Happy New Year! We are looking forward to yet another wonderful year creating a community where design thrives!
Last year ended on a high note with our Bowl Your Socks Off Social thanks to all who attended. We had a blast!
We also kicked off our 2017 Mentorship Program. Congratulations to all of our mentees! We can't wait to see what you create this year.
Re:Solutions is a one-day conference dedicated to re:starting the new year inspired, informed, and re:invigorated. In the morning, re:charge your creativity in one of three hands-on workshops with designer and illustrator, Adam Grason, Jack Elkins of the Orlando Magic, and Adobe XD. Then in the afternoon, re:engage your mind as you glean from the knowledge and experience of four key speakers: Mark Unger of Push, Cole NeSmith of The Creative City Project, Latanya Beauregard of Disney's Yellow Shoes, and Alex Center of Coca-Cola. You don't want to miss this awesome event! Get more information and register now here.


This 2018 was really satisfactory for Us. We had a good feedback on budget, completed work and satisfied customers, but that's not all.
This was a year full of concrete experiences for our university's students.
For years Medea brings students to get in touch with the future that awaits them, thanks to a partnership agreement with the Universities of Naples "Federico II" and "Parthenope".
Who knows us knows how much we care about training, especially the preparation for the working life. We try, through our training courses, to transmit at young graduates a precious baggage of knowledge for their future.
With great satisfaction we announce the achieving for Mattia De Rosa of the Master's degree in Naval Engineering, with the highest marks.
The neo-engineer's degree thesis was based on the study of a Diving Support vessel (DSV), a type of vessel * with which Medea has to do daily in his work of consultancy.
The internship plan for the student included practise on structural analysis of cylindrical blocks and the preparation of a DSV security plan.
The technical Department staff was very satisfied for the collaboration and the commitment of Mattia during the training sessions.
We do our best wishes to Eng. Mattia De Rosa sure that his passion for the sea and the nautical world will guide him towards a brilliant future.


Welcome Charles Salisbury Hair is a site created for all things hair, from my work as a hair stylist, educator at Windle and Moodie; my portraiture photography and nutritional advice.
I have been working as a hair stylist since i finished my A-Levels and have loved every second, my love for aesthetics style and fashion led me to develop a keen love for photography, which I do of other peoples work as well as my own.
It goes without saying diet has a huge part to play in over all health, but with I like to look at diet in reference to hair and scalp health. Throughout this website there will be tips, tricks, recipes and information about eating healthy for great hair.


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Inicio Actualidad The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Application Is Now Available Online for the...
The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Application Is Now Available Online for the Class of 2023
International College Counselors
Attention Florida high school seniors! The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship application is now available online for the Class of 2023.
Bright Futures is a scholarship program that rewards Florida high school graduates for their academic achievement and community service. It is not based on financial need.
All Florida seniors who meet the requirements (scroll down to page 3) should complete the application. Even if you are NOT planning to attend a Florida college, you should apply. If you do not register by August of 2023, you will not be considered for any of the awards.
It takes less than five minutes. If you later transfer to a Florida college – for any reason – this money will be available to you. There are NO downsides to applying.
Before you begin filling out the application, you'll need your Social Security Number, as well as the exact date of your high school graduation.
Filling out the Application:
Go to the Office of Student Financial Assistance Scholarships & Grants website.
Under the section "First-Time Applicants," click on the "Create a Student Account" link.
On this page, you will be asked to fill out demographic information such as your social security number, date of birth, graduation date, and contact information.
Click Submit once you are done. After you fill out the initial information to create an account, you will then be automatically directed to the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA).
All applicants need to fill out the Demographic Information and Academic Background sections on the FFAA:
Demographic Information: Complete the Other Information Section. For students who were born (or who have at least one biological parent who was born) in a country/territory within the Caribbean, Central or South America, you will need to provide additional information in the José Martí section (labeled "JM" in the top menu) by April 1 after the year of graduation. This additional information includes the country you or your parent was born in, and whether you grant the Florida Department of Education permission to give your information to the José Martí Foundation.
Academic Background: This section requires you to fill out information about your high school and the name of the college you plan on attending (this can be either in-state or out-of-state). You can also enter the names of up to four in-state institutions you are considering attending. Our recommendation is that students list at least one Florida school on their application. This can easily be changed if a student chooses to attend another school. Be sure to keep your username and password in case you need to make any changes in the future.
Double check all the information to make sure it is accurate, and then submit the application between January 1 and the August 31, 2023 final deadline.
Don't forget to look for official e-mail confirmation. This provides information regarding your credentials to access, update, and check the status of your application/award.
Details of the Bright Futures Scholarships
Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) is the top-tier award. Students who earn FAS can receive an award that covers up to 100% of tuition and applicable fees when attending a public Florida college or university.
Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS), the second-tier, will receive an award to cover up to 75% of tuition and applicable fees at a Florida public school.
Students attending a private college will receive a comparable amount as noted in the Private Award Chart. Essentially, a student who attends a private Florida college will be awarded the same amount of money as they would be awarded at a public Florida college, so the amount is the same, but it won't cover as much at the private college.
A Florida Academic Scholar (FAS) or Florida Medallion Scholar (FMS) may receive funding for up to five years after high school graduation. However, scholars must apply to reinstate the award if they do not use their funding immediately after high school graduation. The Bright Futures Scholarship is available for almost all undergraduate colleges in the state of Florida.
More information can be found here in Bright Futures Student Handbook Chapter 2.
NOTES for AICE and IB Students
Students who earn their AICE or IB Diplomas may also be eligible for Bright Futures, and these students do not have to earn a minimum score on the SAT or ACT to qualify. Both AICE and IB Diplomas must be earned prior to high school graduation. Complete information on the required AICE and IB curriculum necessary for Bright Futures can be found here in the Bright Futures Student Handbook Chapter 1.
Need help with the Bright Future Scholarship or any other scholarship or part of the college admissions process, contact International College Counselors at 954-414-9986 or internationalcollegecounselors.com
The 2023 Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) Scholar Program Application is Now Open and Closes on February 15, 2023

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A range of activities to cater especially for people with physical, sensory, and learning disabilities, and their families.
ASV have worked closely with MeToo! magazine in designing four brand new classes for those with additional support needs. These sessions will encourage children to try new sports and activities - all in an inclusive, supportive, and fun environment.
This class runs every Tuesday.
adults with disabilities and their carers.
This class runs every Friday.
sessions develop speed & balance.
This class runs every Saturday.
Take stepping stones into dance with this lively, creative class suitable for children with additional support needs. Siblings go FREE!
This class runs every Sunday.
A whole host of adapted, traditional, and innovative sports designed to develop skills for sport and soft skills such as communication, team working, turn taking, confidence and leadership in a friendly, informal atmosphere.
Exclusion dates - EnAble Dance - 02/02, 02/03, 27/04, 04/05, 25/05, 29/06.
A HUGE selection of sports and activities for children aged 0 - Primary 7!
The ultimate multi-sports camps for children aged P1-S3!


This is the MJ Bad Trousers in Men's Size. It is a great costume made by our own registered brand, so you will get the best quality with the best price. The trousers is brand new and the condition is great.


