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The article discusses the ongoing debate over how best to teach reading to children, with a focus on the use of phonics. It highlights the recent decision by the Australian state of Victoria to mandate the systematic teaching of phonics, a move that has been met with both support and opposition. The article argues that the evidence from linguistics and cognitive science favors explicit instruction and phonics, and criticizes the whole-language approach that has been popular in the past. It also emphasizes the negative impact of poor reading instruction on disadvantaged students and the need for teachers to be better prepared in evidence-based reading instruction. [Extracted from the article]

The article illustrates the risks of giving fiscal autonomy to the divisions of big universities, as is the case with Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. University officials announced a plan to cut 10 percent of the arts-and-sciences faculty, increase undergraduate enrollment and tuition and indefinitely delay several major building projects and academic ventures. Rationale for this plan lies in the way the school manages its divisions.

The article looks at the lack of operational autonomy among charter schools in the U.S. based on a study from the Fordham Institute and discusses its implications for education.

The article discusses questions raised by a report by the Texans for Public Justice organization noting that Governor Rick Perry of Texas received campaign donations from 63 percent of the regents he has appointed to the boards that govern public universities. It notes that the average gift was nearly $40,000 and the thirteen highest averaged nearly $100,000. Craig L. McDonald, the group's director, questions the independence of the appointees. Perry's spokesperson defends the practice.

The article examines universities in Malaysia where the government has issued a plan to improve the quality of the schools. The government's goal is to attract 100,000 foreign students by 2010. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has stated that 20 universities will be granted more autonomy by the government but the schools will not have total freedom to enroll students and recruit faculty. Malaysia has an affirmative action program to provide ethnic Malays with educational opportunities they might not receive otherwise and are also entitled to take an easier college entrance exam than other students. The affirmative action program has made some Chinese and Indian students leave the country for good.

The article discusses a report titled "Unleashing India's Innovation," which was researched and published by the World Bank. The report made a number of recommendations including the suggestion that India should found more private colleges, and that partnerships should be formed between universities and industry. Also, the government should provide higher education institutions more leeway in their own financial planning and allow for greater independence in how schools are managed. Government aid to higher education should, the report found, increase by 40 percent.

The article presents the author's views on the changes proposed for the financing and the management structure of the school system of New York City. Schools Chancellor Joel Klein and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have proposed to make public schools more empowered and autonomous. The author appreciates the proposals and asserts that the empowered schools perform better than the regular schools.

Reports that New York City education officials plan to become the first school district in the nation to use private donations to open charter schools. Establishment of a nonprofit corporation to create the schools; Intent of the plan to improve performance, and increase the choices available to students; Concerns about the autonomy of charter schools created by a public school system; Description of the structure and operation of charter schools; Example of a private charter school system in California; Initial reactions to the plan.

Focuses on the relationship between state and public universities concerning the freedom to control tuition fees in the U.S. Factors affecting the survival of universities; Potential consequences associated with the pacts between states and colleges; Aspects of the agreements created by states for the institutions.

Focuses on the factors which threaten the independence of Catholic universities stated by the board chairman of Georgetown University in Washington, John R. Kennedy. Professional background of Kennedy; Significance of Catholic higher education stated by Kennedy; Attitude of the bishops regarding Catholic higher education.

Comments on the apostolic constitution for Catholic universities issued by the Vatican in fall 1990. Key stipulations of the Vatican document; Impact of the Vatican document that does not guarantee the autonomy or academic freedom of catholic colleges; Implications on higher education.

Questions whether staff members at charter schools in the United States should have autonomy over their actions and teachings, a a result of an incident at the Marcus Garvey Charter School in Washington D.C. Detailed information on incident; Background information on school; Need to determine school's commitment to its charter agreement; Investigation into incident.

The article reports on a joint statement by the presidents of Australia's four scholarly academies protesting what they claim to be federal government interference in university autonomy. The higher-education administrators called for the creation of an independent authority that would advise the Education Minister on pertinent issues and implement government decisions. The presidents also criticized plans by Education Minister John Dawkins to introduce a charter on autonomy and academic freedom, claiming that such a charter could actually limit the freedom it was supposed to protect.

The article reports on the decision of the administrators at the University of Colorado at Denver and Metropolitan State College to give each other more autonomy. The decision is in contrary to political pressure which forces them to merge, due to the fact that they, and the Community College of Denver, share a single campus. Proponents came only to a stop when it was protested that Denver's students would be in shortage if the existing colleges were replaced by an experimental new institution.

The article reports that Brazil's Congress has approved language for a new constitution which would guarantee autonomy to universities in the country. Academic sources are satisfied with the provision because it is to the benefit of the state universities. The government would expand its commitment to free public education and increase the share of education funds.

The article reports on the decision of the American Bar Association's council to revise a proposal that would require all accredited law schools in the U.S. to offer instruction in specific professional skills in response to complaints by the Association of American Law Schools that the proposal threatened the autonomy of the schools. The original proposal came about because of the lawyers' concern over the competence of law-school graduates. Albert M. Sacks, president of the law-school association and dean of law at Harvard University in Massachusetts, said that the revised proposal was reasonable because it protects and preserves the schools' autonomy.

The article reports on the complaints of community-college officials regarding the interference on the school autonomy and student service of the accrediting policies from the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business in the U.S. Allen T. Bonnell, school official, claimed that the business-schools assembly had rendered disservice to a large number of students who graduated from colleges in urban areas. The officials who complained include G. Robert Darnes and Cornelius V. Robbins.

The article reports on South Korea President Chun Doo Hwan's recognition that the country needs to reform its system of higher education. A commission appointed by the president in 1985 began working on the possibility of granting universities more autonomy and lesser government control. The changes need to be taken gradually.

The article offers world new briefs related to higher education. The Israel's university presidents are looking for the reduction of number of students at their institutions. The Swiss government had told the university leaders to consider limits on foreign students at Swiss institutions. The Ontario government has been urged to give colleges of applied arts and technology more academic and financial autonomy.

The article reports that a committee of Ontario's legislature asked the provincial government to reconsider its plan to merge the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education with the University of Toronto. In a report, the committee argued that the institute must be autonomous and have control over its own programs and financial resources. The institute offers graduate programs in education and provides consulting services to school board throughout the province.

The article focuses on the plan of the government of Argentina under president Raul Alfonsin to restore university autonomy. According to a law passed by the Argentine Congress, democratically elected faculty members, students and graduate students at each of the country's state universities should choose their own administrations to replace government-appointed observers.

The article comments on the governance crisis facing U.S. public universities, especially those in state systems. The crisis is caused by the divisive conflicts on state campuses and by the deadening constraints from state capitals. It calls on each campus to develop a clear statement of its purposes and priorities. It cites the need to reconcile campuses' demand for autonomy with governments' insistence on accountability.

The article reports on the comments of Dragoslav Markovic, president of the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, on the demands for autonomy of the educational system in Kosovo by ethnic Albanians. The Yugoslav government has decided to dismiss the faculties of elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education who are believed to be sympathetic to Albanian nationalism. It is said that the comments of Markovic implied the concern of Yugoslav authorities on the treat of Albanian nationalism.

The article contends that the liberal arts colleges in the United States must reestablish themselves as vital units in the total enterprise of higher education by declaring their own unique purposes. The author believes that this declaration of independence would alert not just the profession's other units, but likewise the public in general, that the college has an integrity of its own which it intends to keep.

The article reports that Catholic University of America has obtained formal approval from the Vatican for changes in its governing rules that give the university's board of trustees virtual autonomy over the institution. According to the university president Clarence C. Walton, the reforms would help to bring the university's governance into line with other U.S. colleges.