On the issue of students, it was with dismay that we watched the events of the past week, in which many young people, most of whom would no doubt be students; took to the streets of Tottenham in North London. This act was followed closely thereafter in other parts of the London and major towns throughout the UK, including Manchester, Wolverhampton and Birmingham, to name a few. The problems unearthed during these riots were one of sheer anger and resent with showed itself in the infuriating behaviour of the young people, as they went on the rampage on the high streets, looting shops, burning building and destroying, not only their image and possible career chances, but also the fabric of their communities. We now see politicians gathering to comment and offer solutions to the problem. But in our opinion, the problem stems from a much deeper social ill.

For quite a while, we have been watching while many of the lofty values of the society went into social decay. We have seen a gradual erosion of discipline in the schools and colleges, coupled with a lack of respect for authority and a sense of gloom amongst many young people who have seen their life chances slowly evaporate. This is especially true, for those children and young people who feel as if they are ‘trapped’ in a state of constant need and yes, we would go as far as to say ‘poverty’ as it should be remembered that the UK still has one of the highest child poverty rate in the developed world. Many young people feel as if their schools and colleges are not meeting their needs, some complain that they cannot relate to their teachers, others complain of a lack of positive role models, both in the education system and in the wider community. Many young people also have low self-esteem, confidence and low aspiration levels. There are others who are totally opposite, they are the ones who are willing to patiently persevere in the midst of all the hardships and who are willing to overcome whatever obstacles that is placed in their way in order to fulfil their dreams. Young people are like any one of us, they are some who are clear about what they want to do in life and others who are not entirely sure. They are some who feel as if the entire system is against them and others who feel as if they can do whatever they want.

But, amidst all these complexities, the need for self-improvement, the constant struggle against the system, the constant feeling of harassment, victimisation and oppression and the need for positive expression, there is an end point. A point in which many young people feel as if it all builds up, it all becomes too much and in such a case, frustration can easily set in and we strongly believe that many children, young people and even adults saw the recent riots as a way of releasing this frustration. They seem to gain somewhat of a sense of release a sense of pleasure, like the rush of a shocking drug, they became mobilised and propelled forward by the prospect of ‘going to get some’, to get some of what they can only often times; dream of having. The chance for a ‘grab’ and to have a ‘go’ at the authorities especially their number one enemy, the police, was an opportunity not to be missed and so it went on and we saw the results before our very eyes. The world watched in astonishment, bewilderment and some parts even watched in ridicule, as Syria and Iran offered to send help to London to deal with the riots?!

This is the stage that we have come to, once again. A stage in which the need to maintain law and order in the midst of one of the greatest social and economic times that the UK and many parts of the world have ever faced. No one should ignore the underlying causes, poverty, lack of opportunity, police harassment and brutality and a feeling of hopelessness, in which children and young people and their parents, feel as if their is no way out. In this state, life begins to feel like a trap and many people are trying to find a way out of that trap. Trapped by the system, work, pay the bills and struggle to get by, work, pay the bills and struggle to get by, for many families this has become a repetitive theme in the UK and it is a theme that many are simply ‘fed up of’. There is no pleasure to be gained from living within such a routine. This coupled with poor housing, poor diet and the need to ‘keep up’ ones social status is an overwhelming experience for many children and young people in London and other parts of the UK.

The solution, cannot be one of using brute force otherwise it will be as foolish as thinking that you can use force to fight against terrorism! After all the bombings in Afghanistan, the Tallibans are still there, likewise after locking away all the youths who took part in the riots, even if we were to empower the police to beat them with batons or shoot them with plastic bullets or water cannons, this in our view will still not get rid of the underlying causes. So as London and other areas of the UK slowly rise from the ashes of destruction that poured down on it over the past week, our word of advice to the politicians and the leaders of society is to remember the causes of the problem, tackle the causes and you may just find a way of preventing such behaviour from repeating themselves in the future; ignore the causes of these riots and you may be embarrassed once again, at a time that you least want or expect it; such as in the midst of the London 2012 Olympics! To avoid this, the leaders will need to focus on social investment and empowerment in the heart of the community, to increase the life chances of the children and young people and to help them to regain the trust, respect and value for authority that has been lacking for so many years. These are all starting points that the government needs to work on. They represent basic human needs. They are the needs of many who were on the streets recently, if they were offered with legitimate opportunities, such as the opportunity to gain employment, to live in good housing, to attend good schools, to enjoy a balanced lifestyle, you can guarantee that they would not see the need to go looking for anything else. So it is time for not just fancy words from the leaders that be, but for swift action, just they acted swiftly to send in fighter jets with bombs to fight against Gadafi in Libya; similarly they must act swiftly and with the same vigour and determination to create greater opportunities and life chances for the children, young people and their families so that the need to go looting and destroying their local area, would be the last thing on their minds.