Celtic spirituality weaves together a nature-based approach from pre-Christian times with Eastern forms of Christianity as well as the more familiar Roman Catholicism. When Christianity was introduced in the Celtic lands, the distance from Rome enabled the Church to grow in a unique way. The strong nature-based spirituality predominant in pre-Christian history was incorporated easily into an almost mystical sense of God within nature. Sacred sites such as oak groves, wells, and ancient worship places were integrated into the new faith. A circle, which some believe to represent the sun or moon, was incorporated into the cross to form what we know as the Celtic cross. Still today, one of the most prominent features of Celtic spirituality is its emphasis on creation and divinity within it.
A second yet related feature is the perspective on the sacredness in everyday life. The focus is on God's immanence, where the divine is seen to be manifested in or encompassing the material world. Prayers and blessings handed down through the oral tradition show the Celts' reverence for the simplest acts in daily life—smooring the fire at night, weaving, or rising in the morning. Creativity including poetic imagination, song, and artistry was an expression of the soul.
Further, the early Celtic Christians believed in the essential goodness of humanity and saw "penance" as an act of healing rather than punishment. This was fundamentally opposed to the Augustian view of original sin and caused a clash with the Roman Catholic Church that eventually led to a decision against the Celtic mission at the Synod of Whitby in 664. Celtic spirituality survived outside of the formal church, particularly through art and oral tradition passed down through generations. Today, the resurgence of interest in the spiritual practices of the ancient Celts is perhaps due to our collective hunger for connection with the Holy in these ancient, new ways.
The emphasis on creativity as a vibrant part of spirituality resonates for many Chrysalis members. In fact, an early tagline for Chrysalis was that it sought to "support people in the art of living lives of creativity, meaning and compassion." Chrysalis has long offered events where various forms of creative expression are celebrated and members are encouraged to write, draw, and dance.
The Celtic use of circle imagery—in symbols of sun and moon, in round towers of Ireland, and beautiful spiral artistry—is also reflected in Chrysalis' outdoor labyrinth. While the labyrinth is associated with the Middle Ages and the Christian mystical tradition, it is based on the concept of pilgrimage, a notion the ancient Celts lived out as part of the spiritual journey.
Join Reverend Ali Newell, spouse of Celtic author Philip Newell, in "Body Prayer," a set of gentle movements accompanied by a spoken blessing from Ali.
Explore the beautiful Book of Kells, an illustrated copy of the Four Gospels. Originally created by the monks on Iona, it was moved to a monastery at Kells in Ireland during the Viking raids in the 8th century. Today, it is housed at Trinity College in Dublin where you can visit the in-depth exhibit to learn more.
Listen to the poem Beannacht, the Gaelic word for blessing, recited by the late Celtic author and poet John O'Donohue.
Where is Iona? Why do I hear about it being associated with Celtic spirituality?
Iona, a small, windswept island off the western coast of Scotland, was the site of an important monastery founded by 6th-century Celtic Saint Columba. Iona became a renowned center of learning and Celtic Christianity. The Book of Kells and numerous sculpted high crosses on the island are examples of the artistic vibrancy on Iona. Viking raids eventually forced the monks to leave Iona. Around 1200, spiritual life on Iona was renewed with the founding of a Benedictine abbey dedicated to Columba. The Iona Nunnery was an Augustinian convent established sometime after the foundation of the Benedictine monastery. The ruins of the nunnery stand in a peaceful garden adjacent to Iona's village. In 1938, George MacLeod founded the Iona Community, an ecumenical community of people from different walks of life and different traditions committed to seeking new ways of living the Gospel in today's world. This community is a leading force in the present Celtic Christian revival. The Abbey, now an ecumenical church, is the destination for thousands of modern day pilgrims each year.
Who are some of the famous people in Celtic spirituality?
The facts and folklore of Saint Brigid's life are delightfully intertwined in various stories and in records advocating for her sainthood. While at times it is difficult to tease out myth from fact, we do know that Brigid was born in approximately 453 to a pagan chieftain and a Christian slave. In this sculpture at the well in her honor, we see reflections of both the beloved pagan Goddess Brighid whose symbol was perpetual fire and Saint Brigid with fire as symbol of the Holy Spirit.
The main emphasis in the stories of Brigid is on her healing powers, skill with animals, hospitality, generosity, and concern for the poor. Brigid established a monastery at Kildare in 480, a double monastery for men and women which she led with grace for many years. What emerges from many of these stories about Brigid is the portrait of a strong and gentle woman, a powerful leader, a good organizer, and a wise spiritual guide. Kildare included a renowned art school that produced illuminated copies of texts such as the book of Kildare. It has been lost but scholars note that it would have been a volume much like the beautiful Book of Kells. One of the earliest female leaders in the church, Brigid became well known for her leadership and sought out for guidance as Kildare became a cathedral city.
St. Patrick, the other patron saint of Ireland, was actually born in Britain. From two pieces of literature written in the 5th century by Patrick himself, we learn he was taken as a slave to Ireland when he was 16. After seven years there, he made his way back to Britain but a series of dreams led him to return to Ireland. Many of the tales told about Patrick, such as defeating the Druid henchmen or driving the snakes out of Ireland, came from later writings promoting him for the sainthood. While it is difficult to discern fact from legend in these tales, it is clear that Patrick's work in spreading the Gospel was successful. Monasteries founded by Patrick and others became centers of power and artistic achievement.
What non-print resources about Celtic spirituality are available?
Heartbeat, the American nonprofit devoted to promoting the vision of John Phillip and Ali Newell, posts videos of many of John Philip's teachings on its YouTube channel, SalvaTerraVision.
Solas Bhríde (Brigid's light) is a small Christian center in Kildare, Ireland which has as its focus Brigid and Celtic Christianity. It seeks to unfold the legacy of Brigid of Kildare and its relevance for the modern world. The center welcomes people of all faiths and no faith.
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia, offers a popular Celtic worship service each Sunday at 5:30 pm. An annual class in Celtic spirituality is offered each winter.
John Philip Newell has developed several recordings of chants and music in the Celtic tradition. You can purchase those here and here.
Oliver Davies (edited and translated) | Celtic Spirituality | New York: Paulist Press, 1999 | Translations of original texts in Celtic Christianity. Includes Irish, Welsh, and Latin sermons, liturgy, poems, saints' lives, and monastic rules.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Morehouse Publishing, 1999 | An introduction to Celtic spirituality that provides a narrative as well as poetry and songs of the ancient Celts. Explores Celtic views of pilgrimage, solitude, creation, and healing.
Timothy Joyce | Celtic Christianity | New York: Orbis Books, 1998 | Primarily a history of Celtic Christianity in Ireland, beginning with early Christian mission and Celtic Christians through the story of the eventual influence of the Roman Catholic church.
J. Philip Newell | Christ of the Celts: The Healing of Creation | San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008 | Through an exploration of the Celtic image of Christ, Newell offers the ancient traditions of Celtic Christianity as a way forward in healing humankind and the earth.
J. Philip Newell | Listening for the Heartbeat of God: A Celtic Spirituality | New York: Paulist Press, 1997 | An overview of Celtic spirituality and its implications for us today.
J. Philip Newell | Sounds of the Eternal: A Celtic Psalter | Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2002 | An illustrated prayer companion provides morning and evening prayer outlines for every day of the week.
John O'Donohue | Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom | New York: Harper Perennial, 2004 | In Anam Cara, Gaelic for "soul friend," the ancient teachings, stories, and blessings of Celtic wisdom provide such profound insights on the universal themes of friendship, solitude, love, and death.
John O'Donohue | To Bless This Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings | New York: Doubleday, 2008 | A beautiful collection of blessings to help readers through both the everyday and the extraordinary events of their lives.
Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings from the Northumbria Community | New York: HarperCollins, 2002 | Liturgies, prayers, and meditations from Northumbria in northeastern England. Contains daily readings as well as liturgy for special occasions.


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Soraya Nini is the author of Ils disent que je suis une beurette (1993). The novel was adapted into a film, Samia, directed by Philippe Faucon in 2000.

Bibliography
 Nini, Soraya. Ils disent que je suis une beurette. Paris: Fixot, 1993.

Sources
 IMDB profile, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0632453/
 McIlvanney, Siobhan. "The articulation of beur female identity in the works of Farida Belghoul, Ferrudja Kessas and Soraya Nini." In Women's Writing in Contemporary France: New Writers, New Literatures in the 1990s. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2002. 130-141.
 "Female Identity in Process in Soraya Nini's Ils disent que je suis une beurette." Modern and Contemporary France 6 (1998): 505-17.
 "Radicalising Convention: Feminist Readings of Literature and Language in Soraya Nini's Ils disent que je suis une beurette." In Gender and Identities in France 4 (1999): 63-71.

