Obama wants US education to take on India & China

Washington, Nov 5: After he asked the Americans to study hard and beat the Indians and the Chinese in Jul 2009, US President Barack Obama is pressing for a 'Race to the Top' fund in tune of 4.35 billion dollars to push the American education system meet internationally competitive standards and help US students take on 'folks in Beijing and Bangalore'.

"...Internationally competitive standards because these young people are going to be growing up in an international environment where they're competing not just against kids in Chicago or Los Angeles for jobs, but they're competing against folks in Beijing and Bangalore," he said on Wednesday, Nov 4.

Obama told an audience at a Wisconsin public charter school, "We're putting over $4 billion on the table ... but we're not just handing it out to states because they want it."

He made it clear that the fund, which is one of the largest federal investments in school reform in US history, will go to only those 'committed to real change in the way you educate your kids'.

"So, a race to the top has begun in our schools, but the real competition will begin when states apply for the actual Race to the Top grants," he said.

The president elucidated key reform measures that will be used to help determine a state's eligibility for grant money.

On Jul 15, Barack Obama first spoke about the education reforms to compete with India and China to a cheering crowd in Warren Michigan.

OneIndia News