They labor in loud and unruly environments, with demanding and emotional people. They impose discipline constantly, and their wages are notoriously poor. Yet, according to data from a survey of 15 Latin American countries, an average of 98% of primary school teachers say they like their jobs. If this seems surprising, it shouldn’t. Careers that help others and represent … [Read more...] about Capitalizing on Teacher Satisfaction: Using Tutors to Energize Education
Reforming Constitutions: A Pandora’s Box
In March 1990, some 2 million Colombians cast a symbolic vote during elections demanding a new constitution. The vote followed a harrowing year of guerrilla, paramilitary and drug trafficking violence. Three presidential candidates had been assassinated, and many people argued that only a new national charter, creating a more inclusive, representative and decentralized … [Read more...] about Reforming Constitutions: A Pandora’s Box
Public Information on Vaccines Can Be a Matter of Life and Death
Public information campaigns are a complex, delicate undertaking. Getting them right is crucial, as undoing the damage of misinformation is very difficult: once perceptions have been formed, it’s very hard to modify behavior. And when it comes to vaccination —an issue that has sparked controversy over the years and became news again this week— the repercussions of poor … [Read more...] about Public Information on Vaccines Can Be a Matter of Life and Death
Natural Disasters: How Nations Build Resilience
In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake which struck Haiti in 2010, killing more than 220,000 people and leaving 1 million homeless, governments and multilateral organizations gathered in New York to pledge an unprecedented $10 billion in emergency aid and long-term reconstruction. “Our goal is not to rebuild. It is to build back better,” said then U.N. … [Read more...] about Natural Disasters: How Nations Build Resilience
When Solar Power Cuts Costs and Emissions
The epic droughts that have devastated Latin America over the last five years, drying up river beds and crippling electricity generation, stand as a clear warning. Latin America and the Caribbean may be one of the world's most important regions for hydroelectric power, with nearly half of generation capacity currently supplied by dams. But ever increasing dry spells engendered … [Read more...] about When Solar Power Cuts Costs and Emissions