Describes nine categories of criteria used in developing nations to determine high school admission, the most common being competitive examinations and regional or school-level quotas. Discusses attempts to balance academic qualifications and equity concerns in Papua New Guinea and other countries, and dilemmas related to examination biases,…

Uses a typical Lorenz-curve framework to measure inequality of resource allocation in South African education. Although improvements have been achieved over the past two decades, substantial inequalities remain. The current distribution of educational resources is much more unequal than that for developed countries but not as inequitable as that…

Paper traces historical events in the development of primary science in Botswana. Before 1969, the word "science" in primary schools was nonexistent. The revised 1982 primary science curriculum coincided with the period of rapid industrial developments in Botswana and was intended to prepare the nation for industrialization and to raise…

In recent years, child prostitution has dramatically increased. Associations for the protection of children in many European and Asian countries are calling for an international campaign against child sexual exploitation. The program targets the practice of sexual tourism, and it has been successful so far. (SM)

Education and training are seen as a panacea for the problems of deskilling and mass unemployment. The lack of an overarching policy suggests a need for a discourse accepting paid work as an important area for lifelong learning, but also recognizing the learning needs of people largely excluded from paid work. (SK)

Describes Assessment of Basic Competencies (ABC), a methodology for measuring writing, arithmetic, and selected life skills that is simple, inexpensive, and easy to reproduce. Provides results of a pilot implementation of ABC among 2,100 children in Bangladesh between the ages of 11 and 12. (35 citations) (MAB)

Discusses technology-related issues that face distance teaching institutions in developing countries. The lack of technology available in developing countries is considered; future possibilities with CD-ROM are described; and implications of political changes and new technological developments are suggested for both developed and developing…

Paper examines how objective and detached scientific discourse negatively influences children's learning, especially in significantly oral cultures like India. It recommends fundamental redefinition of scientific discourse, urging school science to review communicability, address disparate linguistic and conceptual structures in diverse student…

Describes a study that examined the effects of austerity on collection development at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University (Nigeria) library since its inception in 1977 through 1990. The findings reported indicate that decreased allocations have led to declining book purchases and journal subscriptions and large debts to foreign book dealers. (23…

Examines effects of participation in cooperative farm development programs on fertility behavior in Nepal. Data were collected by ethnographic and survey methods. Results confirm co-op membership increases contraceptive use. Concludes co-op membership creates social pressure to limit fertility. Suggests policy implications. (TES)

Since the 1970s, each presidential regime has presented an educational modernization reform program for Mexico. Although the various reforms have widened educational opportunities, the quality of education has continued to deteriorate because of student and teacher desertion, a low scholastic progress index, accessibility problems, lack of an…

Analyzes the content of chapters on education in 22 introductory sociology textbooks. Argues that the texts focus on the northern industrialized nations to the exclusion of developing nations' educational issues. Suggests that textbook coverage of northern influence, cultural factors, alternative developing nations' educational models, inadequate…

Discusses developments in publishing in Sub-Saharan Africa and suggests implications for American libraries. Highlights include economic constraints; state-sponsored publishing; African authors; publishing in Nigeria and South Africa; publishing for children; religious publishing houses; multinational firms; cooperative efforts that offer…

Using Botswana labor force census data plus surveys of qualified manual workers, this article analyzes the impact of training on earnings and calculates the rates of return to both general schooling and preemployment vocational training. Returns show a similar structure for both types of instruction. All exceed 20 percent. (10 references) (MLH)

Evaluates technical secondary education in Togo and Cameroon from the market perspective, using tracer study data. To help overcome difficulties in finding employment after training, many individuals secure work in the low-paying informal sector. One solution is to stimulate and enhance the role of informal training through apprentice training…