Archaeologist claims to have discovered biblical Sodom

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18 July 2023

WFP forced to slash food aid as half of all Haitians go hungry

This reduction in aid comes at a time when Haiti is grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis, with almost half of its population, approximately 4.9 million people, unable to access sufficient food.

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Further cuts possible

“It’s tragic being unable to reach some of the most vulnerable Haitians this month. These cuts could not come at a worse time, as Haitians face a multi-layered humanitarian crisis, their lives and livelihoods upended by violence, insecurity, economic turmoil and climate shocks”, said Jean-Martin Bauer, WFP Country Director for Haiti.

“Unless we receive immediate funding, further devastating cuts cannot be ruled out.”

In various regions, similar crises arising from reduced funding have led to significant cuts in emergency aid provision. In West Africa, the number of individuals receiving crucial assistance from the WFP has been reduced from 11.6 million to around 6.2 million.

And in Syria, instead of providing aid to 5.5 million people, that figure has been reduced to three million who are being prioritised. In Jordan, approximately 50,000 out of 465,000 refugees will see their support cut, the agency has reported.

Severe shortfall

WFP’s response plan in Haiti for the first half of 2023 is only 16 per cent funded, leaving a shortfall of $121 million needed to sustain vital humanitarian assistance until the end of the year.

In the first half of 2023, WFP was able to provide 450,000 school children in Haiti with a hot meal. For many, it is their only full meal of the day. However, without additional funds, almost half of these children will lose access to school meals when they return to class after the summer break.

“We are proud of what we’ve been able to achieve so far in 2023, thanks to support from our donors. We have the people, the plan, and the capacity to continue, but at this point, without immediate funding, we’re forced to make cuts which mean thousands of the most vulnerable Haitians won’t receive assistance this year,” said Mr. Bauer.

“This isn’t the time to cut back. It’s the time to step up. We can’t let Haitians down when they need us the most.”

UN chief regrets Russia’s decision to withdraw from grain deal

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17 July 2023

UN chief regrets Russia’s decision to withdraw from grain deal

Following weeks of negotiations, the UN-brokered accord that facilitated the export of more than 30 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to global markets via three Black Sea ports expired on 17 July.

“Today’s decision by the Russian Federation will strike a blow to people in need everywhere,” said Mr. Guterres, speaking to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York.

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Developing countries to suffer

The Black Sea initiative was agreed by Russia, Ukraine, Türkiye and the UN in Istanbul last July along with a parallel accord between the UN and Russia on grain and fertilizer exports from that country.

By its decision, Russia has also withdrawn security guarantees for ships navigating in the northwestern part of the Black Sea.

“Ultimately, participation in these agreements is a choice. But struggling people everywhere and developing countries don’t have a choice,” Mr. Guterres said.

‘Beacon of hope’

The grain initiative and the Memorandum of Understanding with Russia were “a lifeline for global food security and a beacon of hope in a troubled world,” he said.

“At a time when the production and availability of food is being disrupted by conflict, climate change, energy prices and more, these agreements have helped to reduce food prices by over 23 per cent since March last year,” he added.

He noted that the World Food Programme (WFP) shipped 725,000 tons to support humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and Yemen, relieving hunger in some of the world’s hardest hit regions.

Attempt to keep deal alive

Mr. Guterres said he was aware of obstacles that remained in the foreign trade of Russian food and fertilizer products and that he had written to President Vladimir Putin with a new proposal to keep the Black Sea Initiative alive.

Quoting extensively from the letter, he noted that since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, and measures adopted by the Government, Russia’s grain trade had achieved high export volumes and fertilizer markets were stabilizing, with Russian exports nearing full recovery.

The letter also outlined UN action to facilitate trade amid sanctions against Russia, such as securing licenses from the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union, and providing clarifications and guidance to the private sector.

The Secretary-General’s letter also explained how the UN has worked to find “dedicated solutions” across the banking and private sectors, which included building a “bespoke payments mechanism” for the Russian Agricultural Bank outside the SWIFT international banking network.

Moscow had lighted that SWIFT access by the bank was a key factor influencing its decisions, according to the letter.

