Craniofacial anthropometric measurements of the cohort of Egyptian male school children and their utility in detection of abnormalities - Elhadidi, Sahar Mostafa; Hassan, Mohamed Ossama; Soliman, Nadia Lashin; Abouel-Ezz, E. H. A.; El-Batran, Mona Mahmoud; El‐Kamah, Ghada; Amr, Khalda (Bulletin of the National Research Centre, 2024)
Abstract Background Anthropology is a scientific discipline which applies scientific methods to identify and quantitate inter-individual variations in body structure and function. Anthropometry assesses craniofacial dysmorphology in genetic disorders and helps to detect phenotypic differences in diseases with common underlying cause. This study is part of a comprehensive cross-sectional study of craniofacial and oral findings in Egyptian school children. This paper focused on establishing the norms of Egyptian male school children and its utility in determining the differences in facial measurements of a child with Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS). Thirty craniofacial measurements were taken from 55 healthy Egyptian school children aged 12–14 years with mean age $$13± 0.64$$ 13 ± 0.64 and a PWS child aged 13.6 years. The PWS measurements were compared with healthy children of the same age using computed Z -score. Results Morphological face height of the PWS child was within the normal range. However, upper face height and nose height were significantly lower with Z -scores of $$-$$ - 3.18 and $$-$$ - 2.7, respectively; right and left mandibular body length and upper lip height were significantly higher than the mean of healthy children with corresponding Z -scores of 2.95, 2.48, and 2.33. Conclusions By establishing the norms of Egyptian male school children and utilizing these data, we can identify the difference in facial measurements among children with abnormalities like PWS. This information can be used during periodic checkups as a simple, non-invasive, and economical method for the detection of these abnormalities.
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Drivers of adaptive capacity of rural women farmers: The role of climate action and information mediums in rural Ghana - Gyimah, Amma Birago Kantanka; Antwi‐Agyei, Philip; Adom‐Asamoah, Gifty; Baffour‐Ata, Frank (Climate resilience and sustainability, 2024)
Abstract Gender‐differentiated roles, responsibilities, access, rights, and knowledge gaps shape women's vulnerability to climate change. This is especially critical for women farmers whose livelihoods are climate‐dependent. A key component in building women farmers’ resilience to climate change is deepening their adaptive capacity. Therefore, this research sought to measure the adaptive capacity of women farmers from two unique districts of Ghana using the sustainable livelihood capitals and investigate how access to climate information and the uptake of climate action can influence women's adaptive capacity. Rural women farmers ( n = 497) were interviewed through a survey and supported with key informant interviews from six agricultural staff at the selected districts. The adaptive capacity of respondents was rated moderate at 0.405. Differences between the adaptive capacity of women from different agroecological zones (Dormaa East—0.422; East Gonja—0.388) were statistically insignificant ( p > 0.05). All climate information mediums except the TV medium had a significant prediction on women farmers’ adaptive capacity. The odds of a decreasing relationship of predictor variables, such as extension officer medium, radio, and adaptation action, require strategic structuring to accrue holistic benefit. The study thus recommends deepening women's benefit from extension services by attracting and retaining female extensionists, while training extensionists on tailored techniques for engaging female farmers. Again, extensionists who report high outreach to female farmers should be incentivized. Traditional and modern Information and Communication Technology mediums must be explored and integrated as alternatives. Co‐benefit practices for both adaptation and mitigation should be encouraged among women farmers to deepen climate action.
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Quality and Accreditation Standards in Physical Education Colleges in Libyan Public Universities from the Point of View of Executive Management - Hamouda, A. M.; Boukari, Samia; Attia, Ahmed; Mhenni, Thouraya; Al-Kilanii, Abdul Bari; Chortane, Sabri Gaied; Khalifa, Riadh (Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 2024)
This research aims to identify quality standards in physical education colleges in Libyan public universities, in relation with educational literature and the most important drivers of interest in implementing the quality assurance and accreditation system in universities. To achieve the research objectives, the descriptive method using the survey method was used. The sample consisted of ninety (90) individuals from the executive management in the colleges, thirty-eight (38) quality coordinators in the departments in the colleges, and fifty-two (52) department heads. In this research, a questionnaire form was applied that included four (4) axes and fifty-eight (58) statements, and statistical treatments were applied using the SPSS version 2020 software. The most important results of this study are that the college sets its goals based on its vision and mission in line with the needs of society through effective strategies announced in a public place to be a reference for evaluating progress in the college. It was also concluded that the college’s human resources (trainers and administrators) are sufficient to perform the tasks assigned to them through the work of committees and work teams and writing periodic reports on achievements, work performance, and development. The College Council also makes its decisions according to clear and specific tasks with the formation of distinguished work teams. One of the most important recommendations of the research is the college council’s approval of formulating the college’s vision and mission, the need to emphasize the presence of a quality and accreditation office in every college and unit for every department in the organizational structure of physical education colleges in Libyan public universities, and the necessity of developing a guideline for quality standards for accreditation in physical education colleges in Libyan public universities.
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Cognitive Enhancers Consumption: Prevalence, Knowledge, and Determinants of use among medical students in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan. A multicentric cross-sectional study - Hawas, Yousef; Ayoub, Mark; Esmail, Esraa; Elsakka, Mona Mahmoud; Antonios, Marina; Azeez, Ameer Karavathukudy; Gahlan, Shereen; Hamadein, Fatima; Alabdallat, Yasmeen Jamal; Group, M-732 Clinical Trial (Research Square (Research Square), 2024)
Abstract Background: Cognitive Enhancers (CE) are central nervous system stimulant medications. These substances are known to improve cognitive functions. Due to high-perceived stress and academic pressure, CEs are becoming increasingly popular among university students, especially medical students. As a result, they are more likely to misuse these substances. Existing data in this area is limited, particularly in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan. Objectives: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of CE consumption, compare the prevalence between countries and genders, and identify characteristics associated with CE consumption among students at medical schools in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan. Methods: A population-based survey study was conducted among medical students from Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan. An online self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data. Frequencies and percentages were calculated to represent participant distribution across categories. Chi-square was used for categorical variables comparisons. All tests were two-tailed, considering p < 0.05 statistically significant. Demographic characteristics, reasons for use, types of CE used, frequency, and irregularity of sleep were compared by country and gender. Results: The questionnaire was filled out by 1399 medical students, most of whom were females 824 (58.9%). Overall, 1236 (88.3%) were CE consumers, and 163 (11.7%) were non-consumers. Of the respondents who used CE, 814 (58.2%) reported using them daily. There was a statistically significant difference between the consumption of CE and the source of acquisition, Nationality, and residence status in terms of gender. Ginkgo Biloba was more consumed by males(P<0.001), while Omega 3 and vitamin B12 (P=0.023) were typically taken by females. Most consumers were in their second year and fourth year. The most reported Side effects were headache and anxiety (P<0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that CE use is increasing among medical students in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan. Efficient support, stress management programs, and awareness symposia may help reduce the misuse of these substances.
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Perspectives of teacher educators on the challenges of training technical and vocational education teachers in Ethiopia - Kebede, Ayantu; Asgedom, Amare (Bahir Dar Journal of Education, 2024)
Shortage of qualified teachers is a critical problem in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. This study investigates the barriers that hinder the preparation of competent TVET teachers in Ethiopia. A qualitative case study involving 20 purposively selected teacher educators was used. The study revealed numerous challenges including weak student admission criteria, a lack of teacher competency standards, irrelevant curriculum, theory-focused training, limited resources, ineffective quality assurance system, leadership issues, and gaps in teacher educators' practical and pedagogical skills, industry experience, interest, and motivation. The study concluded that TVET teacher training is beset by various limitations and urgently requires reform. In this regard, it is critical to attract high-quality and motivated candidates, establish competency standards, adapt the curriculum to meet the specific needs of TVET teachers, involve industries in the training process, and enhance the competencies of teacher educators through industry placements.
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Perceptions and practices of technology usage in English language curriculum implementation among instructors and students in Somaliland higher education institutions - Khadar, Mustafe; Melesse, Tadesse; Siyoum, Yilfashewa; Basha, Garkebo (Bahir Dar Journal of Education, 2024)
This study aimed to investigate how instructors and students in Somaliland’s higher education institutions perceive and utilize technology in implementing the English language curriculum. The study involved 93 English language instructors and 377 students from both public and private universities. The instructors and students were selected using available sampling and proportionate stratified random sampling techniques respectively. Data was collected through a survey questionnaire and analyzed quantitatively using mean, standard deviation, one-sample test, independent samples t-test, and linear regression. The findings indicated that both instructors and students had low perceptions of the benefits of technology in English language teaching, and instructors had limited experience in implementing technology-supported curriculum. However, the study revealed a strong relationship between technology usage and successful curriculum implementation. Therefore, it was recommended that instructors and students receive training on educational technology awareness and practical application to enhance the English language curriculum implementation.
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Second-year Students’ Perceptions of Transformative Learning Experiences: A Case Study in One of the South African Universities - Kumanda, Nomaroma; Chiphambo, Shakespear Maliketi; Mtsi, Nomxolisi (2024)
This study investigates transformative learning experiences among second-year students pursuing a Bachelor of Education in the foundation phase, drawing on Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory. Transformative events can profoundly impact students, reshaping their perceptions of the world and self-concept. Collaborative learning and enhanced student engagement can result from these experiences. Employing interpretive research paradigm and qualitative case study design, this research interviewed 14 out of 86 second-year students, utilizing convenient sampling based on proximity. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews gathered data, which underwent content analysis and thematic categorization. The findings revealed significant social integration barriers hindering transformative learning at a South African university. The study recommends that the university allocate resources, equipment, and pre-service training to equip instructors with the skills necessary to address these challenges. This approach ensures that students are well-informed about the campus’s available amenities and how to access them. In conclusion, study underscores the potential for transformative learning experiences in the context of second-year students pursuing a Bachelor of Education in the foundation phase. By providing resources, training, and support, educational institutions can better facilitate the process of transformative learning, enriching students’ educational journeys and their ability to engage with the world in a profound and reflective manner.
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The Impact of Nurse Educators’ Attitude on Nursing Students' Academic Performance and Ethical Growth at the Department of Nursing, Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone - Lawrence, S.B.; Rashid, B. K.; Stella, Florindo (African journal of health, nursing and midwifery, 2024)
Introduction: Sierra Leone faces significant healthcare challenges, including a shortage of healthcare professionals and concerns over the competence and ethical behaviour of nurses. Understanding the role of nurse educators in shaping the next generation of nurses is essential for addressing these challenges and improving healthcare delivery. Aim: To examine the impact of Nurse Educators’ attitudes on Nursing Students' academic performance and Ethical Growth at the Department of Nursing, Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional mixed-methods design, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches, and utilised a stratified random sampling method to survey students between August and October 2023. The sample size was determined using an online Raosoft sample size calculator and the WallStreetMojo formula, ensuring a 5% margin of error at a 95% confidence interval. Data collection involved a self-designed 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, assessed for reliability and internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha, with analysis conducted through descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and the chi-square test of independence, maintaining a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. Result: Findings that emerged include the positive influence of educators' attitudes, commitment, and effective teaching methods, underscoring their crucial role in cultivating a conducive learning environment. Similarly, negative findings reveal apprehensions regarding clinical preparation, student participation, and the perceived influence of educators' behaviour on academic progress and motivation. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, reveal the statistical significance of the relationships between nurse educators' attitudes and students’ academic performance and ethical growth. Qualitative themes, including respect, fairness, and equality emerged, highlighting the intricate nature of professional relationships between educators and students. Conclusion: The study sheds light on nurse educators' influence on students' academic performance and ethical growth, emphasising the importance of addressing both positive aspects and areas of concern for a holistic learning environment. The qualitative responses emphasised a collective desire for a supportive and respectful atmosphere and implementing the study's recommendations is seen as vital for enhancing professional relationships in nursing education.
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Experiences within pharmacies: reflections of persons with visual impairment in South Africa - Lourens, Heidi; Zeyen, Anica (Disability & Society, 2024)
Healthcare access poses particular challenges to individuals with visual impairments, particularly regarding pharmaceutical products and services. In this study, we showcase how the context of a low- and middle-income country poses particularly compromising experiences within pharmacies for persons with visual impairments. The current study explores the experiences and needs of 21 participants with visual impairments within pharmacies. Through the lens of the relational ethics of care, we demonstrate, first, the importance of a trusting relationship between individuals with visual impairments and pharmacy staff as well as the responsibility that rests on participants to establish the afore-mentioned trusting relationship, and second, shameful experiences within the pharmacy, centering around threats to privacy. In many respects, a collaborative relationship between pharmacy staff and their visually impaired clientele results in a satisfactory experience for the latter. However, as far as sensitive information, services and products are concerned, participants generally feel vulnerable and uncomfortably visible.
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Birth weight and nutritional status in school‐age children from Boane city, Mozambique - Malinga, Eulálio; Leandro, Carol Góis; Araújo, Fernando; Henrique, Rafael dos Santos; Tchamo, Mario Eugénio; Silva, Wylla Tatiana Ferreira e (American Journal of Human Biology, 2024)
Abstract Background Birth weight is considered an important marker of inadequate maternal nutrition, and it is a critical indicator of the newborn's health and development. Objective This study evaluated the influence of low birth weight (LBW) on body composition in 7–10‐year‐old school children from Boane City—Mozambique. Methods A total of 220 children (female = 122 and male = 98) were divided into two groups according to their birth weight (LBW, n = 41; and normal birth weight, NBW, n = 179). Anthropometric indicators of nutritional status were analyzed by the indices weight‐for‐age, height‐for‐age, BMI‐for‐age, and weight‐for‐height. Results LBW children showed reduced skinfolds, and weight‐for‐height when compared to NBW children. Birth weight was positively associated with all anthropometric variables, except for BMI, which was not associated with any other variable. The r 2 value ranged from .09 (weight‐for‐age) to .72 (height‐for‐age). For body composition variables, older children had higher fat mass ( β = .26; 95% CI = 0.05–0.48) and fat‐free mass ( β = 1.10; 95% CI = 0.71–1.48), and boys had lower fat percentage ( β = −3.49; 95% CI = −4.35 to −2.65) and fat mass ( β = −.92; 95% CI = −1.31 to −0.55) than girls. Birth weight was also positively associated with fat‐free mass. Conclusion LBW seems to influence some growth indicators of children living in Boane, however, current environmental factors seem to weaken this association. Our results suggest that public policies involving healthy nutrition and physical activity can reverse the effects of low weight in children from Boane.
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Stretching the Boundaries of Transformative Learning to Selected Rural Schools of Eastern Cape in South Africa - Nqoma, Lungiswa; Mpiti, Thandiswa; Makena, Bulelwa; Ginyigazi, Zanele; Qoyi, Motsi (2024)
COVID-19 has forced schools globally to advance and grow to a stage where educators and learners without basic computer literacy skills find it challenging to function. The study explored educators’ and learners’ perceptions of transformative learning through technology in rural schools in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. It used a qualitative research approach and a case study design where Transformative learning theory and Technology Readiness Index model guided this chapter. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with learners and educators who were purposively selected from two rural high schools and two rural primary schools. Data were analyzed and interpreted through a thematic approach. Findings revealed that most educators and learners were optimistic about using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to support teaching and learning; however, they faced challenges such as unstable network, expensive data, lack of devices, and digitally illiterate educators and they worked collaboratively in trying to manage the situation. Moreover, they were confident in their abilities to improve their digital challenges and learn new digital skills and competencies. Thus, recommendations to assist rural schools in exploring all possible avenues for successfully integrating ICT into their teaching and learning methods were made.
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Navigating the Marketing Landscape: Strategies for Promoting Private Higher Education Institutions in South Africa - Swart, Estelle; Schutte, Flip (International Review of Management and Marketing, 2024)
Private institutions in South Africa's higher education sector need effective marketing strategies to attract and retain students amidst competition. This article provides marketing strategies for Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) in South Africa to navigate a competitive landscape. The objective of the research is to determine the effective media and marketing activities for PHEIs to target a larger market share. The study involved 23 semi-structured interviews with students enrolled at three PHEIs in South Africa. The researcher conducted a thematic analysis to identify patterns from transcribed interviews. Codes were created for each theme, and similar topics were clustered. Microsoft Word and Excel were used for data interpretation and visualisation. ATLAS.ti 22, a CAQDAS software, was employed for further analysis and interpretation. The study suggests that PHEIs in South Africa should prioritise their online presence, websites, and participation in high schools and career fairs to target a larger market share. Marketers should create and adapt their marketing strategies to include various communication channels and methods. Positive word-of-mouth interactions also play a significant role in the marketing efforts of PHEIs, so marketers should focus on developing strategies that generate such interactions.
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Ethical dilemmas: Experiences of secondary school teachers in Addis Ababa city, Ethiopia - Tsega, Tigist Wuhib (Bahir Dar Journal of Education, 2024)
Being a teacher involves multi-layered ethical challenges and decisions. The purpose of this research was to explore the ethical dilemmas faced by secondary school teachers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In addition, the study aimed to explore the ways and approaches to resolving ethical dilemmas. A phenomenological qualitative research approach served as the guiding methodology. Eight participants were involved in the semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed by exploring potential themes and sub-themes using thematic analysis. The major ethical dilemmas that emerged from the data include (a) not being governed by schools’ rules and regulations (disrespect and dis-rule), (b) not being honest in the position they have, (c) lack of acceptance and recognition among the school community, and (d) being indecisive due to deep personal challenges of students and political interference. The major approaches utilized in addressing ethical challenges were (a) respecting the code of conduct of students’ discipline, (b) open discussion and confrontation, (c) understanding causal factors, and (d) being ethical. The need for professional development plans and training based on guiding books have been suggested as means of action in preparing secondary school teachers to deal with ethical challenges and to help them be good at decision-making.
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Perception of the operation theater learning environment and related factors among anesthesia students in Ethiopian higher education teaching hospitals: a multicenter cross-sectional study - Wubshet, Habtemariam; Agegnehu, Abatneh Feleke; Workie, Misganaw Mengie; Addisu, Yonas (BMC Medical Education, 2024)
Abstract Introduction Operation theater learning involves three key elements: clinical work, learning, and the environment. There is little evidence regarding the operating theatre learning environment for anesthesia trainees. Identifying the overall perception of the operation theater learning environment helps to establish an efficient operation theater learning environment and produce competent anesthesia professionals. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of the operating theater learning environment and associated factors among undergraduate anesthesia students in Ethiopian higher education teaching hospitals from April to May 2023. Methods A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted on 313 undergraduate anesthesia students who began operation room clinical practice at 13 higher education teaching hospitals. The data were entered into EpiData version 4.6. A generalized ordered logistic regression model was used to analyze and identify factors associated with the operating theater learning environment using STATA software version MP17. Results The findings of this study revealed that 45.05%,26.52%), 23% and 5.43% of the participants reported having desirable, moderately desirable, very desirable and undesirable perceptions of the operating theater learning environment, respectively, from highest to lowest. Preoperative discussion (AOR = 4.98 CI = 1.3–18.8), lack of teaching facilities (AOR = 0.16 CI = 0.03–0.75), noise from played music (AOR = 0.22 CI = 0.07–0.63), absence of tutors (AOR = 0.03 CI = 0.01–0.22), respect for students (AOR = 3.44 CI = 1.6–7.2), roll modeling for students (AOR = 3.23 CI = 1.5–6.8) and strict supervision of students (AOR = 0.24 CI = 0.07–0.88) were significantly associated with perceptions of the operation theater learning environment, with 95% CIs. Conclusion No study participant agreed that the operation theater learning environment in operation theatres was very undesirable. A lack of teaching facilities at the OR, a lack of tutors from the OR, noise from played music in the OR, a tutor respecting their student, a tutor role model for their student, a preoperative discussion with a tutor and strict supervision of the student are strongly associated with the operation theatre learning environment.
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Nudge Messaging and School Attendance in Ghana: Determining the Impact of Tailored Message Characteristics - Zhao, Annette; D'Rozario, Johnny; Kably, Nathan; Jayasinghe, N.; Mukankusi, A (2024)
An output of the EdTech Hub, https://edtechhub.org/
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E-Booster Uganda: Towards an Inclusive Digital Economy in Uganda Through Provision of ICT Services to The Underserved and Unserved Communities - Abaho, Ernest; Aguma, Dennis; Beronda, James; Nkambwe, Ismael; Obang, Hanington; Kituyi, Geoffrey Mayoka (Research Square (Research Square), 2024)
Abstract e-Booster Uganda 2023 was a project of Uganda Communications Commission implemented by Makerere University Business School between April 2023 and November 2023.We conducted interviews as well as a survey on Information and Communications Technology solutions from various sectors. A review of reports and academic publications related to access to communication services in Uganda was made with a focus on the nature of challenges and solutions that have been made by different actors. Findings reveal that Uganda has a wide digital divide based on geographical location, particularly between the rural and urban where there is a 70% difference in favour of the urban communities and businesses with only 9% of Ugandans living in rural areas having access to the Internet. It was also found that 60% of the urban people are poor and live in slums hance causing more need for inclusion in the programme. It is concluded that increased access to and the usage of ICT services is critical for the attainment of National Development Plans including but not limited to the Parish Development Model where the underserved and unserved can be easily reached through ICTs by and in supporting the monitoring of government programmes through promotion and information sharing to those communities and sectors.
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Understanding teachers’ usage of YouTube as a pedagogical tool: A qualitative case study of basic school teachers in Ghana - Adu-Marfo, Ama Otwiwah; Kwapong, Olivia Adwoa Tiwaah Frimpong; Oheneba-Sakyi, Yaw; Miller-Young, Janice (E-learning and Digital Media, 2024)
YouTube has been widely considered as a pedagogical tool over the last few decades. Recent findings from research portray YouTube videos as an instructional part of learning that contributes to best practices in teaching. Much of the studies have focused on usage by teachers and students at the tertiary level without much attention given to basic school teachers. Using an exploratory qualitative case study design and the ICT Pedagogical Beliefs Classification framework, we explored teachers’ usage of YouTube as a pedagogical tool. We drew on the experiences of 18 teachers in 3 private schools in Ghana to find out how Youtube was used in instruction. Four dominant ways of usage were identified. YouTube was used as a teaching tool, a means of enhancing specific topics, a means of learning new and varied ways of teaching, and as a means of developing teachers’ professional competence. Findings showed that whilst some of the ways of usage align with constructivist methods of teaching others still fall within traditional and teacher centred approaches to teaching. We argue that for teachers to enact meaningful pedagogies with technology through a more student-centred model, their knowledge and skills need to be developed alongside the reshaping of their motives and reasons and subsequently the ways in which they use technology for teaching. We recommend the planning and reinforcement of innovative instructional design of technological integration for teachers through informed policy and the use of training interventions to build new skills geared towards constructive and creative teaching suited to developing a net generation of students.
