Open access to education platform getting blocked?

Free Access to Education Is No More Open to All – Decides the US!

“Due to U.S. export sanctions, we recently had to restrict access to students in Iran, Cuba, Sudan and, temporarily, Syria. We deeply regret this restriction and are working

toward a solution with the U.S. Department of State to restore access as soon as possible” – the recent update on Facebook by Coursera has shocked the world immensely! No, it’s not something people across nations expected to hit the wall anytime soon. Democratic education has just begun the journey and the world is yet to flourish ahead. But the US’s decision to control students’ access to study materials and deprive a large section of people is a major disappointment of course.

The Decision that Depressed!

“I coordinate study groups at North Seattle Community College for international students who also use Coursera.

There was widespread dismay this morning at Cousera's action from Iranian, Syrian, and Sudanese students, many of whom are political refugees. One student's family members are in a refugee camp along the Syrian/Turkish border, and they are unable now to use Coursera courses” regretted a user on their status update. With millions of supporters in different

parts of the world, massive open online course providers set a target to expand their service and try reaching a wider audience in 2014. Moreover, the recent tie-ups of the US with schools, governments and universities in the developing regions emerged as a big hope for the deprived people and they started dreaming of a better future with the valuable gifts from the American people. As per reports:–

In the Arab region alone, the United States has put $600 million into its Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) since 2002 with stated goals of “enhancing education,” and

spreading other values it claims to hold sacred, like, “women’s empowerment.” That figure calculates to about one-fifth the $3 billion America sends each year to finance Israel’s occupation of Palestine, which served as the basis for the recent US academic boycott of Israeli academic institutions, but more on that later.

Time for the Curtain Call!

So, Federal Government’s decision to block access and stop providing educational help to countries subject to economic sanctions like Cuba, Iran, Syria and Sudan has shattered the world. Since last week the academic enthusiasts from these

places are logging in to Coursera’s MOOC to learn something brand new, which reads: “Our system indicates that you are attempting to access the Coursera site from an IP address associated with a country currently subject to U.S. economic and trade sanctions. In order for Coursera to comply with U.S. export controls, we cannot allow you access to the site.”

“The practical impact is rather small, as people in these countries are used to using these technologies to circumvent restrictions by their own governments, but I think this issue is a matter of principle that affects everybody”, said Afsah in an interview with Al-Akhbar, who has students in some of the affected countries. Coursera, which according to its site aims

“to change the world by educating millions of people by offering classes from top universities and professors online for free,” is trying hard to resolve the issue and their updates confirm that they are working closely with the US government for promising return.

Online learning for the new age learners is a phenomenal scope to acquire knowledge through an affordable, effective and convenient way. Scopes to learn anytime, anywhere and learn free are the most wondrous offerings the fresh educational method introduced and were immediately rewarded with huge popularity. Knowledge for the first time is enlightening across borders, politics and outlooks; with the phenomenal option for the pupils to participate in a global classroom, education is truly connecting people worldwide.

They were regarding America as the “Leader” of global education. It’s a pity that a lot of things will change after this!

Background Image Source: bit.ly/1h73CM5 First Image Source: bit.ly/LRrcOc Second Image Source: bit.ly/M7G2Rn Third Image Source: bit.ly/M7GBdM