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Time of India
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Tripura now a fully literate state: CM Saha stresses need for social responsibility among students
Agartala, June 28 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Saturday that the state government is working with special priority to improve the quality of education in the state. Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Saturday that the state government is working with special priority to improve the quality of education in the state. The Chief Minister, attending the Bhupendra Chandra Dutta Bhowmik Merit-cum-Means Award-2025 event, said that education is necessary and important for making a good human. "Many educational institutions have now been established in the state in the field of higher education. Students are now coming from outside to study in Tripura," said Saha, who also holds the education portfolio. He urged the students to increase their responsibility towards society, and they must get involved in various social work. The Chief Minister said that it is not possible to develop a state or country if the benefits of various people-oriented projects do not reach the last person in society. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also given special importance to education and added that the National Education Policy has been introduced in the country due to the Prime Minister's tireless efforts. "Under the direction of PM Modi, the National Education Policy has been implemented in schools and colleges in our state. Now people are coming from outside to study in Tripura." Various private higher educational institutions, including the Open University, Techno India University, ICFAI University, and International Buddha University, have been established in Tripura, he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo The Chief Minister said that at present, the state has educational institutions like the National Law University campus, National Forensic Science University campus, National Sanskrit University campus, Central University, IIIT, Fishery College, Agricultural College, Veterinary College, Tripura Institute of Technology, among others. On June 23, Tripura became the third state in the country to achieve full literacy after Goa and Mizoram, he said, adding that the literacy rate is 95.6 per cent in the state now. Tripura has achieved the recognition of a fully literate state, which is a matter of great pride for the people of the state, Saha said. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
India Gazette
a day ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Tripura prioritizing quality education, attracting students from outside: Tripura CM
Agartala (Tripura) [India], June 28 (ANI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha stated on Saturday that the state government is working with special priority to enhance the quality of the education system. 'Many educational institutions have now been established in the state in the field of higher education. Students are now coming from outside to study in Tripura. And to increase their responsibility towards society, students should get involved in social work,' said Saha. CM Saha stated this at the Bhupendra Chandra Dutta Bhowmik Merit-cum-Means Award 2025 program, organised at the Muktadhara Auditorium in Agartala on Saturday. At the program, the Chief Minister stated that it is impossible to develop a state or country if the benefits of various people-oriented projects do not reach the most disadvantaged individuals in society. 'I sincerely thank the organisers for organising the merit award ceremony here today. Along with the government, you are also making efforts for the welfare of society. Others will also be inspired by seeing you in this great work of social service,' he said. The Chief Minister stated that the people of Tripura are familiar with journalist Bhupendra Chandra Dutta Bhowmik. 'He is a name for the state. He established himself in a very short time through his sharp writing. He had the trust of many people. He has created a foundation in the field of journalism in Tripura,' said Saha. 'The journey of education will continue for ages. Education should be combined with study and experience. Success cannot be achieved by acquiring only textbook knowledge. Many people struggle to achieve success in life, despite obtaining good exam results. Education has no end. Education is endless. Education acts as a bridge between ignorance and knowledge, and between darkness and light. The more knowledge one has, the more he will be in touch with the ground. Our famous Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has also given special importance to education,' added Saha. The Chief Minister also said that the National Education Policy has been introduced in the country due to the Prime Minister's tireless efforts. 'Under the direction of Prime Minister Modi, the National Education Policy has been implemented in schools and colleges in our state. Now people are coming from outside to study in Tripura. Various private educational institutions including Open University, Techno India University, ICFAI University, and International Buddha University have been established here,' he added. (ANI)
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Football's Open University has closed down. John Giles has retired from punditry
