a.

ConventionsandTreaties

1. TheInternationalCovenantonCivilandPoliticalRightswascreatedin
recognitionoftheinherentdignityandoftheequalandinalienablerights
ofallmembersofthehumanfamilyisthefoundationoffreedom,justice
andpeaceintheworld,underthemandateoftheUnitedNationsCharter.
Appropriately, the following are the pertinent provisions of said
convention:

1.1. Itentailsthateverychildshallhave,withoutanydiscriminationas
torace,colour,sex,language,religion,nationalorsocialorigin,
propertyorbirth,therighttosuchmeasuresofprotectionasare
requiredbyhisstatusasaminor,onthepartofhisfamily,society
andtheState.(Article24,par.1)

1.2. Allpersonsareequalbeforethelawandareentitledwithoutany
discriminationtotheequalprotectionofthelaw.Inthisrespect,
the law shall prohibit any discrimination and guarantee to all
persons equal andeffective protection against discrimination on
anygroundsuchasrace,colour,sex,language,religion,political
orotheropinion,nationalorsocialorigin,property,birthorother
status.(Article26)

1.3. InthoseStatesinwhichethnic,religiousorlinguisticminorities
exist,personsbelongingtosuchminoritiesshallnotbedeniedthe
right, in community with the other members of their group, to
enjoytheirownculture,toprofessandpractisetheirownreligion,
ortousetheirownlanguage.(Article27)

2. The International Convention on the Rights of the Child, espouses,

pursuanttotheDeclarationoftheRightsoftheChild,thatthechild,by
reasonofhisphysicalandmentalimmaturity,needsspecialsafeguards
andcare,includingappropriatelegalprotection,beforeaswellasafter
birth, was broughtinto existence to further advocate to and encourage
Signatory States to uphold the place of children in the national socio
political and cultural arena. The provisions pertinent to the case and
controversiespresentedinrelationthereinareasfollows:

2.1. StatesPartiesshallrespectandensuretherightssetforthinthe
presentConventiontoeachchildwithintheirjurisdictionwithout
discriminationofanykind,irrespectiveofthechild'sorhisorher
parent's orlegalguardian's race,colour,sex,language,religion,
political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin,
property,disability,birthorotherstatus.(Article2,par.1)

2.2. Inallactionsconcerningchildren,whetherundertakenbypublicor
private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative
authoritiesorlegislativebodies,thebestinterestsofthechildshall
beaprimaryconsideration.(Article3,par.1)

2.3. StatesPartiesundertaketoensurethechildsuchprotectionand
careasisnecessaryforhisorherwellbeing,takingintoaccount
therightsanddutiesofhisorherparents,legalguardians,orother
individuals legally responsible for him or her, and, to this end,
shalltakeallappropriatelegislativeandadministrativemeasures.
(Article3,par.2)

2.4. States Parties shall undertake all appropriate legislative,

administrative,andothermeasuresfortheimplementationofthe
rights recognized in the present Convention. With regard to
economic,socialandculturalrights,StatesPartiesshallundertake
suchmeasurestothemaximumextentoftheiravailableresources
and, where needed, within the framework of international co
operation.(Article4)
2.5. StatesPartiesrecognizetherightofthechildtoeducation,and
withaviewtoachievingthisrightprogressivelyandonthebasis
ofequalopportunity,theyshall,inparticular:

(a)Makeprimaryeducationcompulsoryandavailablefreetoall;
(b) Encourage the development of different forms of secondary
education,includinggeneralandvocationaleducation,makethem
available and accessible to every child, and take appropriate
measuressuchastheintroductionoffreeeducationandoffering
financialassistanceincaseofneed;
(c)Makehighereducationaccessibletoallonthebasisofcapacity
byeveryappropriatemeans;
(d) Make educational and vocational information and guidance
available=andaccessibletoallchildren;
(e)Takemeasurestoencourageregularattendanceatschoolsand
thereductionofdropoutrates.(Article28,par.1)

