Peter Blom, CEO of Triodos Bank begins his new book on the banking with the fairy tale by Hans Andersen about the emperor's new clothes. In his great vanity invited an emperor of the best tailors to make a regal robe. Two tailors offered to make a garment, so brilliant that only intelligent people could perceive. After weeks of work could the emperor robe fit, but he saw nothing. In order not to stupid to be taken, he said that he still adored. The day everyone regal robes of the emperor could be admired, it was announced across the country and a large crowd was curious that day to the beauty to behold. To their surprise they saw the emperor naked. In order not to be kept ignorant everyone said they were beautiful. Until a little boy cried, papa, the emperor is naked. Then others started to call it and eventually gave all that the emperor was naked.
Paul's Columns Archive
Are our children more important?
There is constant turmoil in education. Each minister conducts changes that cause turbulence. It strikes me that the main agenda of politics seemingly the economic crisis, which should alleviate the debt burden of our posterity. But the seed itself is forgotten, because it's about people and not about the money. Often we forget that the future is determined by the youth of today.
The rights of youth
It is an important positive development that the Netherlands has appointed an ombudsman for children. Netherlands has often been rapped over the knuckles by the Human Rights Commission on its policy with children. Last year, 24,000 children caught in 13,000 foster families because the parents are unable to educate their children themselves. Not out of reluctance, but out of powerlessness. But the youth is through its divisions are not yet able to this inability to work. The rights of the child are not the same as the rights of the adult because the child is vulnerable, the child does not know what is right and can not fight for it. It craves only for security and warmth.
Caring for our youth
There is much to do about possible longer maternity leave and paternity leave, there is much debate about child care, there is much talk about saving and improving education. These are again and again about the costs. Indeed, children cost money, but it is the most basic investment for the future.
The nursery is already spiritually
In a previous column, I posed the question of when the last time you've heard a bird sing. This is a test of our spiritual sensitivity. In AD 30 January, an article about the beta nursery as a perfect scientist. Six universities have sought ways to the curiosity of young children to stimulate beta area, given the declining interest in science studies.
In care as well as in education is all about the inspiration
I have worked for 45 years both in education as in health care. There I met people with a strong inspiration. Their idealism, I have to thank that I have enjoyed working in both sectors. I'm always grateful for them. At the same time I also saw very often they were frustrated in their expectations, often so strong that they pulled out. This is the greatest destruction of capital for these institutions.
Innovation needed in the policy of care and education
On my two articles about the policies in health care and education, that is sick, numerous comments were. That's a good sign. It appears that education itself often becomes too closed for renovation. I've highlighted the interesting study by Gerrit Broekstra about Deep Leadership, because the leadership has so far been too superficial. It is the genetic code (mission and values) in the care and education.
Uncertified teachers in education have difficulty
Uncertified teachers in education have a hard time as we can read in the newspaper. How come? Their training is not because they often have very sound knowledge. I think transfer students in the healthcare sector, where a great need for forces, will experience the same problem. Yet it is a good development as both care and education to transfer students can be strengthened. But there is more than a technical hands-on training level.
Where do we go with our education?
Politicians will do anything to get out of crisis. That is very commendable but the practice gives the impression of panic. The focus is mainly on the recovery of the economy, because we can not our posterity indebted charge. That seems like a good argument. It is very true the next generations with chunks of our crisis to leave. But unilateral economic recovery is primarily a recovery from the established order, but at the expense of future generations.
Do we seek guarantees for the future? Invest in youth
I read in the newspaper about a student strike to protest austerity measures. This is fortunately not often, but it happened a lot of meaning. It has no money and they are looking for ways to reduce costs. There are new techniques, the classes are larger and the number of teachers is reduced. That is the same sound as the dismissals of personnel from the industry sector. There is less money and the company should therefore intensively and with less people.
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