Football's Open University has closed down, having taught a Masters course for almost 40 years. On Thursday night, John Giles gave his last lecture as a football pundit, completing his run on Off The Ball, nine years after finishing an iconic run on the RTÉ football panel after Euro 2016. The Ireland and Leeds United great has elected to retire from punditry, aged 84. Over his time as an educator, he has taught us many important things. He has told us who the great players are and explained what made them great. On every sad occasion one of these greats has left us, it has been a privilege to have an inside man in the pantheon, able to give us the lowdown, speaking as a peer. John Giles has told us all there is to know about moral courage and honesty of effort. He has assured us, contrary to received wisdom, that there is never a bad time to score a goal. And he has reminded us that the right thing to do at one-nil up is still the right thing to do at one-nil down. And indeed if it is nil-nil. That is what he means by taking each game on its merits. Over four decades of John Giles punditry, there have been many advances in technology and science and statistics. Indeed John Giles played a part in importing some of those advances by telling RTÉ about the telestrator gadget - or 'scratchpad' - he'd seen on Canadian TV during his spell with Vancouver Whitecaps. So for many years we were blessed to have Gilesy scribbling loosely but authoritatively on a screen and advising people to 'stop it there'. But even with all those advances and means of evaluating players, there remained no substitute for having John Giles watch a guy for 20 minutes and deliver his assessment. This knack was most valuable during the co-commentary years, when Giles lit up gantries with insight, working alongside George Hamilton. John Giles with Liam Brady at RTÉ's Euro 2012 launch. Pic: Cathal Noonan, Inpho In his fine autobiography A Football Man, Giles recalls the simple words of advice given to him by then RTÉ Head of Sport Tim O'Connor. 'Don't talk unless you've got something worthwhile to say. Even if it means nothing is said for five or six minutes of a game.' Another pearl of wisdom seemingly lost in the modern game. There wasn't initially high hopes for Giles the pundit. His great pal Eamon Dunphy had to twist O'Connor's arm by threatening to bail himself ahead of the 1986 World Cup if Giles wasn't brought on too. Giles the manager had gained a reputation for not having much to say to the media. Dunphy credits Bill O'Herlihy with some early man-management. Writing in his memoir The Rocky Road, Dunphy says: 'John was his project for the '86 World Cup Finals. With extraordinary skill, Bill got John talking about the games as if he were sitting in his own front room. The tentative John was but a memory by the tournament's end. He came across as a man of great character and rare intelligence who happened to have been one of football's great players.' Giles has said he has never felt nervous doing punditry 'I just regard it as talking football, and I am comfortable with that. I didn't fully appreciate at first, that I had already done most of the preparation and training I would need on the football fields of Dublin and Manchester and Leeds and beyond.' John Giles, left, and Eamon Dunphy at an RTÉ launch in 2007. Pic: David Maher, Sportsfile. Ger Gilroy, Managing Director of Off The Ball saluted a 23-year stint on the show. 'John Giles, Senior Analyst, is a titan of Irish sport. His weekly explanation of football truth on Off The Ball helped deepen what the country knows about football. His ability to see through bullshit and his love of the game shone through in every contribution." That responsibility to the truth was partly a duty to the great players. For as he often put it, "if everybody is great, nobody is great."
STV News
6 days ago
- Business
- STV News
Businesses urged to help ‘shape future workforce' by investing in young people
Experts have urged Scottish businesses to help 'shape the future workforce' by investing in upskilling young people, as a survey suggests the next generation of workers is not being given the support it needs to plug the nation's skills gaps. According to the Open University business barometer survey, more than half (56%) of Scottish businesses are currently experiencing a skills shortage but only about a third (35%) have specific initiatives in place to recruit, retain or train under-25s. The survey, of more than 2,000 UK organisations and 1,000 'Gen Z' adults, also found that while the majority of Gen Z respondents are aware that Scotland has a skills gap, two-thirds (66%) have never been told they lack specific skills. Meanwhile, 71% of Gen Z respondents said they would stay longer with an employer that offers training and development while 72% said they are considering careers based on where skills are most needed in the UK. Researchers said the 'disconnect' between employers and young people is particularly stark in the field of AI. According to the survey, just under half (47%) of Gen Z in Scotland say they are already working in, or interested in working in, AI, but a fifth (20%) of Scottish employers say they lack the confidence to deliver their AI strategies because of a skills deficit. Baroness Martha Lane Fox, chancellor at The Open University, said: 'Employers have an incredible opportunity – and responsibility – to shape the future workforce. 'The talent is out there. Young people are motivated, they're digitally savvy and they want to contribute. But they need clear training pathways, practical support and employers willing to invest. 'While there are economic challenges at this moment for employers, the smartest organisations won't just wait for skills to arrive – they'll build them, inclusively and proactively, to fuel growth and resilience.' The survey found many businesses in Scotland were finding it difficult to recruit and train staff because of the increase in national insurance rates (58%), an increase in the minimum wage (51%) and economic uncertainty (70%). However, the results also made clear the impact the skills shortage is having, with 44% of respondents saying it is increasing the workload for other staff, 39% pointing to reduced productivity and 35% saying they have scaled back growth or expansion plans. David Allen, senior partnerships manager at The Open University in Scotland, said: 'Scotland's skills gap is one of the biggest long-term challenges facing our economy – but it's also one of our greatest opportunities. 