Mr. Guterres said he was deeply disappointed that his proposal went unheeded.

UN efforts continue

Though lamenting the Russian decision, the Secretary-General was adamant that it would not stop efforts to get food products and fertilizers from both Ukraine and Russia to international markets.

Mr. Guterres said he will remain focused on the goal of advancing global food security and global food price stability, “taking into account the rise in human suffering that will inevitably result from today’s decision.”

Assembly President’s appeal

Responding to the collapse of the landmark deal, UN General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi reiterated his call for the parties to return to dialogue.

“The challenges are complex, they are interconnected, but they are not insurmountable. It is not too late,” according to a statement issued by his Spokesperson.

Mr. Kőrösi deeply regretted Moscow’s decision to withdraw from the Initiative which he said “has provided a lifeline to millions of people hit hard by the global food security crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine.”

He also called for an end to the conflict, in line with international law and the UN Charter.

Global immunisation rates show sign of post-pandemic rebound

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17 July 2023

Global immunisation rates show sign of post-pandemic rebound

Global immunisation services reached four million more children in 2022, compared with the previous year as countries increase efforts meant to combat the historic backsliding in immunisation triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Millions missing out

Data published by the UN agencies on Monday reveal that, in 2022, 20.5 million children failed to receive one or more diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccines, compared to 24.4 million children in 2021. DTP vaccinations are commonly used as the global indicator of immunisation coverage.

Despite the improvement, this figure is still more than the 18.4 million children who failed to receive one or more vaccines in 2019, before pandemic-related disruptions to routine immunisation services kicked in.

“These data are encouraging, and a tribute to those who have worked so hard to restore life-saving immunisation services after two years of sustained decline in immunisation coverage,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“But global and regional averages don’t tell the whole story and mask severe and persistent inequities. When countries and regions lag, children pay the price.”

Worrying disparities

The early stages of recovery in immunisation rates have not occurred equally. Progress in well-resourced countries with large infant populations such as India and Indonesia, masks slower recovery rates, or even continued declines, in middle and low-income countries.

Of the 73 countries that recorded substantial declines in coverage, 15 have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, 24 are on the road to recovery and, most concerningly, 34 have stagnated or continued to decline, said the agencies.

Measles shots trailing

Vaccination against measles, one of the most infectious of pathogens, has not recovered as well as other vaccines.

Last year, 21.9 million children – 2.7 million more than in 2019 – missed the routine measles vaccination in their first year of life, while an additional 13.3 million did not receive their second dose. This has placed children in under-vaccinated communities at heightened risk of outbreaks.

Data indicates countries with sustained immunisation coverage in the years before the pandemic have been better able to stabilise services.

South Asia, which reported gradual increases in coverage in the decade prior to the pandemic, has demonstrated a more rapid and robust recovery than regions that suffered declines, such as Latin America and the Caribbean.

The African region, which is lagging behind in its recovery, faces an extra challenge posed by population growth. As population size increases, countries must scale up immunisation services to maintain adequate coverage levels.

Reversing the trend

With support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, DTP3 vaccine coverage in the 57 lower-income countries increased from 78 per cent in 2021 to 81 per cent in 2022, with the number of zero-dose children dropping by two million in the same period.

The increase in DTP3 coverage in Gavi-implementing countries was primarily concentrated in lower middle-income countries, however, with many low-income countries not yet increasing coverage.

“It is incredibly reassuring, after the massive disruption wrought by the pandemic, to see routine immunisation making such a strong recovery in Gavi-supported countries, especially in terms of reducing the number of zero-dose children,” said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

“However, it is also clear from this important study that we need to find ways of helping every country protect their people, otherwise we run the risk of two tracks emerging, with larger, lower-middle-income countries outpacing the rest.”

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, HPV vaccination coverage has surpassed pre-pandemic levels. HPV vaccination programmes that began pre-pandemic reached the same number of girls in 2022 as in 2019.

International effort

Many stakeholders are working to improve routine immunisation services across regions. In 2023, WHO and UNICEF, along with Gavi, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other IA2030 partners launched “The Big Catch-Up,” a global communications and advocacy push calling on governments to reach children who missed out due to COVID-19.