French women writers
French people of Algerian descent
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Q: How do I make a table view always load scrolled to the top? I am making an app with 2 table views stacked in a navigation controller, and where the title is a large title. The first table view has many items in it so when you scroll down to get the lower cells, the large title shrinks at the top into a smaller title. However when I then click on one of those lower cells, the new table view starts with the small navigation title at the top, as opposed to starting completely scrolled up with a large title. In order to make the large title reappear in the configuration I want the page to start in, you have to scroll up. How can I make it so each table view starts with a large title, as opposed to matching the title configuration of the table before it?
UPDATE: Here is the code for the first tableview and how I configured the navigation controller.
override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        // Do any additional setup after loading the view.

        loadCategories()
        self.navigationController?.navigationBar.largeTitleTextAttributes = [NSAttributedString.Key.font: UIFont(name: "Advert-Bold", size: setLargeTitleSize())!]

        self.navigationController?.navigationBar.titleTextAttributes = [NSAttributedString.Key.font: UIFont(name: "Advert-Bold", size: setSmallTitleSize())!]

    }

    override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {

        self.navigationController?.navigationBar.isTranslucent = false

        self.navigationController?.setStatusBar(backgroundColor: UIColor(hexString: vc1.defaults.string(forKey: "darkest")))

        let textAttributes = [NSAttributedString.Key.foregroundColor: UIColor(hexString: vc1.defaults.string(forKey: "almostWhite"))]
        navigationController?.navigationBar.titleTextAttributes = textAttributes
        navigationController?.navigationBar.largeTitleTextAttributes = textAttributes

        navigationController?.navigationBar.backgroundColor = UIColor(hexString: vc1.defaults.string(forKey: "darkest"))

        self.navigationController?.navigationBar.barTintColor = UIColor(hexString: vc1.defaults.string(forKey: "darkest"))

    }

    //MARK: - TableView Datasource Methods

    override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
        return symptoms?.count ?? 1
    }

    override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {

        let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "SymptomCell", for: indexPath)

        cell.textLabel?.font = UIFont(name: "Advert-Light", size: setTextSize())

        //cell.textLabel?.textColor = UIColor(hexString: vc1.defaults.string(forKey: "darkest"))

        cell.backgroundColor = UIColor(hexString: vc1.defaults.string(forKey: "almostWhite"))

        tableView.backgroundColor = UIColor(hexString: vc1.defaults.string(forKey: "almostWhite"))

        if let category = symptoms?[indexPath.row] {

            cell.textLabel?.text = category.name
        }

        return cell

    }

    //MARK: - TableView Delegate Methods

    override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
        performSegue(withIdentifier: "ToFlows", sender: self) //performs the segue to the list of items associated with that category.
        tableView.deselectRow(at: indexPath, animated: true)
    }

    override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
        let destinationVC = segue.destination as! FlowTableViewController

        if let indexPath = tableView.indexPathForSelectedRow {
            destinationVC.selectedSymptom = symptoms?[indexPath.row] //this sends the category currently selected over to the selectedCategory variable in the todo list view controller
        }
    }

    //MARK: - Data Manipulation Methods

    func loadCategories() {
        symptoms = realm.objects(Symptoms.self) //this pulls out all the items with type category, and adds them all to the array of categories.

        tableView.reloadData()
    }

A: Try setting prefersLargeTiles
navigationController?.navigationBar.prefersLargeTitles = true

Then setting largeTitleDisplayMode if it's still not doing what you need
navigationItem.largeTitleDisplayMode = .always

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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General News Wed, 5 Sep 2018
Sawla DCE awarding contracts to himself – NPP executives
Executives of the New Patriotic Party in Sawla in the Northern Region are demanding the removal of their District Chief Executive, Lawal Tamimu.
This is after the wife of the DCE allegedly assaulted the party's constituency chairman, Mohammed Fuseini, who came to their residence to demand a refund of money he borrowed the DCE doing his confirmation.
At a press briefing in Sawla, the party executives said they could no longer watch on as the DCE continues to make the party unpopular in the district.
The constituency chairman explaining reasons for their demands accused the DCE of incompetence and misconducts.
According to Chairman Mohammed Fuseini, the DCE was awarding contracts to himself, sidestepping their authority, neglecting and disrespecting the party base in the district, engaging in divide and rule and peddling falsehoods.
"If you go to Kooyiri D/A primary he went to do the renovation himself, if you come to Sawla township, three (3) toilets he did the renovation by himself. Go to Sawla community center, Zogbeni JHS, if you go to Kole the same thing and he and his wife are having six (6) school feeding contracts," the chairman told Starr News at the briefing.
He continued, "as for consultation it is zero percent; it's out. He runs the party as if it's he and his wife's company. He has made the party unpopular. The party is not attractive because he does things alone. Wherever he is going he does go with the executives. Recently he was going to d a thank you tour and he was going alone and we have never seen such a thing. He just neglected the board completely. We tried to bring him on board but still, he's not ready to listen to us".
When asked to provide evidence to back his claims of the "divide and rule" allegation against the DCE, he answered; "you know we have the party and government, as I speak to you we are 17 in number, he has managed to convince 2 and they are following him. For example, he went to write on social media that he's paying the executives Gh1,500, then the constituency chairman Gh3,000 so we told him to come and deny that information or I will come and that's why I'm speaking to the media now".
Explaining briefly how the attack on him by the wife of the DCE occurred, he said he went to demand an amount of GH37,000.00 he borrowed the DCE during his confirmation session last year. According to him, the DCE has failed many times to pay back the money so he went to the residence in the company of two other party executives to demand for the money.
According to him they met the DCE's absence when they got to the residence but the wife who met was angered that the chairman had come two "strangers" to disgrace her husband started raining insults on him and later slapped him and asked him to leave her husband's house.
The constituency secretary, Jonathan Laamiitey, also said he was "terribly surprised" by the conduct of the DCE and added calls for him to be sacked.
"This was somebody who was a constituency organizer, he worked as party executive and he knows what it means to be a party executive. During the 2016 campaign, we moved out with him. All the promises we made to the people he witnessed them, all the demands the people made, the conditions the people gave us and voted for party, he was a witness to them, so he shouldn't have been somebody that will be chased around to do what he's supposed to do for the people, and so when he starts to behave like these, that's what makes me surprise and very sad", Jonathan lamented.
The secretary said the party executives in the constituency have informed the regional chairman, Mohammed Samba, regional Minister Salifu Saeed including the NPP General Secretary John Boadu about the conducts of the DCE but nothing has been done.
He said the party's laid down channels for addressing internal grievances have failed them and they are no longer able to carry out party activities in the constituency.
"I don't need to create lies on somebody I have worked with before. I don't need to destroy him, I need him to work; when he works very well he would earn good name for himself and the party would benefit from that good name but as we talk now, NPP is a laughing stock in this constituency. If you appear anywhere and called yourself an NPP Executive, you are a mockery to the people simply because our DCE is a failure and the failure has affected all us"
The DCE has refused to comment on the allegations.
Source: Starrfmonline.com
NDC members will even blame Akufo-Addo if they can't satisfy their wives in bed – Sam Pyne
GH¢40million debt: NPP Chairman flies out of Ghana as NIB chases him
NPP reveals how Minister's car was snatched at gunpoint
NPP, NDC clash over missing vehicle
NPP opens nominations in 'orphan' constituencies July 20


"2012 was a big year for real-time bidding, and also a big year for search marketers getting involved in display advertising. In 2013, I expect the lines to blur further, with more search marketers leveraging their analytic skills into the world of programmatic display."
・For SEO team leaders, the cost of hiring an SEO.
・For impressionable and ambitious candidates, the potential damage a move may do to your SEO career.
Here's a tricky question once discussed at Search Engine Roundtable – what are the ways to build natural links? I'd agree with some commentators – you cannot BUILD natural links, links come out naturally on 3d party blogs and websites when you produce truly useful or viral content.
... If I held an SEO interview, the chances are high I would ask you about the Penguin update, the link disavow tool and your experience with it.


