Fahrenheit 451, Connection to Current Society - 1993 Words

Fahrenheit 451: A Model For Current Society? The end of the Second World War sparked new cultural movements in American society. Factories which were once used to mass produce airplanes, tanks, and other machines of war were no longer needed for that purpose. Servicemen returned from overseas to find a massive amount of available jobs, wages were higher due to an economic boom, and because there were rarely any consumer goods during the war, the American people had a massive hunger to go shopping. The American Dream of having a husband or wife, â€Å"2.5 kids†, and owning a house with a white picket fence was the â€Å"Kool-Aid† that everybody in post-war America was thirsty for. What did this mean for society, though? The Dream sparked a movement†¦show more content†¦When the radio first came out, people would turn to it to get their information from. People started to put down their books and listen to radio programs. When the television came out half a century ago, it became the primary socializer for America. It’s commonly known that shortly after its inception, 90% of American households had at least one television in their homes. This results in the television being the tool of choice for spreading messages through mass media. In modern society, television is such a norm that it’s not even something we worry about like Bradbury did in the 1950’s. The new thing is social media, such as Facebook or Twitter. Even then, it seems Bradbury foresaw these things too since it is such a predictable concept. In Fahrenheit 451, we see Captain Beatty say to Montag, â€Å"Speed up the film, Montag, quick. Click, Pic, Look, Eye, Now, Flick, Here, There, Swift, Pace, Up, Down, In, Out, Why, How, Who, What, Where, Eh? Uh! Bang! Smack! Wallop, Bing, Bong, Boom!Digests-digests, digests-digests-digests. Politics? One column, two sentences, a headline! Then, in mid-air, all vanishes! Whirl man s mind about so fast under the pumping hands of publishers, exploiters, broadcaster s that the centrifuge flings off all unnecessary, time-wasting thought! (Bradbury 55). This is an example of onomatopoeia being used to express the abruptness of such information spread to the masses. It focuses on the mainShow MoreRelatedTechnology Vs Humanity : A Discussion Of Fahrenheit 4511538 Words   |  7 PagesTechnology Vs Humanity: A Discussion of Fahrenheit 451 Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel about a society that orchestrates its citizens’ actions through mass media propaganda and censorship. The government controls its citizens’ freedom of thought and individualism through various manipulations, most importantly television and the banning of books. The government in the novel furtively influences the population by allowing no insightful television broadcasts that could lead to dissention orRead MoreMorgan Laplante . Mrs. Rhodes . Pre-Ap English 10 . 131561 Words   |  7 Pages Mrs. Rhodes Pre-AP English 10 13 February 2016 Happiness Is Not This A person’s happiness is completely different than that of the person next to them. In Fahrenheit 451, the society is given the idea that happiness is found in the fast life. Students crash cars, crack windows, and drive recklessly for fun. Schooling in this society is not even in the realm of learning. Instead, it is filled with sports, electronics, and everything but an education. Death is a quick cremation instead of a properRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By George Orwell962 Words   |  4 Pagesnovel Fahrenheit 451 depict a dystopian society. This was a popular theme of the era since it was a time where the world was at war with a society that wanted complete control of the planet. That society being the totalitarian state of Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan. The settings that occur in both books depict that of what people could have experienced in the time period these books were published, something that readers for decades could relate to and learn a lesson from. Fahrenheit 451 is setRead MoreComparing Dystopic Worlds in George Orwells 1984 and Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451.2257 Words   |  10 Pagesutopia, and yet to the reader seems like a foreign, inhumane residence dominated by an all-powerful government. George Orwells 1984, and Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 depicts two different dystopic worlds. The settings of both books are different and the characters are unique; however, both of these books are also very similar. 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 are similar dystopic literatures by a common theme of censorship in which the government withholds or censors information, by a similar thread of a totalitarianRead MoreLooking Backwards And Fahrenheit 4511221 Words   |  5 Pagesreflected on a what-if society based on the current living conditions. Each of the main characters were both guided by people and amazed at what they could find if they broke their norm and put their heads in the mindset of creating or living in a better society. In each of the novels Looking Backwards and Fahrenheit 451, the authors clearly oppose what is happening or what they think is going to happen in the future. Edward Bellamy shows how he wants to create changes for society at the time to ensureRead MoreThe Transformation Of Society In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury952 Words   |  4 Pageswarning his readers within the novel Fahrenheit 451 is the direction society is heading into failing themselves. The notability and progression of this theme is simple to see in todays society as the novel was written in 1953 and some of the predictions are not far off from what can be seen in the current time period. Within the novel, Bradbury plays on this theme by displaying the numb and sameness the technology in Montag’s society is causing its citizens.The society cares very little for individualRead MoreFahrenheit 4511858 Words   |  8 PagesEnglish III H (4) October 24, 2013 The Exhort of Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury created the novel Fahrenheit 451 as a way to admonish future generations against social and economic trends that would emerge during the twentieth century. I. Introduction II. Reasons behind novel A. World events B. Personal events III. Economic trends of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries A. The economics of consumerism B. Economic effects on society IV. Social trends of the twentieth century A TechnologyRead MoreLife A We Knew It By Susan Beth Pfeffer1676 Words   |  7 Pageslife† (Bradbury 78) are the details that the author is trying to incorporate in the text so that you are able to find similarities in your lives to what you are reading. The following example of quality can be demonstrated through the text of Fahrenheit 451 when Montag begins reading a book to one of Mildred’s friends (Mrs.Phelps) and she begins to cry. The action of her crying demonstrates how she felt emotionally connected to the themes of the book and the details that have connected the book toRead MoreRay Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4512451 Words   |  10 PagesRay Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, is a prime example of social criticism. The story sets in the 24th century where people race jet cars; the author’s idea of the future. It shows a flawed social structure, controlled by the media and government with banning and burning of books, and suppressing society’s minds from history. Their logical thought was that it would keep society from thinking too much, which in turn would prevent bad thoughts, and to keep them â€Å"happy all the time†. The book tells a storyRead MoreFahrenheit 451: The Future is Now Essay2640 Words   |  11 Pagesideologies† of â€Å"Communism and Nazism† (Gonzalez 1), a totalitarian society mirroring the world in Bradbury’s novel among other dystopian novels of the time. His society fits the idea of totalitarianism in the fact that it is a â€Å"form of government that theoretically permits no individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of the individual’s life to the authority of the government† (Britannica). This can be seen in Fahrenheit 451 in the way people are controlled by the television and in the