2.6. StatesPartiesagreethattheeducationofthechildshallbedirected
to:

(a)Thedevelopmentofthechild'spersonality,talentsandmental
andphysicalabilitiestotheirfullestpotential;
(b)Thedevelopmentofrespectforhumanrightsandfundamental
freedoms,andfortheprinciplesenshrinedintheCharterofthe
UnitedNations;
(c)Thedevelopmentofrespectforthechild'sparents,hisorher
ownculturalidentity,languageandvalues,forthenationalvalues
ofthecountryinwhichthechildisliving,thecountryfromwhich
heorshemayoriginate,andforcivilizationsdifferentfromhisor
herown;
(d) The preparation of the child for responsible life in a free
society,inthespiritofunderstanding,peace,tolerance,equalityof
sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and
religiousgroupsandpersonsofindigenousorigin;
 (e) The development of respect for the natural environment.
(Article29,par.1)

2.7. Nopartofthepresentarticleorarticle28shallbeconstruedsoas
tointerferewiththelibertyofindividualsandbodiestoestablish
and direct educational institutions, subject always to the
observanceoftheprinciplesetforthinparagraph1ofthepresent
articleandtotherequirements thattheeducationgiveninsuch
institutionsshallconformtosuchminimumstandardsasmaybe
laiddownbytheState.(Article29,par.2)

2.8. InthoseStatesinwhichethnic,religiousorlinguisticminoritiesor
persons of indigenous origin exist, a child belonging to such a
minority or who is indigenous shall not be denied the right, in
communitywithothermembersofhisorhergroup,toenjoyhisor
herownculture,toprofessandpractisehisorherownreligion,or
tousehisorherownlanguage.(Article30)

3. AsidefromtheConventionstatedabove,theRepublicofSerenatiaisalso
asignatoryoftheCharterofAsianStatesonHumanRightsAsia,unlike
othercontinentsorregions,doesnothavearegionwidelegallybinding
charterwithregardtohumanrightsadoptedbydifferentstates.TheAsian
StatesonHumanRightsCharterisnotadocumentthatwouldlegallybind
itssignatoriesbutreferstoaninitiativelaunchedbyNGOsinKwangju,
South Korea on 17 May 1998. It reflects the growing strength and
determinationofthehumanrightsmovementintheAsiaPacificregion,
and thecontribution itcan make tothe internationaldebateonhuman
rights.Itaffirmstheuniversalityofallhumanrightsbothrhetorically,in
law,andinpractice.1 Thecommitmentofthepartiesisnotduetoany
abstractideologicalreasons.Theyhavethebeliefthatrespectforhuman

1https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/aidco/index.php/Asian_human_rights_charter
 rightsprovidesthebasisforajust,humane,andcaringsociety.Itrespects
diversity and recognizes obligations to future generations and the
environmenttheywillinherit.Italsoestablishesstandardsforassessing
theworthandlegitimacyofinstitutions andpolicies.2 Universalityand
indivisibilityofrightsisoneoftheaimsofsuchCharter.Itpromotesthe
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on
Economic,SocialandCulturalRights,theInternationalCovenantonCivil
andPoliticalRights,andotherinternationalinstrumentsfortheprotection
ofrightsandfreedoms.3 TheGovernmentofSerenati,togetherwiththe
othersignatories,believethatculturaltraditionsaffectthewayinwhicha
societyorganizesrelationshipswithinitself,butdosuchnotdetractfrom
the universalism of rights, which are primarily concerned with the
relationshipofcitizenswiththestateandtheinherentdignityofpersons
and groups. Under the Right of Vulnerable Groups in the Charter,
Students are being protected against violence and repression. They are
giventheprotectionasregardstheiracademicfreedom,andfreedomsof
expressionandassociation.4Althoughnationsarenotfullyboundbythe
Charter,theyarenonethelessmadeadvocatesoftheprotectionofhuman
rightsintheirspecificregions.

