Category Archives: Progress

Remote Learning

Microsoft has released a free reading fluency app for its remoteremote meeting and collaboration tool, Teams.

The app, ReadingProgress, is designed to enable "students to independentlyread aloud, record themselves, and grow their reading skills whileallowing educators to better support students progression.Students share the audio or video recordings of themselves with theirteachers, who can then track the progress, provide feedback, anddiscover trends and opportunities for student growth."

Reading Progress provides differentiated instruction capabilities,AI-assisted assignment review (with automatic detection of studenterrors) and dashboards with information about student progress andtrends.

Reading Progress is available at no charge. Furtherdetails can be found on Microsoft's education portal.

About the Author

David Nagel is editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Technology Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal and STEAM Universe. A 29-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art and business publications.

He can be reached at [emailprotected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at or follow him on Twitter at @THEDavidNagel (K-12) or @CampusTechDave (higher education).

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Microsoft Adds Reading Progress App to Teams - T.H.E. Journal

Clearfield County District Attorney Ryan P. Sayers offered clarification today on the Order Directing Face Coverings in School Entities put in place by Gov. Tom Wolf and the Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Over the past few days, the District Attorneys office has received numerous phone calls, emails, and social media messages from law enforcement, school personnel, and parents who are concerned about the impact of this order.

First and foremost, this statement is only intended to apply to the potential for criminal prosecutions based on the Pennsylvania Disease Control and Prevention Act and pertinent Pennsylvania Administrative Code sections as it relates to the Governors new mask mandate in all schools of this Commonwealth. This does not in any way refer to violations of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, and any harassment, threats, or violence directed to others for any reason will continue to be fully prosecuted by the Office of the District Attorney.

I agree with my fellow District Attorneys across the Commonwealth and am directing that this new mask mandate not be enforced via criminal citations in Clearfield County, said Sayers. However, it is worth noting that my directive only applies to criminal liability and does not extend to or affect any civil or administrative actions that may be authorized by the Governors Order, specifically sanctions by school officials. The authority of the District Attorney is limited to criminal enforcement of the Commonwealths laws, and does not have the right to interfere with the decisions of school boards and school administrators.

Along with other District Attorneys, I commend our law enforcement officers, school board members, and parents who are faced with the immediate prospect of dealing with this issue, and all of the potential chaos that it creates. I hope that all of you will continue to address these matters with civility, and have mutual respect for the different opinions that others might possess.

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Sayers: D.A.'s office will not prosecute for mask violations - Clearfield Progress

In an informal meeting Tuesday afternoon, Rural Fire District 1 Board Chair Steve Jamruszka and Havre Mayor Tim Solomon agreed on working language for a contract to provide fire suppression and the enforcement of fire codes to the district.

As it was an informal meeting, no document was signed, but Solomon said he was satisfied with the progress being made, and Jamruszka said he hopes to have the document signed by the end of the week.

Rural Fire District 1 is essentially a ring around Havre in which the Havre Fire Department previously provided fire suppression services.

The city in December announced it would cancel the previous contract effective at the end of June to enable writing another contract which delegated responsibility for enforcing fire codes in the district.

Havre Mayor Tim Solomon has said there are buildings in RFD1 that are being built with fire code violations and they need someone local to handle enforcement of these codes.

The board and the city failed to reach a new agreement by the original deadline, leaving Rural Fire District 1 unprotected, at least on paper. After the deadline passed, Solomon gave an extension which would have run out July 15 but was then extended through the end of July and and again to the end of August.

The conflict came to a head last week after RFD1 allowed that deadline to pass, after which the district was again left unprotected.

After a tense meeting last week, one last two-week extension was granted on the understanding that the RFD1 board would work toward appointing someone to enforce fire codes.

Hill County Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Amanda Frickel, who expressed significant frustration at the situation, as well as Kremlin Rural Fire Department Chief Kody Peterson offered at that time to cover fire code enforcement during the extension and at Tuesday's meeting both offered to do that through June of 2022 in order to give the RFD1 board enough time to work out the specifics of an ongoing enforcement plan.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes," Peterson said.

Jamruska said the board doesn't want to name a single person as fire chief, but he does have a plan for local enforcement of the fire codes that he hopes will work, provided it is feasible.

"I've got a framework in my head, but I've got to meet with some people," he said.

Solomon said the contract given to him must include language that gives Peterson and Frickel, or someone, local authority to enforce fire codes while Jamruszka works on this framework, but as long as that is the case, he's willing to sign the contract.