Children of Incarcerated Parents Free Essays

Effects on Children of Incarcerated Fathers Most of the prisons in America are overcrowded. They are overcrowded with men, most of which are fathers and nearly half of these incarcerated fathers were living with their child or children before going to prison. The effects on these children can be detrimental. We will write a custom essay sample on Children of Incarcerated Parents or any similar topic only for you Order Now This can also cause strained relationships with the mothers or other family members doing their best to take care of these children while their father is away. There can be social as well as emotional problems, but luckily there are many states that are trying to accommodate for the parent being gone with programs and camps for these children. Many social issues occur with a child of an incarcerated father as they grow older. It is common knowledge that if a parent or any caregiver disappears from a child’s life, that child’s attachment to that person will diminish. It is hard to establish a child’s trust and takes time, so if a parent disappears that the child has depended on, it can affect the future of the child. He/she may grow up thinking they cannot get too close to someone, fearing they’ll lose that person. A lot of behavioral problems can also occur in a child. This may happen at home, in school, or in the streets. â€Å"Absence of the father is associated more with ‘acting out’ behavior (such as hostility, use of drugs or alcohol, running away, school truancy, discipline problems, aggressive acts and involvement in delinquent activities (Rosenburg 2009). † Being antisocial is looked at as a list of multiple behaviors that disrupt normalcy. As the child of an incarcerated parent grows to be an adolescent, there may be even more social problems. Now the child is growing up and can get into more trouble for their social deviance. When it comes to getting in trouble, they may use excuses to cause them to get into more trouble. After all, what excuse is better than, â€Å"My dad did it? † It is very sad when kids are isolated socially from their peers because of their situation; even when it is not their fault. There was a study done in Oregon with 22 children with incarcerated fathers. Within this group, six children admitted they had no friends and four of these children said other parents would not allow their kids to play with them because there â€Å"dad was in jail. These children grow up with feelings of shame, embarrassment, and mixtures of hope and fears of their relationships with their fathers, which leads them to be treated differently as they grow older. A father being gone in prison is also a huge financial strain on their families. Whether it be from the father having a job (legal or illegal), the family still depends on that income to help support the family. A lot of families need help through Public Aid to get through these difficult times. The family turns to food stamps, medical assistance, and child care assistance. There are also many emotional issues that occur for a child dealing with a father in prison. Sometimes the child or children stay with another caregiver while their father(s) is/are in prison. It becomes way harder for the mother alone to maintain a household if she has relied on the father for help and support. This can cause emotional problems with the caregiver the child is staying with. There are many kids that are taken care of by their grandparents, other relatives, friends, or even foster care. These kids can become unstable very quickly because if there is no relative to take care of them, they have to immediately be placed in foster care because they become dependents of the juvenile court. They are automatically thrust into a more stable household, but because that is what they are not used to, their personalities become shaky. â€Å"The 1980 Federal Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Reform Act mandate that children who are placed in foster care must either be returned to their parents or placed with long-term guardians within 12-18 months (Hairston 2007). This gives the parents a chance to fix what they have done and realize what they are doing to their children, so they do not have to go through more emotional hardships. When abruptly removing a child from their father is ignoring the emotional needs of that child/children. They end up feeling vulnerable, alone, and frightened While being a father in prison, it is still necessary to establish a parental connection with their son or daughter. It has been said that it is most beneficial to have both parents in the child’s life. They must create their own role even though they are behind bars. A study showed that most incarcerated fathers have feelings of â€Å"helplessness and difficulties in being a ‘good father (Rosenburg 2009). † There are many reasons why the fathers may feel this way. A lot of mothers refuse to bring the children to a prison or jail, but a lot of mothers may have a problem with finances, transportation, or time. There are strict rules and codes to follow when visiting a prisoner, so it would be difficult for a child to act normally with their father. Waiting times can be long, children will be frisked, and chances are it will be hot, dirty, and crowded. The caregiver may say that is emotionally scarring and the visiting can have a bad influence on the child. When a father is sent away, he is not sent to a prison in accordance with the family’s home. For those that are close, they are lucky, but if a person is in the state’s Department of Corrections, they can be sent anywhere in the state. When these fathers are taken away, the children receive little or no support on how to deal with their grief, loss, anger, shame, and fear. Depending on where the father is in prison, different programs can be available. There are parent education courses- which most prisons teach special parent-child visits, child-oriented visiting activities, parent support groups, and custody and parental rights services. These programs are designed to develop and strengthen attachments, provide access to services, and address the issues that face the incarcerated parent when it comes to parenting. There is also a service for father behind bars that provides publications on self-help support groups. It serves many prisons with incarcerated fathers in the US and Canada. There are more and more states doing something to lessen the impact of a parent going to prison on the child. States are now addressing the needs of a child at the time a parent is arrested. New laws are now requiring more extensive training to ensure the safety of a child at the time of arrest. Some states are also requiring judges to now consider the effects of a parent’s incarceration on the child. â€Å"One Tennessee judge routinely requests that a video of the father interacting with the child accompany family impact statements (Christian 2009). Some policies are being imposed to require child-friendly visiting areas within prisons and jails, training correctional officers to have a better understanding of visiting children, and reducing the cost of maintaining contact. Welfare agencies in New York are now requiring arrangements to be made for the child to keep a meaningful relationship with that child, unless there is clear evidence that a relationship would be detrimen tal to the child. These arrangements would include transportation and providing social and rehabilitative services to resolve or correct the roblems which prohibit normal contact with the child. Most normal parenting classes do not meet the needs of incarcerated parents. If these programs want to succeed in decreasing criminal activities, they need to be more specific to maintaining a presence in a child’s life. There are nurseries and different accommodations for mothers that are incarcerated, so why not fathers? In New York, there is a facility called The Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. They also have a children’s center with their own building, which allows overnight and summer visits for older children. There are inmate caregivers that work as associates in the center, which have gone through an accredited program that prepares graduates to teach in an accredited nursery anywhere in the country. There is a dayroom designed for the kids to play and the other inmates to form new friendships. It is an excellent opportunity for these children to make new friendships with other children going through the same thing. Why should these only be applied to women inmates with children? It is no surprise that fathers are just as important in a child’s life as a mother is. If there were more daycare centers for men’s prisons, there would probably be less violence and problems within the population of the prison. If the Department of Corrections would give these men an incentive for their good behavior to see their families in a more â€Å"home-like† setting, there would be a lot less lockdowns. Many issues occur within a child when their father goes to prison. There will be social and emotional problems, including anger, depression, shame, and guilt. They will be socially isolated and for any child, that is not a positive thing in their life. Although these issues have been going on for a long time, states are now presenting new laws and implications for families with an incarcerated father. Little changes in the judicial system will help keep these kids out of trouble and continue to maintain a strong relationship with their father. Having two parents is the best basis for raising a child and even if one of the parents is absent, it is still best to maintain a paternal bond with the child. As a single mother of a child that has been raising a child going through this, I have constantly kept in contact with my daughter’s father. I understand the importance of having a family and one day, they will be able to have a normal relationship with each other. I understand the programs and meetings he attends in the prisons within the Illinois Department of Corrections to become a better person and a better father. If I don’t believe in him, his daughter will never believe either. I have admired my dad ever since I can remember and I want my daughter to feel the same way about her father as I always have. References Christian, S. (2009, March). Children of incarcerated parents. Retrieved January 30, 2013, from http://www. ncsl. org/documents/cyf/childrenofincarceratedparents. pdf Hairston, C. F. (2007, October). Focus on children with incarcerated parents. Retrieved from http://www. fcnetwork. org/AECFOverview%20of%20the%20Research%20Literature. pdf Shlafer, R. J. , Rosenburg, J. (2010). Attachment and caregiving relationships in families affected by parental incarceration. Attachment Human Development, 12(4), 395-415. doi:10. 1080/14616730903417052 How to cite Children of Incarcerated Parents, Essay examples

Limitations of Interpersonal Communciation Researc Essay Example For Students

Limitations of Interpersonal Communciation Researc Essay h When taking a limit of an equation in Calculus, a limit does not always exist. However, in the real word there are always limitations to what people can accomplish no matter how hard they work or try. These limitations are evident in interpersonal commuciation research as well. In the article, Commucication Apprehension Among Secretarial Students, the authors, Melanie Booth-Butterfield and Carol C. Thomas, research and examine the levels of trait communication apprehension among students enrolled in college level office administration programs. In the following paragraphs I will discuss the process and two limitations of the research. In the article, the authors seek to investigate communication apprehension among secretarial students. Communication apprehension is an individuals level of fear or anxiety associated with communicationg with others (Booth-Butterfield Thomas, 1995, pp. 39). The methodological framework utilitized by the authors was to administer questionnaires during regular class time in four different sections. This survey included a measure of trait communication apprehension and anxiety across four different areas of interpersonal, small group, meeting and public speaking. In addition, the questionnaire asked for the age and whether the participants have had experience in a co-op role or as a secretary for a regular business. The participants of the questionaire were 117 random students enrolled at a four-year, technical business-oriented college. Of these students, 58 were female students enrolled full-time in office administration courses. The remaining students were not secretarial students but were enrolled in business administration, management, and communication courses. The results of the survey clearly showed a higher communication apprehension among secretarial students than non-secretarial students rergardless of age or job experience. Furthermore, secretarial students showed anxiety in all four areas of communication especially in public speaking. In conlusion to the research, the authors say that the anxiety experienced by many office adminstration students should be observable and will substatntively influence their performance in classes and on the job (Booth-Butterfield Thomas, 1995, pp. 39). Although this communication apprehension research seems reasonable, limitations include the type of data used and the relationships or generalizations that are drawn between certain variables. To begin with, the methodological framework utilized by the author is in the form of a questionairre. A questionairre is basically a test to see how one thinks of his or herself and is not necessarily accurate. For example, an individual may think he or she is apprehensive to communication but when actually confronted with the scenerio may perform rather well and without any fear or anxiety. Perhaps a better methodological approach in gathering data is to setup an actual communication setting and have the participants perform to the communication task. The data should be based on the performance as well as feedback from the participant to see if the communication apprehension was accurate. Another limitation to the research is the relationships or generalizations that are drawn between certain variables. First, of the secretarial participants that took the questionairre, all were females. Differences in trait communication apprehension between males and females in the non-secretarial group were examined and showed no significant differences (Booth-Butterfield Thomas, 1995, pp. 42). The authors use this data and draw a relationship between the secretarial and non-secretarial gender to say that in general there are no gender differences. However, accurate as it may sound, this is another limitation because secretarial students in general may think differently. Perhaps females with communication apprehension follow office administrative fields because they think that all they need to do is sit all day and type with little talk or interaction while males in the same field do not. Secondly, the authors come to the immediate generalization that these secretarial students with communication apprehension will be less successful once in a working environment others (Booth-Butterfield Thomas, 1995, pp. 43). This parallels the first limitation where I stated that these individuals might perform rather well when the spotlight is on them. To Build A Fire Essay Although they may be apprehensive to communication does not necessarily mean that they cannot perform under actual situations. In this paper I have discussed the authors research on communication apprehension among secretarial students as well as the limitations of the research. Booth-Butterfield and Thomas give us their interpretations of their findings and feel that secretarial students have greater anxiety when it comes to communication scenerios. They even conclude that this apprehension will make these students less capable of success in future work environments. However, these statements are based on generalizations and interpretations from research with various limitations. In conclusion, there are always limitations of interpersonal communication research because it not like Mathematics where one can just measure communication levels with a ruler. .

