Latest news with #academicperformance
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Hacked Columbia University Data Includes Banking Numbers, GPAs
The financial information and academic performance of Columbia University students and alumni were stolen in a recent breach, according to a Bloomberg News review of some of the pilfered data. The data includes bank account and routing numbers, student loan and scholarship disbursements, standardized test scores, grade-point averages, class schedules, home addresses and other contact information, a Bloomberg review of 53.6 gigabytes of the stolen files shows. Nine current and former students who began attending Columbia undergraduate and graduate programs as early as the 1990s confirmed the accuracy of their data in the files. Bloomberg couldn't verify the entire cache.
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
'Furikake' app to help manage children's health in Indonesian
A Japanese organization promoting furikake sprinkle seasoning aims to launch an app in Indonesia by the end of the year to help manage the health of children in the Southeast Asian country as well as to improve their academic performance. After downloading the app via a QR code on furikake product packaging, children will be asked to input information such as their height and weight and do practice academic drills. If they complete the data input or the drills, or both, they will be able to enjoy Japanese manga on the app, according to the International Furikake Association. "The data will be provided for free to the West Java provincial government, which lacks enough information about local children's health, for big data analytics to better manage their health," said Shintaro Matsue, head of the association based in Kumamoto Prefecture, known as the home of furikake. "The drills will improve the children's basic academic skills," Matsue added. The International Furikake Association's cooperation is expected to help various fields, a senior Indonesian food agency official said. Set up chiefly by food companies in Kumamoto, the organization has already announced a plan to outsource furikake production in West Java and voluntarily supply products made with dried ingredients rich in protein, calcium and vitamins to the provincial government under Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's free school meal initiative. The products are also due to be sold for use in prison meals under a joint study with the University of Tokyo to see if calcium works to curb irritation. For the app, the manga works to be posted will be chosen from pieces contributed by amateur artists. All episodes of a manga series will become available if users pay a fee on the app. "The charge system will provide amateurs with professional debut opportunities," Matsue said. The app will also facilitate Japanese companies' employment of Indonesian workers by accepting help-wanted advertisements. It will also give its users chances to win motorcycles in daily sweepstakes supported by Japanese makers. Noting that the award winners will be required to declare that they will wear helmets while riding the motorcycles, Matsue said, "We hope to contribute to reducing fatal traffic accidents (in Indonesia) as well."
CNA
17-06-2025
- Science
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - The Wellness Hour - It's getting hot in here!
CNA938 Rewind Play As Singapore swelters under rising temperatures, classrooms are becoming the new frontlines of climate adaptation. Cheryl Goh speaks to Associate Professor Alberto Salvo, who is dean's chair of the Department of Economics at the National University of Singapore (NUS), the researcher behind a new study linking heat to poorer academic performance, exploring how the heat affects students' focus, health and well-being.
Independent Singapore
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
TikTok model calls out Singlish and academic pressures, yet says she's ‘still a proud Singaporean'
SINGAPORE: In a TikTok video posted earlier this week, a young woman appeared to take potshots at Singlish, the high value placed on academic performance, and the large number of fines in the city-state, and yet ended by underlining how much she loves Singapore. Carolina Broberg's video has since gone viral, getting over 344,000 views in the past few days and receiving many comments. Ms Broberg, a model of Singaporean and Swedish descent, captioned her video with 'Still a proud Singaporean though,' along with a Singaporean flag emoji. @carolinabroberg Still a proud Singaporean though 🇸🇬 #singapore #sg #singaporetiktok #sgtiktok ♬ original sound – Caro The context of her video is that many people have wondered about her experiences of having been born and raised in Singapore, asking her if it was like the hit movie Crazy Rich Asians. 