OECD's LATEST PISA SURVEY The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey is the most comprehensive and rigorous international yardstick of secondary-school students' attainments. PISA 2006 was held in 57 countries that together account for nearly 90% of world GDP. It tested students on how much they knew about science and their ability to use scientific knowledge and understanding to identify and address questions and resolve problems in daily life. It also examined student performance in reading and mathematics, and…

Mganja School, Dedza, Malawi Link Community Development placed me in a community of nearly nine hundred pupils from age 6-17 who are powerfully motivated by the opportunity of free primary education. Set between Dedza and the Lake with the nearest trading centre a good one and a half's hour walk on a pitted dirt road and overlooked by the Kirk Mountain range and a huge electricity pylon, Mganja School is a eye-catching campus. It is here that the children experience…

Summertime for many teachers is a time to kick back, relax and recharge before another school year begins. But at least two SSTA members are spending their summer holidays travelling to destinations around the world to share their knowledge and skills with fellow teachers. Margaret Mackay, a teacher at Lochgelly High School, is currently spending five weeks in a rural community in the Dedza district of Malawi. She will work alongside the Head and staff at the local school where…

GLOBAL TEACHERS PROGRAMME Summertime for many teachers is a time to kick back, relax and recharge before another school year begins. But at least two SSTA members are spending their summer holidays travelling to destinations around the world to share their knowledge and skills with fellow teachers. [Further information] Margaret Mackay, a teacher at Lochgelly High School, spent five weeks in a rural community in the Dedza district of Malawi. She will work alongside the Head and staff at the…

TSUNAMI RELIEF PROJECT, HELP BUILD A SCHOOL IN SRI LANKA Almost 6 months on from the terrible events of 26 December 2004, the process of long term reconstruction is still getting underway in many parts of South East Asia.I am sure that you gave generously to the initial relief appeal, but the Association is now challenging its members to contribute to the longer term recovery process, with a particular focus on school rebuilding in Sri Lanka. As a matter of…

TSUNAMI RELIEF PROJECT - HELP BUILD A SCHOOL IN SRI LANKA Almost 6 months on from the terrible events of 26 December 2004, the process of long term reconstruction is still getting underway in many parts of South East Asia. The Association is challenging its members to contribute to the longer term recovery process, with a particular focus on school rebuilding in Sri Lanka.To see the text of the letter that the General Secretary sent to schools asking members to…