"That's all that we've been asking all along," he said.

Solomon and Jamruszka briefly discussed the possibility of contracting the work of fire chief out to the city, but the proposed price tag was too high for the latter.

Solomon said if the city were to take the job on, they would want to fully commit and take care of all duties of the fire chief in accordance with Montana state law, which they determined would require a half-time employee and cost about $50,000 per year.

He said he's not surprised the district doesn't like that number and said there are cheaper alternatives it can use to address the most important code enforcement issues in the district.

He said the city is not overly concerned with small issues like defective exit lights and minor code infractions, but is concerned about large violations they see going on in the district that they want addressed for the sake of everyone's safety, including their firefighters who provide suppression services.

Jamruszka talked about some specifics but Solomon said that's more than what the city needs for now, which is just an agreement to have someone local enforce fire codes.

He said there are other things the district needs to do in accordance with state law in terms of inspections and things like that, and if the board wants to get into those things he's happy to do so, but in the immediate sense, he's only concerned with making sure the city firefighters and RFD1 residents are protected by the enforcement of codes.

In addition to dealing with this issue they also discussed a few language changes to the contract, most of which were for the sake of eliminating redundancy and increasing clarity.

One of the only major language changes would make it clear that the contract between the district and whoever ends up doing fire code enforcement would be separate.

Jamruszka said the city would still be able to examine any contract they make and its adoption would be contingent upon the city's written approval. Solomon said that arrangement is acceptable.

The only other major change agreed upon was to add the requirement that the contract with the city be signed by one of the Hill County commissioners.

Jamruszka said the only reason he thinks the change is sensible is because the county is already required to approve similar contracts with entities outside the district, so it makes sense to include them.

Solomon said the change may be a bit redundant, but he doesn't object.

Jamruszka said if the contract gains the support of the board and city all that's left is for the Hill County Commission and the state to sign off.

Frickel and Peterson said they'd meet with Jamruszka soon to hash out the specifics of their ongoing service to the district as fire code enforcers.

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Progress made toward fire suppression in RFD1 - The Havre Daily News

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Pressure BioSciences, Inc (OTCQB: PBIO), a leading developer of powerful pressure-based systems with applications across dozens of industries, recently reported its 2nd quarter results for 2021. With 127% revenue growth, a 51% decrease in operating loss and significant progress in many areas of operations, the quarter ending June 30 continued the companys trend of strong quarter over quarter growth and provided reason for optimism about the 2nd half of 2021. Here are some of the highlights from the report.

Strong Financial Results Across Multiple Revenue Streams

While the 1st quarter of 2021 was already head and shoulders above the first quarter of 2020, Q2 2021 was remarkably even stronger. With quarterly revenues of $608,000, revenue for the second quarter of 2021 exceeded Q2 2020 revenue by 127%. If that was not impressive enough, total revenue for the first half of 2021 - at nearly $1.2 million - was more than double the $522,000 posted for the first half of 2020.

The bulk of that revenue growth was driven by strong instrument sales, which totaled $337,400, representing a 178% increase over Q2 2020. When combined with Q1, PBI has earned $656,900 from instrument sales for the 1st half of 2021, a 203% increase over the 1st half of 2020.

The next largest contributors to PBIs impressive revenue growth were BaroFold/Ultra Shear Technology (UST) services and consumable sales, which yielded $136,000 (298% more than Q2 2020) and $43,700 (14% more than Q2 2020) respectively. These sales brought 1st half totals to $142,100 in BaroFold/UST services and $145,700 in consumable sales, both of which represent significant increases over the 1st half of 2021.

On the operating efficiency side, PBI reported $646,300 in operating loss for the 2nd quarter, which reflects a 51% decrease from the $1.3 million in losses reported in Q2 2020. In total, the company reported an operating loss of $1.7 million for the 1st half of 2021 a 37% decrease from the $2.7 million reported in the 1st half of 2020.

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Major Progress Made in PBIs Aggressive Growth Plan

In addition to strong financial results, PBI also reported meaningful progress across all of its goals for 2021. Perhaps the biggest step forward was the formation of PBI Agrochem, a wholly owned subsidiary that will use PBIs patented UST platform to develop eco-friendly agricultural products. The newly formed subsidiary has already announced $1 million in orders, much of which is expected to show on PBIs 3rd quarter results.