Racial Profiling by Police an Example of the Topic Government and Law Essays by

Racial Profiling by Police Profiling The following persuasive essay will present two sides of racial profiling by police. Different theorists suggest that racial profiling is a necessary evil because it aids in putting criminals in jail. Although racial profiling does accomplish this task the argument of this paper will persuade the reader to consider that racial profiling merely promotes further discrimination against minorities through stereotyping procedures which is more harmful when this act is done by the police force who is supposed to protect human rights. Instead, racial profiling is hindering to minoritys rights and furthermore it increases the amount of innocent people who are put in jail and thus have to subsequently have to be processed as innocent before being allowed to leave, which often times includes over night stays in jail. Need essay sample on "Racial Profiling by Police" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Thus, racial profiling is a violation of human rights, which will be the main focal point of this persuasive essay. There are many factors that go into the account of crime prevention - first and foremost, the identification of crime in an area. The measurement and statistical analysis of criminal activity is important. Without this information, it would be impossible to adequately address the criminal issues of any given area, It is not racial profiling for an officer to question, stop, search, arrest, or otherwise investigate a person because his race or ethnicity matches information about a perpetrator of a specific crime that the officer is investigating. That use of racewhich usually occurs when there is a racially specific description of the criminaldoes not entail a global judgment about a racial or ethnic group as a whole (Gross 2002; 1415). In support of racial profiling the system presents the statistical analysis of criminal activity wherein several important issues are discovered. The support for racial profiling exists in that it is through such analysis that specific crimes came be targeted. The identification of a certain type of criminal activity, such as vandalism, armed robbery, or violence, can direct the responsible policing agency to act accordingly. Such data would show target locations, as well as patterns of victimization, methodology, and possible suspects. Racial profiling is said to be important because it allows the police force to narrow their search criteria by geographical location, gender, appearance (weight, hair, etc), and race which makes it easier to apprehend a subject. Because crime is defined as being constituted through the definitions of situations that are negotiated between different parties (offender, victim, witness, policeman, judge etc.) in processes of social interaction, it is nec essary to understand that interaction. (Meuser 2). Statistical measurement of crime data could be used to identify the necessary programs a specific area needs. For example, if an area is suffering from high amounts of drug trafficking, it would be pointless to implement a program meant to curb the proliferation of vandalism. In the same way, the identification of primary issues of local jurisdictions would be a very important issue in maintaining the local populations trust and respect of law enforcement, In 1994, the New York City Police Department launched an aggressive anti-gun campaign that resulted in the stopping and frisking of tens of thousands of young black and Hispanic men. Critics charged the Police Department with racial profiling. The Department replied that it deployed its officers in high-crime neighborhoods that are mostly minority denominated, and that the racial breakdown of those stopped corresponded to the racial makeup of victim descriptions of the perpetrators of violent crime, those arrested for violent crimes in New York City, and those described in 911 calls as carrying guns (Gross 2002; 1418). Thus, although the populace and the media saw this as being racists, the police department targeted these men because statistically they were the ones who were carrying guns and so, the police department had a better chance of apprehending guns by stopping black and Hispanic men. This data would also be used to judge the success, or lack there of, of the targeted programs that may have been implemented in each specific area. If, for example, a given area was experiencing a large number of car thefts, statistical analysis of the type of vehicles stolen, the location of the thefts, the time of day, or day of the week that these thefts occurred, would all be processed in order to identify a pattern. It is with a pattern that racial profiling works. This pattern would then in turn be utilized to apprehend those criminals responsible for the crime. Reciprocally, if after a targeted anti-theft program shows no affect on the number of thefts in the area, it could then be concluded that the program was not a success and therefore, would be in need of alteration. It is with this ill success that racial profiling is proven to be unnecessary and a system that is flawed. The purpose of this paper is to persuade the reader to the conclusion that racial profiling only perpetuates prejudice; when the black and Hispanic men were frisked and most of them were not carrying guns they must have felt targeted for not reason. Simply put, just because a certain racially described individual commits a crime does not mean that the entire race has the same attributes; that is racists. The measurement of criminal data would also be used to identify possible criminal suspects. The concept of criminal profiling, a widely used tool of law enforcement, would be impossible without the acquisition of measured criminal data. It is through the statistical analysis of known crimes, that new crimes are solved. By contrasting the aspects of past criminal activity, it is possible to create a prediction of criminal behavior, Before September 11, 2001, a few conservative commentators were the only people who publicly defended racial profiling on practical grounds. That has changed. Journalists, politicians, and pollsters have all expressed and documented a widespread sentiment that in order to win the war on terrorism we must focus our scrutiny on Middle Eastern Muslim men. The Justice Departments interview program may not be expressly aimed at such individuals, but I has this effect. It is explicitly aimed at individuals from Middle Eastern countries and other countries with an al Qaeda presence (Gross 2002; 1422). In the same way, it is important to know the statistical data of victims in an area. Large cities or areas which see a high volume of tourists each year must take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of those tourists. In many areas, tourists are targeted by local criminal elements because of their distracted nature, and their likelihood of carrying large sums of money or expensive items. By acquiring and analyzing the statistical data of known victims of crimes, it is possible, just as with the prediction of criminal behavior, to predict possible areas or groups which would be targeted by criminal activity. The importance of the measurement of criminal data is paramount. Without the information that is provided by such studies, criminal investigations would become inefficient to the point of ineffectiveness. Also, without data illustrating the affect that implemented programs have on the criminal element of a targeted area, their success would be unknown. The funding for law enforcement comes from taxes collected from federal, state, and local governments. Without proper criminal statistics, there would be no way to properly distribute this tax revenue to the necessary areas. This is a reason by criminal profiling is pushed into the bureaucracy, because the police force knows no other system by which to apprehend mass amounts of criminals besides through profiling. This is why racial profiling is still used, not because it works, which it doesnt, but because the police force needs funding and needs to show crime rate improvement and the only way to do this is through mass amounts of arr ests or activity, even if it does not lead the police officer to the criminal. High crime areas necessitate higher funding, due to their increased policing activities, and the increased levels of training, and equipment technology that is needed to adequately protect those areas. A suspects race alone is never strong evidence of guilt. There is no serious crime that is committed by all, or most, or even a large fraction of the members of any racial group. But race together with other information about the suspect can form a pattern that is persuasive to any degree. The usual situation does not involve profiling but case specific information (Gross 2002; 1428). Within any investigation, be it scientific or criminal, the main tool to the investigator is the theory. It is the theory from which the investigation takes it course. The small pieces of known information are assembled, and used to form the theory that will it is hoped guide one to find the missing information. Racial profiling is not the only means by which a crime may be solved. With the reports filed of abuse from police force on minorities a closer examination of racial profiling and its injustice as well as different crime theory applications will now be discussed. Within criminology, a theory is devised after a crime is committed. If there are no obvious signs of a culprit, one must utilize investigative methods to find the perpetrator. The acquired evidence is assembled into a model of possibilities. From this, the investigator would extract a list of possible suspects, or areas of interest which could further the investigation. Theories can also be used to anticipate criminal activity, patterns of crime and victimization or other research methods. This type of theory is used to explain the behavior of crime and the criminal element. The Cohen and Felson Routine Activities theory is an example. This theory states that the rate in which crime rises is equal to the number of suitable targets and the absence of individuals to protect those targets. (DeMelo 2006) This theory is based on the logic that an increased opportunity for crime would equal an increase in crime. This theory also stated that, the rising number of women in the workforce meant a decrease in the number of parental figures in the home. This lack of guardianship then led to an increase in crime because of the lack of supervision on the youth of those areas. Another theory that is applied to the understanding of criminal behavior is Sutherland's Differential Association theory. This theory deals with the reasoning and motivation of criminal behavior, as well as possible causal factors. Based on nine key postulates, the theory states, essentially, that criminal behavior is a learned response to negative social interaction. It is through this theories such as this, that crime prevention is addressed. While theories can aid in the apprehension of criminals, or the understanding of their behavior, theories can also be formulated with the intent of preventing crime. By addressing the key elements that create or influence criminal behavior, law enforcement is able to decrease crime rates in a given area by removing one or many of the key causal factors. One such theory that addresses such causal factors is the Social Disorganization theory. This theory deals more with social deviance than crime specifically, however it can still be used to understand the causal factors of criminal activity. Under this theory crime was seen as a product of uneven development in society, meaning that a social setting the became unbalanced socially would inherit social disorder and thus, crime. (DeMelo 2006) Through theories such as this, specific social programs could be developed that were designed to address social disorganization, however in contrary opinion to this statement Hassan (2002) states, Despite the enthusiasm of Zogby and other Arab and Muslim Americans for the administrations response, the national security measures undertaken during the last 12 months by the Justice Department have targeted almost exclusively people from the Middle East and south Asia, and let to the incarcerations, deportation and interrogation of numerous individuals who had nothing to do with September 11. In other words, the imposition of the rule of law on behalf of Arabs and Muslims coincided with an aggressive Justice Department attack on people from the Middle East and South Asia. Even if the administration deserves some credit for opposing individual acts of racial violence against Middle Easterners and South Asians, its present treatment of Arab and South Asian immigrants amounts to a legal assault based largely on an unstated policy of racial profiling (Hassan 2002; 16-17). However, this theory was seen to have problems in its application to real world events and situations. The main problem being that the theory confused the relationship between the cause and effect of social disorganization. However, this failure to hold up to practical application does not entirely remove the theorys value. Through the understanding of the short comings of theories such as this, one can explicate new theories that better address problems. There are many aspects of research, criminal investigation and crime prevention to which theoretical processes can be applied. In order to address any problem, one must first identify a problem, and then assemble possible causes. This is then followed the application of possible remedies to that problem. Theoretical application is not infallible; however it is very effective in addressing possibilities. Then it is through this theoretic understanding that answers are discovered. Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, there have been many changes in the ways the United States government functions, one of which being racial profiling. The first act of alteration to the normal code of conduct was the drafting and passage of the USA PATRIOT Act. There are many who see this act as a bold defense against the fear of terrorism for the American public, however, a growing number of people see the changes in American governmental policy and overall attitude towards enemies and allies alike as an affront against proper American values and freedom, or, as this persuasive paper suggests, racial profiling merely adds in defining the government and its forces as denying citizens their human rights, as Hassan states, The Justice Department announced on August 12 its intention to implement the National Security Entry-exit Registration System (NSEERS) on September 11, 2002. The system involves the fingerprinting of high-risk foreign visitors. IN addition, the program will require targeted foreign nationals to register their residence with authorities and to confirm their exit. According to a Justice Department statement, foreigners will be selected according to intelligence criteria reflecting patterns of terrorist organizations activities. But the system will begin by tracking all nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria, though no nationals from these countries were involved in the September 11 hijackings. (Hassan 2002; 17). Hassan gives further evidence that proves that power does not equal a criminal being caught, but instead the fact that racial profiling is a violent and cruel use of positions of power especially with the Justice Department, In addition, the system will tag for fingerprinting any non-immigrant aliens whom the State Department determines to present an elevated national security risk, based on criteria reflecting current intelligence as well as aliens identified by INS inspectors at the port of entry, using similar criteria. The ultimate design of they system is to create an enormous database of foreign visitors that can be sued to track and locate terrorist suspects. Rather than relying on intelligence criteria, NSEERS will generate intelligence to facilitate the detention and deportation of certain visitors and immigrants. (Hassan 2002; 17). As Andrew Kydd and Barbara Walter (2002) explain, there is a distinct politic to the notion of terrorism. However, these tactics are not always effective. There are many events of terrorism in the world each year, yet only a handful are regarded with any merit. According to Kydd and Walter (2002), through a well argued and insightful article, it is the trust between groups that must be destroyed for an extremist attack to be successful. This is the motivation behind the response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. On December 6, 2001, then Attorney General John Ashcroft addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee in praise of this act, and its restructuring of the NSA, CIA and FBI. (Ashcroft 524) His rhetoric was patriotic and concise, and his views of the USA PATRIOT act and its changes seemed sincere. This was supported with the passage of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, which paved the road for the Patriot act itself. Eric Rosand (2003) wrote about the resolution in 2003. His response to its necessity was one of sympathy to the government, for having to face such a difficult challenge. However, not everyone who has commented on the alterations of the US governmental policy has done so with such reverence. Rosand compared the investigations into possible terrorist cells in the United States, to the Palmer Raids of 1919 where, following a series of bombings, J. Edgar Hoover led a series of round ups of immigrants across the country and held them without trial or charge in u nconscionable conditions, interrogated incommunicado and in some cases tortured. (2003) Thus, torture is often times associated with racial profiling and it is seen as denying human rights and placing citizens in harms way during patterned crime stakes. This attitude has spread throughout the country, as the appearance of impropriety has permeated the governments handling of the terrorists investigations. Mary Jacoby brings up the question of the legal definition of Detainee. This is in response to the holding of prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba. The prisoners of this facility have been acquired from around the world from the war in Afghanistan, and from arrests done in dozens of countries around the world. However, the problem arises when the soldiers fighting for the Afghan military are brought in as detainees, rather than prisoners of war. While the Guantanamo prison has its apologists, such as Charles Krauthammer who states that freeing of these men would be lunacy (537) the fact remains, that in strict terms, the United States is in break of the Geneva Convention by holding POWs. Fernando Reinares noted in his article, The Empire Rarely Strikes Back, that after more than 2400 acts of terrorism against American citizens and interests there have been only three occasions of overt military response. (Reinares 2002; 92) However, because of the incredible size and depth of impact of the September 11th attacks, war became unavoidable. There did arise a problem with the military action, however, as a growing public opinion seemed to point the target as Islam itself, rather than just Al-Qaeda and thus the growing of racial profiling not only by police officers but by citizenry. This prompted the United States to enlist the help of as many Islamic nations as possible to counter act this perception. (Aretxega 2001; 143) This coalition of Islamic nations does nothing to counteract the rise in racial profiling within the United States. Sherry Colb wrote about the foreseen changes in American law enforcement following the September 11th attacks. Her article articulated the problem of racial profiling and its consequences. Cold notes that real numbers do not support profiling. (539) However this does not stop the utilization of profiling in airports, or in traffic stops as Hassan states, Ashcrofts initial dragnet was followed by plans to deport some 6,000 Middle Easterners who have violated the terms of their visas. It has become increasingly evident that the Justice Department and them INS intend to use September 11 as a pretext to crack down on immigrants in general and specifically to reduce the number of Arabs and Muslims residing in the US (Hassan 2002; 18). However, this too has its supporters, from such sources as law professor Roger Clegg. His response to the topic of racial profiling is one of acceptance and justification. So what? (Clegg 542) Clegg asks of the act of profiling. However his racial make up lends itself easily to such opinions, as an educated white male is rarely accosted for being white, educated or male. The changes in the United States since September 2001 have been many and wide in scope, however there is little consensus as to whether these changes are for the better or even legal. As illustrated in these articles, the several aspects of governmental policy that have been affected by these attacks have been met with acceptance and praise, as well as contempt and ridicule with articulate and sincere arguments on both sides. Though, despite the articulate nature of the arguments, they do not dissuade one from his or her own opinion. It is the learned set of moral values that create ones opinion of the new America. It can thus be surmised that there are two very distinct opinions regarding racial profiling. One opinion relays the fact that the crimes being committed and by which the police department is being accused of racial profiling are crimes committed by those races which the department chooses to pull over or frisk. The argument remains true to police tactics in organizing the information about a crime that is given by a witness or a victim of that crime; because the crimes being committed were being reported to have been crimes done by African Americans, Muslims, etc, then these are the races being searched or profiled. For the department then, racial profiling is a legitimate cause for proper policing skills. On the opposite side of the spectrum is the fact that racial profiling is merely enforcing negative connotations about a specific race and these opinions or biases are being reflected with the Justice Department and police forces. This opinion, and the side of which this paper has taken, resides in the fact that profiling only prohibits equality and further exemplifies the prejudices of the United States. These prejudices are only covered up with the ploy set about by the Justice Department which targets people of different nationalities in order to bypass security laws and diplomacy. As Hassan has stated, and has been quoted in this paper the Justice Department is even targeting people from nations who were not even involved in the September 11 attack. This statement, this veracity is simply omission and in omission is found guilt, as Hassan states, The Bush administration has seized on September 11 to reinforce US borders and scapegoat immigrants in a period of unprecedented growth of the immigrant population (Hassan 2002; 18). Thus, this paper has proven that racial profiling is a system with a great many flaws, and it is not a system without prejudice. Bibliography Aretxaga, Begona. Terror as Thrill: First Thoughts on the War on Terrorism. Anthropological Quarterly. Vol. 75, No. 1. Winter, 2001. P. 138-150. DeMelo, Diane. Sutherlands Differential Association Theory. Criminological Theory. Online Archive: May 19, 2006. DeMelo, Diane. Cohen . Criminological Theory. Online Archive. May 19, 2006. DeMelo, Diane. Social Disorganization. Criminological Theory. Online Archive: May 19, 2006. Gross, Samuel R. Racial Profiling Under Attack. Columbia Law Review. Vol. 102, No. 2. June 2002. pp. 1413-1438. Hassan, Salah. Arabs, Race and the Post-September 11 National Security State. Middle East Report. No. 224. Autumn 2002. pp. 16-24. Kydd, Andrew; Walter, Barbara. Sabotaging the Peace: The Politics of Extremist Violence. International Organization. Vol. 56, No. 2. Spring, 2002. P. 263-296. Meuser, Michael schper, Gabi. Introduction: Qualitative Research in Criminology. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research. (2002, February).