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Back from the Brink: the story of the Greater Glider
The Natura Pacific team, producers of the successful 'Back from the Brink' series, partnered up with Matt Cecil from Wildlife Queensland and Dr Teresa Eyre from the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science late in 2020 to produce an episode of the series examining the story of the greater gliders.
The products of these efforts were a HD short film about the species available on YouTube, Facebook and more, as well as a podcast discussing the impacts of bushfire on these sensitive marsupials and what the future may hold for them.
The greater gliders, now split into 3 new species (Petauroides volans, P. armillatus and P. minor) are obligate hollow-dwelling gliding marsupials closely related to possums but distinguished by a special flying membrane called a patagium that allows them to glide from tree to tree. Due to their specific habitat requirements, relatively slow movement, large size and small population sizes, the greater gliders are at particular risk of climate change and intensifying bushfire seasons.
"Canopy fires can be a major driver of population decline for hollow dependant fauna like the greater gliders," says Wildlife Queensland Projects Manager Matt Cecil.
"Not only do fires have the potential to burn through tree hollows and impact the species' shelter requirements, but as an obligate folivore, greater gliders lose their only source of food when the canopy burns – this is a native species in decline that is very susceptible to the negative impact of canopy fires."
Join the team to find out more by watching or listening online via your favourite streaming platforms.
Back from the Brink – The Podcast
Listen to: E10 – Out of the frying-pan, into the fire (free access hosted by Apple Podcasts)
Back from the Brink – Season 3 Episode 3 – Central Greater Glider
Watch the video below or access via YouTube
About the Back from the Brink series
South East Queensland is a biodiversity hotspot that the whole world sees as precious. Since 2017, Natura Pacific has run 'Back from the Brink', the first venture of its kind to showcase a series of short films about South East Queensland's most threatened plants and animals, what is happening to them, and how we can help save them from extinction. From giant orchids to hammerhead sharks, the series delves into tangible actions and projects each and every one of us can take part in to support and celebrate these species. Without the hard work of the visionary people behind these projects, the future of our native plants and animals, and of ourselves, hangs in the balance.
Greater glider – species profile
Lindenmayer, David B. and Taylor, Chris, New spatial analyses of Australian wildfires highlight the need for new fire, resource, and conservation policies. PNAS June 2, 2020 117 (22) 12481-12485; first published May 18, 2020, accessed 9 February 2021; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2002269117
McGregor, D. C., Padovan, A., Georges, A., Kockenberger, A., Yoon, H-J., and Youngentob, K. N, Genetic evidence supports three previously described species of greater glider, Petauroides volans, P. minor, and P. armillatus. Sci Rep. 2020; 10: 19284, Published online 2020 Nov 6, accessed 9 February 2021; https://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2Fs41598-020-76364-z
Kearney, M. R., Wintle, B. A., and Porter, W. P., Correlative and mechanistic models of species distribution provide congruent forecasts under climate change. Conservation Letters, Volume 3, Issue 3; first published 7 June 2010, Pages 203-213, accessed 9 February 2021; https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-263X.2010.00097.x
Teresa J. Eyre, Regional habitat selection of large gliding possums at forest stand and landscape scales in southern Queensland, Australia: I. Greater glider (Petauroides volans), Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 235, Issues 1–3, 2006, Pages 270-282, ISSN 0378-1127; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2006.08.338