To help bring that up to its $2.5 million goal by the end of 2021, PBI has set up warehousing, processing and packaging facilities in the United States. Its also working to acquire the assets of a global eco-friendly agrochemical supplier, which are expected to generate profitable revenue growth immediately after the deal closes.

The UST platform that PBI Agrochem will use was also awarded 3 new patents in Japan, Australia and China. Results of research on the nanoemulsions produced by the platform showed successful nanoemulsification of astaxanthin, one of the most potent antioxidants in the world. The UST-processed nanoemulsion of the antioxidant is more readily absorbable by the human body than any existing form on the market and can be easily infused into food and beverages for consumers around the world.

Likewise, PBIs cannabidiol (CBD) nanoemulsion, produced by the same UST platform, exceeded expectations in studies of its 1-year product stability. Poised to become what many would consider to be the 1st truly shelf-stable, water-soluble CBD nanoemulsion on the market, PBIs revenue growth potential from its CBD nanoemulsion which can be infused into food, beverages and skincare products is likely to explode as the company is already in discussions with major food and beverage companies about potential licensing agreements and partnerships.

To top it all off, the company continues to make measurable progress on its path to a NASDAQ or NYSE Up-List.

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2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Pressure BioSciences, Inc. Reports Escalating Quarterly Revenue, Major Progress in Key Platform Technologies, and Formation of Eco-Friendly Agrochem...

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WIVB) As students return to the classroom, Williamsville administrators are focused on a fresh slate and the progress made over the past year.

Williamsville students got off to a delayed start in 2020 because there was no reopening plan.

We sat down one-on-one with the new Superintendent of Williamsville schools, Dr. Darren Brown-Hall, to talk about reuniting a once very divided district.

One year ago, scores of students flooded the parking lot outside Williamsville North.

They protested a switch from hybrid to fully remote learning, which was a temporary solution to the districts crisis of not having enough teachers. Students, parents and even teachers felt they were left in the dark.

Dr. Brown-Hall watched the chaos unfold from the Buffalo Public Schools.

I thought it was unfortunate because with a little bit more communication, collaboration you can develop a successful plan, he says.

Dr. Brown-Hall spent the past six years working under Dr. Kriner Cash as Chief of Staff. He has more than 20 years of experience in the field of education.

His decorated resume includes stints as interim and associate superintendent, principal, and many years as a teacher. He knows you cant please everyone.

Even when I did the reopening meetings in Buffalo, we kept reiterating that everyone will not be happy, but everyone will be heard.

He points to that lack of communication as being one of the major breaking points last year. And this year, his focus is on the students.

Were going to get kids where they need to be, but what we want to focus on first is their social and emotional learning.

He wants to keep students in the classroom, five days a week. And he plans to do this by following the state and county guidance.

They partnered with the school superintendents to make sure it was very detailed and fit our needs, but Kathy Hochul put an exclamation point behind that, really helped to support statewide what we needed.

Students will have access to Chromebooks and a learning plan, as well as contact with a teacher, if they need to stay home.

So, if a student does have to quarantine, we have it set up so that theyre still getting some form of education.

Lunch time is a concern, too.

Were working to make sure we have students at least three feet apart, if not more, in the cafeteria. And were working that so that our students feel safe in that environment and in every environment in our school buildings.

But Dr. Brown-Hall sees his new position as an opportunity to mend something that was once broken. Hes working to rebuild trust.

Ive already met with the teachers, the teachers union and a small group of teachers to hear from them, and well have additional meetings set up in the future just so that we have that open communication. Because teachers, theyre the professionals. Theyre the boots on the ground. We want to make sure they feel respected, valued and heard because what theyre doing in the classroom is the most important.

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New head of Williamsville schools focusing on progress, reuniting the district - WIVB.com - News 4

Global progress was being made against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria before the pandemic. Now, much of that progress has been set back, according to a Sept. 8 report from the Global Fund.

Five report notes:

1. Compared to 2019, about one million fewer people were tested and treated for TB in 2020 an 18 percent drop.

2. The number of people treated for drug-resistant TB and extensively drug-resistant TB dropped by 19 percent and 37 percent, respectively.

"We've been hit really hard on TB," Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund, told The New York Times.. "I'm afraid that inevitably means hundreds of thousands of extra deaths."

3. HIV testing dropped by 22 percent from 2019 to 2020, while the number of young people reached with prevention services fell by 12 percent.

4. Interventions against malaria were least affected by COVID-19 disruptions. The number of suspected cases tested and cases treated fell by 4.3 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively, though most countries were largely able to maintain preventive measures.