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Pattern of Skin Diseases in Children Attending the Dermatology Clinic in Al-Gamhoria Teaching Hospital, Aden, Southern Yemen - Badwi, Ekram Ali (International journal of science and healthcare research, 2024)
Background: Skin diseases constitute a major health problem affecting a large proportion of the population including children causing distress and disability. This study aimed to determine the pattern and frequency of skin diseases. Methods: A retrospective hospital-based, cross-sectional study of all children up to 14 years old who attending dermatology clinic of Al-Gamhoria teaching hospital, Aden Yemen from January to December 2022. Results: Out of 3,184 patients, pediatric patients constituted 191 (6%),56.5% were boys and 43.5 were girls. Maximum number of patients were in the age group of >1-5 years. Majority of dermatoses belonged to infections (45.1%), followed by eczema (20.9%) Bacterial infections (19.9 %) were the most common infections followed by fungal (17.3%), viral (7.9 %) and infestation constituted (13.1%). The majority of patients had one disease, (95.3%) while the rest had two diseases (4.7%). Conclusions: in the present study, infections and eczema were the most common dermatological conditions. This study provides insight about the pattern of various dermatoses among children in urban setting. Keywords: Pattern, skin disorders, children, hospital –based
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CONTRIBUTION OF USAID SOMA UMENYE TO THE PERFORMANCE OF LEARNERS OF KINYARWANDA LANGUAGE IN LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOLS.A CASE OF PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT AIDED SCHOOLS OF MUSANZE DISTRICT, IN NORTHERN PROVINCE, RWANDA (2016/20230) - Charles, N; Dushimimana, Dr Jean de Dieu (World journal of education and humanities, 2024)
This study aimed at determining the contribution of usaid soma umenye to the performance of learners of kinyarwanda language in lower primary schools. To assess the contribution of providing trainings to teachers and school leaders to the performance of learners in Kinyarwanda language, to assess the contribution of learning and teaching materials provided to the performance of learners in Kinyarwanda language. The study used correlation research design in which it used both quantitative and qualitative data collection to collect data from 100 participants as a sample out of 824 study population. The sample was drawn from three (3) primary schools located in Muhoza, Nkotsi and Kinigi Sectors of Musanze District. The data was gathered using questionnaire with a Likert scale with closed items and the interview guide was used to collect views from participant on how they think about materials provided, training and contribute to their learning outcomes in Kinyarwanda language in their respective schools. It is against this that the study described recommendations such as Integrate specific training modules on Kinyarwanda language instruction within the existing teacher training programs, implement regular formative and summative assessments to monitor students’ progress in Kinyarwanda language proficiency and integrate specific training modules on Kinyarwanda language instruction within the existing teacher training programs.
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Transatlantic Connections in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Anti-Racist Pedagogies, Community Engagement, and Professional Development in a Canada-Mali Collaboration - Escudero, Eric Taylor Gomes (MUSICultures, 2024)
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Influence of Climate Change on Groundwater Resources in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria - Fadipe, Olusola O.; Kareem, M.A.; Ishola, K. (Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Civil Engineering, 2024)
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The Quality of Primary School Teachers’ Professional Development Policy Implementation: Conceptualization of Targets, Contents, Methods, Process and Contexts in Oromia, Ethiopia - Geletu, Girma Moti; Mihiretie, Dawit Mekonnen (Interchange, 2024)
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The Immigration and Settlement Experiences of International Students From Ghana and Nigeria in the Greater Toronto Area - Haastrup, Peter (2024)
Over the last 20 years, the number of international students coming to Canada has increased drastically from just over 100,000 in 2000-2001 to well over half a million in the 20202021 academic years (Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), 2018; El-Assal, 2020; Statista, 2021). According to Global Affairs Canada (2020), in 2018 alone, international students in Canada contributed $22.3 billion to the Canadian economy on tuition, accommodation, and discretionary spending and helped to sustain over 170,000 jobs. Much of the literature has focused on Asian international students – especially from India and China, who make up a combined 56% of the international student body in Canada (El-Assal, 2020). Significantly less is known about African international students, who make up about 9% of the international student body in Canada. This study critically assesses Canada’s approach to and focus on international students as part of overall programs to attract immigrants. Using a qualitative analysis, this study focuses on the immigration and settlement experiences of Black African international students from Ghana and Nigeria living in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Canada. Semi structured interviews were conducted with Ghanaian (N = 6) and Nigerian (N = 14) international students living in the GTA. Because experiences may defer between male and female, an even number of students who identified as men (N = 10) and identified as women (N = 10) were recruited. The study centred the voices of these Ghanaian and Nigerian international students, adding to the scarce body of knowledge surrounding the topic. The research focused on the ways in which social networks contributed to or diminished acculturative stress; the impact of Canadian immigration policy on the experiences of these students; and the role of race and gender on the immigration experiences of these students. The study resulted in three key finding. First, Ghanaian and Nigerian international students face financial difficulties. They could benefit from additional forms of financial aid, grants, or financial support, although participants identified as female experienced more financial challenges than those identified as male. Second, there is a lack of culturally appropriate support from colleges and universities for Ghanaian and Nigerian international students, which have led some to seek support from their religious institutions, some of which are not equipped to help with mental wellbeing. Lastly, some participants that used educational agents, expressed discontent and frustration with the outcomes, as agencies at times gave them misinformation that led them to enroll in bridging programs when, in fact, this was not necessary. The study provides recommendations that can inform policy change to better support and enhance the experiences of Ghanaian and Nigerian international students in the GTA.
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The Immigration and Settlement Experiences of International Students From Ghana and Nigeria in the Greater Toronto Area - Haastrup, Peter (2024)
Over the last 20 years, the number of international students coming to Canada has increased drastically from just over 100,000 in 2000-2001 to well over half a million in the 20202021 academic years (Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), 2018; El-Assal, 2020; Statista, 2021). According to Global Affairs Canada (2020), in 2018 alone, international students in Canada contributed $22.3 billion to the Canadian economy on tuition, accommodation, and discretionary spending and helped to sustain over 170,000 jobs. Much of the literature has focused on Asian international students – especially from India and China, who make up a combined 56% of the international student body in Canada (El-Assal, 2020). Significantly less is known about African international students, who make up about 9% of the international student body in Canada. This study critically assesses Canada’s approach to and focus on international students as part of overall programs to attract immigrants. Using a qualitative analysis, this study focuses on the immigration and settlement experiences of Black African international students from Ghana and Nigeria living in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Canada. Semi structured interviews were conducted with Ghanaian (N = 6) and Nigerian (N = 14) international students living in the GTA. Because experiences may defer between male and female, an even number of students who identified as men (N = 10) and identified as women (N = 10) were recruited. The study centred the voices of these Ghanaian and Nigerian international students, adding to the scarce body of knowledge surrounding the topic. The research focused on the ways in which social networks contributed to or diminished acculturative stress; the impact of Canadian immigration policy on the experiences of these students; and the role of race and gender on the immigration experiences of these students. The study resulted in three key finding. First, Ghanaian and Nigerian international students face financial difficulties. They could benefit from additional forms of financial aid, grants, or financial support, although participants identified as female experienced more financial challenges than those identified as male. Second, there is a lack of culturally appropriate support from colleges and universities for Ghanaian and Nigerian international students, which have led some to seek support from their religious institutions, some of which are not equipped to help with mental wellbeing. Lastly, some participants that used educational agents, expressed discontent and frustration with the outcomes, as agencies at times gave them misinformation that led them to enroll in bridging programs when, in fact, this was not necessary. The study provides recommendations that can inform policy change to better support and enhance the experiences of Ghanaian and Nigerian international students in the GTA.
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Deconstructing gender stereotypes in standardized English language school textbooks in Algeria: Implications for equitable instructional materials - Hadjeris, Fadhila (Discourse Studies, 2024)
The pressing need to promote gender equality in today’s globalized society is underscored in Sustainable Development Goals and juxtaposed with the goal of cultivating global citizenship. Despite these efforts, mainstream post-colonial discourse on Maghrebi women categorizes them as less citizens neglecting ‘the complexity’ of their lives and experiences. The scarcity of research that depicts Algerian women’s experiences along with the treatment of the topic of gender as ‘taboo’ restricted opportunities on researching this important category of society. While there are numerous studies conducted in the Algerian context on female’s stereotypical depiction and invisibility in school textbooks, the discussion of the topic remains ahistorical. It relegates the status of women as ‘the oppressed’ which runs the risk of reproducing colonial epistemologies. Guided by Goffman’s gender stereotype theory and Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis conceptual framework, the paper draws on data collected from four standardized English language school textbooks that are currently used in Algeria. The textbooks content affirms the ‘subaltern’ categorization of Algerian women through emphasizing their deagentialization, dependence, and disempowerment. These findings have implications for gender equity in Algeria, the Maghreb, and the broader North Africa contexts.
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Analyzing the efficacy of a decade-long endeavor: extracurricular medical research training amidst the turmoil of Syria - Hanafi, Ibrahem; Alsalkini, Marah; Kheder, Kheder; Nafouri, Maarouf Gorra Al; Rahmeh, Ahmad Rami; Sabouni, Rami (medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), 2024)
Objectives Medical research in Syria faced significant limitations due to inadequate human and financial resources, exacerbated by the ongoing war. Until recently, the curriculum did not incorporate sufficient training on research skills. Consequently, extracurricular workshops were initiated or utilized nationwide to acquire research-related expertise, aiming to bolster research output. This study aims to characterize and evaluate these training endeavors concerning research-related knowledge, attitudes, barriers, as well as research productivity. Methods This case-control study encompassed all training initiatives in Syria from 2011 to 2020, both on-site and online. Participants consisted of early career healthcare professionals affiliated with all Syrian universities and were recruited into four equal groups based on the quantity of research projects they undertook and published. Our participants reported and assessed individual extracurricular workshops regarding their gained knowledge, attitudes, and practical skills. These initiatives were compared to curricular training and practical peer-led support regarding these outcomes. Results The study included 53 on-site and 30 online workshops, displaying diverse distributions and features. Attendance of extracurricular workshops correlated with participants' knowledge, attitudes, and research productivity (p<0.001). The most effective interventions were massive open online courses and workshops lasting over 12 hours. Extracurricular workshops and peer-led support has comparable effectiveness and associated with higher knowledge, attitudes, and practical skills of their beneficiaries in comparison to curricular training (adjusted p<0.05). Lastly, peer trainers in these workshops exhibited more publications and higher levels of knowledge and attitude than the rest of the sample (adjusted p<0.05). Conclusions Overall, extracurricular interventions and peer support demonstrated their superiority over curricular training. Despite the varied nature of these workshops and the absence of institutional organization, these approaches exhibited significant potential in enhancing research-related knowledge, promoting positive attitudes, and augmenting research productivity in resource-constrained settings such as Syria.
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African-Focused Approaches to Teaching African Popular Music in Western Classrooms - Ilesanmi, Alaba (2024)
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Burdening caregivers of patients with schizophrenia at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, The Gambia - Marega, Jarra; Bah, Haddy Tunkara (Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 2024)
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Prevalence of Functional Disabilities and Associations Among Disabilities, Violence, and HIV Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Lesotho - Massetti, Greta M.; Stamatakis, Caroline; Charania, Sana; Annor, Francis; Rice, Catherine E.; Hegle, Jennifer; Ramphalla, Puleng; Sechache, Masechache; Motheo, Mookho (Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health, 2024)
Abstract Introduction Lesotho has the second-highest prevalence of HIV. Despite progress in achieving HIV epidemic control targets, inequities persist among certain groups, particularly associations between disability, HIV, and violence. We assessed the prevalence of disability and examined associations between disability and HIV and violence using data from the 2018 Lesotho Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS). Methods Lesotho VACS was a nationally representative survey of females and males ages 13–24. We assessed the associations between disability status and HIV, sexual risk behaviours, and violence using logistic regression, incorporating survey weights. Results Weighted functional disability prevalence was 14.1% for females (95% confidence interval [CI] 12.7–15.4) and 7.3% for males (5.3–9.2). Compared with females with no disabilities, females with disabilities had higher odds of being HIV positive (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.92, 1.34–2.76), having transactional sex (aOR 1.79, 1.09–2.95), and experiencing any lifetime violence (aOR 2.20, 1.82–2.65), sexual violence (aOR 1.77, 1.36–2.31), emotional violence (2.02. 1.61–2.53), physical violence (aOR 1.85, 1.54–2.24), witnessing interparental violence (aOR 1.71, 1.46–2.01), and witnessing community violence (aOR 1.52, 1.26–1.84). Males with disabilities had higher odds of having transactional sex (aOR 4.30, 1.35–13.73), having recent multiple sex partners (aOR 2.31, 1.13–4.75), experiencing emotional violence (aOR 2.85, 1.39–5.82), and witnessing interparental violence (aOR 1.78, 1.12–2.84). HIV models for males did not converge due to low numbers. Conclusion Findings emphasize the importance of inclusion and accessibility for adolescents and young adults with disabilities in prevention and services for violence and HIV. Ending HIV in Lesotho depends on addressing the vulnerabilities that lead to potential infection including violence and ensuring equitable services for all.
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Psychosocial Determinants of Learners’ Poor Performance in South African Primary Schools: A Systematic Review Protocol - Matlakala, Frans Koketso; Ndlovu, S; Mafa, Prudence; Morobadi, Seanego; Mphahlele, Hunadi; Mmakola, Lulu; Tladi, Lerato; Malatji, Nthabi; Nkoana, Shai; Themane, Mahlapahlapane (Research Square (Research Square), 2024)
Abstract Introduction : Psychosocial determinants play a significant role in shaping an individual's cognitive and emotional development, which in turn can impact their performance in various domains, including education. Understanding these determinants is essential for identifying barriers and implementing interventions to support positive outcomes in learners. This review will be based on the apiece of the mental health of learners in schools. We envisage that the topic will cover an array of outcomes touching on psychological and socioeconomic determinates, learner-student relations, and the psychological well-being of learners. Methods and analysis: Articles for this review shall be searched through PubMed, PsychArticle, PsychINFO, EBSCOHost, Sabinet African Journal and African Journals Online). Moreover, we will conduct a forward search by using the option "cited by" and/or "related articles" on Google Scholar to find other articles which might meet the inclusion criteria to be part of the review. Boolean search will consist of keywords, MeSH concepts, truncations and wildcats to retrieve relevant articles from the above-mentioned databases. The selection of articles will be based on exclusion and inclusion criteria. The criteria shall consider the following variables a) demographic characteristics of the study participants (age and grade); b) date of publication; c) setting (South Africa); d) study design; e) language of publication. After conducting the search databases, articles will be exported to Endnote 21 for screening by the team. The identified relevant studies for this review will be divided among reviewers for data extraction. Methods of selected articles will be assessed using Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) criteria.
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E-learning and Emergency conditions: Issues, opportunities and Challenges for Botswana Higher Education Institutions - Munjeyi, Edmore; Ruramayi, Tadu (Research Square (Research Square), 2024)
Abstract Purpose - E-learning and teaching became more common as a method of imparting knowledge to a wide range of learners following the outbreak of the global pandemic SARS-CoV-2. However, e-learning and teaching have received considerable attention in recent years. While the extant scholarship literature has focused on the efficacy of e-learning and teaching in countries in the Global North, there is still no comprehensive knowledge or assessment to gain insights into the preparedness of a HEIs to handle emergencies and adapt to future conditions effectively. As a result, this study assesses HEIs' preparedness to handle emergencies like COVID-19, opportunities and challenges of adopting e-learning and teaching in HEIs from the perspective of the heads of departments and lecturers of selected institutions in Botswana. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative research approach and in-depth interviews were used to gain insights from 5 HODs and 5 lecturers. The qualitative data collected were analysed via thematic analysis to determine the research findings (outcomes) of the study. Findings - HoDs and lecturers appreciate the merits of using e-learning facilities and perceive the method to be more effective and economical for lesson delivery and student learning. In contrast, common challenges encountered by both HEIs and students include a lack of technological resources, poor internet coverage, inadequate staff training and a lack of management support. Originality/value - This article provides novel insights into the efficacy and preparedness of HIEs in the use of e-learning and teaching during future serious pandemics. This article has both theoretical, research and policy implications for the adoption of e-learning agendas in HEIs.
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Perceived self-efficacy to teach comprehensive abortion care among nursing and midwifery faculty in higher learning institutions in Rwanda: A mixed method study - Nkurunziza, Aimable; Habtu, Michael; Mukeshimana, Madeleine; Endale, Tamrat; Uwera, Yvonne Delphine Nsaba; Rutayisire, Reverien; Bagirisano, Justine; Hitayezu, Jean Bosco Henri; Ishimwe, Marie Laetitia Bazakare; Uwimana, Jeannine (PLOS ONE, 2024)
Introduction Comprehensive abortion care is an emerging intervention being integrated into nursing and midwifery curricula. Yet, no studies have been conducted in Rwanda to determine whether faculty perceive themselves as capable of teaching comprehensive abortion care. This study aims to evaluate the perceived self-efficacy to teach comprehensive abortion care among nursing and midwifery faculty in higher learning institutions in Rwanda. Materials and methods The University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences Institutional Review Board approved this study (UR-CMHS-IRB No 335/CMHSIRB/2022). In quantitative, a self-administered questionnaire was administered to 98 study participants. Data were entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and analyzed using Chi-square test with a p-value of 0.05 set as the significance level. In the qualitative part, an interview guide was developed based on quantitative data to understand comprehensive abortion care teaching fully. Data were collected from four focus group discussions with eight participants in each group, entered in Dedoose, and analyzed thematically. Results Among the 98 study participants who were invited to participate in this study, only 85 filled out the questionnaires. This translates into 86.7% of the response rate. More than half 58.8% had adequate self-efficacy in teaching comprehensive abortion care. A Chi-square test has revealed that being a male, being a midwife, and having more years of working experience in nursing education were significantly associated with self-efficacy in teaching comprehensive abortion care (p value <0.05). In the qualitative phase, 32 study participants participated in four focus group discussions and four themes were identified: a) variability in confidence levels to teach comprehensive abortion care; b) readiness about teaching comprehensive abortion care; c) facilitators of teaching comprehensive abortion care; and d) contextual challenges to teach comprehensive abortion care. Conclusions The findings revealed that faculty’s self-efficacy in teaching comprehensive abortion care was not adequate. Personal and religious beliefs and institutional barriers were also reported to hinder self-efficacy in teaching comprehensive abortion care. Therefore, intensive comprehensive abortion care training for nursing and midwifery faculty in higher learning institutions should be provided, including values clarification and attitude transformation training for attitudes and beliefs. It is also critical for higher learning institutions to develop strategies for overcoming the challenges faculty face when teaching comprehensive abortion care.
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Variability and Changes in Climate in Northern Uganda - Oriangi, George; Mukwaya, Paul Isolo; Luwa, Justine Kilama; Emmanuel, M. P. R.; Maxwell, Moreau S.; Bamutaze, Yazidhi (African Journal of Climate Change and Resource Sustainability, 2024)
Variability and changes in climate are generally expected to occur. However, there remain gaps on dynamics of expected regional variations in climatic changes. This study assessed historic and projected climatic conditions up to the year 2033. The study hypothesized that temperature rather than rainfall significantly increased for the period 1980-2010 and rainfall rather than temperature is likely to decrease significantly by 2033 for Gulu District in northern Uganda. To determine historic climatic trends, rainfall and temperature data were obtained from Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) while for future climate, the PRECIS (Providing Regional Climates for Impact Studies) modelled data based on projected conditions at a 50 km spatial resolution was used. These data sets were subjected to trend analysis and the differences in means were detected at a 95% confidence level. Contrary to the evidences from other empirical studies, results generally indicated decreasing rainfall for the period 1980-2010. However, the decrease was not significant (P > 0.05) while both historic mean annual maximum and minimum temperature trends showed a statistically significant increase (P<0.05). Projections for 2033 reveal a significant decrease in rainfall (P < 0.05) while both maximum and minimum temperature will remain quasi uniform
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Peace Education Programme in Kenya and UNICEF’s Reinforcement - Rasari, Yosephine Michelle (Sentris: Jurnal Mahasiswa Hubungan Internasional, 2024)
As a region prone to conflict, an Introduction to peace is mainly essential for Kenya. The government projects that education can build a peaceful Kenya. As a result, the government is allocating an amount of budget to improve education in Kenya especially in eradicating violence and maintaining peace – especially, post-election violence and sexual abuse. The government has also adopted a UNICEF program, the Peace Education Program (PEP). The government's ambition is limited to designing a system that is only effective in some areas. Therefore, UNICEF complements the government’s effort to carry out policies of a peaceful education system and conduct action research. The efforts coming from the cooperation between UNICEF and the Kenyan government will also be adjusted to the Neoliberal institutionalism theory. This theory is essential to adjust the role of UNICEF in empowering and assisting the Kenyan government while Kenya still upholds its own interests. This paper will mainly focus on the research of the Peace Education Program in Kenya and how UNICEF assist and support its implementation. Keywords: Peace Education Program (PEP);Kenya; Children; UNICEF
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Climate Risk Management in Agro-Pastoral Systems of Central and Northern Tanzania: Costs and Benefits of Local Adaptation - Sewando, Ponsian T. (South asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics, 2024)
In Tanzania, agro-pastoral practices have been adapted to climate change for several years. However, the economic benefits and costs of adaptation techniques for agro-pastoralists have not been well documented. Therefore, this paper analyses the economic benefits and costs of adaptation strategies to climate change and variability. The analysis used primary data collected from 411 agro-pastoral households randomly selected from 22 villages in five districts in northern and central Tanzania. Net present value, benefit-cost ratio and internal rate of return were calculated to determine the benefit-cost analysis of adaptation strategies. The planned adaptation strategies were found to be financially viable compared to business-as-usual practices. Sensitivity analysis also showed that maize-sunflower intercropping was viable, while maize-bean intercropping was more sensitive to a 10% change in yield. In addition, drip irrigation and micro-catchment rainwater harvesting have the potential to contribute to climate risk management in these dryland areas by minimising water use and maximising output per hectare; the main challenge is the high initial capital cost. There is therefore a need for extension agents to continue to promote crop and livestock diversification among agro-pastoralists in managing climate risks to reduce their vulnerability to climate change and variability. In addition, research and development (R&D) practitioners need to promote and capacitate agro-pastoralists in drip irrigation and micro-catchment rainwater harvesting adaptation strategies.