4. A brief discussion of the European Convention on Human Rights and

Fundamental Freedoms, it was opened for signature in Rome on
November4,1950andcameintoforcein193.Itwasthefirstinstrument
to give effect to certain rights stated in the Universal Declaration of
HumanRightsandisbindingamongitssignatories.Itaimedtoachive

2Section1.7,CharterofAsianStatesonHumanRights

3Section2.2,CASHR

4Section13.1,CASHR
 gratedinternationaluntiyinrecognisingequalrightsofmenandwomen,
andtoincorporatethetraditionsofcivilliberty.5

Article 2 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights is

incorporatedintheCharterofRightsortheConstitutionofSerenatia.It
wasdeclaredthattherewillbedistinctionofanykind;andthatmenand
womenshallhaveequalrightstotheenjoymentofallcivilandpolitical
rights.6Also,itwasstatedthatallpersonshallbedeemedequalbeforethe
lawandareentitledwithanydiscriminationtotheequalprotectionofthe
law.7

TheECHRistheproductoftheUnitedNationsDeclarationofHuman
Rightsof1948.UnderArticle2ofthedeclaration:Everyoneisentitledto
alltherightsandfreedomssetforthinthisdeclaration,withoutdistinction
ofanykind,suchasrace,colour,sex,language,religion,politicalorother
opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other satus.
Furthermore,nodistinctionshallbemadeonthebasesofthepolitical,
jurisdictionalorinternationalstatusofthecountryorterritorytowhicha
personbelongs,whetheritbeindependent,trust,nonselfgoverningor
underanyotherlimitationofsovereignty.8

The European Convention on Human Rights is comprise of the

Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms, Protocol, Protocol No. 4, Protocol No. 6, Protocol No. 7,
ProtocolNo.12andProtoclNo.13.TheECHRwasamendedbyProtocls
Nos.11and14,andsupplementedbyProtocolsNos.1,4,6,7,12and13.

5http://www.echr.coe.int/pages/home.aspx?p=basictexts#n1359128122487_pointer

6Article3,ConstitutionofSerenatia

7Article5,ConstitutionofSerenatia

8page5ofECHR
 TheECHRincludedBasicHumanRightssuchastheRighttolife,liberty,
property,security,fairtrial,againsttorture,expression,family,familylife,
religion,thought,andassemblyandassociation.InstudyingtheECHR
andtheConstitutionofSerenatiasidebyside,itcanbesaidthatSerenatia
isapplyingtheprovisionsoftheECHRintheirownlawsbystatingthat
theprovisionsoftheInternationalCovenentonCivilandPoliticalRights,
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and
InternationalLabourConventionsareapplicableandimplementedthrough
thelawsofSerenatia.9

b. LocalLegislation

1. Pursuanttotheabovementionedcommitmenttointernationalobligations,the
RepublicofSerenatiahasitsConstitution.Belowarethepertinentprovisions
ondiscriminationandeducation:

1.1. AllSerenatiaresidentsshallbeequalbeforethelaw.(Article2)

1.2. Entitlementtorightswithoutdistinction:Therightsrecognizedinthis
BillofRightsshallbeenjoyedwithoutdistinctionofanykind,suchas
race,colour,sex,language,religion,politicalorotheropinion,national
orsocialorigin,property,birthorotherstatus.(Article3,par.1)

1.3. Rightsofchildren:Everychildshallhave,withoutanydiscrimination
astorace,colour,sex,language,religion,nationalorsocialorigin,
property or birth, the right to such measures of protection as are
requiredbyhisstatusasaminor,onthepartofhisfamily,societyand
theState.(Article4,par.1)

9Article1,ConstitutionofSerenatia
 1.4. Equality before and equal protection of law: All persons are equal
beforethelawandareentitledwithoutanydiscriminationtotheequal
protectionofthelaw.(Article5)

2. Inturn,pursuanttotheConstitution,theRaceRelationsActwasenactedin
1989andhasthefollowingsalientprovisions:

2.1. Onracialdiscrimination:

1)Inanycircumstancesrelevantforthepurposesofanyprovisionof
this Ordinance, a person (the discriminator) discriminates against
anotherpersonif
a)onthegroundoftheraceofthatotherperson,thediscriminator
treatsthatotherpersonlessfavourablythanthediscriminatortreatsor
wouldtreatotherpersons;or
b)thediscriminatorappliestothatotherpersonarequirementor
conditionwhichthediscriminatorappliesorwouldapplyequallyto
personsnotofthesameracialgroupasthatotherpersonbut
c)whichissuchthattheproportionofpersonsofthesameracial
groupas thatotherpersonwhocancomplywithitisconsiderably
smallerthantheproportionofpersonsnotofthatracialgroupwhocan
complywithit;
d) which the discriminator cannot show to be justifiable
irrespectiveoftheraceofthepersontowhomitisapplied;and
e)whichistothedetrimentoftheotherpersonbecausethatperson
cannotcomplywithit.

