"If Brazil wins, you have to come here... and if Peru wins, I have to go there..." (what now?)

Peru Brazil Tie - Vargas, Solano, de La Haza & Guerrero not to Play against Ecuador


© RPP Noticias
(LIP-ir) -- Five-time world champion Brazil was held 1-1 by Peru in the third round of the South American qualifiers for the 2010 soccer World Cup on Sunday at the Monumental Stadium in Ate.

Brazil playmaker Kaka scored the first goal of the game putting his team ahead with a 30-meter (98-foot) shot in the 39th minute of the game. Peru's goalkeeper Diego Penny was unable to stop the powerful kick from Kaka.

Despite the fact the Peruvian superstar, Paolo Guerrero was unable to help Peru during the second half of the game against the Brazilian giant; Juan Vargas took a long-range shot that was deflected by Brazilian captain Lucio to tie the score at 1-1 during the 71st minute of the game.

"This wasn't a good result," affirmed Peru's coach José Guillermo del Solar and assured that his team would have to beat Ecuador in its match on Wednesday in Quito, the fourth match in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds.

While Brazil improved one spot in the 10-team standings, from fourth to third on goal difference, Peru remains in eighth. With Argentina currently in the lead, only the top four teams in South America will have a chance to play in the World Cup.

Del Solar stated he was satisfied with Peru's players' performance but stated that the team should have won. He added that he felt calm because the team had done their best and given everything they had.

After having accumulated two yellow cards, Juan Vargas, Nolberto Solano and Paolo de La Haza will not be able to play in Peru's match against Ecuador. Solano stated that it had been necessary to play "hard" against Brazil in such an important game.

It is also not known whether Paolo Guerrero will play in the match against Ecuador.

the i generation... southern style

Education 8 November, 2007 [ 10:00 ]

40 Thousand School Children in Peru to Study with New Laptops

(LIP-ir) -- Peru's Minister of Education, José Antonio Chang announced that the forty thousand free laptops, which would be provided to elementary school children in the poorest and most rural regions of Peru, would have a virtual library with approximately one hundred books for the children to read.

"Our children, their teachers and parents will have books for each grade - in their schools, homes and within their reach. This is a great opportunity that unfortunately the current education system can not provide school children with limited funds", said Chang.

Furthermore, Peru's minister explained that the elementary school children were being given the laptops as part of President Alan Garcia's program to improve the quality of education throughout the country.

After having personally inspected and seen the progress school children were making in an elementary school in one of Peru's rural regions that was testing the 'One Laptop per Child' program, Minister Chang stated that he was convinced that the use of a laptop contributed to improving the quality of education in the country.

Peru's Ministry of Education will purchase the forty thousand laptops with a 22 million sole loan approved by congress, within the next few months. Forty thousand children in Peru's poorest and most rural regions will begin the 2008 school year with new laptops.

Ah, mi Peru, to educate you...

Education 8 November, 2007 [ 19:30 ]

Peru Ranked Last in the World in Quality of Education

(LIP-ir) -- According to a report released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) last week, out of 131 countries ranked in the world, Peru was in last place in the quality of its elementary school education and in 130th place in the areas of math and science.

On the other hand, the WEF report recognized Peru for its low inflation rate, ranking it 16th and its interest in and protection of private investments, ranked at 15.

Patricia Salas, President of the National Education Council, was shocked at the WEF results stating that Peru had worked very hard on improving its education system. She stated that an education reform as well as an analysis of methodology was needed to help the situation.

"We are all worried about education but I'd say that we still don't understand what education problems are. It's not a matter of quantity but quality. We can't believe that we can provide a good education just repeating things in texts or things that are on the Internet. To educate well, we have to work on the way in which people produce thoughts," said Salas.

Salas affirmed that the State needed new material and had to change the way teachers were trained. She stated that the educational system had to be completely reformed by redesigning curriculums and changing methodologies. Salas stated that if this was done, benefits could be seen in as early as 5 - 7 years.