If you kill us, we will kill you, if you attack us, we will attack you. If you use force, we will use force, tik for tak and in the end, where is the justice in all this? What is the purpose of the law, if we decide not to apply or use it? Should we all simply decide that the law should not apply in certain cases? Or to use Obama’s words, should we simply, rewrite the ‘rules of engagement?’. Bin Laden murdered many and so America murdered Bin Laden. End of Story…. Or is it?

In our oppinion, a can of worms have been opened and what should have been done was not done. No one would disagree that Bin Laden needed to be brought to account for what he did, but this was not done. He should have been captured, tried and sentenced for his crimes. This would have restored trust and confidence in the justice system and it would also show that America acts with integrity at all times and upholds the values of Justice at all times and not just when it suits them. It would also show a stronger symbol, which is that America will not steep to the level of the terroist.

But that is only our humble oppinions and there will no doubt be several other oppnions on this topic. In the end, there will be far reaching consequence either for better or for worse and we can only hope and pray that the death of Bin Laden will result in a change for the better and not the worse. It should show that those involved in terroism, whether an individual or state, will not find any safe place to hide and will not escape the long arms of Justice. In either case, we will all have to live and find ways to deal with the consequences of America’s decision, has the world been made a safer place without Bin Laden? Again, we hope so, but only time will tell.

Easter

Easter is here again, for many Christians it is a time to reflect on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and a time to pull closer to their religion. In some parts of the world Easter is celebrated with great reverence, there is the full re-enactment of the story of Christ, where people literally carry a heavy crossbon their shoulders to show the struggles that Jesus went through. The fact that he resurrected from the dead in the end to ‘save mankind’ is at least an end to the story that brings us hope rather than gloom.

As we also go through our own struggles, the message from the story of Jesus (pbuh) is that we can overcome our struggles by remaining firm and steadfast and  by showing the willingness to sacrifice for what we want. As they say, nothing in life comes easy and Easter is a reminder of that. But Easter also teaches something far more inspirational and that is the value of selflessness. Reflecting on the story of Jesus (pbuh) it is clear that he made the ultimate sacrifice not just to save himself, but for the benefit of all mankind. Whether we believe in his story or not, the message is indeed important and is especially relevant today. In today’s world we see so many acts of greed and selfishness where so many are working to improve their own life and to satisfy their own desires. It is fair to say that this attitude to life is characteristical of Western Industrial Nations such as the UK, USA, France and much of Western Europe. As the cultural domination of the Western ideals spread to all corners of the earth, this self-centred approach of gratifying and serving our own self-interest is slowly being spread to other parts of the world, especially those areas that are easily influenced by the West.

I am not arguing that Western culture is all bad, as there is good and bad in every culture and in every society. What I am saying is that the Western self-centred or individualistic approach is slowly destroying the message of Christianity and its noble teacher, Jesus Christ. The attitude of ‘I am in it only for me’ and not doing something without trying to ask: ‘what is in it for me?’  The fact that the West is designed in a manner where families live separate lives only meeting on odd occasions. Where gaining a job, a career and earning money to improve yourself is seen as some of the most important things in life, is suddenly confronted with the self-less teachings of Jesus Christ, who stated that we should not only think about ourself, but should place our self-interest aside and become more self-less, more caring and more loving human beings. This is the essence of the message that Jesus Christ, brought to the world and it is one of the reasons that I fully support him.

So far, I have spoken mainly about the religious aspect of Easter, since after all this is the entire reason why we have this festival. But for many people Easter serves another purpose. It is seen as a time to relax, eat Easter eggs, playwith Easter Bunnies, go to parties, take long Easter vacations (if you can still afford it) and attend the latest party!!! The party scene booms during the Easter period and if you happen to live in America then the Easter Break is one that many young people look forward to as they visit tropical areas of the world, especially the Caribbean and Latin America, to soak up the sand, sea and sun and to revel in the carnival spirit of this period. With all this in mind, I wonder where the message of Easter has gone and does anyone really cares?

For those of you who are interested in religion, then they will see that there is a decline of the Christian teachings in the Western World. Secularism is on the rise and Christianity seems to be like the sun, slowly setting. Of course this is not true for all areas, but one only has to take a look at the church attendance records within the last decade, especially in some of the more traditional churches such as Roman Catholic or the Church of England to realise just how low the attendance figures have become. The Pope warned that a world without religion is a world without value and in his Easter Sunday message today the Archbishop of Canterbury warns that the UK is slowly becoming a country which is turning its back on Christianity. I do not have the space in this blog to delve into the reasons for the decline in Christianity, but can only refer to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught, selflessness, love and forgiveness. He also taught that life should be shaped by the command of God. But, slowly we can see that even the concept of ‘God’ is being challenged in today’s society, where it is increasingly common to question the existence of this ‘All-Powerful God’. However, through all this we should remember that Western values is in fact Christian values. The Western World is largely a Judeo-Christian world and as such the values of the West: tolerance, respect and honesty is shaped by the doctrine and teachings of Jesus Christ. There is another issue here, which is that the West is not totally neglecting the idea of ‘God’ but seem to be moving away from the control and structure of traditional religions and are seeking other ‘less-formal’ ways of expressing their spirituality. Many have found these through the teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism and even Islam, some have become committed to the usage of yoga and meditation to reach out to their ‘inner-self’. Others engage in ‘nature worship’, others become ‘pagans’. The fact of the matter is that as time goes by people change and some people will seek the opportunity to review and change their religious beliefs.