The movement aims to secure financing for immunisations, develop new policies to assist children born during or just prior to the pandemic, strengthen routine services particularly among marginalised children, and build vaccine confidence and acceptance.

“Beneath the positive trend lies a grave warning,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

“Until more countries mend the gaps in routine immunisation coverage, children everywhere will remain at risk of contracting and dying from diseases we can prevent. Viruses like measles do not recognise borders. Efforts must urgently be strengthened to catch up children who missed their vaccination, while restoring and further improving immunisation services from pre-pandemic levels.”

Devastating rights violations against Indigenous people must end

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17 July 2023

Devastating rights violations against Indigenous people must end

He was speaking in Geneva at the annual meeting on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, referencing in-depth conversations he had had in recent months with Indigenous representatives during missions to Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Kenya.

He described the “unprincipled and devastating impact of extractive industries on the environment and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Their dispossession from ancestral lands, and the militarization of their territories.”

He said they had described the negative impact of the climate crisis on their communities and “the scope of systemic discrimination and exclusion.”

“It’s clear that these violations must stop”, he told the meeting.

Poverty imbalance

The UN rights chief noted that Indigenous Peoples make up just over six per cent of the world’s population but account for almost a fifth of the world’s poor, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO).

He insisted their voices need to be heard “in every relevant national, regional and global conversation” and stressed the need to protect Indigenous human rights defenders from violence and reprisals.

Mr. Türk recalled the “profoundly moving” story of survival by four Huitoto children whose mother died when they were all in a plane crash in the Colombian rainforest last month. They were found alive after 40 days, including a one-year-old baby.

“The older children were able to hark back to the lessons of their mother and grandmother. They knew it was possible to understand the rainforest and to co-exist with its animals and plants, despite the risks.”

He said Indigenous people were most likely to carry the chain of culture forward: “We see this very clearly in the context of climate change”, with its unequal impact, often leaving those closest to the land, to experience the worst effects.

This is especially true for Indigenous women, he reminded, hit disproportionately by “climate damage and the unprincipled development of megaprojects.”

Meeting 45 Indigenous leaders from 30 countries just last week, the rights chief said climate change was referenced often. “As the ice melts, our culture and the way of living dies”, one participant from Greenland told him.

He said he hoped there would be increasing opportunities for Indigenous Peoples to participate at the UN, including in the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

“Because you have a right to make your voices heard. Because you have the right to participate in decision-making in matters which would affect you, through representatives chosen by you according to your procedures. And because your voices are deeply valuable to every aspect of our work to advance human rights.”

Russia: UN rights experts call for release of journalist Evan Gershkovich

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17 July 2023

The journalist has only been allowed two consular visits to date, despite numerous requests for access from the US Ambassador in Moscow. Russian authorities explain their refusal as a response to the “US denial of visas to Russian journalists”.

Russia: UN rights experts call for release of journalist Evan Gershkovich

Mariana Katzarova, Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia and Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, were responding to the 31-year-old United States citizen’s arrest and detention while on a reporting trip in the city of Yekaterinburg.

“The arrest and indictment of Mr Gershkovich on serious criminal charges which could lead to 20 years in a penal colony is an example of the severe clamp down on freedom of opinion and expression and on independent journalism in Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine 17 months ago,” the experts said.

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Treason charge

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) correspondent was accused of acting on orders from the US Government to gather information constituting “State secrets”.

“Gershkovich’s arrest highlights the recent uptick in the use of the espionage and treason provisions of the Russian Federation Criminal Code to more frequently arrest individuals in Russia and we are alarmed by this growing trend,” the experts said. “It is a dangerous instrument given the gravity of the charges and the difficulty of public scrutiny in such cases,” they added.

The human rights experts expressed alarm over the recent uptick in the use of the espionage and treason provisions within the Criminal Code to arrest individuals, saying that in the first six months of this year, at least 43 people had been charged with treason.