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Experiences of teachers and students on school closures and its consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nyarugusu refugee camp, Tanzania - Shayo, Elizabeth H.; Mubyazi, Godfrey M.; Barongo, Vivien; Bakari, Mtumwa; Kiwale, Zenais; Fabbri, Camilla; Turner, Ellen; Rodrigues, Katherine; Devries, Karen (PLOS global public health, 2024)
Tanzania has experienced several waves of COVID-19 since it was first detected in the country. During the first wave, Tanzania took several measures to prevent wider virus transmission with school closures being one of them. All areas and institutions were targeted, including the refugee camps in Kigoma region. Despite the abundant evidence generated in relation to the effects of the pandemic and associated school closures globally, there has been a paucity of literature exploring the experiences of teachers and students in humanitarian settings. We conducted a qualitative study to explore COVID-19 related school closures in Nyarugusu refugee camp. We aimed to describe teachers’ and students’ experiences and perceived consequences of school closures. In-depth interviews with teachers and students were conducted in September 2020 in Burundian and Congolese schools in the context of a cluster randomised trial of EmpaTeach, a school-based violence prevention intervention. A total of 44 individuals (29 teachers and 15 students) were interviewed. A phenomenological theoretical framework was used to guide the content analysis. Findings indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic was generally seen as frightening by refugees. Study participants understood the importance of school closures to prevent transmission of the virus, but various negative consequences were reported by both teachers and students. These included perceived mental health difficulties such as stress, depression and anxiety associated with the worry of infection, idleness, and disruption of education. Participants also perceived an increase in occurrences of early marriages and unplanned pregnancies, which they thought contributed to increased school dropout. Participants identified the main causes of such outcomes as a lack of parental supervision, children’s lack of restraint and poor character, and a lack of alternative teaching practices (such as online or remote learning) to keep the students busy while at home. Children were held accountable for their faults with little support from the adults. Our findings suggest that there is an urgent need to strengthen child protection programming to support children and their communities during emergencies and provides protective environments such as school and education. There is a critical need to develop preparedness plans for future pandemics to support child safety, academic development and wellbeing.
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Assessing Safety Training in the Egyptian Construction Industry: A Comparative Analysis - Taha, Toka; Abdelaty, Ahmed; Marzouk, Mohamed (2024)
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The impact of female education on fertility: evidence from Malawi Universal Primary Education program - Wang, Tianheng (Journal of Demographic Economics, 2024)
Abstract This paper examines the impact of female education on fertility outcomes by using the Universal Primary Education (UPE) program in Malawi as a natural experiment. The finding indicates that the UPE policy improves rural women's educational attainment by 0.42 years and an additional year of female education decreases women's number of children ever born and the number of living children by 0.39 and 0.34, respectively. An analysis of potential mechanisms suggests that the decreased fertility rates are likely driven by the reduction in women's fertility preferences, the postponement of marriage, and the delay of motherhood. Contrarily, the study finds no evidence that increased female education affects women's labor force participation and the use of modern contraception.
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Social-Economic Factors Affecting Accessibility to Sanitation and Hygiene Services Among People Living with Disabilities in Kitui County, Kenya - Gacini, James; Mwanzo, Isaac; Nyang’echi, Edna (International journal of current aspects, 2024)
Persons living with disabilities refer to individuals with persistent mental, physical, sensory or intellectual deterioration while interacting with varied barriers may prevent equal participation in society compared to other population. People living with disabilities (PLWD) are greater than five times probable to be found in the position of being unable to access sanitation and hygiene services as compared to normal people in the same community. There are significant gaps and limited knowledge in implementation of WASH policies across the country. This study aimed was to determine the social-economic factors affecting accessibility to sanitation and hygiene services among PLWD in Kitui County, Kenya. The study employed a cross sectional survey method. Socio-economic status indicated a high proportion of participants with limited education (51.1% with no formal education, 35.2% with primary education), and a pervasive low income (98.6% earning less than 10,000) and unemployment (85.3%). Socio-economic variables, including occupation (B = -0.212, p = 0.032), income (B = -1.068, p = 0.184), and education level (B = 0.457, p < 0.001), exhibited notable associations. This study identified substantial challenges hindering people with disabilities (PLWD) from accessing adequate sanitation and hygiene, revealing critical issues related to socio-economic factors, physical and environmental barriers, communication gaps, and institutional shortcomings.
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Review of: "Raising Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in Energy and Food Sectors of Egypt" - Offiong, Nnanake‐Abasi O. (2024)
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African urban peripheries and informal development: A review of challenges and sustainable approaches to inclusive citiesOrkpeh, A.K. & Adedire, F.M.2024. African urban peripheries and informal development: A review of challenges and sustainable approaches to inclusive cities. Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift–Norwegian Journal of Geography Vol. 00, 00–00. ISSN 0029-1951. - Orkpeh, Awashima Kristen; Adedire, Funmilayo Mokunfayo (Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift–Norwegian Journal of Geography, 2024)
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Assessment of Determinant Sources of Plastics and Microplastics Pollution in Inland Waterways Navigation in Lower River Niger - Owualah, Princewill Ugo; Okoroji, Lazarus I.; Nwokedi, Paulinus O.; Nwawuba, Nnamani; Nwokedi, Theophilus Chinonyerem (International Journal of Social Science and Research, 2024)
This study was aimed at assessing the impact of plastics and micro plastics pollution in Nigerian inland waterways operations. The main aim of this study is to provide a baseline assessment of plastic pollution in the River Niger, along with recommendations for further research. Using a survey and appropriate data analysis tools, the study investigated the determinant sources of plastic pollution in the River Niger, as well as the most significant impact and preferred means of plastic pollution and regulation. The main findings indicate that disposal of plastics is the determinant source of plastics and micro plastics in the River Niger. The most significant impact of plastic pollution was identified as reduction in the accessibility of certain areas of the river. Behavioral instrument is indicated to be the most preferred means of plastic pollution control and regulation. Hence, there is an urgent need for improved awareness among local communities. This can be achieved through education programs, which will help to reduce the use of single-use plastics while also reducing littering in these areas. The paper also recommends that more research be conducted on how these pollutants affect human health and ecosystems.
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Review of: "Influence of Meta-cognition, Self-efficacy, and Self-regulated Learning on Students’ Achievement in Biology in Ibadan, Nigeria" - Rajcoomar, Ronesh (2024)
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Review of: "Raising Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in Energy and Food Sectors of Egypt" - Abdelhedi, Imen Turki (2024)
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Review of: "Influence of Meta-cognition, Self-efficacy, and Self-regulated Learning on Students’ Achievement in Biology in Ibadan, Nigeria" - Aktulun, Özgün Uyanık (2024)
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Blended Learning in EFL Programs in Yemen: - Al-Qudimi, Yasir Hassan Ahmed; Hameed, Shabana (Journal of English Studies in Arabia Felix, 2024)
Blended learning (BL) has gained popularity in English instruction due to its ability to improve students’ learning outcomes and motivation. This study investigated Yemeni EFL students’ perceptions of learning English and the impact of using BL on their attitudes toward English learning. The sample comprised 51 Yemeni EFL students who received instructions at Resalty Academy, and data was collected from them using a questionnaire. Findings highlighted the effectiveness of BL in improving English language learning. The outcome of the study support EFL teachers in Yemen in developing tailored programs to meet the specific needs of their students. Based on the findings, it is safe to argue that implementing BL strategy in English language instruction enhances EFL students' perceptions of BL usefulness and ease of use, potentially leading to increased engagement and motivation in learning. Teachers and institutions are encouraged to prioritize integrating the BL approach into English language curricula to improve the overall learning experience for EFL students.
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The Social- Economic Implications of COVID-19 Pandemic on Parents’ Income and Pupils Learning in Iganga District, Uganda - Basome, Samson; Mwangi, Peter Muhoro (Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education, 2024)
Globally, COVID-19 outbreak had a significant impact on the social-economic implications of parents' income and students' learning. Many school employees lost jobs and students dropped out of school in Uganda as a result of the varied social and economic effects of COVID19. A descriptive design was used to determine the effects of Social- Economic Implications of COVID-19 Pandemic on Parents' income and Pupils learning in Iganga. In-depth interviews were conducted with some selected respondents in 9 sampled primary schools in Iganga District. With the help of teachers, a random sample of 18 pupils was taken from the sampled schools and interviewed. Subsequently with the assistance of local leaders, parents were interviewed in their communities. Content analysis was used to obtain related data to the effects of social economic implications of covid19 pandemic on parent’s income and pupil’s learning. Government and civil society organization reports were among the materials examined. The findings revealed that there was changing economic situation as a result of COVID19 that affected pupils' access to different learning opportunities such as inadequate resources and knowledge about the use of digital technologies. Some of the socioeconomic challenges that affected pupils' learning and parents' income were inadequate time given to pupils learning and inadequate professional trained teachers to handle online teaching and learning. It is recommended that the government should provide more funding as well as clear, detailed, and consistent guidance to help head teachers and teachers to manage the gaps created by COVID19 on pupils' learning in Primary schools.
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Urban Planning and Green Infrastructure Under a Changing Climate in Africa - Dossa, Kossivi Fabrice; Miassi, Yann Emmanuel (International journal of regional development, 2024)
This article uses the PRISMA systematic review method to identify the challenges and opportunities of urban planning in Africa, with a focus on climate change. The article emphasizes the importance of sustainable financing, transparent management, and effective governance. It also highlights financial difficulties, privatization, short political cycles, and institutional limitations as some of the key challenges that need to be addressed. Cultural, religious, and socio-economic influences on awareness of green infrastructure are examined, advocating for the promotion of environmental awareness and education. Climate risks threaten the sustainability of green infrastructure, necessitating resilient planning. Legal gaps hinder urban planning implementation, underscoring the need for appropriate legal frameworks. Coordination between government levels and long-term vision is essential to addressing political and administrative challenges. Overall, the article suggests sustainable, human-centered approaches and effective resource management for balanced urban development in Africa. It also emphasizes a holistic approach and ongoing collaboration for sustainability.
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The Effect of Effective Educational Communication on Job Satisfaction of Teachers among Public Secondary School Principals in The Arab Republic of Egypt - Momdouh, Ayman Aied Mohammed; Hamed, Popoola Kareem (International journal of academic research in business & social sciences, 2024)
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Correlates of Commitment to Career Choices of Pre-Service Education Students in Selected Universities in Kenya - Mwangi, Peter Muhoro (Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education, 2024)
The study attempted to establish the correlates of commitment to career choice of pre-service education students in six public and private universities in Kenya. The third and fourth year pre-service education students were the respondents in this study. Correlational research design and concurrent mixed method approach was employed in this study. Purposive, cluster and convenience sampling methods were used. Data were gathered by the use of questionnaires and interviews. In data analysis, frequencies, means, standard deviation, linear regression and Pearson product moment correlation coefficient were used. The pre-service education students were found to be moderately committed to their career choice and that intrinsic motivation, self-concept, status of the teaching profession, fallback and socio-cultural beliefs were correlated to career choice. Fallback however had an inverse correlation to the commitment of career choice. The study recommends that factors which motivate pre-service education student’s choice of teaching as a career should be clearly understood, so that only students motivated by those factors which were found to promote commitment, like intrinsic motivation, self-concept, status of the teaching profession and social cultural beliefs are the ones placed to train as teachers.
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Influence of Occupational Stress on Psychological Well-Being of Senior High School Teachers in Nanumba South District, Ghana - N-yelbi, John; Anovunga, Alunga (Asian Journal of Advanced Research and Reports, 2024)
The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of occupational stress on psychological well-being of Senior High School teachers in Nanumba South District in the Northern Region of Ghana. The study used a quantitative research approach and a descriptive survey design. The population included all Senior High School teachers in the Nanumba South District. A survey sampling technique was employed to include all 101 teachers in the only Senior High School in the District. Structured questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. The data was analysed using means and standard deviations. The study found that Senior High School teachers mostly felt anxious or depressed at work whenever they are stressed, sometimes they get low self-esteem when stressed up with excessive workload, there was no difficulty in working with colleagues of the opposite sex, lack of support from the immediate supervisor had no effect on the psychological well-being of Senior High School teachers in the Nanumba South District. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that Senior High School teachers across the nation should device means of dealing with occupational stress such as making time for periodic relaxation (lunchtime, evenings, weekends and holidays), teachers should request for assistance and support from others whenever they feel exhausted with their task. The Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service in collaboration with school counsellors should organise frequent workshop/seminars for teachers on how to manage occupational stress.
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Exploring climate change perception and heat stress adaptation among Zambian farmers using participatory tools - Nyambe, Anayawa (Regional Environmental Change, 2024)
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Review of: "Raising Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in Energy and Food Sectors of Egypt" - Alawi, Sayed Amir (2024)
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Higher education for Syrian refugee students in Türkiye: challenges and expectations - ARIK, Ferhat; Fidan, Çiğdem; Hoş, Rabia (Globalisation, Societies and Education, 2024)
The Syrian civil war affected many Syrian students. This exploratory study focuses on Syrian higher education students who were forced to emigrate to Türkiye during the Syrian war. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 Syrian refugee students studying at a public university in Hatay. In the light of hope theory, thematic analysis was applied to explore Syrian refugee students' experiences during and after higher education in Türkiye. The study found that language and, especially for female students, being a parent are among the challenges that Syrian refugee students encounter during higher education. However, despite the challenges, Syrian students were hopeful for their future in Türkiye.
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URINARY SCHISTOSOMIASIS AMONG SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN IN SELECTED RURAL COMMUNITIES IN HADHRAMOUT GOVERNORATE, YEMEN - Bayousuf, Fahmi F.; Bin-Hameed, Eidha Ali; Assakaf, Galal M.; Al-Bowri, Saeed S. (Universal Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2024)
Background: Urinary schistosomiasis is a potentially life-threatening public health issue in some areas of Yemen, particularly in Hadhramout rural communities. It is considered as one of the most common neglected tropical parasitic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis and associated risk factors among school-age males and females in selected rural communities of Hadhramout, Yemen. Methods: A total of 450 students participated in this cross-sectional study. Urine samples were collected, then examined for haematuria and Schistosoma haematobium (S. haematobium) eggs using urine dipsticks and filtration technique respectively. To assess knowledge and practices regarding the transmission of urinary schistosomiasis, a pre-tested questionnaire was employed. Results: An overall (66)14.7% of participants tested positive for S. haematobium, and of those, 54 (12.0%) developed haematuria with a statistically significant difference (p=0.001). A total of 35(53.0% eggs/10 ml urine) had heavy intensity of infection, with a significant difference (p=0.001) between the different communities visited: high in Al-Dhulaya'a (18.2 eggs/10 ml urine) and low in Yabaith (6.1 eggs/10 ml urine). S. haematobium infection showed significantly higher (p=0.002) in males (13.8%) than females (0.9%), and increased with age of participants. Multivariate logistic analysis of risk factors were significantly associated with the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis such as swimming activities (p=0.016), washing clothes (p=0.14), time spent in infested areas more than 15 minutes (p=0.012), habits of defecation/urination in open water sources (p=0.44), self-reported symptoms suggestive of the disease (p=0.03), participants with a history of illness (p=0.014), lack of awareness of schistosomiasis (p=0.050), and no prior treatment with praziquantel (p=0.001). Conclusions: Urinary schistosomiasis remains highly prevalent among schoolchildren in rural communities in Hadhramaut. The study highlights the urgent need to implement preventive measures, safe drinking water supply, proper sanitation, and vector control programs in order to reduce transmission and morbidity caused by schistosomiasis. Peer Review History: Received 3 December 2023; Revised 28 January 2024; Accepted 27 February; Available online 15 March 2024 Academic Editor: Dr. Marwa A. A. Fayed, University of Sadat City, Egypt, maafayed@gmail.com Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.5/10 Reviewers: Dr. Owanaro Peter, Nigeria, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. owonaropeter@gmail.com Dr. George Zhu, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, sansan4240732@163.com
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Demographic correlates of indices of psychological well-being and COVID-19 related distress among South African university students - Coetzee, Bronwynè; Booysen, Duane D.; Padmanabhanunni, Anita; Kagee, Ashraf (International Journal of Mental Health, 2024)
Following the COVID-19 pandemic we sought to determine the relationships between anxiety, hopelessness, alcohol use, perceived vulnerability to infection, resilience, traumatic stress, and satisfaction with life amongst university students at three tertiary higher education institutions in South Africa. Our participants were a convenience sample (N = 803) of South African students attending three universities. Participants completed an online survey that contained a battery of psychological measures that measured fear of COVID-19, Perceived Vulnerability to Disease, Resilience, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Hopelessness, Anxiety, PTSD, Alcohol Use, Traumatic Stress, and worry about infection with COVID-19. The mean age of participants was 25 (SD = 8.22), most of whom were female (51%). An increase in age amongst respondents was significantly positively correlated with hopelessness and life satisfaction, but also significantly negatively associated with symptoms of anxiety, PTSD, and alcohol use. Multivariate analysis showed that women reported significantly higher levels of fear of COVID-19, perceived vulnerability to disease, PTSD, and COVID-19 related worries compared to men and those identifying as "other." Students at the urban university reported higher levels of fear of COVID-19, perceived vulnerability to disease, and COVID-19 related worries but lower levels of anxiety compared to those at the peri-urban and rural university. Students at the rural institution reported greater levels of alcohol use compared to those at the other institutions. Psychological distress among students was exacerbated during the pandemic. It may be useful to identify students in the first term who are struggling academically and to direct them to both academic and counseling support services.
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Review of: "Raising Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in Energy and Food Sectors of Egypt" - Das, I. (2024)
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Factors Affecting Students’ Low-Enrolment in Vocational Technical Education Post-Graduate Programmes in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria - Eniekenemi, Obiyai K. K. Emeli (Sumerianz journal of education, linguistics and literature, 2024)
This study examined factors affecting students’ low-enrolment into post-graduate programmes in Vocational and Technology Departments in Tertiary Institutions in Bayelsa and Rivers States. Two research questions and one null hypothesis were used. The researchers used simple descriptive survey research design. The population was one hundred and forty-nine (149). The whole 149 was used as the sample because it was manageable. The instrument used for the study was questionnaire developed by the researchers titled: Factors Affecting Students’ Low-Enrolment in Post-Graduate Programmes in VTE Departments in Bayelsa and Rivers States Tertiary Institutions. The instrument was validated by two experts in the Measurement and Evaluation Unit of Educational Foundations Department and One from Vocational and Technology Education Department, all of Faculty of Education, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State. The reliability was calculated to be 0.87 using Cronbach Alpha. The Z-test for the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that finance is a major factor affecting students’ low-enrolment of more Vocational Technical education student that do not have low prospect as well as job opportunities not limited to teaching areas.it was therefore recommended, that the State Governments where tertiary institutions are established should create a financial scheme to subside tuition fees as well as research grants for post-graduate students to ease the students’ financial burden.
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Boundary construction and education: un/belonging among Somali refugee students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Haybano, Alebachew Kemisso; Dryden‐Peterson, Sarah (Race Ethnicity and Education, 2024)
This study analyzes how un/belonging is experienced by Somali refugee students in public primary schools in the Bole Michael area of Addis Ababa. Drawing on data from interviews and focus group discussions, we place these micro-level experiences of un/belonging in conversation with the current Ethiopian policy for the inclusion of refugees in the national education system. While the inclusion of refugees is now the status quo for large refugee-hosting countries in the Global South, we find that this policy often ignores the specificities of refugees' educational experiences in particular places. Somali refugees describe public primary schools as 'difficult' and 'alien' to their culture, while school authorities and teachers characterize Somali learners as 'others' who should, but fail to, assimilate. Our findings indicate the need for policies and practices to engage in negotiations between refugees and public schools to move beyond foundational efforts of providing access to schools to goals of learning and belonging.
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MITIGATING COGNITIVE CHALLENGES FACED BY TEACHERS OF ENGLISH IN TEACHING AND LEARNING READING IN NIGERIAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS - Idowu, Oludipe Daniel; Ogundeko, Ibukun Raphael (PUPIL: International journal of teaching, education and learning, 2024)
Teachers, especially teachers of English language face considerable challenges when teaching reading at the various school levels. Reading is the act or process of receiving and interpreting information in language via the medium of print. This paper identifies some of the challenges encountered by English teachers while instructing and facilitating the teaching and learning reading among secondary schools generally special focus on Nigeria. It highlights the multifaceted nature of the challenges, encompassing area such as diverse student intellectual abilities, insufficient cognitive engagement, language barriers. This paper review various studies on reading and in Nigerian schools, identify recurrent problems and the gaps relating to cognitive challenges. It explores potential solutions to mitigate these flaws, emphasizing the pivotal importance of tailored instructional strategies and tooling, collaborative approaches between parents/guardian and managements of school, and the integration of active technological apparatus to the system. The paper recommended that, regular workshops with a cognitive approach should be organized for all teachers of English to enable them handle reading effectively, this training will create a drive-in teacher to ensure that students under their tutelage are fluent readers. More so, in- service training should also be an integral part of continuing teacher education and teachers should be supported in order to increase their level of confidence when teaching reading.
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Implications of remote education in angolan higher education in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic: Analysis of the experience of the higher polytechnic institutes of Benguela - Kataya, Valeriano; Sacata, Narcissus (2024)
This research paper addresses aspects relating to the implications of the teaching and learning model adopted and applied during the Covid-19 period for teaching activity in Higher Education: analysis of the experiences of ISPB and ISPM. The same aims to analyze the implications of the teaching and learning model applied during the pandemic, and the consequences that resulted from it. To achieve the recommended objective, the bibliographic research method was adopted, under the auspices of the quantitative approach. The questionnaire was used as a data collection instrument. The study brings to light the results that show that students expressed a greater level of dissatisfaction with the application of remote education during the pandemic period. Furthermore, the online solutions applied during this period were not significantly productive. A good number of them did not participate in online classes due to lack of financial resources, digital resources and lack of motivation. Furthermore, It is clear that, in general, the level of interaction and collaboration in all resorts was a little weak. However, despite all the constraints, the study reveals that some of those who participated in online study, that is, in remote education, were able to develop some collaborative skills, and that online classes contributed to the improvement of meaningful learning.
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Lived experiences of undergraduate nursing students in midwifery practice at selected rural hospitals of South Africa - Mafumo, Julia Langanani; Luhalima, Takalani Rhodah (Cogent Education, 2024)
Background Midwifery practice is a requirement in the integrated undergraduate nursing programme which includes general, midwifery, community, and psychiatric nursing disciplines. Students are placed in these clinical areas for learning experiences. Students' experiences in midwifery practice are mostly overwhelming due to the nature of the services rendered. This makes them have mixed feelings of anxiety and excitement. These experiences might hinder or enhance learning.