So what is the entire purpose of Easter and does it matter? The truth is that Easter is not a Christian festival no where in life of Christ did he ever give Easter Eggs, or played with Easter bunnies, but these practices existed paganism and as such much of what we regard as Easter  today, is nothing more than a combination of pagan teachings interwined with Western customs and beliefs. However whatever the true origins of Easter may be, the story and essence of Easter seems to be largely positive as it reminds us of the life and teachings of a self-less and humble man, Jesus Christ; who was willing to give all he had for the upliftment and improvement of humanity. in this respect, Jesus should be regarded as an example for us all, irrespective of our religion, customs or belief.

The Royal Wedding

The Royal Wedding is just around the corner, next week Friday to be exact and I have heard that billions of people will be watching on the TV, internet and wherever they can. If you happen to live in the UK, then the day of the Royal Wedding has been designated as a national holiday. Weddings are times for celebration and happiness and I enjoy seeing young people coming together. The fact is however, that weddings in churches is in decline and the divorce rates especially in the Western Industrial Nations such as the USA and the UK, is on the increase. We saw where Princess Diana’s wedding to Prince Charles ended in disaster and I am hoping that at a time where there is such gloom in the world that this couple and every other young couple who are getting married, will enjoy a long-lasting, fulfilling and happy marriage. Marriage is the ultimate bond, it gives us the opportunity to work with our partner to build a stable family and allows us to share our life with someone special. In this respect it could be that marriage is also a self-less act. So I really do hope and pray that the Royal Wedding and all other weddings, especially where young people are involved; will be successful!

World Affairs

Within all these celebrations, (Easter, Royal Wedding, Holidays), the troubles are still dominating parts of the Middle East and North Africa. As a Muslim, I think personally that it is embarrassing and unlawful (haram) to see what is occurring, whereby Muslims are killing other Muslims, women are being raped and even children and innocent people are being killed! The unrest in Libya is still continuing and soldiers have opened fire killing many protesters in Syria and Yemen, not to mention the less publicised atrocities that is taking place in Bahrain. A side conflict is happening in Uganda, where we have heard that people are protesting against the rising cost of living and corruption in the country. In Nigeria there is still sectarian killings following the recent re-election of President Good luck Jonathan. We have also heard of a conflict developing between Thailand and Cambodia, along the borders of the country. It is clear from all these conflicts that mankind is still struggling to live in Peace. The good thing is that many are still fighting for a better future and our thoughts, prayers and support are with them all.

By: I-Man- Review Blogger.

The bad news is that 2011 has started as a very turbulent year for many, with a whole range of challenges on all fronts. We are facing greater environmental, economical, social and political challenges arguable than ever seen in recent times.

For many, life has become a daily struggle. They say that whenever, you hear the rich people in a country complaining then you should imagine the condition of the poor. The poor, working class, call them whatever you will… the ordinary person in the street is finding it difficult to, ‘make ends meet’. This is not surprising with rising food prices, petrol prices, VAT, tuition fees, gas and electricity prices, coupled by a wage freeze in many quarters, it is no wonder that the poor are struggling to ‘make ends meet’.

On the flip side of the coin, we have the wealthy bankers, politicians and blue chip companies, who seem to be getting wealthier by the minute. With the head of many local authorities earning far more than even the Prime Minister and large scale bonusses being paid out by the banks. It really leaves us in bewilderment as to what is really happening! How can this be allowed. All the politicians were elected on the pledge of ‘Fairness’, creating a ‘fairer society’ as Nick Clegg put it and returning a ‘sense of fairness into politics’ as David Cameron said prior to the elections. But where is this fairness? With so many public sector jobs under threat and so many companies forced to either close or lay off their staff. With so many children living in poverty and the dole que increasing each day, we really have to ask ourselves, where is the fairness that our so called leaders have promised?… Shall we wait for this ‘fairness’ to descend on us like rain from the sky or shall we fight for the ‘fairness’ that we were promised?