Oskar Shindler essays

Oskar Shindler essays Schindler, Oskar (1908-74), German businessman whose fame rests on his remarkable rescue of more than 1,000 Jews during the Nazi Holocaust. Oskar Schindler was born in the Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia. He moved to Poland in 1930 and made a fortune in Krakw. He saved 1,200 Polish Jews from the Nazi death camps by employing them at a munitions factory he opened using Jewish labor. The factory had been a bankrupt manufacturer of enamelware when Schindler bought it and used it to fill military contracts. In 1944, Schindler moved the factory and all of the workers to Moravia when the Red Army was closing in on Krakw. The story of Schindler's achievement was told in a 1982 book, 'Schindler's Ark', by Thomas Keneally, which was made into the highly successful motion picture 'Schindler's List' by filmmaker Steven Spielberg in 1993. The film won the Academy award for best picture as well as many other awards. Schindler moved to Argentina in 1949 with his wife, Emilie, and his German mistress. He had no financial success after the war. In fact, he started a nutria farm in Argentina that failed and a cement factory in Germany that also went bankrupt. Schindler abandoned both his wife and his mistress and moved back to Germany in 1958. When he became destitute and faced debtor's prison, Schindler called on the Jews that he had saved, and they sent him money. He traveled to Israel in the early 1960s and received such a warm welcome from the survivors and their families that he returned every year. He spent six weeks on each visit, which were paid for by the "Schindlerjuden" (Schindler Jews). Even for the people he saved, it was difficult to conceive why Schindler had risked his life to save the Jews. He had a well-earned reputation for drinking, gambling, and womanizing, and he had a comfortable relationship with the Nazis. Liam Neeson, the actor who played him in the film, believed that Schindler was possessed with...

Life as a Service (LaaS)...