5. Despite the setbacks, some countries were able to implement innovative prevention strategies that will likely outlast the pandemic, such as sending multi-month supplies of drugs for TB and HIV; using digital tools to monitor TB treatment; and simultaneous testing for HIV, TB, and COVID-19, the Times reports.

The Global Fund is an advocacy group that invests billions of dollars per year to aid countries in fighting HIV, malaria and tuberculosis.

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Pandemic significantly reversed progress against other global diseases: 5 report notes - Becker's Hospital Review

New works of art are a very important part of humanities, whether the art being created hangs in a museum, rests on a bookcase, or comes to life on a stage. The classics are wonderful and cherished, and there is always a place for them, always a reason that they should be read, witnessed, heard, or performed. The creation of new plays, musicals, and compositions is particularly valuable, though, because their stories, their messages happen in real-time, as an audience looks on. Those tales and morals can resonate loudly for each member of that audience, especially in times like these when so much socio-political change is in the air, and the evolution of shows and songs becomes essential to the telling of stories that are authentic to all of the people of the world.Vaibu Mohan

Theatrical multi-hyphenate Vaibu Mohan has created the 54 Below hosted series WORK IN PROGRESS: THE NEXT GENERATION OF WRITERS, which just had its second outing at the Midtown Manhattan Supper Club, and if the songs that were presented in the seventy-five-minute long evening are an example of works in progress, then the other writers out there better watch out. This is the kind of evening that has been seen in other clubs around town, indeed, every cabaret room and nightclub should have its own version of a works-in-progress series - a place where the writers can see and hear their work performed live while sitting in the back, observing the audience reaction to their writing. Not one of the thirteen songs performed in the second installment of the series fell into the dreaded what-did-I-just-listen-to category - each composer represented throughout the night, every lyricist whose words were sung should be proud of what they have created, whether their offering was a portion of a new musical, or a song designed to stand alone in its storytelling creation. Every melody a winner, with well-crafted lyrics that ranged from the basic to the poetic, these compositions riled the audience to laughter and cheers, and even a few tears, and that's before the topic of the performers has even been introduced. Only those present at the Freshman episode of WIP know what was showcased on that night, but those in the audience at the Sophomore outing on Tuesday can all verify that the writers on display did their work before the final dress rehearsal: the songs are good... really, really good.

As for the singing actors cast in the casual variety show, Ms. Mohan made wise choices and a bold statement, for the majority of the performers were members of the MENASA community (Middle Eastern, North Asian, South Asian) - gifted and glorious performers who should be working all of the time, but who are not. In fact, at the conclusion of her group concert, Vaibu Mohan commented on the fact that people in a position to give acting jobs to these artists of color have been heard to say that they are unable to find actors of this specific ethnicity, hence the lack of diversity in the acting field. Mohan, on the other hand, had no trouble at all casting this show, reaching out to friends from her real life, and to friends from the internet that she met face-to-face for the very first time, the day of the show. "It took me two days to put this together," declared the tenacious writer-composer-performer-producer. They were two days well spent because her cast of beautiful (in appearance, spirit, and talent) actors featured a veritable rainbow of skin colors ranging from black to white to every shade of brown. It was a spectacular array of humanity and talent featuring the likes of force-of-nature-on-the-rise writer/actor Cheeyang Ng, whose performances of his own works were a standout, and Kuhoo Verma (who should just be billed as "The Voice" Verma, moving forward) who performed with Cheeyang and in Mohan's first outing as a composer, alongside Rachel Lloyd, Sushma Saha and Mohan herself - a number that was another highlight in the evening, an evening rich with reward... and a strange little bit of drama.

There was an element of the awkward when producer/hostess Vaibu Mohan refused to introduce, thank, or acknowledge singer Joseph C. Townsend, whose contribution to the proceedings provided Mohan, herself, with a lovely duet from a Thalia Raanjbar/Ben Ginsberg musical about the Iranian holiday Nowruz. The songwriting on the number was impressive, both musically and lyrically, as were the voices of both actors, neither of whom looked at each other once during the duet - it was a decidedly odd moment in the evening, a moment controlled by Ms. Mohan, as producer and as host, casting an uncomfortable pall over the performance, which isn't fair to the audience, and certainly isn't fair to the composers. No one can know what history the two actors might have that led to the public airing of such personal business but fortunately, Rachel Lloyd jumped up onto the stage to save the day with a performance of a tune called "Thicker Than Water" that washed away the "ick" left on a stage where neither personal mishegas nor drama belong. All drama on any stage belongs, solely, in the story being told.