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Student engagement in a differentiated higher education system in Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis - Moges, Bekalu Tadesse; Gebremeskel, Melaku Mengistu; Tilwani, Shouket Ahmad; Assefa, Yalalem (Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 2024)
Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine effects of classroom-level and student-level factors on student engagement in the context of a higher education system vertically differentiated into research, applied and comprehensive university types. Design/methodology/approach The study used a cross-sectional multilevel design to explain student engagement based on class and student variables. Specifically, the study collects data from 656 students and 61 randomly selected teachers at both levels and uses multilevel modeling to explain relationship patterns. Findings The results show that institutions vary significantly in student engagement scores. In addition, while a significant variation is found at the student and classroom level, the effects of academic achievement, instructional quality, teaching experience and teacher qualifications on student engagement vary across classrooms in institutions. However, the interaction effect of classroom and student-level variables on student engagement remains non-significant. Originality/value The main contribution of this lies in the explanation of student engagement using classroom and student level factors in a vertically differentiated higher education system using multilevel modeling. Student engagement varied in classrooms research universities applied and comprehensive universities.
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Peace Education and Conflict Prevention in Somalia - Mohamed, Abdiwahid Hussein (Multidisciplinary Journal of Horseed International University (MJHIU), 2024)
This study focused on Peace Education and Conflict Prevention in Somalia. The specific objectives of the study were to find out the different perceptions of the Somali people on peace education and conflict prevention in Somalia, to explore the importance of peace education in conflict prevention in Somalia and to determine the relationship between peace education and conflict prevention in Somalia. The study used qualitative research design using documentary analysis of various perspectives of the Somali people and that of scholars. The goal of the researcher was to expose the perspective of Somali educators on the importance of peace education and the possible causes and consequences of the conflict as well as the relationship that exist between peace education and conflict in Somalia. This study carried out a critical review of existing literature with in-depth interviews with key informants from the education sector. By employing qualitative approach in the study, the researcher carried out a thorough investigation into a wide range of secondary. Data was collected via the use of documentary review and interview guide. The study also relied on secondary data from textbooks, journals, and academic papers. The main findings of the study revealed that that peace education contributes to conflict prevention in Somalia. This was clearly revealed from the finding of the study where majority of the respondents an overwhelming majority of over (90%) of the participants in the study showed positive and relevant perception about peace education being the best tool that can be used to prevent conflict in Somalia, the study revealed that (100%) of the participants in the study agreed that peace education is vastly important in as far as conflict prevention is concerned in Somalia and lastly the study revealed that (100%) of the participants agreed and noted that peace education is related to conflict prevention. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education of the Federal Republic of Somalia and should reform and revise the current secondary and primary schools curriculum and then incorporate peace education with all the required contents which are instrumental in providing in-depth knowledge and skills to prevent conflict in Somalia, the Ministry of Education of Somalia should review the structure of the peace education programme goals, and its organization in order to bear fruits it is prepared for. Teachers, students, and parents are not familiar with the target goals and structure of peace education in Somalia. It is in this context that the program is still unpopular among these groups of people and the Federal Government of Somalia should ensure proper and timely training of teachers on peace education.
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Peace Education and Conflict Prevention in Somalia - Mohamed, Abdiwahid Hussein (Multidisciplinary Journal of Horseed International University (MJHIU), 2024)
This study focused on Peace Education and Conflict Prevention in Somalia. The specific objectives of the study were to find out the different perceptions of the Somali people on peace education and conflict prevention in Somalia, to explore the importance of peace education in conflict prevention in Somalia and to determine the relationship between peace education and conflict prevention in Somalia. The study used qualitative research design using documentary analysis of various perspectives of the Somali people and that of scholars. The goal of the researcher was to expose the perspective of Somali educators on the importance of peace education and the possible causes and consequences of the conflict as well as the relationship that exist between peace education and conflict in Somalia. This study carried out a critical review of existing literature with in-depth interviews with key informants from the education sector. By employing qualitative approach in the study, the researcher carried out a thorough investigation into a wide range of secondary. Data was collected via the use of documentary review and interview guide. The study also relied on secondary data from textbooks, journals, and academic papers. The main findings of the study revealed that that peace education contributes to conflict prevention in Somalia. This was clearly revealed from the finding of the study where majority of the respondents an overwhelming majority of over (90%) of the participants in the study showed positive and relevant perception about peace education being the best tool that can be used to prevent conflict in Somalia, the study revealed that (100%) of the participants in the study agreed that peace education is vastly important in as far as conflict prevention is concerned in Somalia and lastly the study revealed that (100%) of the participants agreed and noted that peace education is related to conflict prevention. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education of the Federal Republic of Somalia and should reform and revise the current secondary and primary schools curriculum and then incorporate peace education with all the required contents which are instrumental in providing in-depth knowledge and skills to prevent conflict in Somalia, the Ministry of Education of Somalia should review the structure of the peace education programme goals, and its organization in order to bear fruits it is prepared for. Teachers, students, and parents are not familiar with the target goals and structure of peace education in Somalia. It is in this context that the program is still unpopular among these groups of people and the Federal Government of Somalia should ensure proper and timely training of teachers on peace education.
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Staff perception on including students with physical disabilities at a South African university - Mphohoni, Mashudu R.; Geiger, Martha; Visagie, Surona; Manafe, Mashudu (African Journal of Disability, 2024)
Background: International and local policy frameworks on disability promote inclusive higher education practices for students with disabilities (SWD). However, the actual application of these frameworks concerning students with physical disabilities (SWPD) in any School of Health Care Sciences (SHCS) is uncertain in South African universities.Objectives: This study aimed to explore the perceptions of academic and admission staff on the inclusion of SWPD in SHCS at a South African university. The study was carried out at a University of Health Sciences in South Africa.Method: A qualitative study in which respondents (n = 12) were interviewed in depth about their perceptions on the inclusion of SWPD in the SHCS. Thematic analysis was used in the data assessment.Results: The results revealed three main themes: policy discourse, environmental effects on inclusion and SWPD enrolment. Respondents reported the lack of a disability inclusion policy and disability unit to support SWD in general. The respondents also noted that there were environmental challenges that could potentially affect the inclusion of SWPD in SHCS study programmes. Respondents also indicated that there was no SWPD enrolment as the university’s current inclusion and/or quota system does not include SWD.Conclusion: The findings of the study showed a lack of disability inclusion policy, environmental challenges and lack of SWPD enrolment. Based on the study findings, it can be concluded that inclusion of SWPD at this university may be negatively influenced.Contribution: The study findings contribute to the field of disability and the inclusion of SWPD in higher education institutions (HEIs).
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TRAINING SCHOOL MANAGERS, AN APPROACH TO IMPROVING TEACHING QUALITY: PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL MANAGERS AND TEACHERS FROM FOUR PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE - Mubai, Marta da Glória da Conceição; Manuel, Alzira (Revista Ibero-Americana de Humanidades, Ciências e Educação, 2024)
O presente estudo analisa as percepções dos gestores e professores do ensino primário de quatro escolas públicas do município de Ka Mpfumo (duas), Lhamankulu (uma) e Ka-Mubukwana (uma), em Maputo, Moçambique, em relação à capacitação em gestão escolar em que os gestores participaram. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo que apresenta resultados parciais de um estudo realizado no âmbito dos estudos de doutoramento em Educação. O estudo usou entrevistas semi-estruturadas e teve como respondentes quatro gestores escolares e oito professores. Para a selecção das escolas e dos respondentes foi utilizado o processo de amostragem intencional, tendo sido seleccionados directores de escolas que beneficiaram do curso de formação de gestores escolares no Instituto de Formação de Professores em Maputo, no período 2014-2017 e professores que trabalharam nestas escolas antes e depois da capacitação dos gestores. O estudo entre outros aspectos, revelou que os entrevistados reconhecem a importância e a necessidade da formação contínua de gestores escolares. Perceberam que a formação contínua dos gestores escolares contribui, não só para a actualização dos conhecimentos adquiridos no passado, entre os participantes, mas principalmente para o desenvolvimento de novas competências para uma gestão inovadora, proactiva, democrática e flexível. Os resultados também mostraram que o facto de a metodologia usada na formação ter sido a Aprendizagem Baseada em Projectos contribuiu, em grande medida, para que os gestores (formandos) pudessem ter a oportunidade de reflectir sobre problemas reais que afectam as suas instituições, e exercitarem possíveis soluções.
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Leah Ndimurwino, Michaela Jahnig, The Impact of Climate Change in the Southern African Region and Statelessness (Skutki zmian klimatycznych w regionie Afryki Południowej a zjawisko bezpaństwowości), „African Human Mobility Review” 2022, vol. 8, no. 3 - Narożniak, Agnieszka (Studia Prawa Publicznego, 2024)
Leah Ndimurwino, Michaela Jahnig, The Impact of Climate Change in the Southern African Region and Statelessness (Skutki zmian klimatycznych w regionie Afryki Południowej a zjawisko bezpaństwowości), „African Human Mobility Review” 2022, vol. 8, no. 3, s. 94–128, https://doi.org/10.14426/ahmr.v8i3.1134
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Students’ English Language Acquisition and their Proficiency Improvement at IPRC Kigali, Rwanda - Noel, Megan; Claude, M.; -, Jambo Jean d’Amour; -, Ndikubwimana Faustin; -, Dukundane Jean Paul; -, Ntandayera Jean Baptiste (International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research, 2024)
This study entitled “Students’ English Language Acquisition and their Proficiency Improvement at IPRC Kigali, Rwanda”, was carried out to evaluate the effect of students’ English language acquisition on their proficiency improvement at IPRC Kigali, Rwanda. It had three (3) specific objectives which were to: assess strategies used for teaching English Language at IPRC Kigali, identify ways in which IPRC Kigali students use to learn English as a language of instruction, as well as identifying factors affecting English acquisition as the second language at IPRC Kigali. The methodology that was used in data collection is descriptive survey. Purposive and stratified random were used as sampling techniques. Questionnaires were used as data collection instruments. The sample size was determined by Slovin’s Formula as the population size is definite. 153 students were selected to answer to research questions. 93 of them responded and returned questionnaires. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS software. The study came up with the following findings: The mostly used strategies for the English Language Acquisition at IPRC Kigali include lecturers creating the learner-centered classroom to set students’ learning responsibilities (79.6%), and building in students’ motivation including value, self-efficacy and attributions (75.2%). The most ways in which IPRC Kigali students use to Learn English as a language of instruction include imitation (100%), repetition and practice to pronounce words and memorize them (100) conversations and discussions with colleagues and lecturers (76.4%), using English in different situations like in meetings, in shopping malls, ... and other extra-curricular activities (75.2%). It has also been revealed that age (76.3%), attitude towards English (67.8%), motivation (100%), first language proficiency (89.3%), technology (100%), and Intellectual capacity (86.0%) affect the Acquisition of English as a Second Language. It has been recommended that It is of paramount importance to enhance teaching of English as a subject but also keeping in mind that this is a Medium of Instruction in Rwanda. Lecturers should interlink this philosophy with methodologies and strategies that allow students to take lead in the teaching and learning process. Lecturers should consider the students’ individual differences to help them improve individually. Drama and play should also be integrated in teaching and learning/acquisition of English to improve students’ speaking skills through performance.
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Assessment of HPV Knowledge and Awareness among Students and Staff at IBB University, Niger State, Nigeria: Implications for Health Education and Prevention - Ogbolu, Melvin Omone; Kozlovszky, Miklós (Healthcare, 2024)
In Nigeria, statistics reveal that there is a high rate of cervical cancer among women and a significant lack of awareness surrounding Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which poses a substantial risk of HPV infection. This cross-sectional survey, conducted at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) University, focuses on adapting and exploring the factors that influence a 20-item scale to measure HPV knowledge, evaluating knowledge-associated patterns and HPV-associated risk factors. We examined HPV vaccination rates, infection awareness, vaccine awareness, and the impact of ethnicity on HPV knowledge. Various validated forms were adapted to measure HPV awareness and knowledge. Non-parametric tests addressed non-normality. Data were presented using median and IQR and categorical data were frequency-based. Bivariate tests (Mann–Witney, Kruskal Wallis) explored knowledge-associated factors, while quantile regression (75th percentile) examined HPV knowledge factors. Variables were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. The adapted 20-item knowledge scale revealed strong reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.913), ensuring internal consistency. The median knowledge score was 0, with an interquartile range (IQR) of 0–5. Our findings revealed a significant lack of awareness and knowledge about HPV; only 34.8% of the population were aware of HPV infection and 25.0% were familiar with HPV vaccination. Furthermore, ethnicity was found to be significantly associated with knowledge of HPV. This study emphasizes the necessity for targeted interventions to enhance HPV awareness, especially within specific ethnic groups. Despite a robust knowledge scale, educational initiatives such as seminars/conferences about HPV and cervical cancer remain crucial in addressing this gap, ultimately reducing HPV infection and cervical cancer risks in Nigeria.
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From Constraints to Control: The French Language Classroom in Multilingual Nigeria - Olaseinde, Felicia Olufemi; Olaseinde, Basirat Oluwafunmilayo (International journal of education, learning and development, 2024)
There are several issues associated with the teaching and learning of French Language in an Anglophone environment like Nigeria. For effective `interaction with the neighbouring countries, Nigerian citizens need the knowledge of French language. Nigeria is an Anglophone country that is surrounded by francophone countries. French Language teachers face a lot of issues while carrying out their day to day activities in the classroom. Some of them include mother tongue interference, lack of use of instructional materials, challenges of the modern technological facilities, confusion of the target French Language, hostile environmental issues, psychological issues, teachers’ personal issues and that of the learners etc. All these issues seem to affect the learning processes in the French Language classrooms. All the above constraints contribute to the poor performance of French language in Nigerian schools; this has led to poor academic achievement of students in French language which has spilled over to poor performance of students in both internal and external examinations.
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Work Climate and Students’ Academic Achievement in Catholic Secondary Schools in Ogun State, Nigeria - Onafowope, M. A.; Egwunyenga, E. J.; Anho, Joseph Efe (International journal of education, learning and development, 2024)
This research investigated work climate and students’ academic achievement in Catholic secondary schools in Ogun State. Two research questions guided the investigation. It employed a correlational survey method adopting ex-post-facto design. The participants included thirty-six principals and vice-principals working in all the Catholic secondary schools in Ogun State. The sample for the study consists of the total population, principals and vice principals in Catholic secondary schools in Ogun State. Census sampling method was utilized for the research. Questionnaire and checklist were self-developed by the researcher. The checklist titled “Students’ Academic Achievement Checklist” (SAAC), was utilized to gather data on students’ academic achievement using the promotional results of 2021, 2022 and 2023. The checklist was evaluated from A1 to F9, with D7 to F9 denoting failure and A1 to C6 showing a pass rating while questionnaire titled “Work Climate and Academic Achievement” Questionnaire, (WCAA)” was used by the researcher to gather information from the respondents. Mean scores and standard deviation, were employed to answer research questions. The finding in the study identified substantial connection between school environment and academic achievement of learners in Catholic secondary education in Lagos State. Moreover, a favourable relationship between conducive environments and higher academic achievement was established. The study highlights the interaction between school environment, retention of teachers and academic attainment of students, emphasizing their benefit in the context of Catholic secondary schools in Ogun State. Arising from this research, it was suggested among others that Catholic schools in Ogun State should strive to boost a positive school environment for both tutors and learners. Schools should apply various ways to retain effective, hardworking and experienced teachers. In addition, schools should continuously assess the standard of academic achievement, school environment, and human resource management practices.
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A Tapestry of Human-Induced and Climate-Driven Environmental Change in Western Uganda: The Ndali Crater Lakes Region - Schmidt, Peter; Walz, Jonathan R.; Besigye, Jackline Nyiracyiza; Lejju, Julius Bunny (History in Africa, 2024)
Abstract Recent archaeological and paleoenvironmental research in the Ndali Crater Lakes Region (NCLR) of western Uganda provide important new insights into anthropogenic impacts on moist forests to the East of the Rwenzori Mountains. This research significantly changes previous interpretations of paleoenvironmental records in western Uganda and helps to distinguish climate change from human impacts. By drawing on multiple sources such as historical linguistics, archaeological evidence, and environmental proxies for change, a new picture emerges for a region that was a cultural crossroads for early Bantu-speakers and Central Sudanic-speakers between 400 BCE and 1000 CE. Detailed archaeological data and well-dated sites provide fine-grained evidence that closely fits episodes of significant environmental change, including a later and separate phase of forest clearance, soil degradation, and lake pollution caused by the saturation of the landscape by Bigo-related populations between 1300 and 1650 CE. Fresque de changements environnementaux induits par l’homme et le climat dans l’ouest de l’Ouganda : la région des lacs du cratère de Ndali
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Analysing Factors Inhibiting Teacher Leadership Initiatives in Lesotho Secondary Schools Sepiriti Sepiriti - Sepiriti, Sepiriti (European journal of educational management, 2024)
Some secondary school principals are complaining about teachers’ reluctance to participate in any activities beyond classroom teaching. To understand this phenomenon, the study attempts to explore the inhibiting factors that hinder teachers in selected secondary schools in the Maseru district from supporting and engaging in teacher leadership (TL) activities. This qualitative inquiry is underpinned by the critical theory (CT), which among others aims at revealing the core factors that contributed to teachers’ lack of enthusiasm in performing various TL related activities. Also, to suggest strategies that could pioneer a change in teachers’ attitudes towards participation in school leadership beyond teaching. The study generated data from ten (10) purposively selected secondary school teachers. Using the thematic analysis method, despite participating teachers being able to conceptualise TL, they cited that, factors including; unmanageable teaching loads, inadequate induction, and use of top-down leadership approaches inhibited TL initiatives. To mitigate the abovementioned factors, participants suggested the creation of a supportive school environment, teacher training and recognition.
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Online education and learning management system usage in a South African Economic and management faculty during COVID-19 - Sims, Danica Anne (E-learning and Digital Media, 2024)
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the rapid move of Higher Education from face-to-face to online formats worldwide; initially referred to as emergency remote teaching. As Higher Education transitions into a “new normal” of online and blended education, how educators had transitioned to online spaces at an historically Black and disadvantaged university in South Africa was explored; more specifically, how educators were using the Sakai learning management system (LMS)/virtual learning environment (VLE). This study investigated the instructional design and educational-soundness of online pedagogical practices. To this end, forty-eight (48) online undergraduate course sites from an Ecnomic and Management Sciences faculty were reviewed from nine departments and programmes, according to socio-constructivist and Universal Design of Learning (UDL) principles. It was found that Sakai LMS/VLE tool usage was skewed towards administrative, evaluative and management functions over pedagogical functions: communication (83%), evaluation (83%), content (71%), monitoring (67%), and collaboration (52%). While most courses included varied types of learning activities, they were dominated by traditional and passive approaches, and less inter/active approaches: acquisition (89%), practice (71%), production (64%), discussion (35%), collaboration (31%), and investigation (8%). The results from this study will guide future staff development initiatives to improve LMS/VLE instructional design and online educational practice. Future research includes qualitative exploration of both staff and student experiences. Implications for equity, social justice and transformation in South African Higher Education, and related contexts, are emphasised.
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A New Assessment Approach for High School Students in Cameroon - TUEBUE, Jean Christophe FOPOUSSI (International journal of positivity & well-being (Online), 2024)
The purpose of this study was to provide the Cameroonian educational community with a new evaluation approach capable of including in the mentalities of students entering the first year of the second cycle in secondary education. To do this, we carried out, in turn, a bibliographic work, data collection in the field, then data processing, followed by the drafting of the final document. Evaluation approaches in the Cameroonian education system are changing. Parents, teachers, and administrators of academic institutions deplore the behavior of students entering the first year of upper secondary school; in fact, they shine with their casualness. For them, the context, due to the absence of an official exam at the end of the school year, makes the level concerned a level of resting. The project-based evaluation system appears here as a solution trial that should be responsible for creating a challenge, specific to the second cycle. Thus, facing this reality, students will have to understand that a new variety of efforts are now required of them to leave the second cycle with solid skills in the conducting projects. The project based evaluation system will count for the third quarter. His mark will represent 75% of the final mark for the subject.
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Intelligent assessment of building damage of 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquake by multiple remote sensing approaches - Yu, Xiao; Hu, Xie; Song, Yuqi; Xu, Susu; Li, Xuechun; Song, Xiaodong; Fan, Xuanmei; Wang, Fang (npj Natural Hazards, 2024)
Abstract A catastrophic Mw7.8 earthquake hit southeast Turkey and northwest Syria on February 6th, 2023, leading to more than 44 k deaths and 160 k building collapses. The interpretation of earthquake-triggered building damage is usually subjective, labor intensive, and limited by accessibility to the sites and the availability of instant, high-resolution images. Here we propose a multi-class damage detection (MCDD) model enlightened by artificial intelligence to synergize four variables, i.e., amplitude dispersion index (ADI) and damage proxy (DP) map derived from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images, the change of the normalized difference built-up index (NDBI) derived from optical remote sensing images, as well as peak ground acceleration (PGA). This approach allows us to characterize damage on a large, tectonic scale and a small, individual-building scale. The integration of multiple variables in classifying damage levels into no damage, slight damage, and serious damage (including partial or complete collapses) excels the traditional practice of solely use of DP by 11.25% in performance. Our proposed approach can quantitatively and automatically sort out different building damage levels from publicly available satellite observations, which helps prioritize the rescue mission in response to emergent disasters.
