 Someone essentially help to make critically articles I might state. That is the first time I frequented your web page and to this point? I amazed with the analysis you made to make this actual put up extraordinary. Wonderful job! 5. Evelyn Corrado // July 17th 2013 Very insightful paper for my study; I am researching on how we can move from teacher centered approach in Kenyan education into student focused, where students can creatively use their reasoning minds, work together to problems solve and bring in their daily experiences into learning.. i agree learning molds the Kenyan society and if problem solving & conflict resolution is not enhanced in schools, no wonder the ethnic conflicts in Kenya society & God-father system where minority rule and the rest can’t challenge it, for lack of confidence . 6. Alice Wawira // July 29th 2013 This is quite helpful and you have done great job. Just check: KCPE mark is 500 not 400. The public schools suffer a lot of deficiency ranging from teachers to resources. If only teachers were enough something like 1:25-35 which is the current proposal to the education ministry; enough classrooms and resources, I don’t think the syllabus would be a problem however wide. I’m inclined to believe so because the private schools and the well-established national schools manage to cover the syllabus long before the end of fourth year in secondary and end of eigth year in primary. The discipline exhibited by the students in the classroom as you explained is one major strength in these schools and as such, it would be quite helpful even in content coverage. Kenya is becoming gradually aware of SEN and some progress has been made. I would however wish that we borrowed a leaf from the international system where children with SEN are allowed to sit special exams and even have assistants in classroom and during exams. In Kenya, almost all the times they sit the same exam only that special consideration and provisions(like brille and additional time) are given during and after the national exams. The worst is when a child in hospital or one who has just given birth is allowed to sit the same exam as any other in good health. News has it that computers will come in handy for the hearing-impaired and this will be great. Fantastic job you have done. Having worked in the Kenyan system and in the international as well, I can’t fail to see the flaws in the former and I hope to do something about it only that for now, I have no idea where to start. 7. Leonard Kiarago // August 2nd 2013 Indeed, Kenya has a long way to go before the government is able to provide ‘quality education’; however, we must agree that there is some progress despite the obstacles. Kenya has the resources, the manpower and the capacity to provide the young generation with quality education. Kenya has highly qualified professionals produced by top universities all over the world, unfortunately when it comes to policy development and decision making, that is left to politicians leading to wrong policies being implemented without consideration for need assessment or putting priorities right. Take, for example, the issue of laptops for every kid joining primary school; is that really a priority for the Kenyan kids? Even in developed countries like the UK the government doesn’t provide laptops/computers to every single kid, instead schools have a computer lab used during IT lessons or for lessons requiring some research. Instead of considering building and equipping more classrooms as well as recruiting more teachers, the government is thinking about laptops for schools some of which kids learn under trees and with no electricity or teachers who have basic IT knowledge. The subject of how inclusive education should be implemented is a controversial one because even in developed countries like UK, they still  maintain special schools because inclusive practice is not just a matter of closing special schools and taking children with SEN to mainstream schools. How do you put a child with special needs in a class of 80 kids and call that inclusive education? For inclusive education to be successful there must be availability of resources and manpower as well as change of attitude by those who consider themselves ‘normal’. How that can be possible in a country divided through tribal and ethnic affiliations remains a big issue. If Kenyans cannot accommodate fellow Kenyans from a different tribe, how can they accommodate those perceived to be ‘abnormal’? What is most worrying is that any time you listen to news or read newspapers, the most likely headline to find is about a certain politician from a given community attacking another one from a different community instead of engaging in constructive politics. The article posted a few days ago in daily nation in which a governor was threatening to shut down schools just because they were built on the boundary by a neighbouring county leader is a good example of what I mean: http://www. nation. co. ke/News/Leader-orders-schools-shut-in-boundary-row/-/1056/1930912/-/view/printVersion/-/khd48cz/-/index. html ‘A society’s treatment of those who are weak and dependent is one critical indicator of its social progress’. This was an observation by Kirk, Gallagher and Anastasiow (1997) who in their study of children with special needs noted that social attitudes towards the education and care of children with special needs reflect the general cultural attitudes concerning the obligations of a society to its citizens. The problem with the provision of education in Kenya can only be solved if the government allowed professionals to contribute to policies related to their field of expertise and to set aside funds for research so that policies can be validated through research to avoid implementing policies, which are politically driven. (Kiarago is a doctoral researcher at the University of Birmingham) 8. Pierre Varly // August 19th 2013 thanks a lot for your excellent article full of infos and very well structured. i have a blog on education in the developping countries where i could publish the article also if you agree. 9. Isaac Maluki // August 22nd 2013 Thank you for your good report. Kindly tell me, how many students qualify for university education in Kenya but do not make it for lack of school fees? 10. Amen K. Rahh // October 3rd 2013 Thank you for this insightful blog. I would however like to point out the roll of ICT and the growing impact online learning is having on learning in schools. With the introduction of laptops for primary school students, the Government seems to understand the survival of the failing education system is depended on IT solutions. http://www. cc-gate. com as well as the CCK are working on online content and tutoring coming in the future. 11. Edy // November 5th 2013 Hi, I found this blog a few days ago as I was looking for some research into the Kenyan education system. You have done wonderful analysis. However, one correction to your information is that Swahili is not the predominant teaching tool for Nursery-Std 4 pupils. In fact, and to the contrary, English is widely used to instruct children because apart from Swahili, all other disciplines, Math and Science included cannot be feasibly administered in Swahili. 12. John muema // November 7th 2013 these is true and i urge the government to employ more teachers 13. Agesa Akufa // November 9th 2013 This is a good, well researched and articulated work. just a point of correction, the kcpe marks total to 500 not 400. otherwise it is an impresive that will many researchers especially university students. if the government can take into account this piece of work then we should expect to see enormous steps taking root in the educational system. of course, steps to spin the country foward. i salute you! 14. THOMAS ODENY //.