SEATTLE — Located in Western Africa, Mauritania is a large, mainly desert country that gained its independence from France in 1960. The government began to reform the education system in 1999. Improvements have been made, but education in Mauritania remains a work in progress. The reforms of 1999 brought many changes. All Mauritanians now learn under one system of education. Before the reforms, some students were taught in Arabic, others in French. Now, students learn all their first grade subjects in Arabic. They learn French beginning in their second year and English as they enter secondary school. The government also…
Author: Solansh Moya
Solansh Moya
Solansh was born in the Dominican Republic. She moved to New York when she was two years old and has lived in the Bronx ever since. Solansh's academic interests include Creative Writing and her goal is to help others find their voice, give them the courage to speak up and express themselves. - An interesting fact about your life? I write for Weirdo Brigade, a creative zine that gives people a platform to freely express themselves through poetry and art.
SEATTLE — Togo is an African country often criticized for its human rights record and political governance. Literacy in the nation varies widely by gender. The literacy rate for men in 2016 was 78.3 percent, but for women it was 55.3 percent. Education in Togo has three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary, or highest education. Education is free, and compulsory until the age of 15. Primary education begins at the age of six and runs for six years, at which point students earn a Certificat d’Études du Premier Degré (CEPD) and matriculate to secondary school, which takes another six years…
SANTO DOMINGO — In 2006, the world’s largest mining company, Barrick Gold, bought Pueblo Viejo’s oxide mining site in the Dominican Republic. After signing a contract with the Dominican Republic government, it began extraction in 2012. Unfortunately, its work has polluted the waters of one of the Dominican Republic’s central provinces. The environmental impact of Barrick Gold on the Sanchez Ramirez province is devastating. For more than 40 years, the Maguaca River provided the main source of Sanchez Ramirez drinking water. However, as soon as Barrick Gold began work, it broke the pipes and the dam, which locals say caused…
MONTEVIDEO — Uruguay is the only country in Latin America that has access to a safe drinking water supply. As a result, most of the localities receive disinfected water continuously. Water quality in Uruguay is considered to be good, but over the years it has become an issue. The government hopes to further improve the efficiency of services and expand access to sewerage in areas where on-site sanitation is still used. Clean water is provided by Obras Sanitarias del Estado (OSE) throughout Uruguay. OSE is also in charge of sanitation, except in the department of Montevideo, where sanitation is provided…
NUKU’ALOFA — Tonga is a Polynesian sovereign state and archipelago consisting of 170 islands and with a population of 108,000. Poverty in Tonga was not historically a concern, but over the years, the country’s economy has become vulnerable. Tongans depend on agriculture and fishing for a livelihood. Many people are smallholder farmers engaged in subsistence and cash crop production. They grow coconut and root crops like yams and sweet potatoes, sometimes supplemented by bananas and plantains. Tonga’s poor lack alternative sources of income. Those seeking other types of work have limited access to markets and face high costs of transportation. Due…
HAVANA — Cuba has had a strong education system since the early 1900s. However, around that time, only half the children had access to education. This resulted in rural Cuba having a low literacy rate compared to urban areas. After the 1959 revolution, education in Cuba was nationalized. Prior to this, it was noted that 20 percent of Cubans over the age of 15 were illiterate and 60 percent were semi-literate. This was due to the fact that many rural Cubans had only acquired a third-grade education or less. Fortunately, today, Cuba has the highest literacy rate in the world…
SEATTLE — Andorra is one of Europe’s smallest countries. It is located in the high mountains of Pyrenees, between France and Spain. The landlocked country has a population of approximately 79,300. The population is 33 percent Andorran, 43 percent Spanish and 24 percent other ethnic groups. Catalan is the official language, but Spanish and French are also spoken. Education in Andorra lands on the positive side of the spectrum, with a literacy rate of 100 percent. Primary and secondary schooling Andorra has three different school systems. Parents can choose to send their kids to study at the French, Spanish or…
SEATTLE — The Dominican Republic is known as one of the countries with the worst education system. However, efforts are being made to change this perception of education in the Dominican Republic. The law says the standard GDP spent on public schools should be four percent, but the reality is only two percent is spent. Currently, the literacy percent of people from the age of fifteen and up is at 90 percent. In the Dominican Republic, pre-school is known as Nivel Inicial. It runs from age three to six and only the last year is required by the law. Primary…