2)Forthepurposesofsubsection(1)(b)(ii),arequirementorcondition
isjustifiableifitservesalegitimateobjectiveandbearsarationaland
proportionateconnectiontotheobjective.

3)Itisdeclaredthat,forthepurposesofthisOrdinance,segregatinga
personfromotherpersonsonthegroundoftheraceofthatperson
isreatingthatpersonlessfavourablythantheotherpersonsaretreated.
(Section3,RaceRelationsAct1989)
 2.2. On discrimination by responsible bodies for educational
establishments:

1) It is unlawful for the responsible body for an educational

establishmenttodiscriminateagainstapersona.inthetermson
which it offers to admit that person to the establishment as a
student; b. by refusing, or deliberately omitting to accept, an
applicationforthatpersonsadmissiontotheestablishmentasa
student;orc.wherethepersonisastudentoftheestablishment
d.inthewayitaffordsthepersonaccesstoanybenefits,facilities
orservices,orbyrefusingordeliberatelyomittingtoaffordthe
person access to them; or e. by expelling the person from the
establishmentorsubjectinghimorhertoanyotherdetriment.(Part
1:DiscriminationandHarrassmentinOtherFields,RaceRelations
Act1989)

3. Likewise,theEqualityAct2005wasenactedwiththeearliermentionedlegal
guidingprinciplesofinternationalconventionsanditsConstitution,featuring
thefollowingprovisionsrelatedtothiscase:

3.1. OnInterpretation

1)Raceincludes
a)Colour;
b)Nationality;
c)Ethnicornationalorigins.

2)Protectedcharacteristicofrace
a) a reference to a person who has a particular protected
characteristicisareferencetoapersonofaparticularracialgroup
b)areferencetopersonswhoshareaprotectedcharacteristicisa
referencetopersonsofthesameracialgroup.
 2) Aracialgroupisagroupofpersonsdefinedbyreferencetorace;
andareferencetoaperson'sracialgroupisareferencetoaracial
groupintowhichthepersonfalls.

3) Thefactthataracialgroupcomprisestwoormoredistinctracial
groups does not prevent it from constituting a particular racial
group.

3.2. OnDirectdiscrimination:

1)Aperson
(A)discriminatesagainstanother
(B) if, because of a protected characteristic, A treats B less
favourablythanAtreatsorwouldtreatothers.

2)Iftheprotectedcharacteristicisage,Adoesnotdiscriminateagainst
BifAcanshowAstreatmentofBtobeaproportionatemeansof
achievingalegitimateaim.
3)Iftheprotectedcharacteristicisdisability,andBisnotadisabled
person,AdoesnotdiscriminateagainstBonlybecauseAtreatsor
wouldtreatdisabledpersonsmorefavourablythanAtreatsB.

4)Iftheprotectedcharacteristicismarriageandcivilpartnership,this
sectionappliestoacontraventionofPart5(work)onlyifthetreatment
isbecauseitisBwhoismarriedoracivilpartner.

4) If the protected characteristic is race, less favourable treatment

includessegregatingBfromothers.

6)Iftheprotectedcharacteristicissex
a)lessfavourabletreatmentofawomanincludeslessfavourable
treatmentofherbecausesheisbreastfeeding;
b)inacasewhereBisaman,noaccountistobetakenofspecial
treatmentaffordedtoawomaninconnectionwithpregnancyor
childbirth.
3.3. OnEducation(Pupils:admissionandtreatment,etc.)

1)Theresponsiblebodyofaschooltowhichthissectionappliesmust
notdiscriminateagainstaperson
a) in the arrangements it makes for deciding who is offered
admissionasapupil;
b)astothetermsonwhichitofferstoadmitthepersonasapupil;
c)bynotadmittingthepersonasapupil.
2)Theresponsiblebodyofsuchaschoolmustnotdiscriminateagainst
apupil
a) inthewayitprovideseducationforthepupil;
b) inthewayitaffordsthepupilaccesstoabenefit,facilityor
service;
c) bynotprovidingeducationforthepupil;
d) by not affording the pupil access to a benefit, facility or
service;
e) byexcludingthepupilfromtheschool;
f) bysubjectingthepupiltoanyotherdetriment.

