In the midst of recession –private colleges made an act of helping unprivileged and minority by providing financial aid to certain localities.

Private colleges from Appalachia to Boston are giving bursaries around their respective campus neighbors and local community. Recently, Northwestern University has done such initiative and hopefully expecting an enrollment boost and a strong community bond which will ensure survival in the tightly competitive environment.

The “Good Neighbor, Great University” Northwestern University financial scholarship will be granted to about 100 Evanston III (Northwestern’s main campus home) and Chicago incoming freshmen and high school graduates.

Low income families are also eligible –no income cap. Student loan payments will be replaced by work study. Eligible students will receive full tuition assistance amounting to $40,223; the annual tuition of Northwestern University.

Among other private colleges which offered financial aid is David and Elkins College last fall. Located in the rural Western Virginia –the college provided discounts for freshman tuition making it cost-comparable to West Virginia University. The Presbyterian private college also seeks enrollment boost and strong ties in the area.

The University of Evansville did begin to offer financial aid amounting to $18,000 annually for four years. The beneficiaries were the high school graduates and the residents of Vanderburgh County Indiana. Administrators say that they want every student to experience the school campus life; actually, students are required to live inside the campus.

Last 2008, The University of Boston reached out financial aid to Boston public school substituting student loans with bursaries; students which will meet the academic standard and serve 25 hours of community work per school semester.

In the same year, the College of Holy Cross offered free tuition to students with families earning less than $50,000 annually; the said amount is equal to the cost of attending the college.

Las Vegas private schools are noticing a rise in the enrollment numbers despite the on-going recession. Private schools in the region are to be welcoming more than 15,000 students last Monday. These costly private schools are noticing a gradual increase in attendance recently.

The overall expenditure upon enrolling a child in a private school is as costly as attending a university. For profit schools range from $20,000 –the most expensive tuition –on schools like Alexander Dawson and Meadow Schools. Despite the costly nature of these private schools, parents are still inclined in sending their children to private schools because they don’t want to compromise their child’s education.

Many parents don’t want their child’s precious education to be hindered because of shortage of finance stimulus or shortage of teachers among public schools. Another edge of private education against public schools is the student ratio. Private schools have fewer students in a class compared to public schools. Parents also see the academic development in their child when enrolled privately.

Several private schools in the valley are noticing a large number of students for the year. Faith Lutheran and Cornerstone Christian Academy are few of the private schools which are experiencing waiting list on 6th, 7th. And 8th grades.

Most private schools have positive results because teachers get to focus on fewer students. According to Whiddon, scores test at Cornerstone private school was never been below average while Meadows boast that everyone of their students have graduated form college.

Henry Chanin of Meadow School explains that parents who enrolled their children on their school see it as an investment for the future and not as expense. Which can be true due to the changing global trends; private schools often made A* grades which many universities worldwide accept as proof of academic excellence. So instead parents transfer their child to public schools; they rather cut household expenses to give their children the best education.

Private aided institutions condemn the proposal of utilizing one entrance examination for medical courses on India’s medical schools. The Medical Council of India is expected to receive multiple oppositions coming from privately-run schools in Maharashtra. The MCI counsel along with its senior advocate brought the proposal into the Supreme Court bringing the petition of seeking court directive for a single system admission. Favorably, the proposal has been accepted by the Union health ministry.

In India, prospective students for medical courses need to pass five to six examinations in order to proceed with the course and enter the medical school or university. While these exams measure the capability of a prospective student, many dreams have been broken due to the burden brought by such exams from issues of exam dates and traveling to far places counseling.

While the Proposal that MCI suggest a singular entrance test for MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) offered by 138 government-run and 133 private schools summing to 42,000 medical course seats. On the student’s part, it would be an escape to the entire heavy examination burden.

However, the Association of Managements of Private Unaided Medical and Dental Colleges (AMPUMDC) disapprove such decision because it’s against the agreement of the Supreme Court and private unaided institutions of giving the freedom in school matters including admissions.

According to Kamal Kishore Kadam, head of AMPUMDC such decision is against the spirit of the Supreme Court’s judgment regarding the TMA Pai case. Currently, AMPUMDC manages 11 medical and 21 dental colleges in Maharashtra. The private medical schools conduct a separate common entrance test every year for admissions.

But the government favors the decision and proposes to scrap down the MHT-CET (one of the entrance exams) by 2011. A senior state heath department officer commended the decision of MCI but emphasized that the success of the implementation depends on the cooperation of private medical entities. While on the private school side, Kadam highlighted the freedom granted by the Supreme Court and the government should mind their own public schools and should not interfere with private unaided medical schools.

United Kingdom –the main qualification of admission in most British universities have been based on A* grade which can be earned in Advanced Levels General Certificate of Education commonly known as A-Level.

A-levels are part of the Tertiary Further Education (FE) process in the United Kingdom (wikipedia). Such levels can also be studied in the last two years in a Sixth Form at secondary schools. A-levels are qualifications at level 3 at the National Qualifications Framework.

