For at least the last thirty years, the character of the school in the North and West has been marked by conservative and business dogmas.

 

To the number of these that keep returning, we note the increased inclination for a system of marking pupils during the entirety of their education.  Even if giving marks does not hold up under analysis in terms of its educational effectiveness, it is seen in the eyes of public opinion to assure against academic failure.  The Canton of Geneva recently held a referendum in which a large majority of voters approved the return of marks at school. More

 

It is a strange paradox to see the number of countries in the Global South incapable of assuring access to education for all while in the rich countries of the North, where this same access is universal, parents are threatened with fines or prison terms for their children’s absenteeism from school.  In an attempt to overcome this phenomenon, a number of countries have instituted repressive measures regarding parents.More