‘Chilling message’

According to available data, 16 people were convicted on similar charges in 2022, and at least 24 criminal proceedings were initiated in the same year. At the end of June, it was also reported that in the first six months of 2023, at least 43 people had been charged with treason in Russia, the press release from the experts said.

“This is the first time since the Soviet era that the Russian authorities have accused a US journalist of espionage and it sends a chilling message to all foreign journalists, and indeed to all journalists in Russia,” said the experts.

Mr. Gershkovich moved to Russia in 2017 to work as a Russia-accredited journalist. For the past year, he has worked as a correspondent for the WSJ, reporting on issues such as mobilisation of recruits, sanctions and their impact on the economy and people, Russia’s growing isolation, and the Government’s attempts to silence anti-war activism.

No embassy access

The prosecution has not publicly presented any evidence to date to substantiate its allegations of espionage, the Human Rights Council-appointed experts said.

The Special Rapporteurs lodged an appeal over Mr. Gershkovich’s arbitrary arrest with the Russian authorities on 12 June and called for his immediate release. No response has been received to date.

Special Rapporteurs and other UN Human Rights Council-appointed rights experts, work on a voluntary and unpaid basis, are not UN staff, and work independently from any government or organisation.

Lettori, College of Commissioners duly refers discrimination case to the Court of Justice

By

Henry Rodgers

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17 July 2023

College of Commissioners refers Lettori discrimination case to the Court of Justice

Lettori case // Longest-running breach of the parity of treatment provision of the Treaty in the history of the EU nears an end.

The College of Commissioners at its meeting on Friday last unanimously endorsed the referral of infringement proceedings N.2021/4055 to the Court of Justice of the European Union(CJEU). The proceedings, taken because of Italy’s continuing discrimination against foreign language lecturers in Italian universities(Lettori ), were opened in September 2021. The Court has already ruled four times in favour of the Lettori in a line of litigation which extends back to the seminal Allué ruling of 1989.

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College’s details about the Lettori case

The College of Commissioners’ decision is recorded under the Jobs and Social Rights portfolio section in the July infringement package. Given the newsworthiness of the College’s decision, a press release, giving additional detail on the case was also published. It records that the case is being referred to the Court because of Italy’s failure to implement the ruling in enforcement Case C-119/04, a ruling which was handed down in 2006.

In their ruling in that case, 13 judges of the Grand Chamber held that a last-minute Italian law of March 2004 was compliant with EU law. The law awarded Lettori a reconstruction of their career from the date of first employment with reference to the parameter of a part-time researcher or more favourable parameters. The law, though it remains in the statute book, has never been implemented.

Following Friday’s decision of the College, interest in this high-profile discrimination case is certain to increase. In enforcement case C-119/04, the Commission recommended the imposition of daily fines of € 309.750 on Italy for decades of discriminatory treatment against Lettori.

The fine was waived because of the enactment by Italy of a last-minute law of March 2004. In an eventual future hearing Italy’s defence team will have the unenviable task of explaining to the Court why the law which spared Italy the recommended fines was never subsequently enforced. Hence, the case has the scope to be a major public and political embarrassment for Italy.

Infringement proceedings pit complainants against member states in breach of their Treaty obligations. It goes without saying that the member states have infinitely greater resources at their disposal for defending their position than the complainants have for proving the persistence of a breach.

The complainants’ relative disadvantage in this regard is added to by the fact that exchanges in infringement proceedings between the Commission and the member state in breach are confidential. Hence, under existing arrangements, a complainant is never fully sure of the Commission’s legal position and intentions.

Against these odds, complainant Asso. CEL.L, a Lettori association founded at the La Sapienza University of Rome, and assisted by FLC CGIL, Italy’s largest trade union, has been providing the Commission with irrefutable evidence of the persistence of Italy’s breach of the Treaty, both prior to and over the course of infringement proceedings N.2021/4055. A number of important morals and lessons on the efficacy of the infringement procedure and the role of the complainant emerge from these experiences.

The Treaty Provisions on infringement proceedings

The 1957 Founding Treaty of Rome empowered the European Commission, as guardian of the Treaty, to take infringement proceedings against Member States for perceived violation of their Treaty obligations. Later, the Treaty of Maastricht further empowered the Commission to take follow-on enforcement cases for non-implementation of earlier infringement rulings, and the Court to impose pecuniary penalties on Member States where it deemed the Commission had proven its case.