The really sad thing about a show focusing on works in progress is that the audience will hear wonderful songs like Jameson May's "Confession" or be moved by incredible performances like Jamen Nanthakumar's delivery of the miscarriage-themed "Out Here," and then go home with nothing but a memory of a wonderful piece of theater. For these new works may go for a while without being documented, or (heaven forbid) may never be recorded at all, leaving them to become "trunk songs" - which would be a true tragedy because these are works of art that need to be heard, actors that must be seen, stories that deserve to be experienced. That, though, is one of the main reasons people should produce series like this, and audiences should go to them. These nights of "salon" could be the one and only times one might witness something special that speaks only to them, and it may be available just this one time, and never again; better to go to the show and not risk missing something that special, as special as these thirteen stories and storytellers.

Keep an eye on future episodes of WORK IN PROGRESS, and find other great shows to see by visiting the 54 Below website HERE.

The writers/composers represented at the September 7th WORK IN PROGRESS were Stephen Coakley, Justin Cook, Danielle Koenig, Vaibu Mohan, Cheeyang Ng, Topher Paolucci, Thalia Ranjbar and Ben Ginsberg, Aliza Sotsky, and Caitlin Thomas.

The performers featured at the September 7th WORK IN PROGRESS were Stephen Coakley, Danielle Koenig, Rachel Lloyd, Jameson May, Vaibu Mohan, Jamen Nanthakumar, Cheeyang Ng, Greg Paladino, Sushma Saha, Aliza Sotsky, Caitlin Thomas, Joseph C. Townsend, Kuhoo Verma.

The producers of the September 7th WORK IN PROGRESS were Molly Heller, Vaibu Mohan, and Jennifer Tepper.

Danielle Koenig

Vaibu Mohan

Jamen Nanthakumar

Jameson May

Joseph C. Townsend

Rachel Lloyd

Cheeyang Ng

Cheeyang Ng and Kuhoo Verma

Stephen Coakley

Stephen Coakley and Greg PaladinoGreg Paladino

Sushma Saha and Kuhoo VermaVaibu Mohan and Rachel Lloyd

Caitlin ThomasAliza Sotsky

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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Review: Overwhelming Talent Floods WORK IN PROGRESS: THE NEXT GENERATION OF WRITERS at Feinstein's/54 Below - Broadway World

AFGHANISTAN

The installation of a cabinet of mullahs religious scholars has added to the uncertainty over the future of efforts to support and promote higher education in Afghanistan, which have spanned over two decades.

Many donors say its direction will be set by the way the Taliban treat higher education, particularly womens access to university education.

It will also depend on how other countries respond to the legitimacy of Taliban rule in Afghanistan and also on how local dissident factions respond to the new government, which they anticipate will not be broad-based and inclusive.

Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, professor of international relations at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan, said: It is very clear that the reconstruction efforts of the last 20 years in Afghanistan will be severely hit and the worlds support to higher education in the country will also bear the brunt of this sudden change in the regime, the legitimacy of which is unclear.

Many organisations, universities, charities and professional bodies around the world have pledged support to Afghan scholars and higher education professionals who have escaped Taliban rule and landed in other countries via the massive evacuation effort facilitated mainly by the United States, the United Kingdom and allies, but support for individuals cannot be compared with the need for support to transform the higher education system, experts say.

Jaspal told University World News that support to universities in Afghanistan should be carried forward through international agencies despite Taliban rule, but he feared current programmes for university reforms might face a shortage of financial resources as many partners in Afghanistans post-2001 reconstruction might drop their backing.

In this situation, it is feared that the gains of the past two decades of transforming higher education in Afghanistan face the risk of reversal, he said.

Farhat Asif, president of the Islamabad-based Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, told University World News: The evacuations of professionals have already caused a severe blow to higher education in Afghanistan. New aid, except for emergency humanitarian support, is not expected to come into Afghanistan unless there is a legitimate government which is recognised by the world. Until that time, the future of higher education in Afghanistan is unclear.

She said: Many Afghan university students, higher education professionals and scholars have fled the country and still a large number of scholars are vying to escape Taliban rule. This reflects a lack of trust in Taliban government given the history of its previous regime, known for curtailment of freedoms, restrictions on womens education, particularly the banning of female higher education.