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South African Journal of Education (2024)
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The use of brown mussel as bioindicator of pesticides pollution in Agadir Bay (Southern Morocco) - Agnaou, Mustapha; Alla, Aicha Ait; Nadir, Muhammad; Mourabit, Y. El; Bazzi, L.; Moukrim, Abdellatif (Tropical Ecology, 2024)
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Machine Learning-Based Analysis of Academic Performance Determinants in Somaliland: Insights from the 2021/2022 National Secondary School Exams - Ali, Mohamed Mutasim Mohamed; Muse, Abdisalam Hassan; Chesneau, Christophe (Operations Research Forum, 2024)
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Editorial: Water-smart crop farming: a holistic approach to its practice as a climate change adaptation strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa - Amankwaa-Yeboah, Patricia; Yeboah, Stephen; Oppong-Sekyere, D. (2024)
EDITORIAL article Front. Sustain. Food Syst., 14 March 2024Sec. Water-Smart Food Production Volume 8 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1378191
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Influence of improvement strategies on teachers’ perceived teaching effectiveness in calabar metropolis of cross river state, nigeria. - Atah, Abanyam Victoria; Onya, Edu Grace; Edet, Kingsley Charles (Global Journal of Educational Research, 2024)
The main purpose of this study was to examine the influence of improvement strategies on teachers’ perceived teaching effectiveness in Calabar Metropolis of Cross River State, Nigeria. The research design that was adopted in the conduct of this study is the Ex-Post Facto research design. Ex-post Facto research design is a design where the researcher does not have direct control of the independent variables, because their manifestation has already occurred. The variables involved in the study cannot be manipulated. The population of this study comprised all 6 principals, 72 vice principals and 1290 secondary school teachers in 21 public secondary schools in Calabar Metropolis (State Secondary Education Board, Cross River State, 2021). Calabar Metropolis consist of two Local Government Areas; namely, Calabar South and Calabar Municipality respectively). There are 8 public secondary schools in Calabar South and 16 public secondary schools in Calabar Municipality. Three research questions were poised and three statement of hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A sample of 309 respondents was used in the study using Taro Yamane’s formula. The instruments that were used for data collection were a questionnaire titled Improvement Strategies; Principals’ Role Scale (ISPRS) and Teachers’ Teaching Effectiveness Questionnaire (TTEQ) designed by the researchers. The instrument that was used for data collection is a questionnaire titled Improvement Strategies and Principals’ Role Scale (ISPRS). The instrument comprised two sections A and B. Section A of the instrument consists of demographic sub-variables meant to obtain personal information about the subjects used in this study. Section B comprised 15-structured items questionnaire covering the sub-variables, in a four-point modified Likert Scale items. The internal consistency of the research instrument (ISQ) was tested using the Cronbach Alpha reliability estimate method. The statistical tool used for analysis is one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that there was significant influence of in-service training, motivation and teachers’ involvement in decision-making on teaching effectiveness in public secondary schools in the study area. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that teachers should be exposed to regular in-service training to help them acquire the requisite skills that will make them productive in their service delivery.
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Factors associated with Covid-19 vaccine acceptance among persons with disabilities: A cross-sectional study in Ghana - Atta-Osei, Godfred; Acheampong, Enoch; Gyaase, Daniel; Tawiah, Rebecca; Gyaase, Theresah Ivy; Adade, Rexford Bempong; Fofie, Douglas; Owusu, Isaac Kofi; Mprah, Wisdom Kwadwo (PLOS global public health, 2024)
Background While COVID-19 has had a wide-ranging impact on individuals and societies, persons with disabilities are uniquely affected largely due to secondary health conditions and challenges in adhering to protective measures. However, research on COVID-19 and vaccine acceptance has primarily focused on the general population and healthcare workers but has specifically not targeted PwDs, who are more vulnerable within societies. Hence, this study assessed PwDs knowledge of COVID-19 and factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among PwDs in the Atwima Mponua District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Respondents were sampled systematically and data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed with STATA version 16.0. Descriptive analysis was done using means and proportions. The chi-square test and Logistic regression were used to assess Covid-19 vaccine acceptance among the respondents. Results 250 PwDs were recruited for the study. A higher proportion of the respondents were females, physically impaired, and between 30–50 years. The majority (74%) of the PwDs had average knowledge about Covid-19. Factors such as age, educational level and type of disability were significantly associated with PwDs’ knowledge of COVID-19. The acceptance rate for COVID-19 among PwDs was 71.2%. Age, religion, knowledge of COVID-19, and educational level were significantly associated with Covid-19 vaccine acceptance. Persons with disabilities with low and average knowledge of COVID-19 were 95% and 65%, respectively, less likely to accept the vaccine compared to those with high knowledge of COVID-19 (AOR = 0.05, 95%CI: 0.01, 0.21; AOR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.12, 1.03). Older people and those with higher education were more likely to accept the vaccine compared to younger people and those with no or less education. Conclusion Persons with disabilities have average knowledge of COVID-19 and a greater percentage of them were willing to accept the vaccine. The study identified age, religion, knowledge of COVID-19, and educational level as contributing factors to their willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. This suggest that PwDs will lean positive toward COVID-19 vaccine programs and as such, vaccination programs should target them.
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Hydro-meteorological response to climate change impact in Ethiopia: a review - Chanie, Kassaw Muluye (Journal of Water and Climate Change, 2024)
Abstract Climate change poses significant challenges to water resources and streamflow in Ethiopia, a country highly dependent on agriculture and vulnerable to environmental shifts. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge on climate change impacts on streamflow in Ethiopia, emphasizing factors driving these changes and drawing insights from relevant studies. The analysis encompasses hydrological responses to climate change, including alterations in precipitation patterns, temperature fluctuations, and changes in water availability. Additionally, the study examines the impact of land use changes on streamflow dynamics. Comparative insights from neighboring countries and river basins further illuminate the broader regional implications of climate change on water resources According to the previous research reviewed in this paper, climate change, land use change, and increment in extreme events (drought) have affected the stream flow over the last decades. The findings underscore the urgent need for adaptive strategies and sustainable water management practices to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on streamflow and ensure water security in Ethiopia and beyond.
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Dataset of the suitability of major food crops in Africa under climate change - Chemura, Abel; Gleixner, Stephanie; Gornott, Christoph (Scientific Data, 2024)
Abstract Understanding the extent and adapting to the impacts of climate change in the agriculture sector in Africa requires robust data on which technical and policy decisions can be based. However, there are no publicly available comprehensive data of which crops are suitable where under current and projected climate conditions for impact assessments and targeted adaptation planning. We developed a dataset on crop suitability of 23 major food crops (eight cereals, six legumes & pulses, six root & tuber crops, and three in banana-related family) for rainfed agriculture in Africa in terms of area and produced quantity. This dataset is based on the EcoCrop model parameterized with temperature, precipitation and soil data and is available for the historical period and until mid-century. The scenarios used for future projections are SSP1:RCP2.6, SSP3:RCP7.0 and SSP5:RCP8.5. The dataset provides a quantitative assessment of the impacts of climate change on crop production potential and can enable applications and linkages of crop impact studies to other socioeconomic aspects, thereby facilitating more comprehensive understanding of climate change impacts and assessment of options for building resilience.
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Fuzzy Logic-Based Landslide Susceptibility Mapping in Earthquake-Prone Areas: A Case Study of the Mila Basin, Algeria - Chettah, Wahid; Mezhoud, Samia; Baadeche, Mohamed; Hadji, Riheb (Russian Geology and Geophysics, 2024)
Abstract —This research focuses on analyzing landslides triggered by a moderate earthquake (Mw = 4.9) in the northeastern region of the Mila province, which resulted in significant damage and economic losses in the El Kherba district and Grarem Gouga city. Through an extensive field-based investigation, a comprehensive inventory of landslides has been compiled. To assess the susceptibility to landslides triggered by seismic activity, a GIS-based fuzzy logic model was employed. The model incorporates various input factors, such as lithology, slope angle, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), distance from rivers and roads, precipitation, and seismic hazard, which is shown on a map. The study compares the performance of different fuzzy operators and gamma values and determines that using fuzzy gamma operators with a gamma value of 0.8 yields a satisfactory consistency with the distribution of landslides. Moreover, incorporating the map of seismic hazard as a causative factor enhances the accuracy of landslide susceptibility mapping. This study underscores the utility of the fuzzy logic model in disaster management and the planning of development activities.
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Contribution of edible indigenous woody plants as a coping strategy during drought periods in the southeast lowveld of Zimbabwe: a review - Chinomona, Ruth R.; Kupika, Olga L.; Gandiwa, Edson; Muboko, Never (Frontiers in climate, 2024)
Climatic change related extreme events such as droughts negatively affect local communities in the semi-arid savanna ecosystems. This study mainly records and analyses local knowledge on the use of edible indigenous woody plant species by local communities during drought periods, as a coping strategy, in southeast lowveld of Zimbabwe. Secondary data on utilization of edible indigenous woody plants were gathered from literature sources focusing mainly on the southeast lowveld parts of Zimbabwe and covering the period 2000–2019. Quantitative ethnobotanical data analysis involved computing the frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC) and family importance value (FIV) to determine the local significance of indigenous woody plant species. A total of 23 species from 12 families were recorded as being used during drought periods with key species including baobab ( Adansonia digitata ), bird plum ( Tamarindus indica ), corky-monkey orange ( Strychnos cocculoides ) and black monkey orange ( Strychnos madagascariensis ). Major use categories were food, medicine, and livestock feed. The study findings points to the need for embracing indigenous woody plants as a buffer against drought in semi-arid parts of the savanna. Future projects should focus on developing innovative strategies such as value addition and promoting sustainable use and restoration of non-wood forest products as part of livelihood diversification under drought situations.
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Using resampled nSight-2 hyperspectral data and various machine learning classifiers for discriminating wetland plant species in a Ramsar Wetland site, South Africa - Gasela, Mchasisi; Kganyago, Mahlatse; Jager, G. de (Applied Geomatics, 2024)
Abstract Mapping wetland ecosystems at the species level provides critical information for understanding the nutrient cycle, carbon sequestration, retention and purification of water, waste treatment and pollution control. However, wetland ecosystems are threatened by climate variability and change and anthropogenic activities; thus, their assessment and monitoring have become critical to inform proper management interventions. Contemporary studies show that satellite-based Earth observation (EO) has significant potential for achieving this task. While many multispectral EO data are freely and readily available, its broad spectral bands limit its utility in differentiating subtle differences among similar plant species. In contrast, hyperspectral data has a high spectral resolution, which is superior in discerning minute differences in similar plant species. However, this data is associated with high dimensionality and multicollinearity, which negatively affect the performance of traditional, parametric classification algorithms. To this end, machine algorithms are often preferred to classify hyperspectral data due to their robustness to various data distributions and noise. The current study compared the performance of three advanced machine learning classifiers, i.e., Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), in discriminating four dominant wetland plant species, i.e., Crocosmia sp., Grasses, Agapanthus sp. and Cyperus sp. using simulated hyperspectral data from an upcoming sensor, i.e., nSight-2. The results revealed that SVM is superior, with an overall accuracy of 93.18% (and class-wise accuracies > 85%). In comparison, there were minor differences in the performances of RF and PLS-DA, i.e., 84.09% and 83.63%, respectively. Overall, the results demonstrated that all the evaluated classifiers could achieve acceptable mapping accuracies. However, SVM is more robust, providing exceptional accuracies, and should be considered for operational mapping once the sensor is in space.
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Scaling Up Private Sector Financing for Climate Change Adaptation in Zimbabwe: A Brief Literature Review - Hlatshwayo, Edson; Qutieshat, Abubaker (International Journal of Humanity and Social Sciences, 2024)
Developing countries such as Zimbabwe that are highly vulnerable to climate change, are struggling to close the funding gap for climate change adaptation largely due to constrained fiscal space, and also the inadequate climate finance flows from developed countries. This article reviews the existing literature relevant to closing the climate finance gap in Zimbabwe through scaling up funding from the private sector funding. The literature shows that current private sector flows for climate finance are far below what is required to meet the needs of the country. The paper presents literature review findings, and also identifies solutions for unlocking more domestic private sector finance for climate change adaptation. The findings of the study contribute towards informing government policy on climate change particularly with regards to the mobilization of additional finance.
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Petrology of volcano-sedimentary deposits from Mayo Mbota, west of the Cretaceous Babouri-Figuil basin, North Cameroon - Lévis, Tchomsinba Il; Ondoa, Augustin Désiré Balla; Atouba, Lise Carole Okomo; Aminatou, Fagny Mefire; Nkouandou, Faarouck Oumarou (Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2024)
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Petrology of volcano-sedimentary deposits from Mayo Mbota, west of the Cretaceous Babouri-Figuil basin, North Cameroon - Lévis, Tchomsinba Il; Ondoa, Augustin Désiré Balla; Atouba, Lise Carole Okomo; Aminatou, Fagny Mefire; Nkouandou, Faarouck Oumarou (Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2024)
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Assessment on Climate Variability Trends and Small-holder Farmer-Adaptation Strategies: A case of Guagusa Shikudad Woreda, Awi Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia - Mekonnen, Addisu Dagnaw (Research Square (Research Square), 2024)
Abstract Climate change is a global phenomenon that involves the long-term fluctuation of the Earth's climate system. Specifically, climate variability is one of the pressing environmental problems in the world, since it has been showing a drastic fluctuation from the usual condition in some parameters. This study examined trends in climate variability and adaptation strategies of small farmers: A case of Guagusa Shikudad Woreda, Awi Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Cross-sectional research designs were used to collect information from 271 randomly selected households in two rural kebeles. Multistage sampling techniques were used to purposely select the study area and random sampling to select households. Primary and secondary data collection methods were used. A long period of climate data (temperature and rainfall) was obtained from the National Aeronautic Space Administration (NASA) (1981-2021). Descriptive statistics and the Mann-Kendall trend test were used to analyze the data.The study results indicate that small farmers perceived that there is variability in climate parameters (temperature and rainfall) with frequent drought and rainfall intensity characteristics in recent decades. The Mann-Kendall test indicated that mean annual rainfall does not have significant level of climate variability and Sen's slope estimator test shows that the temperature of maximum and minimum climate data has an increasing trend. A descriptive analysis was used to summarize farmer perceptions, to see the actual seasonal/annual variability of rainfall and temperature, and to identify the different adaptation responses to climate variability. Crop diversification, grow crops that mature early, implement nonfarm agriculture activities, use of inorganic fertilizer, applying soil and water conservation mechanism, etc. were identified as major important adaptation strategies implemented by smallholder farmers. Therefore, it is concluded that there is climate variability in terms of temperature and rainfall in the study area and farmers implement various climate adaptation strategies. This study suggests that it is necessary to reduce the challenges facing farmers to implement different adaptation strategies and implement appropriate climate variability adaptation strategies that increase the resilience of small farmers to climate variability.
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Entrepreneurship education landscape in selected universities in Ghana - Mensah-Williams, Enoch; Derera, Evelyn (2024)
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Library Facilities And Classroom Environment: Viable Tools For Instructional Efficiency Toward Better Academic Performance Of Primary School Pupils Akamkpa Lga, Cross River State-Nigeria - Michael, Monity Flora; Tom, Abam Oyobo Gladys (Global Journal of Educational Research, 2024)
The study is on library facilities and classroom environment: viable tools for instructional efficiency towards better academic performance of pupils in primary schools in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. This study was carried out with two research objectives and corresponding research questions and hypotheses. The research adopted ex-post facto research design. The research sample comprised 318 primary six pupils drawn from the population of the study. Data for the study was collected through two instruments which include a questionnaire titled, Learning Facilities and Academic Performance Questionnaire (LFAPQ), and Pupils’ Achievement Test (PAT). Data collected were analyzed statistically through the use of simple regression analysis. Major findings drawn from the study revealed that there is a significant influence of library facilities and classroom environment on instructional efficiency towards better academic performance of primary school pupils in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State. Hence, it was recommended that heads of school and other education stakeholders should team up to ensure books are accessible in their school library for effective learning. The government should assist in corroboration with the other education agencies to provide quality classroom with well-equipped facilities to help improve learning.
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Context-relevant strategies for ICT integration in teaching and learning science subjects in Tanzania secondary schools - Ngodu, Abdallah; Ndibalema, Placidius; William, Francis (Educational Technology Quarterly, 2024)
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can improve science teaching and learning. However, understanding the contexts in which ICT is intended to be integrated for its effectiveness is limited. Therefore, the current study explored context-relevant strategies and challenges for ICT integration in the teaching and learning science subjects in secondary schools in Tanzania. Exploratory sequential design under mixed methods guided the study's conduct. 52 participants (45 science teachers, six heads of schools and one municipal education officer) were purposefully and conveniently involved. Data were collected in two phases: 1st phase was qualitative data through in-depth interviews, 2nd phase was quantitative data through a questionnaire. Thematic analysis guided qualitative data analysis where MS Excel in the form of pivotal charts were used to present the frequency of the responses. SPSS version 27 guided the quantitative data analysis, presenting the output descriptively. Participants presented various context-relevant strategies, including capacity building for teachers, building and equipping computer labs with ICT facilities, maintaining and repairing defective computers, deploying educational technology experts, and making ICT compulsory at all levels of education. On the other hand, participants identified a lack of ICT facilities, limited ICT training opportunities, and digital content as context-relevant challenges for ICT integration in science teaching and learning. The study recommends rigorous pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes on ICT pedagogical integration for science teaching and learning based on these findings. Again, we recommend the improvement of ICT infrastructure in schools to enhance the availability, access, and use of science teaching and learning. The study concludes that if sufficient infrastructures are available and science teachers are equipped with ICT knowledge, teaching and learning of science subjects will be effective.
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Academic language proficiency of student teachers in a Namibian University - Shingenge, Frieda N. (South African Journal of Childhood Education, 2024)
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Outcomes of the MAMA Training: A Simulation and Experiential Learning Intervention for Labor and Delivery Providers to Improve Respectful Maternity Care for Women Living with HIV in Tanzania - Watt, Melissa H.; Marchand, Virginie; Barabara, Mariam L.; Minja, Linda; Stephens, Maya J.; Hanson, Olivia R.; Mlay, Pendo; Olomi, Gaudensia A.; Kiwia, Janeth F.; Mmbaga, Blandina T.; Cohen, Susanna R. (AIDS and Behavior, 2024)
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In-Service Primary School Teacher Training Programmes in South Sudan - Wawa, Yosa (International journal of social science and human research, 2024)
During the war of independence, it was found that South Sudan had one of the worst educational indicators. About sixty percent of the teachers were untrained and many of them were primary school drop-outs. The Government of the Republic of South Sudan addressed this problem in various ways including pre-service, in-service teacher training and accelerated learning programmes. This paper investigates the in-service and accelerated learning teacher training programmes. Data was collected from various NGO reports, interviews with persons directly involved in primary teacher training in South Sudan and secondary literature. The in-service and accelerated teacher training programmes generally resulted in raising the level of education and training of the serving but untrained teachers in South Sudan.
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Sierra Leone Human Capital Review: Maximizing Human Potential for Resilience and Inclusive Development (2024)
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Sierra Leone Human Capital Review: Maximizing Human Potential for Resilience and Inclusive Development (2024)
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Epidemiology of tinea capitis among school-children in Dschang, Western Cameroon - Agokeng, Dongmo Armel Joseph; Dabou, Solange; Ranque, Stéphane; Agokeng, Kemnang Brice Donald; Diongue, Khadim; Njateng, Guy Sedar Singor; Ranque, Stéphane (Research Square (Research Square), 2024)
Abstract Data on the epidemiology of tinea capitis (TC), an infection of the scalp by dermatophytes, are scarce in Cameroon. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of TC among school-children in the Dschang Subdivision, Western Cameroon. A cross-sectional study was carried out in June 2021 in Dschang including pupils aged 5 to 13. First, a standardized questionnaire was administered to participant for the collection of sociodemographic data. Then, samples were collected and cultured onto Sabouraud-Chloramphenicol-Gentamicin Agar. The etiological agents were identified based on their morphological features and with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. A total of 1070 children were clinically examined and 108 (10.1%) children presented with TC lesions. The mean age of the 1070 participants was 8.3 ± 2.6 years (ranges: 5-13 years); 772 (72.2%) were males. The use of borehole water (OR=0.01, 95%CI[0.001-0.03]), spring water (OR=0.2, 95%CI[0.08-0.50]), rainwater (OR=0.004, 95%CI[0.001-0.016]), and hairdressing salons visits (OR=0.413, 95%CI[ 0.196-0.872]) were associated with a decreased TC risk in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. In contrast, sharing bed with siblings (OR=4.48, 95%CI[2.095-9.60]) was associated with an increased TC risk in children. Among the 32 dermatophytes isolated in culture, Microsporum audouinii was the most frequent (43.8%), followed by Trichophyton rubrum (25.0%) and T. soudanense (25.0%). Microsporum canis and T. violaceum were both rarely isolated. Further studies are warranted to assess the association of TC with domestic water usage that has been highlighted in this study.
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Review of: "Raising Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in Energy and Food Sectors of Egypt" - Dahal, Khem Raj (2024)
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Resistivity Prospecting for Groundwater Potential at the Proposed Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Teaching Hospital, Lapai, Niger State - Emmanuel, Alexandra; Tsepav, M. T.; Yusuf, T. U. (Journal of Basics and Applied Sciences Research, 2024)
Resistivity methods have been increasingly used for aquifer characterisation due to their high level of effectiveness. In this study, electrical resistivity survey was carried out at the Proposed Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Teaching Hospital Lapai Niger State Nigeria in order to study the groundwater potential with a view of determining the depth to the bedrock and thickness of the overburden protective capacity. Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) using Schlumberger array was used to occupy thirty (30) VES stations using ABEM Terrameter (SAS 300) for the acquisition of apparent resistivity data. The field data obtained was analysed using computer software (IPI2win) which gave the secondary geoelectric parameters of depth, layer thickness and layer resistivities. The results revealed heterogeneous nature of the subsurface geological sequence comprising top soil (clayey-sandy and sandy-lateritic), weathered layer, partly weathered (fractured basement) and fresh basement. The resistivity value for the topsoil layer varied from 20Ωm to 600Ωm with thickness ranging from 0.5 to 7.2 m. The weathered basement had resistivity values ranging from 15Ωm to 593Ωm while the thicknesses varied between 2.75 and 33.04m. The fractured basement had resistivity values ranging from 201Ωm to 835Ωm and thicknesses having values between 11 and 20.4m. The fresh basement (bedrock) had resistivity values ranging from 1161Ωm to 3115Ωm with infinite depth. The depth from the earth’s surface to the bedrock surface varied between 2.5 to 47.75m. The VES 10, 11 and 19 had very good overburden protective capacity and can serve as good sites for borehole drilling.