These measures, particularly when taken in tandem, would seem adequate to remedy breaches of EU law in that rational member states would comply rather than pay heavy daily fines.

In the Lettori enforcement case, the Court waived the daily fines proposed by the Commission because Italy enacted last-minute legislation which the Court judged to be compliant with EU Law. However, Italy never subsequently enforced its legislation.

Hence the Commission had to revert to the first stage and start fresh infringement proceedings, thus prolonging a case which should have been resolved with the enforcement procedure.

Repetition of this unfortunate outcome could be avoided by verifying with the complainant that enacted member state legislation has in fact been enforced.

The complainant

In the Lettori case, the infringement proceedings were preceded by a pilot case, which ran on for ten years. Nearing retirement, and despairing of ever receiving justice, a group of Lettori at “La Sapienza” University of Rome formed Asso.CEL.L and applied for and obtained the status of an official complainant with the Commission.

With a mix of skills in law, statistics, data processing, Asso.CEl.L resolved to improve the quality of representations to the Commission and persuade it to move to infringement proceedings properly. A new professionalism was evident in the organization of a nationwide census of Lettori, conducted with the cooperation of FLC CGIL, which documented to the Commission’s satisfaction that the universities had not implemented the CJEU ruling in Case C-119/04.

A thorough knowledge of EU law and procedure is essential for a complainant. To his end, Asso.CEL.L set up a web page to educate colleagues on Lettori case law before the European courts.

Resources

Asso.CEL L is unique among Lettori representative organizations in that it has never accepted contributions. The negligible to zero cost of modern means of information communication and virtual meetings means running costs are very low.

Freed of the need to canvass for contributions and the bureaucratic requirement to compile and justify annual accounts, Asso.CEL.L has been able to devote its best energies to the infringement proceedings.

The moral here is that would-be complainants should master modern means of internet communication to keep their running costs low.

Relations with trade unions

In discrimination against non-national workers cases the support of a domestic trade union is invaluable. That FLC CGIL, Italy’s largest trade union, called on the Commission to prosecute Italy for its discriminatory treatment of non-national workers carried great weight.

With its impressive national organization, the cooperation of FLC CGIL proved essential to the success of the nationwide Lettori census. The same on-the-ground organization facilitated the success of the three protests held this academic year, on December 13, April 20, and most recently in the national strike of June 30.

The Press

It is obvious that good media coverage helps the cause of a complainant. In the university cities of Padova, Florence (1), and Perugia (2), local Italian TV was generous in coverage of the Lettori strike of June 30. The audience response was very supportive.

At the European level, The European Times has consistently reported on the Lettori case from the opening of the infringement proceedings to the referral of the case by the College of Commissioners to the Court of Justice. For funded organizations, there will always be a temptation to indulge in propaganda to maintain subscription income.

In its relations with the press Asso.CEL.L has always followed a policy of never trading accuracy for advocacy. This policy has been facilitated by the European Times policy of providing substantiating web links to Lettori case law.

The Parliamentary Question

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== Lettori, College of Commissioners duly refers discrimination case to the Court of Justice — MEP Claire Daly

Though exchanges between the Commission and member states in perceived breach of their Treaty obligations are confidential in infringement proceedings, the Commission must reply to parliamentary questions from MEPs.

Intelligent use of the parliamentary question can help a complainant’s case and such use also has a positive public relations value.

Dublin MEP Clare Daly has kept the Lettori case before the EU conscience, both through her speeches in the European Parliament and her questions co-signed by other Irish MEPs to the Commission. The last of these questions successfully called on the Commission to refer the Lettori case to the CJEU.

Conclusion

On university campuses across Italy on Friday the Commission’s decision to refer the Lettori case to the CJEU was warmly welcomed. Though geographically remote from the Lettori in Brussels, there was recognition that the Commission had been attentive to the representations of Asso.CEL.L and FLC CGI in its conduct of the infringement proceedings.

