Educational Priorities

In Africa, there is a debate going on about the transparency of funding public schools. Between slipshod overviews and parental lack of involvement, the finances of schools in 7 countries are seen to be in a terrible state. The article found in the Guardian illustrates:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2010/feb/23/primary-education-africa

However, in the consideration of what is going on with the finances in different places, like Katrine, there is no mention of the quality of education in the 7 countries--just description of the financial mayhem. One wonders if children are being educated--money matters aside, a good teacher still determines a good education.

Then, of course, there is a financial quagmire of a different sort in New York:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/fashion/25Therapy.html?pagewanted=1&em

Occupational therapists are being hired to work with children who, ultimately, have spent too much time on the computer and not enough time with their crayons. These are not disabled or needy children, these are rich children whose parents feel their writing skills are not good enough for pre-school and are, thus, paying therapists large sums of money to bring the kids up to snuff. At 3.

Personally, I don't know which is worse: parents in Morocco who don't care about the schools' budgetary matters or parents in New York who care too much about their children's crayon talents.