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Oral Health Status and Care Needs of People with Intellectual Disability in Specialized Centers of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - Gare, Jocelyne; Kientega, Filwende Dan; Kaboré, Ahmed; Ouédraogo, Charlemagne; Seydou, Ouattara; Kabore, Wendpoulomde Aime Desire; Méda, Nicolas (Central African Journal of Public Health, 2024)
People with intellectual disabilities suffer from oral pain and discomfort twice as often as the general population. Their reduced cognitive and physical abilities, regular medication, and often the lack of a strong social support system lead to difficulties coping with the daily demands of life, including proper oral hygiene and nutrition. Having data on the oral health status of children and adolescents living with disabilities is crucial to reducing oral health inequalities within the population. The objectives of this study were to describe the main oral conditions, oral health behaviors and identify the care needs of people with intellectual disabilities in specialized centers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. A descriptive transversal survey was conducted in the reception centers of intellectual disabled people benefiting from the subsidy of the Ministry of Women, National Solidarity, Family and Humanitarian Action. A questionnaire adapted for oral health surveys of the World Health Organization has been used for data collection that has been analyzed with Stata MP 16.0 software (College Station, Texas 77845, USA). Were included in the study 193 people with intellectual disabilities whose average age was 12.4 years ± 7.9. Our study reported that 74.0% had never visited a dentist and 19.0% of subjects did not clean their teeth. The overall prevalence of caries was 58.6% with 95% CI [51.2 - 65.8]. The frequencies of gingival bleeding and calculus were 63.8% and 63.4% respectively. The other pathologies were divided into 25.5% sialorrhea; 15.0% dental wear; 39.1% malocclusions; 19.2% dental anomalies and 14.4% dental trauma. Subjects who needed prompt and urgent care were 51.6%. This study made it possible to report the oral health behaviors and the main oral diseases encountered in people with intellectual disabilities and the care needs. Health promotion strategies focusing on simple interventions such as appropriate oral care would improve the general well-being of these vulnerable people.
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‘These days, things have changed’: historicizing current dynamics of climate-related migration in the savannah zone of Ghana - Jarawura, Francis Xavier; Teye, Joseph Kofi; Kleist, Nauja; Lindegaard, Lily Salloum; Quaye, David (Climate and Development, 2024)
While climate-related mobility has been part of life in Africa for centuries, existing literature on migration in the context of climate change generally lacks a historical perspective. This paper historicises climate-related migration in the Northern Savannah Zone of Ghana, with specific focus on the Upper West Region, drawing on climate data, a survey of 403 households, and interviews and focus group discussions with farmers. It demonstrates that migration and mobility in the region are rooted in historical patterns established and reinforced through colonial and post-colonial governance. These patterns reflect inequalities created by past and present development policies as well as environmental factors. While environmental change intensifies existing migration patterns, it is difficult to isolate these effects from the economic, social, and political factors which also contribute to migration flows in the Savannah zone. We therefore conclude that migration flows are co-constituted by past and present governance practices, disparities, development policies, and social transformation as well as environmental factors. Analysis and policy narratives that attribute recent migration flows to climate change only are simplistic and blur the effects of past and present structural inequalities and political engagement.
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Sociocultural factors affecting first-year medical students’ adjustment to a PBL program at an African medical school - Kebaetse, Masego B.; Griffiths, Dominic; Mokone, Gaonyadiwe George; Mogodi, Mpho S.; Conteh, Brigid; Nkomazana, Oathokwa; Wright, John; Falama, Rosemary; Kebaetse, Maikutlo (BMC medical education (Online), 2024)
Abstract Background Besides regulatory learning skills, learning also requires students to relate to their social context and negotiate it as they transition and adjust to medical training. As such, there is a need to consider and explore the role of social and cultural aspects in student learning, particularly in problem-based learning, where the learning paradigm differs from what most students have previously experienced. In this article, we report on the findings of a study exploring first-year medical students’ experiences during the first semester of an undergraduate problem-based learning medical program at an African medical school. Method We employed a qualitative case study approach using in-depth interviews with 23 first-year medical students. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 25 years. All students were bi/multilingual (some spoke three to five languages), with English as the learning language. We conducted an inductive thematic analysis to systematically identify and analyze patterns in the data using the Braun and Clarke framework. Results Before medical school, students worked hard to compete for admission to medical school, were primarily taught using a teacher-centered approach, and preferred working alone. At the beginning of medical school, students found it challenging to understand the problem-based learning process, the role of the case, speaking and working effectively in a group, managing a heavy workload, and taking increased responsibility for their learning. By the end of the first semester, most students were handling the workload better, were more comfortable with their peers and facilitators, and appreciated the value of the problem-based learning approach. Conclusions Our study highlights the importance of interrogating contextual sociocultural factors that could cause tension when implementing problem-based learning in non-western medical schools. Adjustment to problem-based learning requires a conceptual and pedagogic shift towards learner-centered practice, particularly concerning self-direction, the role of the case, and collaborative learning. As such, there is a need to develop and implement research-informed learning development programs that enable students to reflect on their sociocultural beliefs and practices, and enhance their regulatory learning competence to optimize meaningful and early engagement with the problem-based learning process.
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E-learning use and teaching and learning performance in Tanzanian universities - Kisanjara, Simeo (E-learning and digital media, 2024)
The use of E-learning as a new educational technology is currently a top priority in many universities in developing-countries. The main purpose of this research is to determine how e-learning affects the teaching and learning (T&L) performance in Tanzanian universities. Employing a questionnaire tool, a quantitative approach was used to collect the data. A total of 390 out of 400 respondents including lectures and students were taken into account, with a 97.5% response rate. Data in SPSS version 21 were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). According to the findings of this study, only one of the nine hypotheses tested have a non-significant effect on T&L performance, as indicated by p-values >0.01. Further, there is no statistically significant effect of perceived usefulness in using e-learning in T&L performance by lowering cost/expenses. Furthermore, other variables assessed including performance expectancy, ease of use, and perceived usefulness have significance effect on T&L performance by increased quality of instructional material delivery, convenience in teaching and learning facilities. The findings of this study inform policymakers on how to reformulate information and communication technology (ICT) policy to clearly spell out the adoption of e-learning for providing facilities in universities. The policy should, in particular, have a clear vision of implementing an appealing, conducive teaching and learning service delivery environment, as well as achieving appropriate and high T&L performance. By influencing the cost/expenses in T&L, quality of instructional material, and the convenience of T&L service delivery as the indicators of performance, this paper contributes to improve understanding of the factors of e-learning (including performance expectancy, perceived usefulness, and ease of use) on teaching and learning performance of the Tanzanian universities. These factors, which have a substantial influence on T&L performance in Tanzanian universities through affecting its indicators, were not thoroughly addressed in earlier relevant studies.
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Risk Factors of Sexual Abuse among School-Going Children in Primary Schools in Kisumu County, Kenya - Maranga, Isabel; Onyango, Patrick; Omondi, Dickens (Research Square (Research Square), 2024)
Abstract Child sexual abuse is a public health problem with negative physical, mental, behavioral and learning outcomes to survivors. A recent Kenya Demographic Health Survey showed that 22% of women and 13% of men in western Kenya have experienced sexual abuse compared to 14% women and 6% men nationally. Whereas schools have a major influence on a child’s development and behavior, they have been identified as important settings where child sexual abuse might occur. However, how sexual abuse is patterned by the type and location of the school remains an open question. In the present study, we investigated risk factors of sexual abuse among school-going children in primary schools in Kisumu County. Using a cross-sectional study design and guided by the ecological health model, the study determined association between type of school and sexual abuse; association between location of school and sexual abuse, and spaces that predispose school-going children to sexual abuse in primary schools. A sample of 398 pupils aged between 10–16 years randomly identified participants from 37 pre-selected primary schools in Kisumu Central and Kisumu West sub-Counties was used. Data from pupils was collected using self-administered questionnaires, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The mean age of participants was 13 years. Forced sex (38%) was the most common known type of sexual abuse. More girls than boys had ever experienced any type of sexual abuse 29% versus 20%; p = 0.038 . Whereas there was no statistical difference in pupils’ experience of sexual abuse by type and location of school x 2 = 2.044; p > 0.05 and x 2 = 0.823 p > 0.05 , pupils reported that attending public day schools is associated with higher risk of sexual abuse mainly while walking to and from home. Pupils reported that bushes inside the school (52%), latrines/toilets (51%) and bushes outside the school (50%) were the spaces where one is more likely to experience sexual abuse. Being a female pupil was the most significant risk factor for sexual abuse in the primary schools surveyed indicating that gendered predisposition plays an important role in the incidences of sexual abuse in primary schools. Though not statistically significant in this study, it is plausible that risky spaces and type of schools might modify female gender predisposition in subtler ways as suggested from the pupils’ perspectives. Consequently, there is need for a gendered focus in a complex primary schooling environment.
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Girls’ experiences of cellphone porn use in South Africa and their accounts of sexual risk in the classroom - Mayeza, Emmanuel; Ngidi, Ndumiso Daluxolo; Bhana, Deevia; Janak, Raksha (Culture, health & sexuality (Print), 2024)
Violence remains a persistent challenge in South African schools, prompting investigations into underlying risk factors and mitigation strategies. However, an under-explored aspect of this violence is the potential link between the consumption of Internet porn via cellphones among girls and boys, and girls' risks to sexual violence inside the classroom. To address this gap, we used focus group discussions with 14–17-year-old South African girls to examine their experiences of porn access via cellphones and their accounts of sexual violence at school. The study illuminates the nuanced ways in which the girls experience risks and express agency. First, the girls illustrate a link between sexual harassment and boys accessing porn on their cellphones during class. Second, the findings show how girls negotiate their sexual agency and safety through contesting sexual violence. Third, there are conflicting views about porn: while some girls admitted liking and viewing porn, others objected to it as harmful and degrading. Finally, this study offers crucial insights into strategies to create safer school environments and gender equality by drawing attention to the intersections between cellphone porn consumption, sexuality, and girls' negotiations of sexual agency amidst sexual risk in the classroom.
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Clinical experiences of RN to BScN nursing students in Kenyan universities - Mbuthia, Gladys; Rensburg, Gisela Van; Shaibu, Sheila (Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 2024)
Introduction and objective: Clinical learning environments play a great role in nursing training as they allow nursing students to develop their clinical skills by combining cognitive, psychomotor and affective skills. Consequently, clinical learning environments enable nursing students to bridge the theory-practice gap. Fewer studies have examined the clinical experiences of RN to BScN students in Kenya. This paper is part of analytical memo of a larger PhD study that sought to explore and describe the support needs of RN to BScN students in Kenyan universities. The paper focuses on clinical experiences of RN to BScN students.Methods: Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, ten focus group discussions were conducted with 100 RN to BScN students, purposively sampled from four universities in Kenya. Data were analyzed using Tesch’s data analysis protocol. The article has adhered to Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies.Results: The data on RN to BScN students’ clinical experience revealed two themes: curriculum challenges and practice environment and six sub-themes: redundant learning outcomes, redundant clinical assessments, not acknowledging prior learning, lack of clinical supervision, lack of learning resources and “an extra pair of hands”.Conclusions: The study findings highlight the need for review of clinical learning outcomes for the RN to BScN students in Kenya. The findings emphasize the need for collaborative partnerships between universities, clinical learning environments, nurse educators, and policy makers, to design of clinical learning outcomes relevant to RN to BScN students in Kenya.
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Analysis of Management Practices and Breeders’ Perceptions of Climate Change’s Impact to Enhance the Resilience of Sheep Production Systems: A Case Study in the Tunisian Semi-Arid Zone - Mohamed-Brahmi, Aziza; Ameur, Mehrez; Mekki, Ilyes; Tenza-Peral, A.; Nasraoui, Masarra; Yagoubi, Yathreb; Smeti, Samir; Saïd, Samia Ben; Atti, Naziha; Lobón, S.; Mahouachi, M. (Animals, 2024)
Global climate change inflicts unambiguous risks on agricultural systems and food security. Small ruminants are known for their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. This paper aims to characterize sheep production systems in a vulnerable agricultural zone and the breeders’ perceptions of climate change to apprehend challenges that they are confronting, and formulate resilience actions. The data analysis is based on 94 semi-structured surveys of sheep farmers carried out in the Tunisian semi-arid region. The PCA analysis results revealed three main sheep production systems. The agro-pastoral rain-fed system (AGPRF) is dominant (55%), with large farms and common pastures integrating cereals and fodder. The agro-pastoral irrigated system (AGPI: 20%) is characterized by small-area and forage irrigation (1.8 ha) and a smaller number of ewes but a greater use of animal feed supplementation. The agro-sylvo-pastoral system (AGSP: 25%) is a system where grazing is based on common lands and using tree sub-products, while the agricultural area is exclusively used to cultivate cereal crops. Sheep breeders’ climate perceptions are summarized as unpredictable climate events, a decrease in precipitation, and an increase in temperature. Resilience actions principally consist of reducing flocks’ numbers, using alternative local feed, fodder, and water resources, and building more shelters and planting more trees in the grazing areas. Nevertheless, cost-effectiveness should be considered in such vulnerable zones to insure the sheep production systems’ sustainability.
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Consumption and adverse reaction reporting of herbal medicines among people living with HIV at University teaching hospitals in Blantyre, Malawi and Ibadan, Nigeria - Mponda, John; Muula, Adamson S; Choko, Augustine; Ajuwon, Ademola J.; Moody, J. O. (Malawi medical journal, 2024)
Background Consumption of herbal medicines among people living with HIV is a common practice in Sub-Saharan Africa. The utilization of herbal medicines was at 17.5% and 67.9% in Malawi and Nigeria, respectively. There is inadequate data on use and adverse reactions (ADRs) reporting of herbal medicines among people living with HIV (PLWHIV). This study was designed to investigate use and ADRs reporting of herbal medicines among PLWHIV at the University Teaching Hospitals in Blantyre, Malawi and Ibadan, Nigeria.MethodologyA cross-sectional study was conducted among PLWHIV attending Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) clinic at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was administered to 360 and 370 participants in Blantyre and Ibadan respectively, through face-to-face interviews after obtaining their informed consent. Results The prevalence of herbal medicines use among PLWHIV in Malawi and Nigeria was at 80.6% and 55.7% (p<0.001), respectively. The most frequently used herbal medicines in Malawi were Aloe vera (14.0%), Moringa oleifera (14.0%), Zingiber officinale (13.0%) and Allium sativum (7.0%). Likewise, in Nigeria, the most commonly used herbal medicines were Zingiber officinale (15.0%), Vernonia amygdalina (14.0%), Moringa oleifera (9.0%), and Allium sativum (11.0%). The major reason for herbal medicines’ use in Malawi was ready availability (42.1%) and perception that it boosts immunity (44.6%) in Nigeria. The PLWHIV reported experiencing suspected herbal medicine ADRs in Malawi (3.9%) and in Nigeria (8.0%).Conclusion A higher percentage of people living with HIV are using herbal medicines in Malawi as well as in Nigeria. In both countries, a few participants reported experiencing suspected ADRs related to herbal medicines.
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Confronting a leadership vacuum: the principal’s leadership role in peace education in South African schools - Ndwandwe, Ntokozo Dennis (International Journal of Educational Management, 2024)
Purpose This research aimed to assess the leadership role of principals in the implementation of peace education in selected secondary schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. Design/methodology/approach This study employed qualitative research approach to assess the leadership role of principals in the implementation of peace education in selected secondary schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. Data were gathered from a small sample of six principals from six selected secondary schools which were engaged in the implementation of a peace education programme, and data were analysed using thematic content analyses. Findings Findings of the study suggest that principals possess a low level of understanding or awareness of their leadership role in the implementation of peace education. The study pointed out the constraints such as time constraints and learners' negative attitudes and social influences hinder the effective implementation of peace education in selected secondary schools. Research limitations/implications First, the data were self-reported and therefore subject to social desirability bias; participants may have provided socially desirable responses rather than their true belief or experiences. Thus, participants may have overstated their role in and commitment to the peace education programme. Originality/value Studies that aim to explore alternative approaches to combat violence, such as peace education, are still limited in South Africa. Hence, this paper served to close that gap by contributing to the growing body of research on the leadership role of the principal in the implementation of peace education in the school and exploring barriers hampering its effective implementation.
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Technology and Disaster Relief: The Türkiye-Syria Earthquake Case Study - Öztürkcan, Selcen (2024)
This chapter examines how technology has been used in relief efforts following the devastating earthquakes that struck southeast Turkey and northern and western Syria in February 2023. With over 50,000 deaths and 100,000 injuries, the earthquakes presented one of the worst disasters of the century, requiring significant aid and relief efforts. Examples of AI and social media use cases in accelerating and amplifying rescue and humanitarian relief efforts are presented. Emerging technologies like robots, virtual and augmented reality, the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain technology have the potential to revolutionize disaster relief work in the years to come. The chapter also explores the potential for new technologies, such as the metaverse, to simulate earthquakes and train people on how to respond to them. The conclusion summarizes the importance of technology in disaster relief efforts and highlights the need to continue investing in, testing, and scaling up technological solutions to ensure better preparedness for future disasters.
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Review of: "Influence of Meta-cognition, Self-efficacy, and Self-regulated Learning on Students’ Achievement in Biology in Ibadan, Nigeria" - Parra-Rizo, María Antonia (2024)
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Resisting change: Explaining education policy reforms in Ghana - Saaka, Saaka Sulemana (Politics & Policy, 2024)
Abstract This article examines the complexities surrounding the implementation of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) within Ghana's basic education system, exploring the intersection of religious, cultural, and political factors. Introducing CSE has sparked significant public discourse and resistance in Ghana, where religious and cultural beliefs are deeply ingrained and often institutionalized in politics. The study utilizes punctuated equilibrium theory to understand the sustained opposition to CSE policy changes. It examines the historical progression of Ghana's educational reforms, highlighting the struggle to maintain cultural and religious values while promoting human rights and gender equality. The contribution of this study is its exploration of the political institutionalization of religion in Ghana, investigating the combined impact of religious bodies, political entities, and civil organizations in shaping public opinion on education policy reform. It further underscores the intricate task of navigating socio‐cultural beliefs and human rights in policy‐making processes. Related Articles Bingham, Natasha. 2016. “Fighting for Our Cause: The Impact of Women's NGOs on Gender Policy Adoption in Four Former Soviet Republics.” Politics & Policy 44(2): 294–318. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12155 . Holst, Cathrine, and Mari Teigen. 2024. “The ‘Boy Problem’ in Public Policy.” Politics & Policy 52(1): 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12570 . Nchofoung, Tii, Simplice Asongu, Vanessa Tchamyou, and Ofeh Edoh. 2022. “Gender, Political Inclusion, and Democracy in Africa: Some Empirical Evidence.” Politics & Policy 51(1): 137–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12505 .
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Europe is not like you see on TV! Ramadan drama as a platform of education on Harga in Tunisia - Sayfo, Omar (Media, Culture & Society, 2024)
The increase in clandestine migrants to Italy following the 2010 Tunisian uprising has been an issue of popular and political concern in both countries. This article investigates Harga (2021, 2022), a top-rated and critically acclaimed drama series. Produced and aired by Tunisian national television as a vehicle of entertainment-education, Harga strove to make a geopolitical intervention in the process of irregular migration. Combining textual analysis with interviews conducted with the production’s producers and participants, the article explores how local and transnational actors came together to create a counternarrative to the popular success stories of clandestine migrants. This approach contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between media and socio-cultural and political dynamics as well as of their effect on formulating mediated narratives on clandestine migration. Due to Harga’s documentarist depiction of the social and political driving forces behind irregular migration and its open criticism of Tunisian authorities, the show is investigated within the framework of post-uprising Tunisia’s mediascape, and domestic and international political environment. In this regard, it offers a good case study for examining how local politics, transnationalism, and postcolonialism are intertwined in formulating discourses on irregular migration.
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A model to reconstruct lecturer dilemma in balancing research and teaching responsibilities: A case of one rural university in South Africa - Tsotetsi, Cias T.; Onaolapo, Akinlolu Ademola (Interdisciplinary journal of rural and community studies, 2024)
In this empirical study, we explore the challenges faced by lecturers at a rurally located university in South Africa as they try to balance the demands of research and teaching. Universities in rural areas play a crucial role in providing higher education access to underprivileged communities and promoting regional development. Our study is based on role theory, which emphasises the intended and unintended purposes of lecturer roles in society. Through a qualitative study of six lecturers, we examine the various issues they encounter when managing research and teaching commitments. We adopt a case study design within an interpretive paradigm. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six new lecturers from the university to understand their personal experiences and perspectives on the tension between research and teaching, as well as the potential consequences for their research productivity. We use thematic analysis to analyse the collected data. The findings reveal that the participants at the university struggle to balance the demands of research and teaching, encountering various challenges in the process. These challenges include a lack of funding for research, limited research resources and facilities, and an overwhelming teaching workload. Based on the findings, the study suggests solutions and strategies to guide university administrators, policymakers, and lecturers in navigating this challenging landscape and fostering a supportive environment that values research and teaching contributions. This study contributes to the knowledge by proposing a model that lecturers can follow to balance their work roles.
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An Assessment of the Implementation of Christian Religious Knowledge Curriculum in Nigerian Schools - Victor-Akinyemi, Helen B.; Aiyedogbon, J. S. (2024)
This paper examines the assessment of the implementation of Christian Religious Knowledge curriculum in Nigerian schools. The aim of the Christian Religious Knowledge curriculum is to encourage students to participate in those activities which foster personal discipline, character training, tolerance, reconciliation & peaceful co-existence. Despite these rich objectives of the Christian Religious Knowledge curriculum, however, there is a growing perception that Christian Religious Knowledge curriculum is not effectively implemented in the Nigerian primary and secondary schools as no much impact on the lives and the receiving students seem to have been observed over the time. It is in the light of this that this paper attempts to examine critically the reasons for not implementing the curriculum as expected and proffer solutions to it. Library sources and internet sources were used to gather relevant data / information for the study. From the study, it was discovered that there are challenges confronting the implementation of the Christian Religious Knowledge curriculum in Nigerian schools such as inadequate funding, use of auxiliary teachers, student attitude to this subject among others. The authors therefore recommend that the government should provide adequate and relevant instructional material for school while only qualified teachers in the field of Christian Religious Studies should be employed to teach in our schools.
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PROCEDURAL JUSTICE AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF THE TEACHERS OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BAMENDA, NOTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON - Yuyun, Nsairun Leonard (The American journal of social science and education innovations, 2024)
This study was to investigate the effect of procedural justice on the psychological well-being of the teachers of the Archdiocese of Bamenda, Northwest Region of Cameroon. The study employed a sequential explanatory research design. The sample for the study comprised 270 teachers working in Catholic nursery, primary and secondary schools within the Mankon, Bayelle and Bambui Deaneries of the Archdiocese of Bamenda. Quantitative data were collected with the help of a questionnaire while Focus Group Discussions were conducted to generate qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using the linear regression technique. Qualitative data generated from Focused Group Discussions were analyzed using the technique of thematic analysis. Findings from Quantitative analysis of data revealed that 63% of teachers’ indicated that teachers were satisfied with procedural justice within the Bamenda Archdiocesan Catholic Education Agency and that procedural justice had a significant effect on the psychological well-being of teachers of the Archdiocese of Bamenda. Based on these findings, the study recommended that the government should effectively follow-up, monitor and audit the channels of paying subvention funds to beneficiary private sector teachers to ensure that the money reaches the intended beneficiaries uncompromised.