'With 56% of employers who offer apprenticeships set to hire or train more apprentices and 51% recognising they have a responsibility to fund staff training, there is real momentum building. 'However, with a third of employers citing funding as a barrier and many still without a formal skills plan, action is urgently needed. 'Flexible, inclusive training delivered in partnership with tertiary education providers can help employers retain talent, address skills shortages before they escalate and help support long-term succession planning within the business. 'We need to meet learners where they are, equip them for the future and make development a shared priority. 'The organisations that do will be the ones shaping Scotland's growth and resilience for years to come.' The survey also indicated continuing support for equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) initiatives among Scottish businesses, with 87% of firms saying ED&I was important to them, and 56% saying it will become even more important over the next five years. However, the data shows a quarter (24%) of employers currently have no initiatives in place for underrepresented or disadvantaged groups, including returners, career changers and workers with disabilities or neurodiversities. The researchers said this was a 'missed opportunity' to broaden the talent pipeline and reduce economic inactivity, particularly in sectors facing acute workforce shortages. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'We welcome this report which affirms what we already know – that Scotland's young people have talent, knowledge and enthusiasm that we want and need in our economy. 'That is why we are already undertaking a major programme of reform of the skills system to ensure that it meets Scotland's needs and we are providing £185 million this year to deliver 25,500 new modern apprentices, 5,000 foundation apprentices and 1,200 graduate apprentices. 'We will also continue to provide support for 38,500 apprentices already in training.' The spokesperson added: 'A major driver of the skills shortages which are holding Scotland back is Brexit and UK immigration policy, and the Scottish Government has put forward proposals for a Scottish Graduate Visa to ensure we can benefit from the skills of people who want to live and work here.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Korea Herald
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Filipino webtoon creator Maria Mediarito spins a sapphic sanctuary through comic series 'Katlaya Rising'
MANILA, Philippines (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) -- Magic, monsters, and maidens are mainstays in fantasy stories. However, when the relationships and dynamics of these story staples have largely remain unchanged, Metro Manila-based comics creator Maria Mediarito -- or MariaMediaHere, as she's known online -- gives the genre a fearlessly Filipino and queer twist in Webtoon Originals comic, "Katlaya Rising." "Being queer is integral to the work that I have," says Mediarito. "I know when people don't feel safe to come out, they will end up in bad situations." Through "Katlaya Rising," Mediarito creates a sanctuary where her audience, especially queer and sapphic readers, could see themselves as heroes in epics. Don't be fooled, though. Mediarito's Filipino-driven fantasy world is anything but safe. Wild animals infected by frenzy run rampant in the stratified Pilipit Town. Exterminators, like Katlaya De los Kalye, risk their lives hunting these beasts for meager pay. Yet, for Katlaya, unhinged giant boars are a small part of her daily tribulations. Like her heroine, Mediarito leaps headfirst into the fray. In "Katlaya Rising," the author tackles tough topics like gender roles, classism, and religion. "Subtext is for cowards," she quotes fictional author Garth Marenghi in an interview. For Mediarito, comics create spaces where authors and readers can explore different facets of their identities. Self-discovery through comics Inspiration is found in mundane places. Mediarito found hers in her high school's art room. "I wouldn't have been able to access all of that if it weren't for my art teacher, Sir Norman Ramirez." Sir Norman was a personal hero to young Mediarito. He shared his personal comics collection with interested students looking for some company. The moment when Mediarito flipped through those comics, she was a goner. "Even if you pick up Chapter 400 of a long series and don't know these characters, you should still be able to be engaged," she explains. "That's proof of good comic book writing." Beyond appreciating the craft of comics, Mediarito internalized the importance of media consumption. Sir Norman knew that sharing comics, instead of letting them gather dust at home, was what was best for them. "I do believe the entertainment we consume molds our values and personalities." Sir Norman's influence set Mediarito on the path she's on today -- not only in her art but also in her identity. "I was in denial for a very long time, which is funny because my sister knew the entire time." Though her sister was supportive, Mediarito was self-conscious and scared. "I was so in the closet and so afraid of people judging me." In high school, she was desperate to find a boyfriend in order to fit in with her peers. The possibility of being ostracized distressed her. "They say that being queer makes people depressed," reflects Mediarito. A study conducted with 165,000 participants by the Open University reveals that LGBTQ+ teens face significantly higher risks of depression. But, being queer doesn't inherently affect one's mental health. "It's because the experience of queer leads people to situations where they're mocked, slighted against, or physically hurt." The Katlaya origin story For college, Mediarito majored in information design at Ateneo De Manila University. She didn't think she could earn