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Madder-Akka Goddess and Protector of Babies
Dean Traylor
Dean Traylor is a freelance writer and teacher who writes about various subjects including education and creative writing.
Naming a newborn is not a task taken lightly. It has been that way for ions and will continue to be one of the biggest non-medical tasks parents of newborns must endure. In some cases, it may feel like a deity is needed to help them get through this process.
That's exactly what many new parents in the Lapland and the northern Baltic region of Europe once did. These hardy people turned to a powerful goddess to "inspire" them to choose a fitting name.
Madder-Akka (also spelled as "Madderakka" or "Maderakka" by several sources), an ancient goddess found in the ancient Baltic region under numerous names, was believed to be the divine protector of children. In addition, her and her husband, the god of humanity known as Madder-Acha (name and spelling varies, too), and her three daughters helped to bring about life in the womb and protect them after birth.
Each played a particular role in the process. Madder-Akka – like many mortal mothers – had the most important tasks in the process. She was the one who received the soul and gave them the body, as well as the power to suggest names that parents can use. In addition, she stayed on as supreme protector of the most vulnerable members of the culture.
In a harsh environment in which a live childbirth was not always expected or assured, the people of Lapland (Also known as the Sami of Norway, Finland, Sweden,and Russia) needed all the help they could get. It must have been comforting to know that Madder-Akka was there to help.
The Ultimate Goddess
Ancient Finnish, Sami, and other Baltic area mythologies can be complex to follow. There are several variations within the tribes and many accounts survived through oral traditions, relics and drawings depicting the gods and goddesses such as Madder-Akka. Although Christianity's arrival in the region more than 500 years ago wiped out much of the myths and traditions associated with these deities, it did not destroy it.
In the last 200 years, many of these deities finally made it to print; their accounts were recorded in books such as The Kalevala. The written records shed some light on her legacy and the mythos she came from. The Kalevala may have focused on Finnish Mythology, but it revealed the names given to similar gods within Lapland region. In fact, the name of Madder-Akka comes from the Sami people living in the northern region of modern Norway.
She worked with a team of deities who happened to be family members...
The accounts from the pre-Christian realm of Finnish, Estonian (where she was known as Maan-Emo), and Sami mythologies differed in name and particular details, despite referring to the same deities. Still, these gods and goddesses shared many similarities. In addition, Madder-Akka's role and description went across cultures. They include:
She worked with a team of deities who happened to be family members;
Her husband, Madder-Acha created the soul;
Her daughters, Sarakka, Juksakka, and Uksakka helped in various roles of creating the baby;
She created the body for the baby and placed the soul in it;
She helped with naming the baby and protected him/her during the first year of birth.
In addition, Madder-Akka become the most revered goddess throughout the various mythologies. Some sources indicate that Madder-Akka and Madder Acha's roles were the opposite; Madder-Akka was more involved in creating the baby's body first and Madder-Acha created and placed the soul in the finished product.
Defining "Akka" and their Importance
Numerous sites, such as Godchecker.com, indicate that there's a lot of speculations about how she fits in the northern European/Baltic myths. According to the site, the editors suspect Madder-Akka, may be related to Akka, the wife of Ukko from Finnish mythology. But, as the site states, "akka simply means female…"
Still, the various names from the various Baltic region myths add to the complexity. Finnish and Lapland Mythology shared gods, and had interchanging the names for their deities .As an example, some sources claimed Akka, indeed, came to represent Madder-Akka. In the Finnish version, she became the wife of Ukko, an important sky god also known as Jamula (the Finnish word for "God" that was also celebrated in the Russian sector of the Kalevala region).
Depending on websites and blogs, akka appears to have different meanings. Aside from meaning female, other definitions have been:
Wife;
Goddess;
Female spirit;
The actual name of a goddess (as mentioned before)
One thing in common is that akka is often the suffix of the goddesses' names. This is apparent in her daughter's name: Sarakka, Jukakka, and Uksakka.
Despite, the genders, these female spirits were treated equally, in terms of worship. In ancient Finnish tradition, worship of the Akka was common, and took the form of sacrifices, prayers, and various rituals. One particular ritual for Sarakka affected the expecting mothers, before and after the birth of the child. These mothers ate a special porridge made in dedication to this particular daughter of Madder-Akka
As mentioned, Madder-Akka worked with her family. Each member had a duty that was meant to bring life and protect the newborn. As a source stated, their jobs started during procreation and continued through childbirth and beyond. The tasks, according to Sami tradition are as follows:
Madder-Acha created the soul (several sites mentioned it was actually a powerful god named Veralden-Radien);
Madder-Akka placed the soul in a baby's body she created;
Sarakka supported the women during childbirth;
Juksakka ensured the baby's gender – even changing it from female to male; and
Uksakka looked after the interests of the newborn child.
Madder-Akka and her daughters' tasks continued after birth. With her daughters, the four inspired the earthly mothers and fathers to come up with names for their children. Additionally, Madder-Akka's converted to a guardian angel, which lasted through the toddler years.
Interestingly, the Sami versions had nicknames for Madder-Akka and her daughter. They are as follows:
Madder-Akka was goddess of childbirth;
Sarakka become the cleaving woman;
Uksakka, the door woman (for determining the gender of the baby); and
Juksakka, the bow women or "akka with arrow"(as mentioned in Brittannica.com, she got this name because she watched "over the development of the child from conception through early childhood).
In addition, Madder-Acha/Veralden-Radien has the title of "Ruler of the World" in the Sami version. This particular deity has roots in other Germanic myths such as the Saxon and Swedes. However, their names differ in those traditions. In the fragmented and conglomerate nature of Northern European myths, it is unclear if Madder-Acha and Veralden-Radien are references to the same deity. What is known is that they are associated with Madder-Akka in one form or another.
The Norwegian Version
There is a Norwegian version. In most cases, Juksakka and Uksakka served similar roles to that of the Sami version. However, according to Britannica.com, "Uksakka serve functions similar to that or Sarakka," and "Uksakka was believed to aid in the actual childbirth; Juksakka would then take care of the child after birth."
Sarakka seemed to have more prominence in Norwegian traditions:
She became known as the separating women to make childbirth easier;
She served as a deity for women, especially during menstruation.
Her Legacy
Madder-Akka lives on as Akka, whether they were the same deities or not. Interestingly, those associated with her seemingly had easier time transitioning into modern lore. Madder-Acha, in the guise of his Finnish identity, Ukko managed to become the name of a minor Marvel Comics Universe character (MCU).
Her three daughters made the leap to comic books as minor characters within the Thor and Conan titles. At best, an unverified source claims that Madder-Akka – under Finnish name of Akka – exists as a character named Gaea, a character that has origins from a Norwegian and a Greek goddess. In addition, in the MCU version (which also includes the Dr. Strange storyline), Gaea was the mother of Ukko, and had the title of "All-Mother of Asgardia."
One of her daughter, Sarakka – the protector of women-- is revered to this day.
Modern Sami people have also held on to portions of her legacy. The name of "akka" is symbolic and stands for strength and protection for women.
One of her daughters, Sarakka – the protector of women-- is revered to this day. Thus, it comes as no surprise that one significant organization bears her name. Formed in 1988, the Sami women's organization, The Sarahkka, was named in honor of her.
Madder-Akka was a goddess of considerable importance to the people of Sami, Finnish and other Baltic Region people. While much of her origin and narrative remain elusive, she remains a positive feminist symbol, as well as the inspiration needed by parents to name their child.
© 2019 Dean Traylor
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Estudos Avançados
Estud. av. vol.25 no.72 São Paulo maio/ago. 2011
CUBA DOSSIER
Education in Cuba: Foundations and challenges
Margarita Quintero López
This article discusses the importance of education for any nation and for Cuba in particular, examining its political, pedagogical and sociological foundations, and portraying its accomplishments over the last 50 years. The principles underlying the educational policy of the Cuban government are explained, as they underpin the mission of the National Education System (NES) to carry forward educational work in the country. The essay also depicts each of the subsystems that comprise the NES and ensure the fulfillment of the key educational goals: to educate the new generations and the people as a whole in a scientific conception of the world; to develop fully their intellectual, physical and spiritual skills; to promote high aesthetic tastes and feelings; and to convert communist ideological, political and moral principles into personal convictions and daily habits of conduct, with the participation of school, family and society as a whole. The essay also presents the changes that are currently being made in the Ministry of Education with the participation of administrators, principals, teachers, students and other social agents, to continuously raise the quality of its results.
Keywords: Education, Development, Comprehensive education, Values.
To any country education is a topic of great interest and priority, as it is impossible to think about the development of the citizens a nation needs, or the economic and social development it requires, without taking education into consideration, regardless of the model proposed as a paradigm. Therefore, education has always been present in the ideals of independence of all peoples, as masterfully expressed by their heroes, in whose political thought it has also held a special place. This is corroborated, for example, by personalities like the Liberator Simón Bolívar, when he stated that "there can be no freedom where there is ignorance [...] Slavery is the daughter of darkness [...] Ignorant people are a blind instrument of their own destruction ..."1; or the thought of the apostle of Cuban independence, José Martí, also warning about the role of education in his maxim "To be educated is the only way to be free".2 And those words were no accident, because the importance of education lies essentially in that it is an ideological weapon that allows men to understand the problems that society must face in each historical moment, in addition to being a fundamental path to solving many of these problems. Another important element can be added: it is through education that every nation develops in its citizens the values and ideals that identify it as such.
In the case of Cuba, education is one of its key pillars, as well as a vital commitment of the State to its society. And this precept is fulfilled because there is close coordination between the policies and strategies implemented by the country to ensure the educational development and economic and social progress it requires. This is favored by a strong engagement of society at large and the awareness that education is a task in which everyone participates in one way or another, and therefore should also be the responsibility of all, although it falls on the Ministry of Education the state duty of managing, guiding and controlling education at all levels.
This declaration of principles on the importance of education would not be enough without the endorsement of legal support. Thus, the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba in force since 1976 establishes in several articles the fundamental principles and objectives of education, according to which the "Socialist State, as the power of the people [...] shall ensure [...] that no child be left without schooling, food and clothing; that no young person be left without the opportunity to study; that no one be left without access to the studies, culture and sports...", while "guiding, fostering and promoting education, culture and science in all their manifestations".3
Therefore, besides an elementary duty of humanity and social justice, education for Cuba is also an imperative of the present time and the safety of its future in the preparation of new generations, so as to ensure the continuity of the revolutionary work undertaken more than half a century ago. Hence the main goal of the Cuban effort to pursue the continuous improvement of education, with a view to fully meeting its objectives, which today leads to the implementation of major transformations.
It would be impossible to objectively recognize the value of the present state of Cuban education, its major achievements and transformations without a comparative analysis of the current situation with that which existed before the Revolution. Table 1 shows some of the most representative indicators of this behavior:
dvances, due to the adoption of the basic principles underpinning the Cuban educational policy.
The quantitative advances shown in Table 1 are linked to significant qualitative advances, due to the adoption of the basic principles underpinning the Cuban educational policy.
Principles of education
Coverage of education. If education is a right guaranteed by State guarantees to its people as a just aspiration of society, the government has to guarantee massive education to enable the access of all children, youth and adults to the System, which means that it should be comprehensive in all types and at all levels of education, without regard to age, gender, ethnic or religious differences.
Study-work combination. It is a guiding principle of Cuban pedagogy that merges two essential goals. On the one hand, to develop in students the love for work as a fundamental value of a society of workers such as ours, to create in them the awareness of producers of social and material wealth; and on the other, to integrate the student in the productive process and socially useful work in a participatory and balanced way, so to promote in them, from early on, values as essential as responsibility and industriousness. Both goals are focused on the school, on the vocational training process that takes place inside and outside the classroom, by which students share, through work, the rules of conduct and values related to the development of their consciousness as producers that will enable them to internalize the culture of work as education of the individual in its broadest sense. The application of this principle is present in all the Educational System adjusted to the characteristics of each educational subsystem and to the social needs of development itself. Its roots lie in Martí's conceptions and in the most advanced contemporary pedagogical ideas.
Co-education. If Cuban education is comprehensive, it has to ensure equal rights to all citizens, regardless of gender, thus guaranteeing the access of girls, adolescents and young women to any kind of education and school level, with equal development opportunities.
