Ariddia
07-09-2007, 11:32
Alan Bridges, spokesman for the Ariddian Secretariat for Education, today criticised Allanean education institutions for "lying to children about the outside world".
"Several months ago, we attempted to set up a meaningful form of mutual understanding and learning between our two countries," Bridges said. "We contacted Allanean schools, suggesting an exchange programme. Allanean children and teenagers would be welcomed in Ariddian homes and schools for a couple of weeks, then young Ariddians would stay for two weeks in Allanean homes and go to Allanean schools. The idea was for children in each country to gain first-hand experience of the other country, see things for themselves, talk to people in the country they're visiting, rather than rely on what they're told in their own school."
There has been, however, no reply from Allanean educational institutions. Speaking to Radio Three, Comrade Bridges suggested one possible explanation.
"There seem to be significant levels of ideological indoctrination in the Allanean education system, right up to and including university," he stated. "My guess is, teachers in Allanea are 'encouraged' to tell children how bad communism and socialism are. So they wouldn't want Allanean children experiencing what life in a socialist country such as Ariddia is really like. The idea that a society can thrive on communalistic solidarity, with a healthy population, no hunger or poverty, is anathema to Allanean ideologues.
This just goes to show that we in Ariddia encourage our people to experience foreign ways of life, whereas in Allanea they don't want you to know how people live beyond Allanean borders."
Radio 3 also interviewed Jennifer Baker, a 20 year-old Allanean studying socio-economics at Cité-Belle (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Cit%C3%A9-Belle) Centre University.
"Our two countries are very different," Ms. Baker said. "I had a massive culture shock when I arrived here, and it took me quite a while to settle in. All the values and habits in Ariddia are so foreign to what we're brought up to do and believe. In a way I think what Ariddians have achieved is great. You have a society where people care for one another, while in Allanea there's no real sense of society or solidarity, and people are basically very selfish. Having said that, I'm so used to my own country and its consumer society, I don't think I could ever live permanently in a socialist country like Ariddia. There's too many things I'd miss. It's very selfish of me, I know, but it would be too much of a cultural change.
I think there's a lot Allanea could learn from Ariddia. For example, here people all have housing, access to food and water and excellent healthcare. If we had that in Allanea it would be great. And Ariddians have learnt not to damage the environment as we do. Oh, and it's wonderful being in a safe country, where there's no war! But on the other hand, Ariddians don't like admitting the downsides of their own system. I mean, I heard what Mr. Bridges said, about the Ariddian government encouraging people to experience foreign countries. Yeah, that's fine in theory, but when no-one in Ariddia has any money, how do they travel abroad? I know your government gives you money to travel, but you're still very limited, and I imagine it can be very frustrating. I know Ariddians who'd like to visit Allanea, but they've already been abroad recently so now it's someone else's turn, and the government won't give them money.
But I suppose all the poor people back home in Allanea will never get to visit Ariddia either, so... I suppose no system is perfect."
The Ariddian Secretariat for Education re-iterated that the offer remains open.
"Several months ago, we attempted to set up a meaningful form of mutual understanding and learning between our two countries," Bridges said. "We contacted Allanean schools, suggesting an exchange programme. Allanean children and teenagers would be welcomed in Ariddian homes and schools for a couple of weeks, then young Ariddians would stay for two weeks in Allanean homes and go to Allanean schools. The idea was for children in each country to gain first-hand experience of the other country, see things for themselves, talk to people in the country they're visiting, rather than rely on what they're told in their own school."
There has been, however, no reply from Allanean educational institutions. Speaking to Radio Three, Comrade Bridges suggested one possible explanation.
"There seem to be significant levels of ideological indoctrination in the Allanean education system, right up to and including university," he stated. "My guess is, teachers in Allanea are 'encouraged' to tell children how bad communism and socialism are. So they wouldn't want Allanean children experiencing what life in a socialist country such as Ariddia is really like. The idea that a society can thrive on communalistic solidarity, with a healthy population, no hunger or poverty, is anathema to Allanean ideologues.
This just goes to show that we in Ariddia encourage our people to experience foreign ways of life, whereas in Allanea they don't want you to know how people live beyond Allanean borders."
Radio 3 also interviewed Jennifer Baker, a 20 year-old Allanean studying socio-economics at Cité-Belle (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Cit%C3%A9-Belle) Centre University.
"Our two countries are very different," Ms. Baker said. "I had a massive culture shock when I arrived here, and it took me quite a while to settle in. All the values and habits in Ariddia are so foreign to what we're brought up to do and believe. In a way I think what Ariddians have achieved is great. You have a society where people care for one another, while in Allanea there's no real sense of society or solidarity, and people are basically very selfish. Having said that, I'm so used to my own country and its consumer society, I don't think I could ever live permanently in a socialist country like Ariddia. There's too many things I'd miss. It's very selfish of me, I know, but it would be too much of a cultural change.
I think there's a lot Allanea could learn from Ariddia. For example, here people all have housing, access to food and water and excellent healthcare. If we had that in Allanea it would be great. And Ariddians have learnt not to damage the environment as we do. Oh, and it's wonderful being in a safe country, where there's no war! But on the other hand, Ariddians don't like admitting the downsides of their own system. I mean, I heard what Mr. Bridges said, about the Ariddian government encouraging people to experience foreign countries. Yeah, that's fine in theory, but when no-one in Ariddia has any money, how do they travel abroad? I know your government gives you money to travel, but you're still very limited, and I imagine it can be very frustrating. I know Ariddians who'd like to visit Allanea, but they've already been abroad recently so now it's someone else's turn, and the government won't give them money.
But I suppose all the poor people back home in Allanea will never get to visit Ariddia either, so... I suppose no system is perfect."
The Ariddian Secretariat for Education re-iterated that the offer remains open.