MEP Clare Daly said :

“The decision of the Commission to refer the Lettori case to the Court of Justice is very welcome. Workers’ rights under the Treaty must be respected across the EU. I will continue to liaise with the official complainant Asso.CEL.L and with my fellow MEPs to ensure that the Lettori receive the settlements for the reconstruction of career due to them under EU law.”

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(1) From 04.00 to 06.30

(2) From 04.40 to 06.47

Sex reassignment surgeries banned in Russia

By

Newsdesk

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17 July 2023

The lower house of the Russian parliament – the State Duma – adopted on 14.07.2023 in the third, final reading a bill that would prohibit the performance of sex-change operations, reported Reuters.

The bill prohibits doctors from “performing a medical intervention intended to change human sex” and from prescribing hormone therapy to patients.

An exception is made for cases of congenital anomalies in children, including genetic and endocrine diseases associated with impaired formation of children’s genitals.

Each bill must go through three readings in the lower house of the Russian parliament (the Federal Assembly) before being considered by the upper house, the Federation Council, and then given to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his signature in order to come into force.

The future law would also prohibit changing the gender on official identity documents and would not allow transgender people to adopt children or annul a marriage valid at the time of the gender change.

Photo by RF._.studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-doctor-with-stethoscope-preparing-for-surgery-in-hospital-3825586/

Evidence of Space-Time Murmur Revealed After 15 Years

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Newsdesk

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16 July 2023

Evidence of Space-Time Murmur Revealed After 15 Years

The motion of black holes and other massive objects through space can create ripples in the fabric of the universe, called gravitational waves. On June 28 scientists announced the first evidence of a background of long-wavelength gravitational waves that fills the cosmos.

These waves are thought to have been created over eons by supermassive black holes, up to billions of times the mass of our Sun, circling each other before they merge. Detecting the gravitational wave background is analogous to hearing the hum of a large group of people talking at a party, without distinguishing any particular voice.

This concept image shows stars, black holes, and nebula laid over a grid representing the fabric of space-time. Ripples in this fabric are called gravitational waves. The NANOGrav collaboration detected evidence of gravitational waves created by black holes billions of times the mass of the Sun.

This artist’s concept shows stars, black holes, and nebula laid over a grid representing the fabric of space-time. Ripples in this fabric are called gravitational waves. The NANOGrav collaboration detected evidence of gravitational waves created by black holes billions of times the mass of the Sun. Image credit: NANOGrav collaboration; Aurore Simonet

The background ripples detected by NANOGrav could help scientists better understand how gravitational waves are created and what happens to them as they propagate through the universe. They could also be used to study supermassive black hole mergers, which can last millions of years.

Scientists think these mergers happen in most galaxies and influence their evolution.

A computer rendering of two black holes that are about to merge, as viewed from above. Image credit: SXS Lensing/Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes Collaboration

The North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) presented the evidence in a series of papers published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

NANOGrav is a National Science Foundation-funded Physics Frontiers Center of more than 190 scientists from the United States and Canada, including scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and other NASA centers.

This illustration shows the NANOGrav project observing cosmic objects called pulsars in an effort to detect gravitational waves – ripples in the fabric of space. Image credit: NANOGrav/T. Klein

The collaboration has spent more than 15 years collecting high-precision data from ground-based radio telescopes, looking for these gravitational waves.

The discovery complements the first-ever detection of gravitational waves in 2015 by LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Observatory. Those signals, at a much shorter wavelength than the new discovery, were from black holes about 30 times the mass of our Sun.

NASA is contributing to the ESA (European Space Agency)-led Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission, a future space-based observatory that will detect gravitational waves that are in a wavelength range between those detected by NANOGrav and LIGO.

Source: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

How Technology is Creating More Educational Accessibility

By

Newsdesk

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15 July 2023

How Technology is Creating More Educational Accessibility

Technology has had a huge growth period and continues to advance on a daily basis. As of 2023, it was listed that there are 4.95 billion internet users, 7.33 billion mobile phone users and currently 1.35 million tech startup companies around the world. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that educational institutions are getting in on the game and looking at technology-based options to make educational opportunities accessible and wider-reaching for students.

