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SANTIAGO, Jul 1, 2011 (IPS) - "Today we need structural changes; we need to move towards a new model of education in Chile and to sit down to talks that include all of the concerned parties," said Camila Vallejo, one of the leaders of the student movement that has the right-wing government of Sebastián Piñera up against the wall.The conflict over education broke out once again in mid-June, with occupations of public schools and universities and street protests, to which the government has responded with harsh crackdowns.

It brings the salary of the lowest paid teacher in public schools to Sh13,700 a month while the highest paid teacher will get Sh120,270 minus allowances.But some teachers said the pay increase was far below the rise in cost of living.

Mary Rasul of Mama Ngina Girls Secondary in Mombasa, said she would only believe they would get a pay rise when she sees the money. “This can be mere public relations. Let’s wait and see if it will be reflected in our payslips,” she said.

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Student protesters who have snarled Chile's universities and high schools with weeks of strikes and demonstrations called Monday for a national referendum on their demand for free and high-quality education.The students also want teachers to join them Tuesday in a nationwide strike, and plan to march again without police permission down the capital's main avenue. When they marched last week, nearly 900 protesters were arrested.

Another mass failure has been recorded by students across the country in the just announced 2011 June/July Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results. Registrar, Chief Executive of the Council, (NECO) while announcing the results in Minna Friday, exonerated the Council from the poor outing of students nationwide, adding that structures that ensured that appropriate standards of excellence and transparency were maintained before, during and after the examinations were put in place.

NEW DELHI — India introduced a cheap tablet computer Wednesday, saying it would deliver modern technology to the countryside to help lift villagers out of poverty.

Developer Datawind is selling the tablets to the government for about $45 each, and subsidies will reduce that to $35 for students and teachers.

“This is not just for us. This is for all of you who are disempowered,” he said. “This is for all those who live on the fringes of society.”Despite a burgeoning tech industry and decades of robust economic growth, there are still hundreds of thousands of Indians with no electricity, let alone access to computers and information that could help farmers improve yields, business startups reach clients, or students qualify for university.

ADEN, Yemen, 15 September 2011 – It is the fourth day of Ramadan in Aden, a port city in the south of Yemen, and the temperature has reached over 40 degrees centigrade. Although it is summer holiday, the yard of Belqis School in Aden is full of children. Some play under the sun, while others attend educational sessions in a tent organized by UNICEF. The children are from families displaced by fighting in the restive region of Abyan between government troops and militants suspected of links to al-Qaeda.

Classrooms that once were filled with desks and chairs have now become makeshift homes, with some rooms accommodating up to 24 people.

“The sound of the aircraft is still in my ears day and night,” she said. “There were heavy steps coming closer and closer to our door and then suddenly my father opened the door and a guy wearing a military uniform asked us to leave.” Amani added sadly, “I still remember my mother crying, refusing to leave.”

A pilot project will be launched later this year in the southern province of Sindh as Pakistan looks to further strengthen ties with its giant neighbour. While Islamabad and Washington continue to eye each other warily – and a planned visit by President Barack Obama has been postponed - 2011 has already been declared the year of "Pak-China Friendship". The country's cricketing authorities have even considered playing Test matches in China while touring sides avoid Pakistan for fear of terrorist attack. Now, education authorities in Sindh say they plan to make Mandarin compulsory in schools from Class 6 (10- and 11-year-olds). "Our trade, educational and other relations are growing with China everyday and now it is necessary for our younger generation to have command over their language," said Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq¸ senior provincial education minister, as he unveiled the policy.