Although the European Union, the UK and some other countries have pledged humanitarian and emergency response aid after the Taliban take-over, it is unclear whether the world will continue supporting higher education under Taliban rule.

The Taliban has announced its interim government and declared Afghanistan an Islamic Emirate. The 33-member government, announced on 7 September and comprising only Taliban clerics, does not include any women, a factor that has drawn widespread criticism, including from the European Union, which accused the Taliban of having backtracked from an announcement to make the government in Afghanistan inclusive and representative.

Farhat said: A non-inclusive government by the Taliban, having no womens representation, will likely lead to disapproval by donors and partners who worked for the improvement of higher education in Afghanistan in the past 20 years.

She said: A likely cut to development aid to Afghanistan and possible disengagement of international higher education partners, due to rights infringements, will badly affect womens participation at the higher education level. It will possibly lead to reversing the gains achieved in the past decade.

End of support to higher education in sight

Already many European countries and the European Union have halted development assistance, citing concerns about the legitimacy of Taliban rule, and womens and minority rights.

No payments are going on to Afghanistan right now. No payments of development assistance until we clarify the situation, said Josep Borrell, the EUs high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, according to CNBC.

The International Monetary Fund has also withheld its financial programme for Afghanistan, and the US Biden administration has frozen nearly US$7 billion of Afghanistan reserves held in the US.

The World Bank announced it would halt its development programmes in Afghanistan, citing concerns about the future prospects of development projects.

A World Bank spokesperson was reported by the BBC on 25 August as saying: We will continue to consult closely with the international community and development partners. Together with our partners, we are exploring ways we can remain engaged to preserve hard-won development gains and continue to support the people of Afghanistan.

Although the Taliban claims it will be different compared to its previous rule and has announced that it will allow women to acquire any level of education including access to higher education, nonetheless restrictions on women are increasing including recently imposed gender-based segregation and face-covering decrees for female university students.

A 3 September UK Aid briefing document by Philip Loft and Claire Mills states: Both the UK and US have said they would not accept the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan if it took power by force and fails to uphold the basic rights of Afghans, including women and girls.

According to this report, since 2001 around US$65 billion in aid has been provided to Afghanistan, including 3.5 billion (US$4.8 billion) from the UK, which makes up 8% of the total. The US has been the largest donor, providing 54% of this aid, including US$17 billion through USAID programmes. A significant portion of the worlds development funds over the past two decades was spent on higher education in Afghanistan.

Doubts over recognition of Taliban, posing threat to HE

The Taliban are due to announce a government in Afghanistan, but little is known about any dialogue to engage other stakeholders for an inclusive government.

At the first meeting on higher education after the appointment of Abdul Baqi Haqqani as Talibans caretaker higher education minister, held on 29 August, all participants were men, raising doubts about womens rights.

Some have voiced the opinion that the Taliban has changed, but US General Mark Milley said on 2 September: The Taliban in Afghanistan are ruthless and it is unclear if they will change, according to a BBC report.

Renewed pledges by dissident groups to fight the Taliban, pointing to future unrest; the freezing of Afghanistans assets held abroad after the Taliban take-over; a pause in multi-donor assistance programmes and less likelihood of an inclusive government in Afghanistan leading to legality and recognition issues will severely affect higher education in Afghanistan, possibly reversing the gains of the last two decades, Farhat told University World News.

Fear of losing hard-earned higher education gains

Even after massive international support over the last two decades, higher education in Afghanistan still needs foreign assistance. Higher education plays an important role in the countrys development.

Under the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Funds latest partnership programme, US$100 million was pledged for 2021-24 for higher education in Afghanistan, but now this future funding is uncertain.

All the progress will collapse and achievements will be reversed if world support to higher education in Afghanistan is abandoned, Babar Shah, head of the department of regional studies of Pakistans University of Peshawar, told University World News.

The total number of students in higher education in Afghanistan was fewer than 8,000 in 2001, the year the previous Taliban government was overthrown by US-led forces. With 10 years of international support to Afghanistans higher education, the university enrolments rose to 154,000 students by 2014. Some 20% of enrolled students were females.

After the 2004 elections and with the introduction of a new constitution, the new government in Afghanistan received substantial funding from international donors for reconstruction. Higher education reforms, including support to universities, was among the priority areas of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, first developed for the period 2002-08.

It envisioned raising female access to higher education to at least 35% of total university enrolments. The strategy document stated: We need to produce graduates who will stay in Afghanistan and help us to develop. The recent exodus of scholars from Afghanistan has dealt a severe blow to this goal.