A* grades are awarded for the A-level qualification and not with the AS (Advance Subsidiary) unit or level. In order to be awarded an A* grade, a student must have an A grade overall in their A level and 90 percent of the maximum effort marks (UMS) on the aggregate of their A2 units.

And private schools or independent schools have been very good in achieving such grade compared to government schools. 17.9 percent of the exams taken by private school students often results to an A* grade while 5.8 in comprehensives, 5.5 percent in sixth-form and further education colleges.

While most universities do not consider the A* grade as basis for admission today, it’s expected to be implemented in 2011 as basis for identifying excellent students. However, union leaders find it alarming and even warned that it drop down the percentage of comprehensive, and further education students admissions to Britain’s top universities.

The comprehensive sector is massively composed of low income class students. And union leaders regarded far from the spirit of equality in Britain. The nation been long before bounded with the issues of inequality and being class-bounded.

Brendan Barber, TUC general Secretary comments that regardless of the intentions the A* is purposed, it will still give an unfair advantage for private schools to be admitted into top universities. On the other side, Christine Blower, National Union of Students Secretary said that the A* admission basis will give opportunity to all students regardless of the background to study to top universities. But Wendy Piatt, Director-general of Russell Group counter-stated that the blame should be on the schools not on the universities.

Recently, thirteen universities have adapted such policy excluding Oxford –one the universities which ignored using the A* admission because it may mislead teachers and increase attendance of students coming from independent schools.

In the Philippines, an initiative to move classes from June to September have been currently worked by a senator and heavily supported by the biggest private schools association –Federations of Associations of Private Schools and Administrators (Fapsa).

Senator Frankin Drilon passed on the Senate Bill 2407 which proposes to move class openings on September instead of the traditional June openings. The rationale behind such proposal to give convenience to parents and students by avoiding rainy season burdens during the month of June.

Usually, the month June distributes a lot of rain causing majority of floods especially in the basin areas like the National Capital Region. The season also comes with disasters such as landslides and flashfloods, diseases due to changing climate, hindered transportation and unavailability of school buildings brought by flood damages.

Drilon added that it’s inappropriate and impractical to start classes during the month. Usually the Philippines commence classes on all levels on June and ends at the month of March or April. Often, the April and May seasons are hot because of the summer but due to the global climate change, the last years of summer were distributing partly some rain-pours on such months.

He also pointed back to the previous mudslinging among the Department of Education, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services (PAGASA) and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) regarding the late suspension of classes which brought confusion to students as well as their parents and teachers. The senator finds it a solution to prevent such incoordination among government units.

However, not all areas in the country were much affected by the June typhoons. Greater part of Luzon and The NCR were the places with many problems. Because of this, Fapsa suggest that the government should test-pilot the proposal on NCR if other places can’t be accessible.

Fapsa has more than 1,900 private schools in NCR and almost 10,000 private elementary schools and high schools nationwide which make them the major supporter for the Senate Bill 2407 proposal to be realized.

This September, the first elementary school with an aviation theme will be launched with the full initiative of Col. David Wheeler. The decision of Northern Lights School Board to end the last public school on the 4 Wing (R.A. Reynolds) inspired Wheeler to open up one for the children of the parents working under his command.

The venue according to Wheeler was semi-isolated making it hard to get people posted there. Wheeler understands the importance of a school and the cost of living for the family to go downtown. So he decided to pursue in opening up the elementary school particularly –The Art Smith Aviation Academy.

The aviation academy will be nonprofit private school named after Word War Two pilot and later as an Alberta MLA which is a federal member of the parliament. The school which will start on September will use Alberta Education’s curriculum and will occupy the former R.A. Reynolds building.

As expected, the education program will give greater emphasis on science, math and engineering and a lot of aviation lessons. Meanwhile, Wheeler and the rest of the teaching staff convinced Ron Yong (R.A. Reynolds’ final principal) to postpone retirement plans because he will run the aviation academy. Young is much exited with the aviation scheme and even commend that such education program will provide a solid foundation for the students aspiring to be pilots and aviation professionals.

Wheeler guaranteed the prospective parents at the Aug 5 town hall that such project will succeed because of the great support from people and entities such as; Cold Lake city council, Genia Leskiw, Bonnyville-Coldlake MLA, and MP Brian Storseth.

The Cold Lake Mayor stressed the significance of the said military base and it’s just fair that families stationed in there should with quality education. He also understands the decision made by NLSB to stop running R.A. Reynolds and they will just support the Art Smith Academy initiative.

Several private pre-schools will be sharing education to Southlake and Colleyville children this coming school year. Administrators expect to fulfill the need for primary education in the area with its interesting and fun-filled education programs. As two preschools will be building school facilities on Texas’ ground, parents aspiring to educate their child will be no longer deprived from accessible primary learning.

Standing on Southlake is the Carpe Diem Private School which is owned and founded by Ashley Murphree is ready to educate 200 students 3 months to kindergarten including after school programs and summer camps for grade 5 students. The all new 15,000 square foot campus in Southlake is situated at 300 Randol Mill Ave. with complete details such as flooring and painting.Carpe Diem Private School has also locations in Allen, Frisco and Richardson.