Where is the fairness and what happened to justice, freedom and equality? Are we forgetting about these important values that we hold so dear? Where is the fairness, when Chelsea FC can afford to pay £50million for one player and £25 million for another, while some people struggle to earn £50 per week? When half of those supporters who attend these football matches are perhaps struggling financially? There is something severely wrong at the moment and it has just left us feeling bitter and left us asking ourselves, what happened?

What have we done and what will we do about the current state of affairs in the UK? Here at Review4Students.Com, we will be following these events closely and we will no doubt have something to say about it all, but in the end as the examples in Egypt and Tunisia have reminded us, the real power is in the hands of the people and it is up to the people, acting as one united, collective, voice, to change things. We cannot see the government turning its back on the voices of over 65million people in the UK acting as one collective body. We must make our concerns heard and the leaders should begin to do what they have been unable to do so far, which is to listen and respond effectively to the demands and concerns of the common people.

Anyone who thinks that the UK was not prioritizing education ought to think again. We have seen moves from the government in two directions, on the one hand they are willing to push education forward and on the other hand it could easily be argued that they are suffocating the growth of education in this country.

A Government ‘For’ Education

Let us look firstly on what the government is doing to push education forward. Are they doing anything, one might ask? Well, if you were a member of the current government, you would surely be pointing to the new academies scheme along with other innovative ideas such as parents and community led schools. The new academies scheme has continued to grow in popularity, with some reports claiming that over 2/3rd of schools are applying to become academies. Academies are specialist schools, for example the West London Academy that has state of the art facilities, which include a brand new sports hall, gymnasium, and cycle cafe along with other modern amenities. There is no doubt that this investment was needed and like many other academies throughout the country the facilities are much better and this is sure to have a positive effect on the pupils who study in such a modern learning environment that is conductive to their growth and development.

It is far too early to say too much about parent-led schools as this is a new development in the UK. As far as we can see, some parents are deeply excited about the prospects of being more involved in their child’s education. It runs on the notion that parents know their children more than anyone else, therefore they are most ideally suited to play a key role in determining the way that they should learn. But, not all parents are knowledgeable about the UK’s education system and there is a real risk that some parents may well battle for power amongst themselves, which will have a devastating effect on the management and organisation of the school, if such battles and squabbles occur.

A Government ‘Against’ Education

HE Funding Cuts

As for the suffocating effect that seems to indicate that this government is involve in a social experiment with the education system. Well, the funding cuts that have hit universities, resulting in the closure of several departments and now the dawning reality that universities across the country do not have sufficient places for students who are applying seem to surface as some of the most prominent evidence that this government has failed to live up to their expectation. At a time when the government is calling for greater access to universities and are claiming that they want to increase the skills levels in the UK, we found that they are forming policies that are hitting the very places that should help to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed by the economy (universities).

Delivering a Low Blow to International Students

Secondly, the government has made it much harder for international students to come to the UK. Now, for those of you who have not been following this story, universities are complaining that the changes in the immigration system, which has made it more stringent for international students to enter the UK, for example they must have up to 2 months living expense and must have paid their tuition fees in full. The guidelines states that the rate of living expense that the international student need to have is £800 per calendar month, hence that is £1,600 that they should have  for at least the first two months, and as for the university fees, well these are simply astronomical! If an international student is coming to study the sciences, they are looking at paying anywhere between: £10-£12,000 per annum and if they are coming to study the arts, they are looking at paying £8-£10,000 per annum. In total, before they even start their course, some international students have had to pay a total of £13-£16,000 up front and this price does not even include the cost of making the applications to the Home Office new Department, the UK Borders & Immigration Agency. So, what is the attraction of coming to the UK? And if these international students choose to go elsewhere and universities in the UK miss out on this extra funding, at a time when they so desperately need it, then the government only have themselves to blame.

Lower Levels of the Education System

In the lower levels of the education system, the government has not fared much better, since although they are making it easier for schools to apply to become academies, they have scrapped much of the school rebuilding programmes, leaving many schools still in a dilapidated condition. They have also failed to provide extra investment in schools, with the most recent saga regarding the claim that they were about to stop giving pupils free milk in order to save cost- just shows the limited extent to which they hold pupils. Fortunately, they have scrapped that policy, but other policies that could have perhaps made a significant difference to pupils studying in the state educational sector, such as personal tutors who would provide extra assignment support to students who were struggling and greater investment in resources that could improve their academic performance have all been sidelined by the government as part of their ‘cost saving measures’.

In Conclusion

Considering all the above, it makes you really wonder exactly where does the government stand on education, forward in one regard and backward in the next, at least that is what we have concluded from the evidence that we have seen so far. They came to power both proclaiming that they want to create a fairer society, well now they need to walk-the-walk, as they have talked -the-talk and as the famous saying goes, actions speaks louder than words. So Cameron and Clegg, now is the time to act in the interest of the British education system and stop using it as your experimental guinea pig.

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