Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Education is in crisis


In the national anxiety over deficits, debt, health care reform and deploying troops to Afghanistan, another crisis was in danger of being overlooked with risky effects on the American economy, industry and our position in world leadership.

Education, which has fallen behind other nations, is the single source for diverse layers of skilled citizens of the future. Education produces technicians and tradesmen to build and operate industrial and high-tech machines, scientists and researchers to create products and medicines, environmentalists to deal with the planet's changing climate, entrepreneurs to exploit capital opportunities for American enterprise.

Happily, education is receiving a lift on several fronts.

In Idaho, where the percentage of college graduates is lamentably near the bottom of states, the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation is committing $20 million to scholarships and a public information campaign to boost college graduation numbers. This admirable generosity could ignite philanthropic efforts by others.

Nationally, President Obama unveiled a widespread non-government, volunteer program to stir student interests in science, technology, engineering and math. One of the largest and most important participants is cable TV's Discovery Channel, which has committed two hours each afternoon to commercial-free after-school science programming.

Other corporations and scientists have pledged their participation as well. Parents, too, must pitch in to encourage their children to join in the national effort to build for the future.

As the president said, "It depends on all of us," with emphasis on all.




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