Posted on 10/03/2004 7:49:00 AM PDT by freespirited
Legislation Would Make Universal Basic Education a Major Foreign Policy Goal, Providing a new Tool Against Terrorism
Washington, DC - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY) and Congresswoman Nita Lowey (NY-18) announced, today, the introduction of legislation that would focus U.S. attention on the need to provide all children around the world with a quality basic education. The Education for All Act of 2004 would do this by concentrating on policy, leadership and resources, three areas in which U.S. action has long been lacking. Senator Clinton believes that making universal basic education a major goal of U.S. foreign policy, the world and the nation will be safer. "By committing the United States to an initiative that will provide hope to many around the world we will ensure that people will turn against the hate preached by our enemies," Senator Clinton said.
"This isn't just about education - although that is important - this initiative focuses our attention on a glaring global problem. Today, too many children are either not being educated or are being educated to hate," said Congresswoman Lowey. "This is a part of our broader war on terror - by helping these children get a quality education we are promoting stability and prosperity in the future."
In its report, the 9/11 Commission has validated this position by making education in the Muslim world a key part of our long term strategy to combat terrorism. The 9/11 report emphasized that the education system in the Middle East contributed significantly to 9/11.
"We know that we must fight those who attempt to destroy our way of life, but that is only a part of our on-going battle against terrorism. We must also reach out to those with limited opportunities and show them that our nation stands for compassion as well as strength," said Lowey. "This legislation will provide a framework to comprehensively provide basic education for all children."
Under this legislation, the United States would provide up to $2.5 billion by 2009, tied to strong standards of accountability and performance, to aid developing countries in establishing universal education systems. The legislation calls on the United States to coordinate the efforts of various federal agencies and work with other donor nations and NGO's to provide incentives and assistance to these countries. The goal is to establish universal basic education by 2015.
"If we are serious about preventing violence and promoting development and opportunity for all children, we need to commit the financial resources necessary to achieve universal education by 2015 in all poor countries," Senator Clinton said.
Details of the Legislative Proposal
* FIRST EDUCATION FOR ALL LEGISLATION: Amends the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to establish universal education in developing countries as a major priority of U.S. efforts to combat global terrorism.
* $2.5 BILLION BY 2009 TO FUND UNIVERSAL EDUCATION: Includes a bold new commitment of resources tied to strong standards of accountability and performance. It authorizes $500 million in 2005, increasing to $2.5 billion by 2009.
* CONTINGENT FUNDS FLOW ONLY TO COUNTRIES WITH STRONG EDUCATION PLANS: Funding will be contingent on countries developing strong national plans to get all children in school that include clear performance targets, systems of monitoring and accountability, and a commitment of their own financial resources. This mechanism will inspire countries to reform while ensuring that taxpayer dollars only go to countries where we're confident it will reach children in need.
* A GLOBAL STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE EDUCATION FOR ALL (EFA) BY 2015: Establishes process for developing a comprehensive global strategy that strengthens and builds upon the Education For All Fast Track Initiative, an initiative developed in April 2002 that creates a set of benchmarks to monitor the efficiency and quality of national primary education plans, and presents a clear plan for how U.S. efforts will complement those of other donors to reduce duplication and waste. The strategy should leverage the strengths and contributions of private voluntary organizations that can play a critical role in helping countries reach these most vulnerable children.
~sigh
Lets' see: Condoms for All; Abortions for All; Gay is Good; God is Dead; Look-Say Reading Prepares Children for a Life on the Assembly Line--any other Basic Educational Goals?
You know, this goes all the way back to the Dumbarton Oaks Conference, which was the genesis for the United Nations and later the San Francisco Conference, which drafted the United Nations Charter.
And, the common thread in those 2 conferences? Alger Hiss. Convicted Soviet/communist spy. Hiss chaired the Dumbarton Oaks Conference and was the Secretary General of the San Francisco Conference. (Ann Coulter's book Treason, 2003, p. 27)
These people latched onto Communism along time ago and despite the glorious failure in the Soviet Union, they won't let it go.
Why don't we concentrate on providing a decent basic education in our own schools first? This can easily be accomplished by a voucher system to allow parental choice, and by getting rid of the teacher unions so that lousy teachers can be gotten rid of.
Reagan got the US out of UNESCO, W put the US back in.
I saw something about this a few weeks ago, but frankly, couldn't believe my eyes. The arrogance of deciding we will, well, Hill will educate, mold the world's young exactly the way she wants. Amazing, esp. as we're doing such a swell job with our own public schools.
The code words are there folks, get ready to go broke.
But tell Hillary that Afghan children are going back to school and so are the children in Iraq.
My grandfathers weren't educated but they both worked their farms and took care of their large families. My generation (3rd) was the first to go to college BECAUSE THE WORLD CHANGED.
Of course Tereeza thinks we should all have a generator and go naked.
Neither woman could care less about anyone else.
i'd love to be a fly on the curtain.....when HILLARY VOTES...
I'D LAY ODDS A MILLION TO ONE THAT HER AND BILL VOTES: BUSH OR NADAR..
SO WILL ALL HER DIE HARD SUPPORTERS.
It's not enough, that our Federal Government has to overstep its bounds, and create a Federal Department of Education (according to the 10th Amendment, such things are the purview of the State Governments) they are now deciding that they need to expand that Federal Department world-wide??
What gets me, is that these are the same people who are currently complaining that all our high-tech, high-education jobs are being out-sourced to other countries. Well if we would stop educating them, then maybe they wouldn't be getting those jobs.
It's not enough, that our Federal Government has to overstep its bounds, and create a Federal Department of Education (according to the 10th Amendment, such things are the purview of the State Governments) they are now deciding that they need to expand that Federal Department world-wide??
What gets me, is that these are the same people who are currently complaining that all our high-tech, high-education jobs are being out-sourced to other countries. Well if we would stop educating them, then maybe they wouldn't be getting those jobs.
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