Life as a Service (LaaS)... Do you ever get the feeling that your life is all about you and your own little world? I sometimes do, and when it happens I feel very small. Those are the moments where I think I need to travel the world or somehow make a bigger difference. But then there are moments where I understand on a deep level that my life is a contribution- and that every life is a contribution, whether human or plant or animal. In those moments there is no separation between me and the universe. Last week I managed to get outside of my small-brained thoughts for long enough to feel that magical connection, and to write a poem about it. My life changed for the better after writing this poem. People reached out to me more, congratulated me and affirmed me more, and even gave me free stuff! Here is my message My Life as a Blessing I am a host to the wind, the trees, the birds. It is my charge to care for every living creature. I hold space for the leaves to shake and shimmer. I hold space for the moon to shine, for the rain to cleanse the earth. I hold space for the sludge, the earthquakes, the fire ants. I wake up early to usher the sun to the sky. I make the bed for its setting. I pick up the litter. I pick raspberries for breakfast. Earth, do you have everything you need? Shall I put flowers in a vase by your bedside? A mint on your pillow? How may I serve you? How might I host you? Come on in. Rest your weary head. You are welcome here. ***** You, my reader, are welcome here on my site and as part of my work and life. What can I do for you? In the spirit of contribution and service, I invite you to ask yourself this question: How can I care for myself and the people and world around me? I look forward to hearing your thoughts. (For the non-techies out there, the title of this blog is a reference to cloud services such as Sales as a Service (SaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). Maybe some of you geeks out there caught that!)

Importance of Food Safety in Restaurants Research Paper

Importance of Food Safety in Restaurants - Research Paper Example Restaurant owners and managers should benchmark the famous example of Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald when he canceled the license of a franchise restraint when he saw a fly. Such was his commitment to cleanliness and food safety. All restaurants should make food safety and cleanliness an integral part of their mission statements, rules and regulations and should also incorporate them into their training programs. Benefits: A good training program protects the customers from any harmful effects and so in the process, it protects the business venture. Trained employees will not just ensure food safety and cleanliness but they will also be efficient and productive. Apart from protecting the customers a good training also safeguards the health and safety of employees. Employee training also ensures their motivation and loyalty because training makes them feel that they are involved in the bigger picture. A training program also makes employees more customers driven. The point that should be of emphasis is that training should not be considered a short term solution. It should be considered a policy of continuous improvement and an ongoing process. So the new standards and techniques should be taught all the time to employees. Organizations should keep in touch with national and local organizations and authorities that specialize in food and restaurant safety and training programs. Last but not least is the fact that a good training program is a great tool to reinforce in customers a feeling that the organization cares about them and the environment they provide to them. This, in fact, is crucial in building long term relationships with them.

With appropriate reference to theoretical and empirical literature, Essay

With appropriate reference to theoretical and empirical literature, critically assess the arguments of why a multinational may undertake corporate hedging - Essay Example Hence, it is the policies based on increased exposure of firm to price instability, resulting from future price knowledge. Corporate Hedging is done by multinational companies a lot, and the trend is being picked up speedily Motivation factors of multinational firms for corporate hedging seem are facilitation of internal contracting, competitive pricing concerns, and informational asymmetries. Moreover corporate hedging depends upon accounting treatment, derivative market liquidity, recent hedging outcomes, foreign exchange volatility, technical factors, and exposure volatility. What we need to understand is the reason for the multinational firms to take up corporate hedging. There are opportunities like increased leverage and tax benefits that are the motivating factors behind corporate hedging. The multinational companies opt for the hedging process simply because of the risk factor. More correctly it does not take away the risk rather the unacceptable risks are converted into acceptable risks. Many companies remain confused towards making the decision whether they should hedge or not hedge. The factors that hinder their decision making is the doubt about the risks, the cost of the hedging process itself, fear of reporting loss on derivative transactions. Also adding to all this confusion is the lack of strategies and also the un- familiarization with hedging tools. Then is the role of the corporate risk managers. They must determine the risks the company is willing to take and also the ones that the company wants to get away with through hedging. The fundamental principle behind corporate hedging is its hindrance against losses that multinational companies may face in difficult situations. Like for example the losses that incurred many IT companies by the year 1997 when there was depreciation of dollar. More commonly we can explain hedging functions in a similar manner as the hedges that protect the garden from stray dogs. The goal behind any hedging

Technology and Law Enforcement Essay Example for Free

Technology and Law Enforcement Essay This system provides rapid collect and retrieval of data about wanted fugitives, locating stolen property, locating missing people and protecting law enforcement and the public (Siegel amp; Worrall, 2012). The FBI maintains the host computer that provide telecommunication network to the CJIS Systems Agency in every official state (Mass. gov website). Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) Automated Fingerprint Identification System is a type of biometric system that uses a digital imaging to capture a fingerprint that can be compared to a database records to determine a person identity (webopedia). The use of AFIS is growing in the United States This system can classify fingerprints and identify 250 characteristics of the print. AFIS use high speed silicon chips to plot each and every detail and count the number of ridges in a person’s fingers and palm (Siegel amp; Worrall, 2012 pg. 195). I fingerprints 25 to 35 inmates a day on AFIS and it a wonderful tool because with a couple of minute their fingerprint will be sent to Washington D. C and I can identify the person and have their whole entire criminal history. Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) In the late 1980s, the federal government laid the groundwork for a system of national, state, and local DNA databases for the storage and exchange of DNA profiles. This system, called the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). CODIS is a computerized database that allows deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) obtained at a crime scene to be searched electronically to find matches among sample taken from convicted offenders and crime scenes (Siegel amp; Worrall, 2012 pg. 97). In the late 1980s and early 1990s, states began passing laws requiring offenders convicted of certain offenses to provide DNA samples. Currently all 50 states and the federal government have laws requiring that DNA samples be collected from some categories of offenders (justice. gov). Since 2011, my agency started collecting DNA from inmate that was arrested for crimes New Technology 3 against a person such as; rape, homicide, aggravated battery and aggravated assault etc. But now FDLE had added Burglary, grand theft and trespassing. When we reach 2020, no matter what category that an offender in e every offender will have to summit a DNA sample for their crime. Once CODIS make their improvements, DNA evidence will help solve and may even prevent some of the Nation’s most serious violent crimes.

Free Essays - Struggle for Self-Realization inTheir Eyes Were Watching God :: Their Eyes Were Watching God Essays

Struggle for Self-Realization in Their Eyes Were Watching God  Ã‚   Zora Neale Hurston, the author of Their Eyes Were Watching God uses Janie’s experiences to show her struggle for self-realization.   Hurston’s life is similar to Janie’s in how they are searching for love and self-realization.   During Hurston’s childhood (1890’s), her father gave much attention to her sister, and she was jealous of her; Janie also felt â€Å"unloved† by Nanny, her grandmother.   When Hurston was young, her family moved to Eatonville, Florida, where her dad became the mayor.   Her experience parallels Janie’s life, when she moved to Eatonville with Jody, her second husband.   Jody is much like Hurston’s father John that he is unaffectionate towards Janie, and gives her no freedom.   Hurston’s mother Lucy had encouraged her to continue reading and writing, despite her husband’s wishes.   When Zora was five years old (1896), the Supreme Court ruled that Separate but Equal was constituti onal, and seventy-seven lynchings took place; which disclosed that she would have to work extra hard in order to earn recognition as a writer.   At age eight, she announced that she wanted to be a poet; her mother was proud of her, but her father loathed her even more because of it.   In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston shows Janie’s struggle for self-realization through love by all of Janie’s conquests.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From her search of love from:   the pear tree, Nanny, Logan, Jody, and Tea Cake, Janie finds herself.   The symbol of the pear tree relates to Janie’s coming of age, and makes Janie want to find marriage and to see the world.   Nanny was dissolving this image by making her marry Logan Killicks.   Janie was expecting to find love through her marriage with Logan, but instead discovered that marriage does not make love when Logan tries to force her to work.   Janie meets Jody one day on Logan’s farm, and she believes that he will show her the world, and love, so she marries him, and leaves Logan.   She soon discovers that all he wants to be is a big voice, and has only married her for his image.   After Jody dies, Janie meets Tea Cake at her store; and, although he does not have a lot of money, she truly believes that he loves her, and will fulfill her life-long search for happiness.   Tea Cake ends up being her true love, and she is happy with him, no matter where they are, or how rich they are.