a living from art alone, so she practiced corporate design. "I had a lot of side hustles in college," she says. "Because you have to feed your mouth and then you have to feed your heart." In between commercial gigs, Mediarito carved out time for comics. In 2018, Komiket, a Filipino nonprofit that organizes conventions, held a comics competition. Mediarito didn't want to join at first, but her best friend and poet, Ives, encouraged her to try it out. Mediarito's 16-page entry was shortlisted but didn't win. Though, losing one battle sometimes means winning the war. "Being acknowledged in this competition was a sign that I can go for it. Maybe I can win," she reflects. Komiket gave her a green light to pursue comics along with her commercial projects. The author came face-to-face with an adversary, as many other college students in the late 2010s did: COVID-19. Suddenly, her corporate gigs dried up. Not only was getting through the pandemic economically challenging, but it was also lonely for creatives. Without the routine of corporate gigs and art events, Mediarito poured her time into web comics. In 2021, she published "Ghoul Crush," which centers on a romance between a woman and the ghost haunting her apartment. Mediarito also submitted her work to literary publications and awards. "Then, I got an email from someone I didn't know who said they were a Webtoon editor," Mediarito says. She ignored that email for a few days, but in the back of her mind, she thought, "Let me check that just in case." The email, from LA-based Webtoon editor Aria Villafranca, was not spam. Villafranca was interested in working with Mediarito on a Webtoon Originals comic. Mediarito only had short comics at the time, so she sent over a 16-page story called "Katlaya De Los Kalye." "Aria saw what Katlaya could be," says the author. "We can make it a whole world with more creatures, monsters, characters, subcultures, and lore." Villafranca and Mediarito worked on what became "Katlaya Rising" for a whole year before publishing the first chapter on Webtoon. "Comics will bring you to places you never knew you could end up in." Writing queer characters the right way Katlaya De Los Kalye crashes through a married couple's tin-roofed home in Lower Pilipit Town to fight a rabid beast to the death. While Katlaya's monsters would feel more at home in a Nintendo game, Pilipit Town's atmosphere and citizens feel vaguely familiar. "The backgrounds are so important to informing the world," Mediarito says. "It has to be Filipino." Katlaya and her motley crew fight monsters and, occasionally, each other in tight eskenitas drenched in neon light from signs in Baybayin. Capiz shell windows line houses in Upper Pilipit Town. Tricycle drivers rush past pedestrians in the morning. These lived-in details are all by Mediarito's design. Mediarito works with a team of assistants based in the Philippines. "We do field trips around Manila to just look at old and new architecture," she says. "And then we see how we can fuse them together." Although readers see backgrounds for a few seconds, the rich references in Katlaya's world adds depth to the greater story Mediarito is telling. In a moment of vulnerability, Katlaya reminisces on her childhood and time as a nun in service to Pilipit Town's local religion. Growing up, she overheard her neighbors gossip about her queerness. "What a waste of a pretty face. ... She's like a 6/10 in looks." These comments are commonplace in the comic, with many members of the LGBTQ+ community being called "sayang" at least once. In "Katlaya Rising," Mediarito also touches on the expectations for Filipino women to bear children and the consequences they face regardless of their decision. "Society goes through ups and downs," says Mediarito. "In some older films, the villains were queer-coded to prove they were strange and not of this world." Giving antagonists traits and appearances commonly deemed as queer, such as crossdressing and flamboyance, feeds into stereotypes about the queer community. Now, some fandoms are at another extreme and fetishize queer characters. "We went from villainizing queer people to putting them on a pedestal," the author says. "We've come to the point where we can make queer characters just characters. That's why I have five different love interests in 'Katlaya Rising.'" Representation inches closer Planning, writing, and drawing a Webtoon -- especially one set in a fantasy world with five romantic subplots -- is no small feat. "I never expected to be in this situation, where I can say I'm a professional comic artist," Mediarito reflects. "Maybe it's not so crazy if you're from a different country where the comics industry is more developed." The Philippines has a tight-knit and vibrant comics community that self-organizes events and conventions, like Komiket and the Manila Comics Fair. However, most, if not all, large publishers, like Marvel, DC, and Kodansha, are based abroad, making it tougher for Filipino creators to reach international audiences. "We're just a small archipelago in the middle of the ocean. For any one of us to achieve acclaim is a net good," Mediarito says of her practice. In addition to raising the Filipino flag a little higher, she hopes "Katlaya Rising" would also hold space for the queer community. "You have to confront what type of artist you want to be. Do you want to make something for as many people as possible, or do you want to make something for yourself?" she advises. So, what kind of artist is Mediarito? A story about sapphic Filipinos fighting monsters and each other's love interests sounds quite niche. However, complex, unapologetic stories are cementing their place in the public's consciousness. In February 2025, Chappell Roan won Best New Artist at the Grammys, singing about drag queens, clubs, and coming out. The first installment of "Wicked," with queer-coded heroines, graced screens worldwide and brought in $756 million at the box office.