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Internet

In the 1970s Australia was first introduced to the internet through ARPANET based in America aiming to further technology in the world. During this period a few Australian scientific companies were able to make connections via the international dial-up service through what was known then as the Australian Overseas Telecommunications Commission (OTC).

This was the beginning of the fledgling internet in Australia, despite the slowness of the telephone commission (Telecom, later Telstra) to meet the demands for the internet. Although it would be many years before it would be used by everyday Australians, it is now something the average Australian can’t live without and increasingly becoming a beneficial tool to classroom learning for students to complete assignments and learn invaluable information.

Email

By the 1980s, Australia was steadily on the move with this emerging technology and email was becoming the new in-vogue trend. This continued to expand with many Australians getting in on the movement and discovering email to become a fast and efficient way of communicating through the written word.

Rather than writing a letter and putting it in the post, a person was now able to type a letter, business draft, assignment, etc. and send that through to another individual or company to be received instantly into an inbox which they can check at any time. The use of email is useful in classroom-based activities as it allows students working in groups to email the work to each other for viewing and checking.

Instant messaging

Enter instant messaging, although still considered a relative newcomer to Australian technology and the world at large, has already shown its popularity with estimated billions of users utilising instant messaging platforms to communicate.

With well-known instant chat platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Skype topping the charts, it is clear why this format of communication is hugely important for the continued technological movement in Australia. Not only does it allow students to communicate immediately relating to their school work, it also makes communication around the world possible instantly, making somebody wanting to study from outside that country possible.

Zoom (video conference / lectures)

To move on from instant messaging, the next step in this development has been online video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and more recently Microsoft Teams. These platforms used to only be available to high-level multinational companies who could afford “fancy” software.

With the advent of the smartphone and faster internet connections, this was already becoming a possibility for the everyday citizen, however, Covid-19 really pushed companies and educational providers to find alternative ways to develop their wares. Zoom, arguably the most popular video conferencing platform, is user-friendly and free for 30-minute intervals (longer with a paid account). This makes it possible for trainees to attend learning from the comfort of their own homes anywhere in the world.

Blended Learning

The term blended learning has evolved over the years and really took off because of covid-19 pandemic with education institutions being forced to think outside the box to allow themselves to continue to educate next-generation Australians.

Flexibility is one of the biggest attractions of blended learning; it allows students to create a timetable that works best for them with the possibility of studying both face-to-face and via technology components.

Training Providers

Many educational institutes are researching and starting the blended learning mentality along with placing ample resources online allowing the student instant access to this information, with course materials increasingly available online along with the submission of assignments.

Universities offer blended learning opportunities such as the Master of Education to support the next generation of students with their technology journey, whilst also continuing to learn by themselves.

Technology

Technology is becoming part of many students’ everyday lives with an estimated 600,000 new internet users each day. Along with digital skills fast becoming more and more necessary across all industries so an even higher demand for students to be “tech savvy” from a younger age.

Research through the Department of Industry, Science and Resources has shown that 87% of jobs in Australia will require higher digital literacy skills by 2025 and by 2034 technology will be extended to 4.5 million Australian workers. This showcases the extreme need for Australian students to learn from a much younger age about technology and how it works.

Reasons why students need technology in the classroom

As a result of technology continuing to steamroll ahead, learning platforms need more access to technology in the classroom. This will allow students to experience real-world possibilities whilst preparing them for the modern Australian workplace which incorporates digital literacy, adaptability, and flexibility.

Additionally, this promotes global and cultural awareness, supports varying learning styles, teaches students responsibility whilst being online and adds a “fun” factor to learning as the trainer can incorporate activities such as games, quizzes and online polls and surveys to break up the learning day.

In today’s climate, the only thing anybody can say with certainty is that change in technological advances is constant and ever-accelerating. Training institutions need to keep up with these changes to ensure they are fully preparing their students for the real world and giving them the best opportunity to gain meaningful work.

The only way to ensure this is properly achieved is to ensure that training remains up to date with technology and provides ample opportunity in their learning environment for their students to utilise and understand each development.