Paper on Critically Examining the Educational Policy of Malaysia

Malaysia is one of the world's fastest growing economic regions, a rapidly growing nation in the heart of South East Asia. Within a span of two decades, it has succeeded in bringing about socioeconomic transformation of the society; from its architecture to its lifestyle, the Malaysian character speaks of a comfortable coexistence of its ethnic, cultural as well as religious diversity that continues to be a part of this country's charm and practical reality. Malaysia's Vision 2020 steers the nation towards becoming a fully developed and industrialized country, a democratic society that is strong in religious and spiritual values, a society that is liberal and tolerant, scientific and progressive, innovative and forward looking. This goal is reflected in the mission of the Ministry of Education, that is: â€Å"To develop a world class quality education system which will realize the full potential of the individual and fulfill the aspiration of the Malaysian nation.† Education has provided a solid platform for country's political as well as economic stability with a view to establishing Malaysia as a regional center for academic excellence and turning education into a top quality export commodity. The Malaysian education system has equipped its young people with a level of competence and skills which has put them on par with the top students in some of the world's best universities, and at 93%, Malaysia's literacy rate is one of the highest in the world. The paper aims at critically examining the educational policy of the Ministry of Education Malaysia, with description of social, governmental and economic environments in which the policy was developed. Effectiveness of the policy will be evaluated and problems related to it will be further highlighted, with comparison to the one of the models from class lecture, i.e. the incremental model of public policy. The foundation for the development of the national education system rests on the National Philosophy of Education, which states that: Education in Malaysia is an on-going effort towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Malaysia being a multi-relligious country, spiritual, religious and moral characteristics of the individuals are highly emphasized and encouraged, which is clear from the national philosophy as well. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards, and who are responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at large. One of the most significant reforms initiated in recent years is the formulation of new legislation on education, which will affect the process of educational reforms from pre-school to higher education. The Education Act 1996 replacing the old one of 1961 aims at consolidating the national system of education and widen the scope of education in the country. All categories of schools, with the exception of international ones will be incorporated under the national system of education, which is characterized by the use of a common medium of instruction, a nationally excepted curriculum and common public exams. It will also cover such areas as upgrading and enhancing of pre-school education, teacher education, special education, private and technical education. It gives the education greater prominence, ensuring relevance and quality in the system of education. The Ministry of Education is directly responsible for the organization, management and development of the education in the country and has a centralized system of educational administration headed by the Minister of Education. Hi is assisted by two Deputy Ministers of Education. The secretary-general of Education is responsible for the administrative matters, and the Director-General of Education is concerned with professional matters, and both are directly responsible to the Minister of Education. â€Å"The Ministry was restructured in 1995† and under this new structure there are six principal Departments, such as Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education Department, Department of Higher Education which coordinates governance and policy formulation of public universities and higher education institutions in the country; Technical Education Department which is responsible for conducting research, planning and implementing technical and vocational programs; Department of Private Education which monitors and regulates the development of private education in the country; Department of Special Education; and Department of Islamic Education which supervises the Islamic and Moral Education at all public primary and secondary schools. Besides these six Departments, there are several Divisions, agencies and statutory bodies within the Ministry of Education that are responsible for professional and administrative matters that are not handled by the six Departments. They can be classified under two broad categories, namely Professional and Administrative Divisions. Under Professional Divisions are: Educational Planning and Research Division, which undertakes macro educational planning, and monitors the implementation of educational policies and programs; Educational Technology Division, which upgrades the quality of the teaching-learning process by providing educational media and technological services to support educational programs; Examinations Syndicate responsible for organizing, administrating and conducting all public examinations for schools; and Federal Inspectorate of Schools, providing professional supervision on the teaching-learning process of teachers and supervisory management to school principals. Under Administrative Divisions, there are Organizational Development and Services Division, which oversees the implementation of the terms and conditions of the education service; Scholarship Division; Management Services Division responsible for handling general administrative matters for the Ministry of Education; Financial Division; Information Systems Division and International Relations Division. The administrative structure is organized at four hierarchical levels, namely, national, state, district and school. A system of committees is established in the Ministry of Education to facilitate inter-division and intra-division decision-making. The Minister chairs the Education Planning Committee, which is the highest decision-making body at the federal level concerned with educational policy adoption, adjustment and implementation. Policy matters in education with wider ramifications are referred to Cabinet before final decisions are made. b) State Education Department (SED) Those educational policies and plans made at the federal level are implemented at the state level through the State Education Department. It supervises the implementation of education policies, monitor national education programs, project and activities, as well as providing feedback to the central agencies for general planning. District Education Offices are set up in almost all states, except Perlis, Malacca and the Federal Territories, in order to support the state level administrative system. It basically provides the linkage between schools and the SED. At the level of school, the Headmasters/Principals, assisted by two or three Senior Assistants are responsible for providing professional as well as administrative leadership in schools. The Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) foster better cooperation between the school and the community. Malaysia provides 11 years of free schooling. Education is the responsibility of the Federal Government, and 20,4% of the annual National Budget is allocated for education. The national education system encompasses education beginning from pre-school to higher education. Primary and secondary education is free but not compulsory. Excellence has been achieved through a carefully designed system that allows flexibility and room for individual approaches. This is really apparent at the pre-school and again at tertiary level. However primary and secondary education is highly structured, with a curriculum which enables the sound acquisition of fundamental knowledge and skills. The admission age to the first year of primary education is six. Most schools in the country are government or government-aided schools. The school year starts in January and ends in November. Students sit for common exams at the end off primary, lower secondary, upper secondary and sixth form levels. The primary level covers a period of between five to seven years, the lower secondary three years, followed by two years at the upper secondary and another two years at the post secondary level. Tertiary education in both the academic and professional fields id provided by universities colleges and other public and private institutions of higher education as shown in Chart 1. Pre-school education id part of the national education system under the Education Act, 1996. The aim of pre-school education is to provide a firm foundation for formal education at the later stage. They are run by government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO's) as well as private institutions. Children generally begin their pre-school level between four and five years of age. Within the broad guidelines set by the Ministry of Education, a high degree of flexibility prevails in terms of teaching approaches and medium of instruction. The curriculum guidelines set by the Ministry of Education enables pre-school children to acquire sufficient basic communication, social and other positive skills in preparation for primary schooling. Primary school begins at six years of age, and may be completed within five to seven years. Education at this level aims to provide the child with a firm foundation in the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as emphasizing thinking skills and values across the curriculum. Eventhough education at this level is not compulsory, more than 99 percent of this age group are enrolled in primary schools nationwide. Taking into consideration the multi-ethnic nature of its population, Malaysia has set up two categories of schools: the National and National-type schools. In the national schools the medium of instruction is the Malay language, whereas the medium of instruction in the national type schools is either Chinese or Tamil languages. In both types of schools the Malay language is compulsory, and English is also taught as second language in addition to Chinese, Tamil and other indigenous languages. The curriculum used at this level id the Integrated Curriculum for Primary Schools (ICPS) which consists of three main areas, namely, Communication, Man and his Environment, and Self Development. Two assessment examinations at year three and six are used to evaluate student performance. Outstanding students at year three can opt to go straight into year five. Secondary school offers a comprehensive education program. It aims to promote the general development of students by helping them to acquire knowledge, insight and skills from wide range of arts and sciences as well as vocational and technical subjects that provide a practical bias and hands-on approach to learning. Basically, the ultimate goal is to develop a strong foundation for life-long education as students are introduced to the beginnings of specialization. The medium of instruction is the Malay language, English, Tamil and Chinese are also widely taught as second language. Following the Lower Secondary Assessment examination (PMR) at year three, students move into more specialized fields of study at the upper secondary level, based on choice and aptitude of the students, and are reevaluated at year five through the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) assessment examination. Some secondary schools offer the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM) program which qualifies students for entry into the national universities, colleges and teacher training institutions. Co-curricular programs are regarded as integral part of the school curriculum, and there are basically three types of co-curricular activities, namely, uniformed bodies, clubs and sports. Some co-curricular programs and activities are partly financed by government agencies and the private sector, and implemented at school, district, state and national levels. Various co-curricular programs are organized to develop character, discipline and leadership qualities of the students. Some of these programs are: School Youth Cadet Corp., School Fire Brigade Corp., and other leadership courses. The Youth is highly encouraged to indulge in various Entrepreneurial Programs, writing, speaking and debating competitions as well as cultural activities to create cultural awareness and literary appreciation among the students. Cultural exchange programs are held to promote closer ties and foster better relationship between students of different countries regionally and internationally. Special education provides educational opportunities for pupils with special needs, such as the spastic, handicapped, visually impaired, hearing impaired as well as those with learning disabilities. Currently there are 2883 schools in the country which are equipped with both teaching staff and facilities to help integrate these children within the general school system. However, those needing more intensive care and attention attend 31 special schools. The Education Act 1996 provides for special provision of special education in special schools or in regular primary and secondary schools. As a policy, the duration of schooling for children with special needs in a formal system should not be less than that accorded to pupils in regular primary and secondary schools. To ensure effective implementation of special education programs, the Special Teacher's Training College conducts courses for teachers of the visually and hearing impaired students. By the way of shedding light on the policies adopted by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia, it would be expedient to evaluate their effectiveness, and give some solutions for future improvements. During the Sixth Plan period, i.e. 1991-95, the overall thrust of education was on expanding capacity and increasing access to all levels of education, strengthening the delivery system and improving the quality of education. Consequently, it resulted in increases in enrollment at all levels