Free of charge. Cuban education is free of charge in the entire System, and the State has the responsibility of ensuring teachers the educational facilities and means necessary for their full development, including graduate studies.
Democratic character. Family, community and society as a whole are encouraged to take an active part in all aspects related to education as individuals, but also through social, professional and scientific organizations to which they belong, in which the opinions and recommendations arising from the debate are a starting point for the improvement of school curricula and programs, as well as for the training of teachers.
Particularly meaningful is the work developed by the School Councils and Childhood Circles, which are an important factor of educational influence and a decisive force to support institutional management by contributing to the advances and results of education. Student organizations, in their daily activities and in congresses analyze and discuss the issues that affect their development and propose solutions to be submitted to the educational authorities.
Therefore, the full, universal and comprehensive realization of the right to education ensures that every Cuban citizen is fully aware of all their rights and the legal and institutional mechanisms it entails.
It is easy then to understand that to ensure compliance with these principles, the path followed in these 53 years has been very complex, with many obstacles to be overcome. First we have the eradication of the inherited illiteracy coupled with the need to establish schools across the country and to train teachers to work in all corners of the Island, to fully transform and consolidate the Educational System in both its objectives and contents and to diversify education and multiply the number of universities. Achieving all that required using new, bold methods suitable for each historical moment, in order to overcome the objective and subjective difficulties amid attacks of all sorts and an iron-clad blockade imposed since the beginning of the Revolution, which translated into pa high economic and social cost for our people, with a big impact on education.
Therefore, we value modestly, but also with great pride, the educational work carried out, the results of which, although still in need of improvements reflect the collective effort of the people and the political will of its leadership to achieve it. This endeavor is seen in every corner of the country, in each educational institution and in the work selflessly carried out, day after day, by our educators.
Today we are struggling to perfect that work, with the aim of achieving an Educational System increasingly based on equality and social justice and capable of meeting the moral and social needs of citizens, so that we can achieve the model of educated society we have set out to create, as a reality of Martí's maxim that there is no possible equality without equality of culture.4
So today we are focused on a very important moment of new transformations that will enable continually improving the outcomes of education in relation to previous moments that became important landmarks in the history of Cuban education. The first of such moments occurred when, with the active participation of young people, illiteracy was eradicated in just one year (1961). That was not only a human imperative of social justice but, above all, the foundation of the subsequent educational and social development achieved by the country.
The second occurred in the 1970s, when the National System of Education was consolidated, the school became the most important cultural center in the community, and universal access to secondary education was attained, in view of the possibility of ensuring continuous education for all those who, after the triumph of the Revolution, had achieved literacy, and children attending school who completed primary education. This led to the creation of new secondary and pre-university schools in rural areas, to which thousands of secondary school students were incorporated as teachers, integrating the Manuel Ascunce Domenech Teaching Detachment5 that marked a new paradigm in the development of Cuban teachers by combining teacher training programs and work.
The third began in 2000, when the main goal in the continuous process of raising the educational outcomes achieved was to ensure the maximum human development of all people, especially children, adolescents and young people, expressed in a comprehensive general culture that provided solid and deep knowledge in preparation for life, sustained in the values of the Cuban educational model.
The fourth is the moment we are living today, since the last school period when new changes were introduced throughout the System with the main objective of ensuring that our students develop their capabilities to the fullest, so that the great opportunities afforded by the Revolution can become real possibilities for them to achieve the comprehensive general culture to which our society aspires and in which the truly revolutionary feelings and commitment to the nation will prevail.
National Education System in Cuba
How was it possible to orchestrate this entire educational system? The State is in charge of structuring and securing the operation of the National Education System, with the participation and support of society at large, focused on the development of new generations under the leadership of the ministries of Education and Higher Education. This a mission will be accomplished through a comprehensive, systematic and participatory educational teaching process in permanent development, whose main goal is to "allow all Cuban children and youth to have exactly the same possibilities and opportunities to learn from the capabilities that the school develops in them".6
To achieve that, the National Education System is structured in a set of organically coordinated subsystems covering all levels and types of education and ages, with students attending the 10,954 educational institutions of different kinds, ranging from the children's circle (kindergarten) to universities, with a total enrollment of more than 2.5 million students.
A brief tour of the System will enable a characterization of each of the subsystems it comprises:
Preschool Education. It is the first link of the System, which brings together children in age group 0-5 years. It has two main objectives: to guarantee the full physical, intellectual, moral and aesthetic development of children, besides providing adequate preparation for future academic education.
Of the children in this age group, 99.5% are served by this subsystem, in which 68.5% of children between 0 and 5 years old participate through the "Educate Your Child Program" sponsored by informal channels, with the involvement of the family and the community; 17% attend the children's circles, which are specialized institutions that cater to more than 116,106 children, and pre-school, in which all children from the age of 5 are enrolled, representing 14% of the country's population.
The "Educate Your Child Program" aims to prepare the family to cope with the education of their children. To that end, multidisciplinary working groups have been established on the Island, consisting of health and education professionals from different organizations and agencies, who work within the area of action of the family.
General Education. It caters to most of the population in age group 6-17 years and comprises two levels: Primary Education and Secondary Education. Its goal is to contribute to the full development of the personality of children, adolescents and youth, based on the close relationship that should exist between teaching and learning, as a fundamental law of education.
Primary Education includes children 6-11 years old, who represent 99.7% of the country's child population. These children attend 7,258 schools, which cater to 786,855 students, of which 179,929 correspond to the rural sector.
Primary education covers six grades (years) structured in two cycles: the first from 1st to 4th grade, and the second from 5th to 6th grade. The primary goal is to develop a learned student, with patriotic feelings and civic education, capable of identifying with the values and principles of our society, exalting the value of work as a source of wealth and acting as the protagonist in the leaning process. This should be achieved through the educational pedagogical process and all school and social activities conducted by the school, the family and the community.
An efficiency rate of 99.3% has been achieved in this educational level, meaning that virtually all students attending primary school in Cuba complete their courses, which allows them to move on to the next level.
General Secondary Education comprises two levels: Basic Secondary Education, from 7th to 9th grade (basic secondary level) and Pre-University Education, from 10th to 12th grade (higher secondary level).
Basic Secondary Education is comprised of students in age group 12-15 years and is an integral part of the compulsory basic education along with Primary Education. The country has 1,069 such centers attended by 396,453 students assisted by 43,639 teachers in different disciplines. Its goal is to lay the foundation for the full development of the student's personality by fostering the acquisition of basic knowledge and the development of skills in Native Language, Literature, Mathematics, Natural and Social Sciences and a foreign language, besides contributing to the aesthetic education of students, the development of a physical culture, the practice of sports and the elementary knowledge of the principles of the technique, closely linked to production activities and the work of vocational training and professional guidance.
Upon successfully completing 9th grade, students have the possibility to continue their education. From then on, they have a wide range of options, all of interest to the economic and social development of the country, in accordance with the workforce demand required for the coming years, including: teacher training for primary and pre-school education, skilled technical workers and university graduates to continue their graduate studies in areas of economic and social interest.
Pre-University Education. General Secondary Education also includes Pre-University Education, which, in addition to preparing young people for Higher Education with a solid foundation of general culture, aims to instill in the students the conviction that the university studies to which they aspire will meet the requirements for the development of the country.
Pre-University Education brings together students 15-18 years old, who complete their studies in three years. In the country there are 464 pre-university institutes, with 173,448 students assisted by 22,163 teachers in different subjects.
These centers diversify their profile to better assist the students in vocational training and professional guidance in courses of high national priority. Thus, we have the Pre-University Vocational Institutes of Pedagogical Sciences, whose purpose is to strengthen the vocational training started in previous levels in order to ensure efficient vocational guidance to students, encourage them and commit them to continue their education in pedagogical courses, from which they will graduate in education. Currently, 17,084 students are enrolled in 41 of such centers in operation in the country.
There are also the Pre-University Vocational Institutes of Exact Sciences, whose goal is to ensure that its graduates opt for careers in science, which are necessary for the scientific development of the country. With similar objectives there are the Pre-University Military Vocational Institutes for students pursuing military careers.
All students who complete higher secondary education are able to opt for any of the different university careers, according to the country's development needs within five years. To enter the university, students must have satisfactorily completed their studies at this level, in addition to taking and passing entrance examinations in Spanish, Mathematics and Cuban History.
Special Education. It is the subsystem that caters to younger children with special educational needs. Its goal is to ensure, to the maximum extent possible, the proper mental development of students and prepare them for their future life from the point of view of both education and work.
There are different types of centers catering to population that requires specialized education: schools for the blind; for visually impairment, cross-eyed and amblyopic students; for deaf and hearing impaired students; for mentally impaired students; for students with behavioral and speech disorders; and for students with physical and sensory disabilities. Today there are 396 special schools in the country, catering to more than 40,176 students. The goal is to do the humanly possible for students to receive the assistance they need, even in hospitals, where 300 children are assisted in 33 classrooms, and also at home, when the student is incapable to commute to the educational institution.
Students are admitted in these schools after a thorough survey conducted at the 200 Centers of Diagnosis and Guidance existing in the country, where they are seen by a multidisciplinary team of specialists who determine the student's condition, recommending the assistance institution and the specific treatment to be provided. Also in operation in the municipalities are the Councils of Assistance to Minors, integrated by all strata of society, which participate directly with the school in preventive activities and direct assistance to the population at greatest risk.
Technical and Vocational Education. The main role of this subsystem is to prepare the skilled workforce of technicians and workers that the country requires. Students enter the subsystem after completing 9 or 12 years of schooling in some specialties. The courses last 3 or 4 years, according to the entry level and complexity of the specialty, whose structure corresponds to the current demand, especially in the areas of agriculture, civil construction, accounting and railroads. These areas are linked to production organizations and services of the State, and the courses are taught by 2,942 specialists from the work centers of these organizations. 2,957 adjoining rooms have also been set up in the production and services centers, in which students undertake practical activities to develop professional skills, thus facilitating the use of the specialized material study base existing in such facilities.
The subsystem also caters to the Professional Schools to train qualified workers in areas of greater labor demand in each field.
Higher Secondary Education also includes the training of primary school and preschool teachers in the Pedagogical Schools, with duration of four years, and continued undergraduate on-the-job studies in Education in these specialties. There are 18 such schools, whose students are of strategic importance, as the primary school teacher is the very foundation of the entire educational system.
Adult Education. The goal is to provide workers and adults in general with the required basic education foundation, so that they can achieve the desired educational level and further technical training. It is structured in three levels: Worker-Peasant Education, Secondary Worker-Peasant Education and Worker-Peasant College, with courses equivalent to Primary, Secondary and Pre-University education respectively. It also includes the Language Schools, so as to meet the workers' needs for the knowledge of foreign languages.
Currently the workers' colleges also offer courses in Spanish, Mathematics and Cuban History, with a view to preparing the workers who wish to enter university and must take the required entrance examinations.