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Egypt - Gender Equality and Climate Change: Background Note to the Climate Change and Development Report (2024)
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Egypt - Gender Equality and Climate Change: Background Note to the Climate Change and Development Report (2024)
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The emergence of Shadow Education in teacher education: evidence from Zimbabwe - Chimbunde, Pfuurai; Jakachira, Godfrey (Technology, pedagogy and education, 2024)
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Impacts of Climate Change on agriculture in Angola: analysis of agroclimatic and bioclimatic indicators - Correia, Carlos; Amraoui, Malik; Santos, João A. (2024)
Angola is vulnerable to climate change, as most of its agriculture is rain-fed and repre-sents the backbone of the people of the southern region of the country, and many peo-ple’s livelihoods depend on it. All crops can suffer from the impacts of climate change, which can lead to challenges in agricultural production and food security in different regions of the world. The work consisted of a systematic review of the impacts of climate change on agriculture in Angola, particularly in the southern region. To achieve this objective the PRISMA2020 methodology was used, using the flowcharts for the selection of studies evaluated from the databases that are: Scopus and Web Sci-ence, resulting in 431 documents published between 1996 and 2023, and of these only 63 were included in the systematic review, with inclusion and exclusion criteria. Research on the short and long-term effects of climate change impacts in agriculture in Angola and in particular the southern region is scarce and insufficient. Temperatures are pre-dicted to rise and precipitation generally decreases over time (approximately -2% by 2100), with the southern region experiencing a stronger drop in precipitation. Agri-culture in Angola will be hit hard and some models show that agricultural productiv-ity will be up to 7% lower by 2050 owing to climate change.
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But We Do Not Know Anything, We Were Born in This Predicament: Experiences of Learners Facing Xenophobia in South Africa - Dube, Bekithemba; Setlalentoa, Wendy N. (Education Sciences, 2024)
In this article, we discuss the experiences of learners who face xenophobia in South Africa. While extensive research has been conducted on xenophobia, few studies have specifically examined its impact on school-going children, whose presence at school is not by design in South Africa. We explore their lived experiences within the curriculum, thus exposing various trajectories that hinder effective teaching and learning. To theorise our findings, we tap into Whitehouse and Lanman’s notion of social cohesion. For data collection, we used a participatory action research approach. Through a series of interviews and group discussions, we engaged with a diverse group of 13 participants, which consisted of 10 migrant learners and 3 teachers. The study found that xenophobia is a significant social pathology in South Africa which found its way into the classroom walls, thereby affecting the performance of migrant learners. It affects the victim’s identity and has profound consequences for the perpetrators. Ultimately, the effects of xenophobia contribute to a cycle of school violence. We assert the imperative of addressing the distressing impact of xenophobia on children within classrooms. Based on our findings, we argue that initial teacher education programmes are key in fostering a non-violent society through promoting cohesion and cultural responsiveness.
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Handwashing Practices among Public Primary School Students in East Dembiya District, Ethiopia - Engdaw, Garedew Tadege; Alemu, Desalegn; Alemayehu, Mekuriaw; Tesfaye, Amensisa Hailu (American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2024)
Poor water sanitation and hygiene is a public health problem in developing and underdeveloped countries, including Ethiopia, and remains an important public health issue among primary school students. Students have been repeatedly exposed to various communicable diseases associated with water sanitation and hygiene. The objective of this study was to assess predictors of handwashing practice among second-cycle public primary school students in East Dembiya District, northwestern Ethiopia, 2022. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 752 second-cycle primary school students. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and observational checklists adopted and modified from different sources of literature. The data were checked further by visualizing and computing rates with the SPSS version 26 statistical software. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors. The prevalence of washing practices among second-cycle primary school students was 57.6% (95% CI 53.90–61.10). Residency (urban) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.30–2.87), access to media (aOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.11–2.49), hygiene and sanitation club membership (aOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.26–2.80), good knowledge about handwashing (aOR = 3.93, 95% CI: 2.34–6.60), and a positive attitude toward handwashing (aOR = 3.63, 95% CI: 2.01–5.584) were predictors of handwashing practice among second-cycle primary school students. This study showed that handwashing practice among primary school students was low. Availing handwashing facilities, better media access, formation of a hygiene and sanitation club in the school, celebration of “Handwashing Day” with students, and leading behavior change communication are all important for improving students’ handwashing practice.
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Teaching retirees life adjustment pattern for lifelong educational service delivery in Rivers State, Nigeria - Eseyin, Emmanuel Olorunleke; Eseyin, Chisom Ure (Hungarian educational research journal, 2024)
Abstract Every year, several teachers retire from the education sector in Rivers State and these teaching retirees still have a lot they can contribute to the education system but can only deliver lifelong educational services when life after retirement is patterned to what is obtainable during active service. The study investigated teaching retirees' life adjustment pattern for lifelong educational service delivery in Rivers State. The study's design was descriptive survey and 18,073 retirees formed the population of the study out of which 391 retirees were sampled through multistage sampling. Data were collected using questionnaire which was face and content validated by experts in University of Port Harcourt with a Cronbach alpha determined reliability index of 0.94. Answers were provided to the research questions using mean score and SD while at 5% level of significance the hypotheses were tested using z -test statistics. The study revealed that retired teachers adjust economically using different patterns including engaging in paid employment. The retirees also adjusted socially through different patterns. Conclusively, the study identified that the retirees had economic and social adjustment patterns needed for providing lifelong educational services in Rivers State.
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Machine learning study using 2020 SDHS data to determine poverty determinants in Somalia - Hassan, Afnan; Muse, Abdisalam Hassan; Chesneau, Christophe (Scientific Reports, 2024)
Abstract Extensive research has been conducted on poverty in developing countries using conventional regression analysis, which has limited prediction capability. This study aims to address this gap by applying advanced machine learning (ML) methods to predict poverty in Somalia. Utilizing data from the first-ever 2020 Somalia Demographic and Health Survey (SDHS), a cross-sectional study design is considered. ML methods, including random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), support vector machine (SVM), and logistic regression, are tested and applied using R software version 4.1.2, while conventional methods are analyzed using STATA version 17. Evaluation metrics, such as confusion matrix, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, recall, F1 score, and area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC), are employed to assess the performance of predictive models. The prevalence of poverty in Somalia is notable, with approximately seven out of ten Somalis living in poverty, making it one of the highest rates in the region. Among nomadic pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, and internally displaced persons (IDPs), the poverty average stands at 69%, while urban areas have a lower poverty rate of 60%. The accuracy of prediction ranged between 67.21% and 98.36% for the advanced ML methods, with the RF model demonstrating the best performance. The results reveal geographical region, household size, respondent age group, husband employment status, age of household head, and place of residence as the top six predictors of poverty in Somalia. The findings highlight the potential of ML methods to predict poverty and uncover hidden information that traditional statistical methods cannot detect, with the RF model identified as the best classifier for predicting poverty in Somalia.
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Hydrogeochemical assessment and modeling of groundwater processes and pollution: a case study of the Grombalia aquifer in Northeast Tunisia - Khézami, Farah; Khiari, Nouha; Drouiche, Abdelmalek; Chkirbene, Anis; Zahi, Faouzi; Debieche, Taha-Hocine; Khadhar, Samia (Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, 2024)
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Book Review: Translanguaging, Coloniality, and Decolonial Cracks: Bilingual Science Learning in South Africa - Lee, Eunjeong (International journal of bilingualism, 2024)
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Transhumant Pastoralism, Climate Change and Conflict in Africa - McGuirk, Eoin; Nunn, Nathan (The Review of Economic Studies, 2024)
Abstract We consider the effects of climate change on seasonally migrant populations that herd livestock—i.e., transhumant pastoralists—in Africa. Traditionally, transhumant pastoralists benefit from a cooperative relationship with sedentary agriculturalists whereby arable land is used for crop farming in the wet season and animal grazing in the dry season. Rainfall scarcity can disrupt this arrangement by inducing pastoral groups to migrate to agricultural lands before the harvest, causing conflict to emerge. We examine this hypothesis by combining ethnographic information on the traditional locations of transhumant pastoralists and sedentary agriculturalists with high-resolution data on the location and timing of rainfall and violent conflict events in Africa from 1989−2018. We find that reduced rainfall in the territory of transhumant pastoralists leads to conflict in neighboring areas. Consistent with the proposed mechanism, the conflicts are concentrated in agricultural areas; they occur during the wet season and not the dry season; and they are due to rainfall's impact on plant biomass growth. Since pastoralists tend to be Muslim and agriculturalists Christian, this mechanism accounts for a sizable proportion of the rapid rise in religious conflict observed in recent decades. Regarding policy responses, we find that development aid projects tend not to mitigate the effects that we document. By contrast, the effects are reduced when transhumant pastoralists have greater power in national government, suggesting that more equal political representation is conducive to peace.
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Effect of Educational Psychology on Uncertified Pre-primary and Primary Teachers on Quality of Education in Rwanda - Ngirabacu, Desire; Manizabayo, Phanuel; Bimenyimana, Servilien (Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education, 2024)
According to the current study, pre-primary and primary teachers who are not trained in educational psychology can benefit from training, which will enhance their ability to teach and increase student engagement and outcomes. Data were gathered from elementary school instructors, both qualified and non-certified. An open-ended questionnaire with a set of questions was given to 12 participants in order to gather information for thematic analysis. These participants were selected since they teach as uncertified teachers. The goal of the study was to determine how educational psychology training programs affect the quality of instruction provided to uncertified pre-primary and primary teachers in Rwanda. Interviews with all study participants were done in order to assess changes in teaching methods, student participation, and general educational quality following the implementation of educational psychology training. These interviews were followed by observations made in the classroom. The positive impacts of such training on teachers and students show the need of such training in tackling the educational challenges faced by uncertified instructors
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STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES OF QUALITY EDUCATION AT A SELECTED SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY - Nkalane, Unathi Juliet; Makena, Bulelwa; Mpahla, Ntando Elliot (International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science, 2024)
This study aimed to investigate the perspectives of undergraduate students in the TME (Technology and Mathematics Education) department within the Faculty of Education at a South African higher education institution regarding the quality of education they receive. Quality education is vital for equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary for their academic and professional growth. The research was framed by the Octet of Quality Theoretical Framework in Higher Education developed by Zaki and Rashidi. A qualitative case study approach was employed on ten Technology and Mathematics Education (TME) students to gather rich and in-depth data that would offer profound insights into the experiences of the students. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews, and the interview responses were subjected to thematic content analysis. The primary findings of the study revealed several challenges, including limited access to resources as well as student support and involvement in curriculum. These challenges can hinder the attainment of quality education. In conclusion, it is evident that both students and academics require support to ensure the delivery of quality education. To bridge the gap in achieving quality education, this paper suggests that students' perspectives on quality education are multifaceted and necessitate focused attention from higher education institutions. By addressing these multifaceted concerns, institutions can take substantial steps toward enhancing the overall quality of education for their students.
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Learning on the edge: Impacts of banditry on education and strategic options for resilience in northwest Nigeria - Ojewale, Oluwole (African Security Review, 2024)
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Pollution Analysis of an Active River Bottom Sediment in Borokiri (Ikpukulu River), Niger Delta, Nigeria - Okujagu, Diepiriye C.; Elewa-Ikpakwu, Chikanka Joy (European Multidisciplinary Journal of Modern Science, 2024)
The Niger Delta region, endowed with significant oil and gas resources, faces environmental challenges linked to artisanal petroleum refining activities. This study explores the environmental repercussions of these activities on the ecosystem health of Ikpukulu River bottom sediments in Borokiri, Niger Delta, Nigeria. The study incorporates an assessment of heavy metal and hydrocarbon contamination using geoaccumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk index (PERI). Three sampling points (X, Y, and Z) along the Ikpukulu River were investigated. While heavy metal concentrations generally fell within background levels, hydrocarbon content, particularly Total Hydrocarbons (THC), exhibited significant pollution. The PERI values for all three points indicated very high ecological risk, demanding immediate attention and remediation efforts. The Ikpukulu River serves as a potential sink for waste from illegal hydrocarbon refining, highlighting severe coastal river pollution in the region. Proactive measures and stringent pollution control regulations are recommended to safeguard the ecosystem's health. The study contributes valuable insights for remediation efforts and policy development in addressing the environmental challenges associated with artisanal petroleum refining in the Niger Delta.
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Adventures in Teaching Violin and Preserving Endangered Wood in Tanzania - Schmidt, Margaret (American String Teacher, 2024)
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Investigating the Experiences of Mathematics Teacher Technology Integration in the Selected Rural Primary Schools in Namibia - Simuja, Clement; Shikesho, Hilya (International Journal of Technology-Enhanced Education, 2024)
This qualitative case study investigated the experiences of 15 purposely selected mathematics teachers' technology integration in Namibia's selected rural primary schools. The study used the TPACK framework while data were collected through semi-structured interviews and lesson observation. The study results indicate that mathematics teachers use various ICT available in primary schools in Namibia. While some ICTs are widely used, others are only utilized occasionally. ICT was deemed beneficial, albeit impeded by several challenges in its incorporation into the mathematics classroom. These challenges pertained to a lack of technology training, a lack of technology integration guidelines, and a change of teacher role in teaching. The study underscores the significance of subject-specific technology training to enable mathematics teachers to adopt transformative uses of technology more frequently. The study recommends further research to examine how rural mathematics teachers effectively use technology to engage and actively meet students' learning needs.
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The Digitalisation of Elitism and Sifting? Observations on the Online Registration of First-Year University Students in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - Zondi, Lungile Prudence; Ehiane, Stanley Osezua; Maapola-Thobejane, Hlabathi; Mkhize, Nkanyiso Nkazimulo; Roboji, Zukiswa (International journal of membrane science and technology, 2024)
This paper argues that the digitalisation of university registration processes has given rise to concealed elitism. The phenomenon became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, as elite students accessed advanced medical care and education degrees while individuals from indigent families and rural communities bore the brunt of the pandemic. Drawing from the perspectives of critical emancipatory research (CER), the observational study described in this paper sought to explain students' experiences during the transition to digitalised registration processes and to identify practical solutions for the deficiencies in the new system, ensuring inclusivity for all students in the future. This observational study did not have a specific sample size but observed the groups of incoming first-year students gathered outside many university gates during the registration period in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study consequently concluded that many universities in KwaZulu-Natal are not prepared for digitalisation of student applications for several reasons: (i) the use of technology conceals elitism, a lingering aspect of the apartheid era that disenfranchises students from indigent and rural communities; (ii) universities lack reliable infrastructure, as they were not initially designed for contemporary communication and teaching methods; and (iii) the rise of technological innovation destabilises the intentions of our South African democracy and the massification agenda. This paper proposes a dual method of communication (virtual and walk-in inquiries) that would accommodate democracy and recognise people's right to education. This approach would ensure that students from different socio-economic backgrounds are accommodated in higher education institutions. The paper recommends technological innovations that do not remind black and poor students that they were once marginalised from accessing tertiary education due to systems that were not favourable to them.
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Atmospheric Air Pollution in Niamey, Niger: Assessment of Particulate Matter From Road Traffic (PM2.5 and PM10) - Barhadje, Mahamane Moustapha Souley; Oumarou, Hama; Leyo, Idriss Hamidou; Badjo, Abdourahamane Tankari Dan (European journal of environment and earth sciences, 2024)
The aim of this study was to characterise the air based on atmospheric particles in the city of Niamey. To do this, a mass concentration detector type PCE-RCM 11 and station type Davis Pro were used as collection equipment. Particulate matter with diameters of less than 2.5 μm and 10 μm, PM2.5 and PM10, respectively, as well as meteorological parameters, temperature and humidity were determined. The study was carried out over 15 days in 5 districts of Niamey between 7.30 am and 10.10 pm at the main roundabouts in each district. According to the results obtained, the average concentrations of PM2.5 in the air measured ranged from 75.34 μg/m3 to 162.34 μg/m3, whereas the WHO recommends 15 μg/m3 for PM2.5 for daily exposure, which would cause cardiovascular or pulmonary disease in those exposed. The PM10 values recorded ranged from 100.43 μg/m3 to 221.90 μg/m3, well in excess of the WHO standards published in 2021, which recommend 45 μg/m3 for PM10, indicating a probable risk of throat and respiratory disorders. Average temperature values ranged from 23.051 °C ± 0.1 °C to 34.186 °C ± 0.1 °C. The average relative humidity measured ranged from 17.164% ± 1% to 26.910% ± 1%. The results of the correlation analysis showed a strong correlation between PM2.5 and PM10. The latter has a strong positive correlation with temperature. PM2.5 is strongly negatively correlated with relative humidity, while PM10 is moderately negatively correlated with relative humidity. Temperature and humidity show a weak negative correlation with each other. Each of the particles studied is present in the communes of Niamey at the 5 roundabouts representing the study area. It should be confirmed that these particles emitted into the air could have come from urban transport. The correlation circle obtained from the PCA explains the relationship between the variables measured (PM and meteorological parameters). The first two dimensions explain 97.55% of the total information, with 81.62% for dimension 1% and 15.93% for dimension 2.
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Multi-scale and multi-model approaches to water management – application to drought and irrigation in Morocco - Berendsen, Sven; Sheffield, Justin; Corbari, Chiara; Paciolla, Nicola; Araújo, Diêgo Cézar dos Santos; Bitar, Ahmad Al; Labbassi, Kamal; Szantoi, Zoltan (2024)
Water management is a problem of matching supply and demand whilst sustaining environmental conditions for a range of sectors and ecosystems, potentially under changing conditions of climate or demand. In dryland regions, this is particularly difficult given low available water supply and high climate variability, often with lack of data for operations, planning and design. Addressing these challenges at national scale requires whole-system approaches to incorporate the range of relevant sectors and their interactions, and multi-scale approaches to capture the large-scale drivers of water availability and the fine-scale variability of supply and demand within catchments, irrigation districts or urban areas. In the context of the AFRI-SMART project “EO-Africa multi-scale smart agricultural water management” funded under the ESA EO Africa - National Incubators EXPRO+ programme, we have developed a multi-scale, multi-model approach to help address water management challenges in Morocco. On-going drought conditions in the country for the past 5 years have left reservoirs without water for irrigation, which must be prioritized for public water supply, impacting on food production, agricultural exports and farmer incomes. More accurate information on water resources distribution in space and time across scales and sectors is needed to address sustainable agriculture, to help guarantee food and water security, and increase resilience to hydro-meteorological extremes. At national scale multiple sources of information from ground observations, satellite remote sensing, and climate and hydrological models are integrated to provide the best estimate of hydroclimate and drought indices to characterize the large-scale variability in water supply. This feeds into basin scale hydrological modeling, focused on the Oum Er-rbia basin using the HydroBlocks modelling framework, which combines a 1-D land surface model with a cluster-based landscape representation, allowing large-domain simulations at 10s metres resolution. HydroBlocks is coupled to the RAPID stream flow routing scheme to provide high resolution stream flow estimates. Predicted stream flow is routed to the main reservoirs in the basin which are simulated using a simple mass balance approach. Withdrawals from the reservoirs are supplied to one of the basin’s irrigation districts of Doukkala. Actual and optimized irrigation water needs for specific crops, at fine resolution (daily, 10 m) are predicted using the energy-crop-water balance model FEST-EWB-SAFY driven by Landsat LST and Sentinel2 vegetation indices. The system is used to provide historic reconstructions of water availability and analyzed to identify times of supply risks. The system is also implemented in monitoring and seasonal forecast mode as a tool to understand upcoming risks to water supply and potential interventions to reduce risks, such as provision of early warning of risks, options for adjusted reservoir management, or altered/optimized irrigation scheduling. An open online decision support tool has been developed to provide intuitive near real-time visualization of information from the satellites/models and explore forecasts and future scenarios. We also discuss the collaboration with end user groups in helping to define the management problem and identification of critical decisions in water management across scales.
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Association between Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollution Sources and Atopic Eczema among Preschool Children in South Africa - Bhuda, Mandla; Wichmann, Janine; Shirinde, Joyce (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2024)
The objective of the study was to investigate the association between outdoor and indoor air pollution sources and atopic eczema among preschool children in South Africa. A cross-sectional design, following the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase III protocol, was applied. The study was conducted in Mabopane and Soshanguve Townships in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa. A total population of 1844 preschool children aged 7 years and below participated in the study; 1840 were included in the final data analysis. Data were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of eczema ever (EE) and current eczema symptoms (ESs) was 11.9% and 13.3%, respectively. The use of open fires (paraffin, wood, or coal) for cooking and heating increased the likelihood of EE (OR = 1.63; 95% CI: 0.76–3.52) and current ESs (OR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.00–3.74). Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure at home increased the likelihood of EE (OR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.08–2.55) and current ESs (OR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.07–2.43). Mothers or female guardians smoking cigarettes increased the likelihood of EE (OR = 1.50; 95% CI: 0.86–2.62) and current ESs (OR = 1.23; 95% CI: 0.71–2.13). The use of combined building materials in homes increased the likelihood of EE, and corrugated iron significantly increased the likelihood of current ESs. The frequency of trucks passing near the preschool children’s residences on weekdays was found to be associated with EE and current ESs, with a significant association observed when trucks passed the children’s residences almost all day on weekdays. Atopic eczema was positively associated with exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution sources.