The strategy noted: There is a limited supply of qualified faculty, including professors and doctors, as well as a lack of adequate teaching and learning materials. Proper research facilities are not available. Government cannot fund or manage the significant investment required in higher education on its own.

In response to the Afghan governments call for external support to fulfil the strategys objectives, the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) was established. The multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank on behalf of 34 donors has contributed more US$12.3 billion since 2002 for post-war development in Afghanistan, with higher education among the top priority sectors.

The ARTF through its Partnership Framework and Financing Program played an important role in the reconstruction of Afghanistans higher education system as the partners realised the need for a major increase in the number of university graduates, as well as for a sharp increase in female graduates to promote gender equity and empowerment.

The World Bank project briefing note states: Increased female enrolment in higher education is one of many achievements in securing womens equality and empowerment in the past decade in Afghanistan.

From 2005 to 2013, the World Bank and ARTF co-financed the Strengthening Higher Education Program for Afghanistan with US$44.1 million for staff training and modernising curricula. They also helped develop a five-year National Higher Education Strategic Plan.

According to the World Bank: This project led to an increase in enrolment from 8,000 in 2001 to more than 100,000 by 2012 in government universities, and womens enrolment in universities increased from zero in 2001 to 19,000 in government-funded institutes of higher education by the same year, which made up 19% of the total university enrolments.

This also led to an increase in female faculty from zero in 2001 to 16% of the total faculty number and led to the establishment of 65 private institutions of higher education.

With this support, the National Higher Education Strategic Plans (2010-15 and 2015-20) were developed by the Afghan ministry of higher education under which the Higher Education Development Project (HEDP) was devised and again funded by donors under ARTF to the tune of US$50 million.

The project helped higher education capacity-building through scholarships, training, support to research and promoted female enrolment in universities.

The HEDP website states that initiatives for female students in the past four years in public universities resulted in increasing the percentage of female students to 27% in 2019. The future of this project, which was to continue through 2022, is yet not clear after the Taliban take-over.

University World News contacted HEDP in Afghanistan, but officials did not respond to questions regarding the future of this project.

Many other agencies contributed to strengthening higher education in Afghanistan. In 2005 the US aid agency USAID established the Higher Education Project in collaboration with Afghanistans ministry of higher education, the Academy for Educational Development at Indiana University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the US, to prepare and implement institutional development plans for Afghan universities, including some 31 new undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.

Another five-year USAID University Support and Workforce Development Program supported Afghanistans ministry of higher education and established linkages to create employment opportunities for Afghan graduates.

The 11 partner universities under this USAID-funded programme, implemented from 2014-19, included Kabul University, Kabul Polytechnic University, Kabul Medical University, Shaheed Rabbani Education University, Nangarhar University, Herat University, Balkh University, Kandahar University, Kunduz University, Khost University and Jowzjan University.

Apart from international agencies and organisations such as the European Union, the UKs Department for International Development which became part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 2020, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO, a large number of countries including Canada, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Australia, India and Pakistan extended bilateral cooperation to support higher education in Afghanistan in the past two decades.

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HE aid programmes and HE progress at risk under Taliban - University World News

Garson is legal counsel and chief of staff for the Bridge Alliance, which houses The Fulcrum.

The Bridge Alliance's mission is to promote healthy self-governance in America, which means strengthening our democratic republic and empowering Americans to take control of their own future. The best and perhaps only way to do this is by co-creating the future with the American people. More specifically, we believe that the movement's leadership must reflect the experiences, values and beliefs of everyday Americans.

That is why, in 2019, the Bridge Alliance announced that diversity would be an integral part of our operating system. And in 2020 we released the first Diversity Report, which showed that the Bridge Alliance community's leadership was whiter, older, and more progressive than the nation as a whole. This year, our goal was to measure the progress we have made in giving all Americans a seat at the table, and to identify where there is room for improvement.

The 2021 Diversity Report does exactly that. This report shows that the field has made progress to better mirror the general population of the United States. While our member organizations still tend to be more mature, more white, and more progressive than the country as a whole, the numbers are trending in the right direction for ideology and age. On the other hand, it is clear that we must do a better job of recruiting and welcoming racially and ethnically diverse Americans.