Higher Education. The Ministry of Higher Education is responsible for directing this educational level through its network of subordinate universities and those under other organizations. University-level specialists graduate from these institutions to work in different spheres of the country's economic and social life, in day courses for students who have completed their courses in Pre-University Education; courses through meetings for workers in those modalities. Candidates must take and pass the three aforementioned entrance exams.
This subsystem includes the Higher Pedagogical Education, linked to the Ministry of Education. Its role is to train the teachers required by the System, and the courses are offered by the Universities of Pedagogical Sciences, from which students graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Education.
These centers also cater to the improvement of teachers in activity, covering the different types of graduate education established in Cuba, in two areas: professional enhancement and graduate academic programs. The first aims to ensure an enhancement that meets the characteristics and needs of teachers as a result of their professional performance, so as to enable them to improve their knowledge, master the contents of the disciplines and the necessary methods and, in addition, prepare them to assimilate the changes imposed by development, with the ability to enhance their own practice, its results and the ways to change it. Among the enhancement activities, personal growth is essential for other organizational forms such as courses, seminars and "graduates".
Graduate academic education, as a second area, enables teachers to achieve high professional competence and high research and innovation capacity in the workplace, which is recognized with an academic or scientific degree. In this sense, the development of the broadly accessible Master's in Education had a major impact. A total of 41,000 teachers have obtained the degree, making up a scientific potential prepared to produce the desired changes in the various areas of knowledge. In turn, the development of the scientific activity has provided the country with more than 1,000 doctors of Sciences linked directly to the training of the teaching staff and to other educational levels, whose research results, when put into practice, will contribute to accelerate the changes made to the system.
The key to success lies in the unity achieved between scientific activity, enhancement and methodological work, as an essential condition to the work that the school should develop to improve the quality of education.
Since the period 2010-2011, new curricula and programs have been introduced in Undergraduate Education, which meet the current demands in the training of these professionals, from the design of a model whose primary purpose is to better prepare the students before they face the work at school, the expansion of the profiles of careers that produce teachers for Secondary Education, and the improved role of the school in training, as a materialization of the study-work principle.
The new pedagogical model was developed for the purpose of training educators who:
Are prepared to scientifically conduct the educational process at the school, ensure the full personal development of the student expressed in the knowledge of contents, the supporting methods and the ethical standards shown in their professional performance.
Vocationally orient the student to the specialties the country needs the most.
Interact with the family so as to play a major role in the full development of their students.
Use scientific methods to provide solutions to problems encountered in their work.
Demonstrate to be politically, legally and culturally prepared and are capable to communicate effectively, so as to serve as a linguistic model to students.
Can identify their own enhancement needs and act to meet them.
These new plans preserve and consolidate principles contained in previous plans, which prioritize: the political-ideological work and full general cultural development, the educational work in tune with the training and development of a broad profile professional, who can lead the educational process in more than one discipline or grade, the link between theory and practice, with a professional focus throughout the training process.
These are five-year courses that train teachers in 21 careers for all levels of the Education System, which are develop in different modalities. The new model involves an intensive training stage in the classroom during the first two or three years of the career at the Universities of Pedagogical Sciences, which since the first year improves the general culture of the future teacher, while starting his preparation to work at the school. Upon completing this stage, the student enters a school near his home, which is considered a micro-university because that is where he will continue his professional development under the direct guidance of a mentor who will accompany him throughout his career, which is complemented by the university courses he will attend to achieve his higher level education. These courses are completed with a state examination or a certificate activity; the latter for students with high academic achievement.
From the current pedagogical conceptions established for Higher Education in Cuba, each career defines the type of professional to be developed and sets the general objectives to be achieved, from which the respective curricula will be developed. These plans take into account three levels in determining the content: the basic curriculum, of state character, the specific curriculum, which is completed by each university based on the previous one, and the optional/elective curriculum offered by the educational system, with options for the student to choose from.
Current challenges and transformation to meet them
In the school period 2009-2010, the Ministry of Education implemented a comprehensive and deep transformation plan involving all institutions, their directors, faculty and students, as well as families and other sectors of society, with the goal to continue improving the quality of education so that current and future generations are increasingly prepared to face and solve the problems generated by development, and to do so with strong patriotic and revolutionary convictions. This requires joining the effort and will of all, combining all strategies and, where necessary, "revolutionizing, down to their foundation, the concepts of education,"7 reaffirming the idea expressed by the Commander in Chief, Fidel Castro, many years ago.
This entails:
Prioritizing the political-ideological work and education in values throughout the Educational System, especially in the strengthening of patriotic and civic education, underpinned by a greater knowledge of the History of Cuba, Martí's thought, the thought of our heroes and main leaders, so as to instill in the present and future generations, ideas that contribute raise awareness through the education they receive in learning institutions. Hence the emphasis on the "need to inform, discuss and achieve a higher level of development of the population, particularly young people".8
Improving preventive and community work as an important component of the educational work, so as to prevent misbehavior, vices and misconduct.
Focusing on the professional development of students, as a guiding principle of education contained in the Master Program for strengthening the core values of the current Cuban society.
Improving the "Educate Your Child Program", which ensures the high levels of participation that have helped to achieve greater inclusion and retention of children 0-6 years of age.
Consolidating the achievements of Primary Education, which have enabled attaining an almost absolute efficiency in the cycle.
Improving the Assessment in School System, in which its psycho-educational conception is reinforced, to stimulating study, effort and learning.
Introducing pedagogical training at the higher secondary level in pedagogical schools to train primary and preschool teachers.
Improving the development and enhancement of teachers, with the implementation of new curricula and careers with dual specialty, increasing research activity and its application in teaching activity and in the design of an enhancement system that meets the real needs of educators.
Improving the methodological work as a means of scientific and pedagogical preparation to improve the skills of teachers in the classroom, taking as the starting point their self-preparation, as well as their continuous improvement understood as a priority to safeguard the quality of teaching, the education work and the scientific activity.
Strengthening the development of skills in the Mother Tongue in all the subsystems and in particular in the training of teachers, as an essential element in their development.
Focusing the organization of special school on improving assistance to children with special needs requiring these services.
Strengthening in all subsystems the implementation of the curricula existing in all educational levels with adjustments to their content, with the aim to achieve greater efficiency in each cycle.
In Basic Secondary Education, prioritizing the specialized methodological assistance of mentor teachers to new teachers, so as to improve the educational process from the work developed in the classroom.
Working in the different centers comprising Pre-university education in preparing young people for their access to education in careers prioritized in the country.
In the polytechnic institutes, creating adjacent classrooms in production and services centers, thus facilitating the direct incorporation of production specialists into the formative process of their students, coupled with a more rational use of available resources.
Working on strengthening the school organization and reorganizing the school network, with the rational use and control of the human and material resources provided by the State to the schools, for them to carry out their work.
Improving the "Yo, sí puedo" ("Yes, I can") and "Yo, sí puedo seguir" ("Yes, I can continue") programs for international collaboration, as Cuba's contribution to eradicating of the scourge of illiteracy in other countries.
The economic and social landscape that characterizes today's world, with its major conflicts and inequalities, of both natural origin and political and social character, has a direct impact on the mission and roles to be fulfilled by education anywhere in the world, where only the strength of the peoples and the political will of their leaders will enable its realization.
Cuba, which has met the goals of Education for All, as well as the overall objectives of the United Nations Major Project of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean,9 has shown that it is possible to develop education with high levels of equity, justice and quality, while facing adverse economic conditions. This is due to the fact that education has always been among the priorities of both the State and society at large.
In the course of 53 years educational policies have been implemented for the purpose of guaranteeing the people's education and the full development of new generations. In this regard, the key element that has allowed Cubans to move forward is their endless trust in the justice of the educational work we are building and in the unity that has always existed among the people to take this endeavor forward.
Today we are all immersed in a world of extraordinary development rates, and, paradoxically, also of incredible poverty rates. Technical-scientific development is part of this reality, and it cannot be denied that those who generate it, in their urge for domination attempt to erase from our nations the purest patriotic feelings and their identities as independent and sovereign nations. In this fierce battle, education is necessarily called upon to occupy a privileged and strategic place. So for us, education is decisive: "the creation and development of values in the consciousness of children and young people from an early age, and today it is more necessary than ever [...] to save our independence, to save our Nation, to save our Revolution".10
1 Bolívar, S. Breviario educativo. Caracas: s. n., 1825. [ Links ]
2 Martí, J. Maestros ambulantes. La América, New York, mayo 1884. [ Links ]
3 Assembleia Nacional do Poder Popular: Constitución de la República de Cuba. La Habana: Editorial Pueblo y Educación, 2003. p.10-11. [ Links ]
4 Martí, J. El Plato de Lentejas. Patria, New York, 6 ene. 1894. [ Links ]
5 Movimento que agrupou jovens que deram o passo adiante para se formar como professores, cujo nome lembra um jovem alfabetizador assassinado por bandas mercenárias organizadas e equipadas pelo governo dos Estados Unidos.
6 Informe de Cuba sobre la evaluación de la primera etapa del "Programa mundial para la educación en derechos humanos. (2005-2009)". Genebra: Organização das Nações Unidas, 7 abr. 2010. [ Links ]
7 Castro Ruz, F. Discurso na clausura do II Congresso da União de Jovens Comunistas, celebrado em Havana, no dia 4 de abril de 1972. [ Links ]
8 Velázquez Cobiella, E. E. (ministra da Educação de Cuba). Conferência inaugural no Congresso Pedagogia 2011. Palácio de Convenções, 24 de janeiro de 2001. [ Links ]
9 O Projeto Principal de Educação, surgido antes da Conferência Mundial sobre Educação para Todos de Jomtien, orientou as políticas educativas dos países da América Latina e do Caribe para vinte anos. Esse Projeto foi aprovado em 1980, na 21ª Reunião da Conferência Geral da Unesco, com o consenso dos países da região, diante da necessidade de realizar um esforço coletivo para conseguir antes do ano 2000 os seguintes objetivos: a escolarização básica das crianças em idade escolar; superar o analfabetismo; melhorar a qualidade e a eficiência dos sistemas educativos e do ensino em geral.
10 Castro Ruz, F. Discurso pronunciado no ato inaugural do curso escolar 1997-98. 1º de setembro de 1997, na Cidade Escolar Libertad. [ Links ]
1	Bolívar, S. Breviario educativo. Caracas: s. n., 1825.
2	Martí, J. Maestros ambulantes. La América, New York, May 1884.
3	National People's Power Assembly: Constitución de la República de Cuba. Havana: Editorial Pueblo y Educación, 2003. p.10-11.
4	Martí, J. El Plato de Lentejas. Patria, New York, 6 Jan. 1894.
5	Movement that brought together young people who have taken a step forward to graduate as teachers, named after a young literacy teacher murdered by mercenary armies organized and equipped by the United States government.
6	Informe de Cuba sobre la evaluación de la primera etapa del "Programa mundial para la educación en derechos humanos. (2005-2009)". Geneva: United Nations, 7 Apr. 2010.
7 Castro Ruz, F. Discurso na clausura do II Congresso da União de Jovens Comunistas, held in Havana on 4 April 1972.
8 Velázquez Cobiella, E. E. (Minister of Education of Cuba). Inaugural Conference at the Pedagogy Congress 2011. Convention Palace, 24 January 2001.
9 The main education project, which preceded the World Conference on Education for All in Jomtien, guided educational policies in Latin America and the Caribbean for twenty years. This project was approved in 1980, at the 21st Meeting of the General Conference of UNESCO, with the agreement of the countries of the region, given the need for a collective effort to achieve, before 2000, the following objectives: ensure basic education to school age children; eradicate illiteracy; improve the quality and efficiency of educational systems and of education in general.
10 Castro Ruz, F. Speech delivered at the official opening of the school period 1997-98. 1st September 1997, in Cidade Escolar Libertad.
Received on 16 April 2011 and accepted on 24 April 2011.
Margarita Quintero López holds a master's degree in Educational Planning, School Organization and Supervision of Educational Systems. She is a geography professor and has a PhD in Pedagogy. @ - pedagogia@mined.rimed.cu
The original in Spanish - "La educación en Cuba: sus fundamentos y retos actuales" - is available to readers for reference at the IEA-USP.
Rua da Reitoria,109 - Cidade Universitária
05508-900 São Paulo SP - Brasil
Tel: (55 11) 3091-1675/3091-1676
estudosavancados@usp.br