3)Theresponsiblebodyofsuchaschoolmustnotharass
a) apupil;
b) apersonwhohasappliedforadmissionasapupil.

4)Theresponsiblebodyofsuchaschoolmustnotvictimiseaperson

a) in the arrangements it makes for deciding who is offered
admissionasapupil;
b) astothetermsonwhichitofferstoadmitthepersonasapupil;
c) bynotadmittingthepersonasapupil.

5)Theresponsiblebodyofsuchaschoolmustnotvictimiseapupil
a) inthewayitprovideseducationforthepupil;
b) inthewayitaffordsthepupilaccesstoabenefit,facilityor
service;
c) bynotprovidingeducationforthepupil;
d) by not affording the pupil access to a benefit, facility or
service;
e) byexcludingthepupilfromtheschool;
 f) bysubjectingthepupiltoanyotherdetriment.

5) Adutytomakereasonableadjustmentsappliestotheresponsible
bodyofsuchaschool.

e.SerenatiasaLanguage

The character of the Serenati as a Language is oftenly known as Monosyllabism

whichismorelikelysimilartoChinese.EnglishandChinesebelongtodifferentlanguage
families.EnglishisclassifiedasanIndoEuropeanlanguage,whereasChineseisofthe
SinoTibetanfamily(Fromkin&Rodman,1998)10.AdistinctivecharacteristicofSino
Tibetanlanguagesismonosyllabism,whichmeansthateachmorphemeisrepresentedby
asyllable(Ho,1997).11However,inmodernChinese,accordingtoChao(1968),words
havebecomedissyllabicorpolysyllabic.Specifically,separatewordsareoftenjoined
togethertomakenewmeanings.Frequently,whenwordsarelinked,theresultantwordis
idiomatic, having a different meaning than its individual elements. For example, the
word,dianbingxiang ,whichmeansrefrigerator,iscomposedofthreewords
dian()electricity,bing()ice,andxiang()box12.

Additionally, Chinese grammar is less morphologically complex than English

grammar(Li&Thompson,1981)13.Chinesecharactersareinvariableinstructureand
allownointernalchanges(Ho,1997)14.Thus,grammaticalfunctionsandwordmeaning
cannotbeindicatedthroughinflectionalorderivationalchangesasinEnglish.Instead,
Chineseuseswordorderorfunctionalwordstorealizegrammaticalroles.

10Fromkin,V.,&Rodman,R.(1998).Anintroductiontolanguage.Orlando,Florida:Harcourt
BraceCollegePublishers.

11Ho,Yong.(1997).BeginnersChinese.NewYork:HippocreneBooks.

12Chao,Y.R.(1968).AgrammarofspokenChinese.Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress.

13Li,C.N.,&Thompson,S.A.(1981).MandarinChinese:Afunctionalreferencegrammar.
Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress.

14Ho,Yong.(1997).BeginnersChinese.NewYork:HippocreneBooks
 Insum,twoaspectsoftheChineselanguagethatarepertinenttotheformationof
Englishpluralsaretheideographicwritingsystemandthemorphologicalandsyntactic
structureofthelanguage.TheseaspectsaremarkedlydifferentfromthoseofEnglish.
Understandably, when Chinese students grapple with the incongruence in these two
linguistic systems, problems can arise. Specifically, the use of plural forms presents
challengestomanyChinesestudentslearningEnglish15.

Chiang and Dunkel (1992) investigated the effect of speech modification, prior
knowledge,andlisteningproficiencyonEFLlisteningcomprehension.Afterlisteningto
alecture,theChineseEFLstudentscomprehensionwasmeasuredbyamultiplechoice
testthatcontainedbothpassagedependentandpassageindependentitems.Regarding
topic familiarity, the subjects scored higher on the familiartopic lecture than on the
unfamiliartopiclecture.16

15TheLinguisticsJournalNovember2006;Volume1,Number3,Editors:PaulRobertsonand
JosephJung

16Chiang,Ch.S.,&Dunkel,P.(1992).Theeffectofspeechmodification,priorknowledge,and
listeningproficiencyonEFLlecturelearning.TESOLQuarterly,26,345374.