'And I say if you take millions of people from China, Malaysia, and India and if you squeeze them all into the same tropical island, no one understands each other, and so they end up creating the ugliest, laziest form of English called 'Singlish',' she said. She added that it's 'embedded' in the culture for the self-worth of every child to be 'purely based' on how well they do at school, and the number of laws has created a people who are scared to even breathe the wrong way. Ms Broberg added jokingly that at least everyone has money in Singapore and that they can walk its streets feeling safe, 'admiring Marina Bay Sands, right?' Although she meant it in good fun, some TikTok users may have missed her dry humour and felt that she was insulting the city-state, jumping in quickly to defend Singapore. In another video she posted on Tuesday (June 10), Ms Broberg shot back at commenters who appeared to think she hates Singapore. She proceeded to list what she loves about the city-state, including the food, which she considers to be the best in the world. Another thing she appreciates is safety, saying that a person could leave a Birkin bag in a cafe for an hour and when they come back, it's still there. @carolinabroberg Replying to @Amy Since everyone thinks I hate SG #singapore #sg #singaporetiktok #sgtiktok ♬ original sound – Caro Over on Reddit, where her first video was also shared, commenters were inclined to be more chill, pointing out that there may be something to Ms Broberg's criticism. However, what they did take exception to was how she characterised Singlish, defending it by saying that it's quite an efficient way to speak, since it jumps straight to the point and eliminates unnecessary parts of a sentence. 'Singlish has been and will always be the language of the working class. It's history as a creole formed in our melting pot that allowed people of different races to communicate despite their lack of education reflects Singapore's multiracial origins,' wrote a Reddit user. 'The thing is, people act like Singlish (and Singaporean accent) is some horrible abomination that is unique to Singapore. But different countries/races/languages have their own accented English and their version of ###-glish,' wrote another. The Independent Singapore has reached out to Ms Broberr for further comments or updates. /TISG Read also: Singaporeans give American in SG permission to use Singlish, even say it's 'endearing'
News24
11-06-2025
- General
- News24
Overcrowding crisis in classrooms hits Madikoloshe Malepe Secondary School in Limpopo
Parents in Limpopo province have reached their breaking point, threatening to halt all classes at Madikoloshe Malepe Secondary School as extreme overcrowding combines with plummeting academic performance to create an educational crisis. 'We have no choice but to take drastic action,' says David Mokoena, School Governing Body Chairperson. 'The entire situation is costing our children their future, and we cannot allow it to continue any longer.' The school, located in Praktiseer outside Burgersfort, has become emblematic of South Africa's education infrastructure challenges. Grade 8 classrooms currently accommodate an astounding 124 learners, while Grade 9 classrooms hold 109 students—far exceeding educational best practices. Teachers report being unable to move through classrooms to provide individual attention, while many students lack basic desk space. The overcrowding has worsened as enrollment increased by approximately 100 new students. 'Some learners don't even have desks,' Mokoena explains. 'Teachers cannot walk around the classroom to check work or provide guidance. How can learning happen in these conditions?' Adding to the frustration, Madikoloshe Malepe is among 1,000 schools nationwide selected to pilot the General Education Certificate program based on South Africa's Three Stream Model. This innovative approach aims to prepare learners for careers as lawyers, builders, doctors, thinkers, organizers, or influencers through vocational, occupational, and academic pathways. According to education experts, South Africa's Three Stream Model represents a significant educational reform, dividing learning into academic, technical vocational, and technical occupational streams to better prepare students for diverse career paths. However, the severe resource constraints at Madikoloshe Malepe undermine these ambitious goals. The crisis reflects broader educational challenges in Limpopo. Recent statistics indicate over 1,600 learners across the province remained unplaced at the start of the 2025 school year, while numerous schools report similar overcrowding issues. At Ketlane Primary School, for instance, some classrooms accommodate over 100 learners, creating nearly impossible teaching conditions. School administrators report sending 'countless series of letters' to circuit officials requesting mobile classrooms to alleviate the overcrowding. The poor academic results from the previous quarter have only intensified parents' concerns. Read more| Millions spent yet no road construction done Mosebjane Kgaffe, spokesperson for the Limpopo Department of Education, acknowledged the situation: 'The department is aware of the overcrowding at Madikoloshe Malepe Secondary School. We have received requests for additional adhoc educators; however, the school is currently allocated 11 posts—a principal, head of department, and nine educators.' Kgaffe promised relief may be coming: 'After approval by the Head of Department, the school's challenges will be put on the priority list. Utilizing mobile classrooms will reduce overcrowding, and the request for additional resources has been given the necessary attention it deserves.' For parents and students enduring daily educational challenges in cramped, freezing classrooms, these promises offer little immediate comfort as their educational futures hang in the balance.