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Dr. Tanya Futoryan is a Diplomat of the American Board of Dermatology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), a Fellow of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), and a Fellow of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS). She is a clinical instructor at Yale School of Medicine, teaching residents surgery, as well as cosmetic procedures.
A summa cum laude graduate from the University of Rochester, Dr. Futoryan received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry and was named to the Phi Beta Kappa national honor society. She received her medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and completed her dermatology training at the Tufts/Boston University combined residency program.
Dr. Tanya Futoryan founded her practice in Westport, Connecticut to provide unparalleled medical care, aesthetic and surgical treatments, and excellent patient service in a warm and comfortable atmosphere.
To enhance patient care, we use advanced technology, including state of the art laser systems, digital photography, and cutting-edge medical treatments. The practice is committed to offering only the safest and most effective cosmetic and medical therapies.
Lauren Levy, M.D.
Dr. Lauren Levy joined Westport Dermatology and Laser Center in March 2019 after working in the Department of Dermatology at Yale University, where she became an expert on treating acne, rosacea, skin cancer, psoriasis, and skin manifestations of rheumatologic disease. Her undergraduate education was completed at the University of Pennsylvania where she graduated summa cum laude and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honors society. She graduated with a distinction in research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Her training continued with a medical internship at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center followed by dermatology residency in the Department of Dermatology at Yale University, one of the most prestigious dermatology departments in the country. Following her residency, she worked as a clinical Instructor at Yale School of Medicine and now practices on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Dr. Lauren Levy joined Westport Dermatology and Laser Center in March 2019 after working in the Department of Dermatology at Yale University, where she became an expert on treating acne, rosacea, skin cancer, psoriasis, and skin manifestations of rheumatologic disease.
Eileen King, R.N.
Eileen has been performing laser procedures at Westport Dermatology for several years. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Richmond and her nursing degree from Norwalk Community College. Eileen's enthusiasm for dermatology and laser medicine is matched only by her sweet and delightful personality. She instantly puts patients at ease with her knowledge and warm demeanor.
Meredith Lorig, R.N.
Meredith has a passion for helping patients look and feel better. She received her nursing degree from NYU and has worked at Norwalk Hospital for several years. Meredith has vast knowledge of laser medicine and truly enjoys spending time with her patients.