of education. Recognizing the importance of pre-school education efforts were taken by the Ministry to increase facilities and improve quality of pre-school education. Efforts by both the public and private sectors including non-governmental organizations, resulted in an increase in pre-school centers from about 6,960 in 1990 to 10,350 in 1995. Correspondingly, the number of children in the 5-6 age category enrolled increased from 328,800 in 1990 to 420,600 in 1995, representing an increase of 27,9 per cent.10 Establishment of pre-school centers in the rural areas was very much emphasized, â€Å"of the total pre-school centers established by the Government, 80% were in rural areas, which benefited about 204,100 rural children.11 In primary education the main focus was on expanding capacity, improving existing facilities, and the quality of teaching and learning materials. In order to instill interest in science from an early age, the old existing syllabus were revised and some new ones were introduced. In order to accommodate increases in enrollment, reduce overcrowding, a total of 9,530 additional classrooms were constructed. With hostel facilities provided in rural and remote areas, students were able to gain access to a more conducive learning environment. In order to attract qualified and experienced teachers to serve in the rural and remote areas, an incentives were introduced for those those willing to teach in rural areas. Efforts were also undertaken to provide greater access to education for disabled children and those with learning difficulties. Despite efforts to improve the overall academic performance of primary school students, gaps in student's achievements between rural and urban schools still remained. Enrollment at the secondary level in Government and Government aided schools increased by 23.1 per cent from about 1.3 million in 1990 to about 1.6 million in 199512 as shown in Table 1. With the gradual implementation of the policy in the Sixth Plan, the transition rate from lower to upper secondary level improved from 68 per cent in 1990 to 83 per cent in 1995, while the participation rate at the upper secondary level increased from 50. Per cent in 1990 to 63.7 per cent in 1995.13 Due to increasing enrollment in urban schools and to reduce overcrowding, a total of 5,20 additional classrooms was planned for construction. However, only 75% or 3,960 classrooms were completed. Despite improvement measures bring undertaken, there were still concerns regarding student achievement and the proportion of students who chose science subjects at the upper secondary level. In order to meet the manpower requirements of a rapidly growing economy, tertiary education was directed at increasing enrollment at the degree, diploma and certificate levels, particularly in science, medicine, engineering and other technical related courses.. Efforts were undertaken to increase intake into local public institutions of higher learning by expanding physical facilities of existing campuses and establishing new universities. Opportunities for Bumiputera to pursue studies at the tertiary level were expanded at the Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM) where enrollment increased from 27.500 in 1990 to 35.480 in 1995. Enrollment at the degree, diploma and certificate levels increased by 52.7 per cent from 100.590 in 1990 to 153.610 in 1995. In 1995 an estimated 50.600 Malaysian students or 20 per cent of students in tertiary education were enrolled in various institutions overseas.14 In order to meet the objective of education and skill training programs, which is to produce an adequate number of skilled and quality workforce to meet the manpower requirements of the country as well as produce citizens who are disciplined and possess high moral values and good work ethics, the following measures were suggested:  · to increase the capacity of existing institutions and establishing new ones, particularly in science, engineering and other technical fields;  · strengthen the delivery system through the provision of qualified and experienced teachers and instructors, as well as greater utilization of up to date technologies and computers so as to improve the overall quality;  · improve the management and implementation of education and training programs through enhancing managerial capability as well as strengthening the monitoring and evaluating system;  · strengthen research and development (R&D) within the existing institutions of higher learning as well s collaborating with local and foreign R&D institutions;  · increase science and technical manpower, particularly in R&D;  · provide appropriate incentives to increase enrollment in the science stream.  · improve educational facilities in rural areas so as to reduce dropouts from the schools, while at the same time helping the children to perform better;  · inculcate positive values and right attitudes as well as innovativeness, communication and analytical skills among students and trainees;  · encourage reemployment of retired teachers to overcome the problems with shortages in critical subjects;  · encourage more private sector investment in education and training to complement public sector efforts.15 As far as the future development of pre-school education is concerned, the Government targets at participation of at least 65 per cent of children in the age of 5-6. A comprehensive policy will be formulated for the development of pre-school education, covering major aspects such as curriculum, physical facilities and teacher training, in addition to further improvements of coordination and quality of pre-school education in the public and private sectors. In this respect the latter will be encouraged to provide more pre-school facilities. Furthermore, greater parental involvement in their children's education will be encouraged to increase awareness of parents on the importance of pre-school education in their children's development. New syllabus and teaching methods with emphasis to practical experience will be further developed. As far as secondary education is concerned, the enrollment at the secondary level in Government and Government-aided schools is expected to increase by 25 per cent from about 1.6 million in 1995 to 2.0 million in the year 2000. The increase will be more significant at the upper secondary level with the extension of basic education from nine to 11 years. A total of 9,770 new classrooms will be built in order to accommodate the increase in enrollment and reduce overcrowding.16 Teaching method which are simple, practical and interesting will continue to be used in order to increase student's interest as well as improve their performance. Appropriate incentives will be provided to science students so as to increase enrollment in the science stream. Taking into account the latest technological development, the use of computers in secondary schools will be extensively promoted to build a strong foundation for a computer literate society. Extensive monitoring and evaluation of student's performance at all levels will be undertaken, in addition to development of new teaching and learning approaches so as to enhance student's academic performance. Paper on Critically Examining the Educational Policy of Malaysia Malaysia is one of the world's fastest growing economic regions, a rapidly growing nation in the heart of South East Asia. Within a span of two decades, it has succeeded in bringing about socioeconomic transformation of the society; from its architecture to its lifestyle, the Malaysian character speaks of a comfortable coexistence of its ethnic, cultural as well as religious diversity that continues to be a part of this country's charm and practical reality. Malaysia's Vision 2020 steers the nation towards becoming a fully developed and industrialized country, a democratic society that is strong in religious and spiritual values, a society that is liberal and tolerant, scientific and progressive, innovative and forward looking. This goal is reflected in the mission of the Ministry of Education, that is: â€Å"To develop a world class quality education system which will realize the full potential of the individual and fulfill the aspiration of the Malaysian nation.† Education has provided a solid platform for country's political as well as economic stability with a view to establishing Malaysia as a regional center for academic excellence and turning education into a top quality export commodity. The Malaysian education system has equipped its young people with a level of competence and skills which has put them on par with the top students in some of the world's best universities, and at 93%, Malaysia's literacy rate is one of the highest in the world. The paper aims at critically examining the educational policy of the Ministry of Education Malaysia, with description of social, governmental and economic environments in which the policy was developed. Effectiveness of the policy will be evaluated and problems related to it will be further highlighted, with comparison to the one of the models from class lecture, i.e. the incremental model of public policy. The foundation for the development of the national education system rests on the National Philosophy of Education, which states that: Education in Malaysia is an on-going effort towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Malaysia being a multi-relligious country, spiritual, religious and moral characteristics of the individuals are highly emphasized and encouraged, which is clear from the national philosophy as well. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards, and who are responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at large. One of the most significant reforms initiated in recent years is the formulation of new legislation on education, which will affect the process of educational reforms from pre-school to higher education. The Education Act 1996 replacing the old one of 1961 aims at consolidating the national system of education and widen the scope of education in the country. All categories of schools, with the exception of international ones will be incorporated under the national system of education, which is characterized by the use of a common medium of instruction, a nationally excepted curriculum and common public exams. It will also cover such areas as upgrading and enhancing of pre-school education, teacher education, special education, private and technical education. It gives the education greater prominence, ensuring relevance and quality in the system of education. The Ministry of Education is directly responsible for the organization, management and development of the education in the country and has a centralized system of educational administration headed by the Minister of Education. Hi is assisted by two Deputy Ministers of Education. The secretary-general of Education is responsible for the administrative matters, and the Director-General of Education is concerned with professional matters, and both are directly responsible to the Minister of Education. â€Å"The Ministry was restructured in 1995† and under this new structure there are six principal Departments, such as Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education Department, Department of Higher Education which coordinates governance and policy formulation of public universities and higher education institutions in the country; Technical Education Department which is responsible for conducting research, planning and implementing technical and vocational programs; Department of Private Education which monitors and regulates the development of private education in the country; Department of Special Education; and Department of Islamic Education which supervises the Islamic and Moral Education at all public primary and secondary schools. Besides these six Departments, there are several Divisions, agencies and statutory bodies within the Ministry of Education that are responsible for professional and administrative matters that are not handled by the six Departments. They can be classified under two broad categories, namely Professional and Administrative Divisions. Under Professional Divisions are: Educational Planning and Research Division, which undertakes macro educational planning, and monitors the implementation of educational policies and programs; Educational Technology Division, which upgrades the quality of the teaching-learning process by providing educational media and technological services to support educational programs; Examinations Syndicate responsible for organizing, administrating and conducting all public examinations for schools; and Federal Inspectorate of Schools, providing professional supervision on the teaching-learning process of teachers and supervisory management to school principals. Under Administrative Divisions, there are Organizational Development and Services Division, which oversees the implementation of the terms and conditions of the education service; Scholarship Division; Management Services Division responsible for handling general administrative matters for the Ministry of Education; Financial Division; Information Systems Division and International Relations Division. The administrative structure is organized at four hierarchical levels, namely, national, state, district and school. A system of committees is established in the Ministry of Education to facilitate inter-division and intra-division decision-making. The Minister chairs the Education Planning Committee, which is the highest decision-making body at the federal level concerned with educational policy adoption, adjustment and implementation. Policy matters in education with wider ramifications are referred to Cabinet before final decisions are made. b) State Education Department (SED) Those educational policies and plans made at the federal level are implemented at the state level through the State Education Department. It supervises the implementation of education policies, monitor national education programs, project and activities, as well as providing feedback to the central agencies for general planning. District Education Offices are set up in almost all states, except Perlis, Malacca and the Federal Territories, in order to support the state level administrative system. It basically provides the linkage between schools and the SED. At the level of school, the