US students competing with kids in Bangalore, Beijing: Obama

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Dec 3 (PTI) Insisting that American kids are
competing against students from Bangalore and Beijing, US
President Barack Obama has highlighted the urgency to focus
more on the country's education system as part of an ambitious
'Race to Top' programme.
"Although there are going to be some disagreements on how
we get there (to the top slot in education sector), there are
going to be some areas where I think we agree," Obama said in
his maiden address to a group of newly-elected governors,
including Indian-American Nikki Haley, of South Carolina.
"We all agree that we're going to have to have the best
educated workforce in the world because our children are now
not just competing against other children in other states in
our union, they're now competing against kids in Beijing and
Bangalore and Seoul, South Korea," he said.
If the American kids do not have what it takes to
compete, then the US is going to have problems economically
over the long term, Obama said at the meeting which took place
at the Blair House.
"That's why I'm so proud, under the guidance of Arne
Duncan, that we have initiated some reforms that have garnered
strong bipartisan support. And, frankly, as a Democrat, I've
been willing to go after some long-held dogmas in our party in
order to spring loose a smarter conversation about how we're
educating our kids," he said.
"Our 'Race to the Top' programme is something that has
allowed states across the country to initiate reforms in a
competitive way and make sure that ideas like charter schools
get traction, despite previous resistance. And I'm hoping that
we can cooperate with all of you to see how we can continue to
make progress on the education front," he said.
All of the American states are going to be interested in
innovation and research and development, Obama said.
"And there are governors here, or governors-elect here
from both parties who are interested in clean energy, for
example, and what can we do to make sure that wind turbines
and solar panels and electric cars are made here in the United
States, that that doesn't become one more source of imports
from other countries. And I'm eager to work with all of you on
those issues," he said. (More) PTI