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This year's results also show that we have room for improvement in how we define and measure diversity. For instance, we removed geographic hometown diversity from this year's report for several reasons (you can read more about that decision in the report itself), and in its place we added gender/sex diversity. We recognize, however, that geographic diversity is still very important. We also recognize that there are other important areas of diversity, such as education. We will continue to evaluate what it means to be "diverse" and how we can encourage the movement to become more diverse and inclusive.

To be clear, we do not expect every Bridge Alliance member to be as diverse as America. The work of our members differs considerably, all with different constituencies and therefore, natural differentiations in their levels of diversity. Instead, we seek to raise awareness of the importance of diversity and of the steps that can be taken related to all diversity work with the hope of having the field be more reflective of the demographics of the country.

Simply stated, this report is a reminder that we are a diverse nation and to thrive as Americans we must welcome and embrace diverse perspectives and experiences. Our hope is to firmly plant this mentality within the healthy self-governance movement with the expectation that if we are deliberate and persistent in our pursuit of diversity, we will form a representative constituency who will, in turn, demand healthy and functional governance that reflects the rich diversity of Americans.

We hope you will join us in this journey.

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2021 Diversity Report shows progress and a long way to go - The Fulcrum

With such an uncertain future facing Afghanistan, is there anything we can do to uphold human rights and find peace for all involved? This is the question Ive been asking as the country enters a new phase following the withdrawal of foreign troops and emails continue to flow into my inbox asking for prayers for former fellow graduate students and their families seeking refuge.

Over and over Ive found encouragement in the biblical assurance that we can face difficult things and yet stand firm. Why? Because God, good, is present to guide: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair (II Corinthians 4:8). Even where circumstances look bleak, we have authority to find God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness and hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us (II Corinthians 4:6, 7).

When reports of chaos and devastation fill the news cycle, it can seem as if God is missing in action. Yet any individual, wherever they may be even in the midst of the toughest situation can turn to the Divine for direction and assurance. And the light of divine wisdom and understanding from God is ever present, shining in every heart, to guide, protect, and move thought and action toward better, peaceful ends.

This occurs through the power of Christ, the divine influence that speaks to human consciousness and shifts thought. Its the power Christ Jesus realized and manifested constantly, and which he taught us how to perceive and follow. Accounts shared in this column and other Christian Science publications illustrate how individuals all over the world are proving Gods healing power today, including when faced with difficult situations. Prayer imbued with this Christ-power breaks through mental barriers of anger, fear, and confusion that would hide divine goodness and keep solutions from being seen.

The Christ opens the way for those in danger to be led to sanctuary; for those needing solace and peace to find calm and quiet; for those perpetuating oppression and violence to begin to discover Gods love. This love of divine Love lifts thought out of a desire to control and dominate, and instead nurtures humility, peace, and harmony.

Acknowledging that the saving power of Christ, Truth, can be felt even in far-reaching areas of the world isnt just a nice thing to do to make ourselves feel better. It offers a spiritual basis for taking a stand for the rights of all peoples, opening the way for the presence and power of Truth to be seen in the face of whatever would constrict, oppress, or harm. It empowers all of us to relinquish outdated views and embrace forward progress for everyone. It affirms that qualities such as courage and wisdom are God-given and thus available in abundance.

Such qualities are invaluable to the work of individuals on the front lines such as Rangina Hamidi, an Afghan woman who has promoted womens rights. She became the first female education minister in Afghanistan, and has vowed to stay in her country in support of continued progress, particularly for women (see Martin Kuz, Looking back at Afghanistan as the past returns, CSMonitor.com, Aug. 20, 2021). Opening thought to Christ reveals powerful ways to go forward that are creative, unlimited, and unimagined by the human mind. As we face down the lie of any oppressive circumstances in our own lives, it contributes to shifting the mental tapestry of thought in ways that can help change the tide of situations that seems solutionless.

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And Christ helps us to recognize that the true narrative of our lives is spiritual all of us as sons and daughters of God, in right relationship to each other. This is true from nation to nation, tribe to tribe, ethnic group to ethnic group. This relation we have to one another is not subject to a history of manipulation, coercion, or deal-making. The divine rights of men, women, and children cant be trampled on. They are above person, party, ideology, creed, or dogma. And knowing this is a help to those who support democratic ideals.

This conviction of our God-given rights starts in our own hearts; and as we know and practice them in our own dealings with others, we chip away at whatever would hide the Truth that is Christ from others, anywhere, reaching for their freedom.

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Supporting progress and human rights - CSMonitor.com - The Christian Science Monitor