Headmasters/Principals, assisted by two or three Senior Assistants are responsible for providing professional as well as administrative leadership in schools. The Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) foster better cooperation between the school and the community. Malaysia provides 11 years of free schooling. Education is the responsibility of the Federal Government, and 20,4% of the annual National Budget is allocated for education. The national education system encompasses education beginning from pre-school to higher education. Primary and secondary education is free but not compulsory. Excellence has been achieved through a carefully designed system that allows flexibility and room for individual approaches. This is really apparent at the pre-school and again at tertiary level. However primary and secondary education is highly structured, with a curriculum which enables the sound acquisition of fundamental knowledge and skills. The admission age to the first year of primary education is six. Most schools in the country are government or government-aided schools. The school year starts in January and ends in November. Students sit for common exams at the end off primary, lower secondary, upper secondary and sixth form levels. The primary level covers a period of between five to seven years, the lower secondary three years, followed by two years at the upper secondary and another two years at the post secondary level. Tertiary education in both the academic and professional fields id provided by universities colleges and other public and private institutions of higher education as shown in Chart 1. Pre-school education id part of the national education system under the Education Act, 1996. The aim of pre-school education is to provide a firm foundation for formal education at the later stage. They are run by government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO's) as well as private institutions. Children generally begin their pre-school level between four and five years of age. Within the broad guidelines set by the Ministry of Education, a high degree of flexibility prevails in terms of teaching approaches and medium of instruction. The curriculum guidelines set by the Ministry of Education enables pre-school children to acquire sufficient basic communication, social and other positive skills in preparation for primary schooling. Primary school begins at six years of age, and may be completed within five to seven years. Education at this level aims to provide the child with a firm foundation in the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as emphasizing thinking skills and values across the curriculum. Eventhough education at this level is not compulsory, more than 99 percent of this age group are enrolled in primary schools nationwide. Taking into consideration the multi-ethnic nature of its population, Malaysia has set up two categories of schools: the National and National-type schools. In the national schools the medium of instruction is the Malay language, whereas the medium of instruction in the national type schools is either Chinese or Tamil languages. In both types of schools the Malay language is compulsory, and English is also taught as second language in addition to Chinese, Tamil and other indigenous languages. The curriculum used at this level id the Integrated Curriculum for Primary Schools (ICPS) which consists of three main areas, namely, Communication, Man and his Environment, and Self Development. Two assessment examinations at year three and six are used to evaluate student performance. Outstanding students at year three can opt to go straight into year five. Secondary school offers a comprehensive education program. It aims to promote the general development of students by helping them to acquire knowledge, insight and skills from wide range of arts and sciences as well as vocational and technical subjects that provide a practical bias and hands-on approach to learning. Basically, the ultimate goal is to develop a strong foundation for life-long education as students are introduced to the beginnings of specialization. The medium of instruction is the Malay language, English, Tamil and Chinese are also widely taught as second language. Following the Lower Secondary Assessment examination (PMR) at year three, students move into more specialized fields of study at the upper secondary level, based on choice and aptitude of the students, and are reevaluated at year five through the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) assessment examination. Some secondary schools offer the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM) program which qualifies students for entry into the national universities, colleges and teacher training institutions. Co-curricular programs are regarded as integral part of the school curriculum, and there are basically three types of co-curricular activities, namely, uniformed bodies, clubs and sports. Some co-curricular programs and activities are partly financed by government agencies and the private sector, and implemented at school, district, state and national levels. Various co-curricular programs are organized to develop character, discipline and leadership qualities of the students. Some of these programs are: School Youth Cadet Corp., School Fire Brigade Corp., and other leadership courses. The Youth is highly encouraged to indulge in various Entrepreneurial Programs, writing, speaking and debating competitions as well as cultural activities to create cultural awareness and literary appreciation among the students. Cultural exchange programs are held to promote closer ties and foster better relationship between students of different countries regionally and internationally. Special education provides educational opportunities for pupils with special needs, such as the spastic, handicapped, visually impaired, hearing impaired as well as those with learning disabilities. Currently there are 2883 schools in the country which are equipped with both teaching staff and facilities to help integrate these children within the general school system. However, those needing more intensive care and attention attend 31 special schools. The Education Act 1996 provides for special provision of special education in special schools or in regular primary and secondary schools. As a policy, the duration of schooling for children with special needs in a formal system should not be less than that accorded to pupils in regular primary and secondary schools. To ensure effective implementation of special education programs, the Special Teacher's Training College conducts courses for teachers of the visually and hearing impaired students. By the way of shedding light on the policies adopted by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia, it would be expedient to evaluate their effectiveness, and give some solutions for future improvements. During the Sixth Plan period, i.e. 1991-95, the overall thrust of education was on expanding capacity and increasing access to all levels of education, strengthening the delivery system and improving the quality of education. Consequently, it resulted in increases in enrollment at all levels of education. Recognizing the importance of pre-school education efforts were taken by the Ministry to increase facilities and improve quality of pre-school education. Efforts by both the public and private sectors including non-governmental organizations, resulted in an increase in pre-school centers from about 6,960 in 1990 to 10,350 in 1995. Correspondingly, the number of children in the 5-6 age category enrolled increased from 328,800 in 1990 to 420,600 in 1995, representing an increase of 27,9 per cent.10 Establishment of pre-school centers in the rural areas was very much emphasized, â€Å"of the total pre-school centers established by the Government, 80% were in rural areas, which benefited about 204,100 rural children.11 In primary education the main focus was on expanding capacity, improving existing facilities, and the quality of teaching and learning materials. In order to instill interest in science from an early age, the old existing syllabus were revised and some new ones were introduced. In order to accommodate increases in enrollment, reduce overcrowding, a total of 9,530 additional classrooms were constructed. With hostel facilities provided in rural and remote areas, students were able to gain access to a more conducive learning environment. In order to attract qualified and experienced teachers to serve in the rural and remote areas, an incentives were introduced for those those willing to teach in rural areas. Efforts were also undertaken to provide greater access to education for disabled children and those with learning difficulties. Despite efforts to improve the overall academic performance of primary school students, gaps in student's achievements between rural and urban schools still remained. Enrollment at the secondary level in Government and Government aided schools increased by 23.1 per cent from about 1.3 million in 1990 to about 1.6 million in 199512 as shown in Table 1. With the gradual implementation of the policy in the Sixth Plan, the transition rate from lower to upper secondary level improved from 68 per cent in 1990 to 83 per cent in 1995, while the participation rate at the upper secondary level increased from 50. Per cent in 1990 to 63.7 per cent in 1995.13 Due to increasing enrollment in urban schools and to reduce overcrowding, a total of 5,20 additional classrooms was planned for construction. However, only 75% or 3,960 classrooms were completed. Despite improvement measures bring undertaken, there were still concerns regarding student achievement and the proportion of students who chose science subjects at the upper secondary level. In order to meet the manpower requirements of a rapidly growing economy, tertiary education was directed at increasing enrollment at the degree, diploma and certificate levels, particularly in science, medicine, engineering and other technical related courses.. Efforts were undertaken to increase intake into local public institutions of higher learning by expanding physical facilities of existing campuses and establishing new universities. Opportunities for Bumiputera to pursue studies at the tertiary level were expanded at the Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM) where enrollment increased from 27.500 in 1990 to 35.480 in 1995. Enrollment at the degree, diploma and certificate levels increased by 52.7 per cent from 100.590 in 1990 to 153.610 in 1995. In 1995 an estimated 50.600 Malaysian students or 20 per cent of students in tertiary education were enrolled in various institutions overseas.14 In order to meet the objective of education and skill training programs, which is to produce an adequate number of skilled and quality workforce to meet the manpower requirements of the country as well as produce citizens who are disciplined and possess high moral values and good work ethics, the following measures were suggested:  · to increase the capacity of existing institutions and establishing new ones, particularly in science, engineering and other technical fields;  · strengthen the delivery system through the provision of qualified and experienced teachers and instructors, as well as greater utilization of up to date technologies and computers so as to improve the overall quality;  · improve the management and implementation of education and training programs through enhancing managerial capability as well as strengthening the monitoring and evaluating system;  · strengthen research and development (R&D) within the existing institutions of higher learning as well s collaborating with local and foreign R&D institutions;  · increase science and technical manpower, particularly in R&D;  · provide appropriate incentives to increase enrollment in the science stream.  · improve educational facilities in rural areas so as to reduce dropouts from the schools, while at the same time helping the children to perform better;  · inculcate positive values and right attitudes as well as innovativeness, communication and analytical skills among students and trainees;  · encourage reemployment of retired teachers to overcome the problems with shortages in critical subjects;  · encourage more private sector investment in education and training to complement public sector efforts.15 As far as the future development of pre-school education is concerned, the Government targets at participation of at least 65 per cent of children in the age of 5-6. A comprehensive policy will be formulated for the development of pre-school education, covering major aspects such as curriculum, physical facilities and teacher training, in addition to further improvements of coordination and quality of pre-school education in the public and private sectors. In this respect the latter will be encouraged to provide more pre-school facilities. Furthermore, greater parental involvement in their children's education will be encouraged to increase awareness of parents on the importance of pre-school education in their children's development. New syllabus and teaching methods with emphasis to practical experience will be further developed. As far as secondary education is concerned, the enrollment at the secondary level in Government and Government-aided schools is expected to increase by 25 per cent from about 1.6 million in 1995 to 2.0 million in the year 2000. The increase will be more significant at the upper secondary level with the extension of basic education from nine to 11 years. A total of 9,770 new classrooms will be built in order to accommodate the increase in enrollment and reduce overcrowding.16 Teaching method which are simple, practical and interesting will continue to be used in order to increase student's interest as well as improve their performance. Appropriate incentives will be provided to science students so as to increase enrollment in the science stream. Taking into account the latest technological development, the use of computers in secondary schools will be extensively promoted to build a strong foundation for a computer literate society. Extensive monitoring and evaluation of student's performance at all levels will be undertaken, in addition to development of new teaching and learning approaches so as to enhance student's academic performance.