The private school officials expect to entice all other families near the Colleyville, Trophy Club and Keller and Grapevine area with their preschool education services. The preschool education includes Spanish, music, and computer lessons everyday and weekly drama presentation activities.

The bilingual school, Spanish Garden School will be locating inside the Colleyville Assembly of God Church and will be starting in August. The school has two sites both located at leased space inside churches. The private school is also planning to add another site at Lonesome Dove Baptist Church in Southlake to be launched next year of January.

The school promotes foreign language mastery for preschools to enable them to switch languages with easiness. The school believes that it’s easier and fun to teach children at young age. The school will provide kindergarten and preschool education for ages 2 to 5 with subjects in English and Spanish and math lessons will be taught in both languages.

While a Goddard School will set foot on 435 Southlake Bvld. near Bicentennial Park with nine classrooms to accommodate 154 students in an 8,000 square foot building.

The State budget cut on public education is an unfavorable part on the government school attendees but for private schools, it means buffering up their facilities to entice more student-enrollment for this year and for the upcoming semesters.

Cherokee County’s private schools get prepared for another year of teaching. As the days get nearer, school facilities are being upgraded and addition of extra school amenities made the school busy. Woodstock School which did not escape the trouble made by the recession to most private schools worldwide is just grateful though still not recovering from student loss. The school had 380 enrollees so far compared to 390 students last year. Woodstock is gearing its school with new 26,000 square foot high school building which has 10 classrooms all equipped with digital projectors, screens, high definition surround speakers.

A science lab for laboratory works, a media center for presentations and movie screenings and a physical education room. Wood stock is also planning to put up a black-box theatre, a digital media room, chorus room, a musical room and an art room.

Lyndon Academy also added school amenities and programs enticing for parents. The school enrolls pre-kindergarten all the way through fourth grade students. The pre-school opened 6.6 acres new facilities in Holy Spring. The private school can accommodate 500 kindergartens with its 300 square foot building all equipped with 18 classrooms, computer lab, a gym, a cafeteria and storm shelter.

The school also supports children into sports by integrating extra curricular activities such as tennis, golf, soccer and taekwondo which was greatly requested by mothers before.

Montessori schools will charge pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students with $ 8,434 annually and $10,666 for 1st-4th grade and upper elementary children, $11,659 for middle school, $12,965 for high schools. While the Georgia Needs Scholarship has help children who were enrolled in public kindergarten schools, public elementary schools and public high schools which have special needs to transfer to special private schools.

Times of India recently published the controversial RTE known as Right To Education Act which encourages that no child shall be held back, expelled, or required to pass a board examination until completion of elementary education.

The main issue is the 25 percent reservation of seats in private schools for unprivileged aspirants without any screening, no failing and no expulsion. The proposal is still hanging after private schools got alarmed with such ventures. In order to settle some questions and comments on both sides, Times of India organized a discussion including both parties.

Overall, the discussion resulted harmonically. Private schools side has no problems with the 25 percent requested by the government while the government is very eager with the agreement and even admitted inefficient funds to finance such education program. But the only problem is private schools aren’t so sure about some policies like no screening and no expulsion for aspirants.

The private sector commented that such agreements do not implement discipline in students and they have provided places for poor children but undergone background investigation.

According to times of India, the main issue which is unexpanded during the discussion is the burden given to the private education sectors which can be very exhausting on the parents which are paying the private school. Even if government funds up to 10, 000 Ruphias, it wouldn’t still be enough to compensate the expenses of the private schools in educating such children.

Since there are 25 percent seats granted by the private school the remaining 75 percent will be forced to pay up for the education which concerns not the students but their parents paying for their education. The hard part for private schools is the RTE’s empowerment to India’s Education Department and local education units which might endorse and insist some of their candidates for private schools education.

Amazingly a private school in Washington D.C. will be equipped with solar panels under the North Americas premiere distributor, installer and integrator of solar energy solutions.

The White River Junctions groSolar will launch August for the unique energy project with Sidwell Friends School. Whats amazing is the Quaker-run private school is attended by President Obama’s two daughters –Sasha and Malia.

The 120 solar panels will be provided by the alumni and parents of the school community through $5,000 dollar bonds. After completing the payment for the solar panels, it will then be owned by the contributors and be used as a renewable source of energy for the community. However, when the panels get paid the contributors will then donate it to the school.

The project came to be realized because of the seen difficulties upon installing solar panels. Such difficulty had a break through when Ketch Ryan, the co-founder of Common Cents Solar managed to put solar panels on her home in D.C. three years ago and made a big difference in her community.

With such initiative, communities will be able to produce 3,000 kilowatt hours per month enough to power five residential homes of the community. And through the 120 solar panels, the community will be able to offset about 40,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year promoting a greener and carbon minimal environment.

And with the technical support and services coming from Vermont’s groSolar, communities will be getting to familiarize the use of solar panels. Just like Ryan’s experience, her neighbors got curious and bundled together then agreed to install solar panels which brought benefits to their community.

GroSolar is committed in providing services to non-profit institutions not limited to individual homes but also comprising schools and their education programs.