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A Comparative Analysis of Flood Frequency Mapping Approaches for Climate-Resilience in South Sudan - Borlaf-Mena, Ignacio; Cantoni, Èlia; Franco-Nieto, Antonio; Toro-Bermejo, Marta; Revilla-Romero, Beatriz; Serrano, Antonio Rodriguez; Loescher, Lukas; Abboud, Diala; Domenech, C.; Albergel, Clément (2024)
In 2022, South Sudan was ranked as the world’s most vulnerable country to climate change and the one most lacking in coping capacity. Furthermore, it is also one of the world’s most politically fragile nations. The country is facing challenges related to riverine flooding, including four consecutive years of floods (2019-2022) that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people and left many struggling to access food. Flood extent and frequency mapping based on remote sensing products is being explored by the European Space Agency's Global Development Assistance (GDA) programme's thematic area of Climate Resilience, as a collaboration between GMV and the World Bank in South Sudan. Floods are mapped with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery from Sentinel-1 (S-1), and the 5-day VIIRS flood fraction product. The former has a native pixel size of 10 m (GRD), whereas it is 375 m for the latter. This resolution disparity is bridged aggregating 9x9 S-1 pixels (which also reduces speckle “noise”) and downscaling the VIIRS product using the flood fraction and the 90 m Copernicus Digital Elevation Model to determine which pixels are more likely to be flooded. Sentinel-1 flood delineation detects significant deviations from the standard 'dry' stratus using by-track geo-median (sigma-nought) or terrain-flattened gamma-nought image classification. The latter method includes the closest VIIRS 8-day mosaics to prevent false positives in semi-arid regions. Both approaches aim to identify flooding, even beneath vegetation canopies. Due to the absence of in-situ data, it was not possible to validate the results but an intercomparison was conducted, including different S-1 methods. The downscaled VIIRS product yielded the largest flood extents and frequencies, likely due to its higher imaging frequency (14 h). Consequently, the deviation-based Sentinel-1 products exhibit similar spatial patterns but with lower frequencies and extents due to longer revisit times. These S-1 methods failed to detect flooding in some areas marked as high-frequency flooding by VIIRS, this is attributed to a mischaracterization when the reference image is already flooded. In contrast, the classification-based Sentinel-1 product captured actual flood frequency but was prone to omission and commission errors. Combining maximum flood frequency from both Sentinel-1 products, while masking false positives with VIIRS, reduces errors while preserving maximum spatial detail. The resulting Earth Observation (EO)-based maps provide key information on the extent, frequency, and persistence of recent flooding seasons (2017-2022). This detailed flood hazard information can raise awareness of flood risk among local institutions and communities. For such purpose, EO data is consolidating its role in helping reduce flood risk to citizens’ lives and livelihoods, as ground data is very sparse across many countries. By combining EO-based flood hazard maps with exposure datasets such as for population, building or crops, we provide additional country-wide information on the potential impacts of recent floods. The service covers the entire country of South Sudan and enables the creation of a flood hazard and exposure index, allowing the World Bank team to detect flooding hotspots and prioritize investment accordingly. These efforts will help the government develop detailed flood risk management plans.
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Using Remote Sensing in Evaluating Geological Hazards Triggered by Climate Change Events in Malawi - Chimimba, Ellasy Gulule; Chiwona, Annock Gabriel; Nthara, Tamara (2024)
Climate change can enhance extreme weather conditions thereby significantly influencing change in precipitation patterns. This results in change to both rainfall intensity and distribution in many parts of the world. The increase in rainfall intensity triger hazards such as flooding and geohazards such as landslides. The impact and scale of flooding hazards are well evaluated and documented. However, geohazards from extreme weather events are not well documented in many developing countries making it difficult to quantify trends, frequency and spatial distribution. This knowledge gap is particularly evident in countries like Malawi, which have been significantly impacted by climate-related extremes, including cyclones. For instance, Tropical Cyclone Freddy which made a landfall in Southern Africa, induced above normal torrential rains in Malawi in March 2023. These rains triggered landslides, mudslides, debris flow and floods which affected 14 districts in the southern region of Malawi (GoM,2023).The size, magnitude and effect of flood hazard from the Tropical Cyclone Freddy was well studied. However, quantifying and mapping spatial patterns of geohazards was not well documented and less prioritized. In this study, we used sentinel 2 and rainfall data to a) characterise geohazard from extreme weather events, b) develope inventory for geohazards c) quantify the relationship between extreme weather events and occurrence of geohazard in southern parts of Malawi. Field survey was conducted for ground truthing in the landslide scarps in Blantyre, Thyolo and Zomba districts to improve accuracy of mapping and validating data from remote sensing analysis. Preliminery results on inventory indicate more than 10 landslides within the study area with Mulanje, Thyolo and Zomba registering highest number of landslides. These ranged in size from localized to more than 30m along the slope. On the time of occurrence, it was observed that most of the hazards occurred on different times even if they were exposed to same extreme weather, but all occured within a period of four days from onset of high intensity rains. This correlates to the period of high rainfall intensity in many areas. The characteristics of the material from the landslide scarps varied from loam clay, boulders to debri . However, most of the areas were charecterised with steep slopes of above 60o slope angle. Thus, other than extreme weather, landslides were highly influenced by the slope angle. Type of material on the slope had minor influence and this was in agreement with the results from regression analysis. These study results will act as guide to predict the occurrence of future geohazards and understand their patterns which is key in predicting future occurrences of the hazards. Keywords: Remote Sensing, climate change, Cyclone Freddy, geohazards, Malawi References Government of Malawi. 2023. Malawi 2023 Tropical Cyclone Freddy Post-Disaster Needs Assessment. Lilongwe: Government of Malawi.
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Drug analysis as a tracer of pesticide pollution from wastewater treatment plants in the Western Cape, South Africa - Chow, Reynold; Davies, Emma; Fuhrimann, Samuel; Stamm, Christian (2024)
South Africa has one of the most productive and diverse agricultural economies in Africa. Consequentially, it is the leading pesticide user in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Western Cape is a dominant agricultural region in South Africa, making it particularly vulnerable to pesticide pollution. After application, pesticides can be transported to rivers, potentially causing adverse ecological and human health effects. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the sources and risk of aquatic pesticide pollution.To achieve this, we deployed passive samplers for two-week intervals every month from February 2022 - March 2023 in three rivers within agricultural catchments (Piketberg, Grabouw, and the Hex River Valley) in the Western Cape. A control sample was deployed in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. A pesticide monitoring campaign from 2017-2019 in the same agricultural catchments identified year-round detections despite few agricultural applications, making sources and drivers of pesticide pollution unclear. Thus, in addition to 44 pesticides, 20 drugs were analysed using LC-MS/MS as an indicator for wastewater treatment plant effluent. 22 pesticides and seven drugs were detected above the limit of quantification.While some pesticides showed elevated concentrations and detections during the main pesticide application period which indicates rainfall and application as a contamination driver, some pesticides without year-round agricultural applications (e.g., imidacloprid) had high detection frequencies and concentrations out of the main application season. However, such compounds typically had high Groundwater Ubiquity Scores. This suggests constant leaching of pesticides into groundwater connected to rivers as a possible contamination source.Piketberg had high cumulative drug concentrations which correlated strongly with cumulative pesticide concentrations, whereas Grabouw and Hex River Valley did not. This holds particularly true for carbendazim and terbuthylazine. This suggests that some pesticides in Piketberg are likely sourced from both wastewater treatment plants and agriculture, whereas the absence of drugs in Grabouw and Hex River Valley suggests that pesticides are more likely sourced from agriculture. Herbicide detections in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve (e.g., atrazine) indicate contamination possibly sourced from atmospheric transport or invasive plant control and trail maintenance.A risk evaluation using European Environmental Quality Standards revealed that four pesticides were detected at concentrations exceeding their respective threshold levels, namely imidacloprid, chlorpyrifos, terbuthylazine, and spiroxamine. The omnipresence of imidacloprid in all agricultural catchments and monitoring campaigns are cause for concern. This highlights the need for distinct monitoring approaches and the implementation of tailored mitigation measures. Future sampling of groundwater and wastewater influent and effluent in all study catchments is key to improve our understanding of pesticide transport pathways.
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How agricultural droughts are contributing to child undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa - Dimitrova, Anna; Gershunov, Alexander; Benmarhnia, Tarik (2024)
Countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have some of the highest levels of child malnutrition, with more than one-third of children under five in the region characterized as chronically undernourished. High reliance on subsistence farming, poor adoption of irrigation technologies, and variable climate conditions make populations in SSA highly vulnerable to malnutrition during droughts. We use anthropometric data for 520,734 children under the age of five from 34 countries in SSA collected between 1990 and 2022 in combination with high-resolution agricultural and climate data to estimate the association between agricultural droughts and child undernutrition in the region. We use global gridded data on the geographical distribution of crop areas for 15 major crops. Data on crop planting and harvesting dates are also collected for each crop. The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), a multi-scalar drought index, is used to measure the intensity and spatial distribution of droughts during key periods of agricultural production (planting, growth, and harvesting) and of different duration (seasonal and long-lasting droughts). Our analysis shows that droughts during the crop-growing seasons are associated with an increased risk of child undernutrition in SSA. The findings presented in this study call for urgent action to improve drought monitoring and response in SSA where the risks to child health posed by global warming are considerable. Under climate change, the severity and frequency of extreme weather and climate events, including droughts, are projected to increase, which will place millions of children at risk of hunger unless timely action plans are taken to improve food security in the region.
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Attributing child undernutrition from agricultural shocks to climate change in Burkina Faso - Dimitrova, Asya; Laudien, Rahel; Dimitrova, Anna; Undorf, Sabine; Waid, Jillian L. (2024)
Climate change significantly threatens food security, particularly in low-income countries heavily reliant on subsistence and rainfed agriculture. Most existing empirical literature has examined the impacts of climate variability and extremes on undernutrition and agricultural outputs independently. There is a lack of studies exploring the causal pathway from climate change to agricultural shocks and their consequent nutritional and health impacts.In this study, we investigate the extent to which the current and historical burden of child stunting in Burkina Faso can be attributed to climate change-induced agricultural deficits. First, we combine individual anthropometric data from five rounds of the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) and provincial-level crop yield data to assess the association between child stunting and exposure to agricultural deficits at birth. We define agricultural deficits as annual deviations in crop yields from their long-term average for three major food crops in the region: maize, millet, and sorghum. Second, we employ observationally-derived climate reanalysis data as well as counterfactual and factual climate data from ATTRICI (four pairs of datasets based on different reanalysis data), part of ISIMIP3a. These are analysed with a statistical crop yield modelling approach to estimate crop yields with and without climate change, respectively.The epidemiological analysis reveals a non-linear health risk function, with risk of child stunting increasing rapidly when crop yields at birth are lower than the period average (<100%). The crop yield modelling shows a clear climate signal in annual variation in crop yields. The comparison between the factual and counterfactual climate data show a signal, especially in temperature. The outputs of the two models and the counterfactual/factual datasets are combined in an attribution framework in order to estimate the number of stunted children at the province level that can be attributed to climate change-induced agricultural deficits for the period 1984-2022. Repeating the analysis with factual and counterfactual CMIP6-DAMIP data to attribute explicitly the anthropogenic climate change is also considered. The study thus complements the climate impact attribution literature by a regional case study of so-far not attributed health aspects of crucial societal and economic importance.
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Racism and Its Effect on Social Cohesion in South Africa: A Student Perspective - Dlamini, Bongani Innocent; Lawa, Emmanuel; Shange, Hlanganani Siduduzo; Zogli, Luther-King Junior (2024)
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Probabilistic nowcasting of severe storms in Africa: workflow and online tools for monitoring - Klein, Cornelia; Anderson, Seonaid; Cole, Steven J.; Taylor, Christopher M.; Wells, Steven; Nash, Gemma; Diop, Abdoulahat (2024)
Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) dominate rainfall and its extremes in most parts of West Africa, frequently producing flash floods that result in major damage and loss of life. As West African storms are already intensifying, these effects are expected to become more frequent and severe under climate-change and rapid urban expansion. To help mitigate these impacts, the NFLICS (Nowcasting FLood Impacts of Convective storms in the Sahel) project has co-developed a prototype nowcasting system with West African meteorological services based on conditioned climatologies of organised convection as seen from the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites since 2004. Data on historical convective activity, conditioned on the present location and timing of observed convection, are used to produce probabilistic forecasts of convective activity out to six hours ahead. Verification against the convective activity analysis and the 24-hour raingauge accumulations over Dakar suggests that these probabilistic nowcasts provide useful information on the occurrence of convective activity. The highest skill (compared to nowcasts based solely on climatology) is obtained when the probability of convection is estimated over spatial scales between 100 and 200km, depending on the forecast lead-time considered. Furthermore, recent advances have included incorporation of land surface temperature anomalies to modify nowcast probabilities – this recognises that MCS evolution favour drier land. We present the workflow of this nowcasting system and discuss our current understanding of the land surface effects that play a role for storm development and prediction. The developed nowcasting system is crucially computationally inexpensive to run operationally and achieves skill in the absence of rainfall radar, as is the case over most of Africa. Operational trials over the 2020 and 2021 rainy seasons, and during intensive nowcasting testbeds with researchers and forecasters, has shown the utility of these new nowcast products to support Impact-based Forecasting, and are currently being extended for use during a testbed with meteorological services in southern Africa in 2024. Latest West Africa nowcasts alongside pan-African cloud and surface state imagery are publicy accessible on https://eip.ceh.ac.uk/hydrology/sub-saharan-africa/nowcasting
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DInSAR coseismic surface deformation of the 2023 Mw 6.8 Al Haouz earthquake(High Atlas Mountains, Morocco) - Lanari, Riccardo; Occhipinti, Martina; Porreca, Massimiliano (2024)
On 8th September 2023, the Al Haouz province in Morocco was struck by a strong earthquake of 6.8 Mw. The mainshock was generated by a reverse fault with an ENE-WSW orientation, as suggested by the derived focal mechanism. To obtain preliminary information of a seismic event, and to characterize the associated seismotectonic framework, in the last decades, the combination of field geology with satellite observations is becoming gradually more frequent. In particular, the DInSAR technique can be a powerful method of analysis to have an initial detailed information on the deformation field produced by the earthquake. In the present study, to understand the deformation field induced by the event and the structures involved, the DInSAR technique has been applied to obtain displacement maps in LOS, vertical, and horizontal (E-W) directions. On these maps, the geological meaning of both the vertical and horizontal displacement components is interpreted in the framework of the known tectonic structures of the Western High Atlas Belt. The inferred coseismic deformation along its vertical component shows a wide antiform characterized by an overall E-W trend and a slight southward vergence. On the other side, the horizontal (E-W) component of the deformation seems to be affected by the flexuring of the antiform flanks. Integrating the retrieved DInSAR maps with published geological observations and preliminary seismological data, it is possible to demonstrate how the coseismic deformation pattern may be affected not only by a possible activity of the main Tizi n’test fault but also by the far western High Atlas frontal thrust and by possible blind faults, better oriented to the vertical deformation field.
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Educational games to foster schoolchildren's understanding of natural hazards and raise their disaster risk awareness - Lessons learned from Central Africa - Michellier, Caroline; Mutazihara, Innocent Bahati; Bakulikira, Steven; Kahashi, Yves Ngunzi; Nyandwi, Blaise Mafuko; Biregeya, Bernardin Ulimwengu; Kervyn, Matthieu; Kervyn, François (2024)
Improving understanding and awareness of risks associated with natural hazards among the population at risk and DRR managers is essential for achieving the objectives of the Sendai Framework. This is particularly crucial in contexts where natural hazard risk knowledge is scarce and poorly disseminated, while the frequency of disasters and the severity of their impacts are high. Highly interactive, educational games are an engaging method for exposing players to disaster risk situation by allowing them to observe and acquire knowledge, train their problem-solving and decision-making skills, and test different disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies, while experiencing the consequences of disasters in a safe and entertaining environment. Such an approach based on educational games is experimented in eastern DRC, with the Hazagora and Chukuwa games. Hazagora is a board game originally designed for secondary school children. It is used not only as a knowledge-building tool, but also to raise awareness regarding the potential impacts of disasters and how to reduce them, through active engagement of participants in discussion on DRR strategies. As such, this approach sits at the science-policy-practice interface, involving not only children, but also teachers, scientists, civil society organisations and civil protection representatives. Building on this experience, the Chukuwa card game was developed as a disaster risk awareness tool for primary school children, whose ability to take their new understanding back to their families is recognized as a vector for disseminating knowledge. After several years of experimentation, some practical limitations linked to the contextualisation and institutionalisation of these games have however been identified. Based on the lessons learned, adaptations of the Hazagora game are being considered, as is the translation of the Chukuwa card game into local languages, alongside the strengthening of the involvement of secondary and primary education authorities and the integration of these tools into school (extra-)curricula. Educational games are therefore an effective learning tool for introducing participants to the concepts of natural hazards, risks and disasters, as well as for actively and sustainably engaging them in discussions and reflections on DRR strategies conducive to strengthening the risk culture within the community.
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Unlocking the Potential of Hybrid Learning: Tourism Student Voices in South African Universities of Technology - Mokoena, Pavla; Hattingh, Chris (International Conference on Tourism Research, 2024)
This article examines the impacts the pandemic learning environment had on student learning and wellness, and how rethinking higher education (HE) design could bolster the improved student well-being. In the wake of Covid-19, academia is searching for some “normalcy” which requires a critical review of the suitability of current structures, as policy design struggles with the possibilities of a hybrid approach to pedagogic delivery. The body of knowledge on blended/hybrid learning design requires the student voice, in cold face experiences of pandemic-induced academic evolution, to get closer to discovering a model that benefits both teaching and learning. The unearthing of possible unrealised disruptions to the learning environment, affecting social, personal and cognitive presence. A sequential explanatory study that included the collection of quantitative survey data, and qualitative focus group interviews was conducted. The census enquiry of tourism management students at three universities of technology in South Africa was concluded online, as per remote learning requirements at the height of the pandemic. Study results indicate that remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic impacted negatively on student learning and mental health at universities of technology (UOTs) in South Africa. Student data indicated that even through strict pandemic regulations, the university campus life morphed, and did not die. Students gravitated towards parts of the campus considered soothing, with proper internet access, arguing for a holistic, sustainable university architecture that bolsters learning and student support. HE institutions need to further consider the role and design of university architecture for hybrid/blended learning, with a user-focused perspective.
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Challenges and Opportunities Facing Ecotourism in Sub-Saharan Africa from Climate Change Desertification - Mullikin, T. W. (International Conference on Tourism Research, 2024)
This study explores one aspect of the macro-atmospheric phenomenon of amplified climate change that is causing significant micro manifestation challenges in one of the most fragile ecosystems on earth, sub-Saharan Africa. The micro manifestation of desertification impacts humans, flora, and fauna all of whom already struggle to survive in these areas. Desertification in turn effects ecotourism. Desertification is a type of land degradation in which biological productivity is reduced and where fertile areas become arid. Desertification causes the loss of vegetation and food for livestock and humans and a decrease in drinking water reserves. Our examination researches the extents of desertification in the area and the effect it is having on ecotourism. We explore the strategies for proper ecotourism management and planning that are being utilized to offset these effects and explore how these strategies can and are being utilized to offset these effects and even supply numerous economic resources for government, private sector, and local groups to help improve living conditions and quality of life. Ecotourism in these unique ecosystems that are impacted by climatic changes provide a meaningful opportunity to enhance the lives of host communities and protect the environment. During a recent visit to Namibia, I found residents who are utilizing innovative strategies such as solar energy, rainwater collection and other innovations to protect the ecosystem, wildlife and environment and allow them to continue to continue to host ecotourists and provide services. Resources for ecotourism in deserts are made of the mutual effect of topography, climate, water, wildlife, plant type and density. Previous studies have shown that if ecotourism is properly managed and planned, it has the potential for numerous economic resources for the local community. We examine the extent of desertification in these semi-arid deserts, the planning and management of ecotourism activities, and the role that education of these ecosystems could provide for additional economic resources and ecological protection.
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Traditional Practices and Education Rights: A Case of University Female Students in Hodon District, Somalia - Nur, Abdirizak; Barigayomwe, Rogers (East African journal of traditions, culture and religion, 2024)
Education is a fundamental right and plays an important role in development (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2020). However, in Hodon District, Somalia, traditional practices and cultural beliefs significantly influence educational opportunities available, particularly for marginalized groups like girls (Abdullahi & Said, 2012; Ahmed, 2000). Somalia has a rich cultural heritage shaped by diverse traditions that form societal norms, though some perpetuate gender inequality and limit girls' education (Abdullahi & Said, 2012). It is important to examine Hodon District's prevailing traditions and their impact on education rights to identify improvement areas and strategies (Hassan & Lewis, 2008; Warsame, 2001). Traditional practices may include gender roles, restrictions on girls' schooling, early marriage, and limited resources that hinder enrollment, retention and achievement (Omar & Hersi, 2011; Roble & Wardheer, 2003). Additionally, traditions can affect boys' education through expectations like income contributions over schooling (Roble & Wardheer, 2003). To properly address barriers, comprehensive understanding is needed of prevailing practices and implications for opportunities (United Nations Children's Fund, 2010). The objective was to examine the effect of Traditional Practices on Education Rights: A Case of University Female Students in Hodon District, Somalia. The theoretical framework of this study is grounded in liberal feminism theory, as advanced by Jackson and Pearson (2002). A mixed-methods approach was used combining qualitative and quantitative data from interviews, questionnaires and a sample of 358 female students from universities in Hodon district, Somalia. The research examined the influence of traditional practices on education rights through a descriptive design aimed at understanding subjective experiences. Findings revealed Somali traditions are gender sensitive in education with a mean of 3.765. Cultural support for education in communities had a mean of 2.073. Regression analysis between traditional practices and education rights yielded a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.749. The model summary results were: R = 0.749, R2 = 0.560, Adjusted R2 = 0.559, meaning traditional practices explain 56.0% of the variation in education rights, while other factors account for the remaining 44.0%. It was concluded that traditional practices have a significant effect on education rights for university female students in Hodon district. Specifically, improvements to traditional practices that increase support for girls' education could positively impact education rights in Mogadishu. The study provides insight through quantitative and qualitative examination of the influence of traditions
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Geospatial and remote sensing based modelling of water erosion under climate change impact in North Tunisia: Case of Medjerda Watershed - Othman, Dhouha Ben (2024)
Abstract.The comprehension of a process variability mode and its causing factors may help decision- makers for preventive and mitigation purposes. Indeed, modelling of water erosion variability and soil loss rates estimation seem crucial in regions where this process may have serious consequences that adversely affects countries sustainable development and agricultural production. Under impact of climate changes, several previous studies deal with aggressiveness of soil erosion dynamic throughout the Mediterranean region. The present research focuses on modelling and assessment of soil loss in Medjerda watershed in North Tunisia. Indeed, erosion potential model (EPM) combined with geospatial and remote sensing techniques was adopted in order to develop spatial distribution map of erosive hazard and to quantify sediment yield. Geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) performances were used for parameterization, calibration and validation of EPM model structure in the study area. The second part of this study is preserved to identify the potential link between water erosion variability and global climate changes indices (NAO, MO, WeMOi and ENSO) in North Tunisia. Indeed, a combined approach between spectral (continuous wavelet transform, wavelets coherence) and statistical analyses (multiple linear regression) was addressed.Finding of this research are mainly the development of mean annual soil loss spatial distribution map in Medjerda watershed will helps to identify highly vulnerable zones with estimation of soil losses rates. This map can be used as a decision support document for developing of soil and water resources management strategies in North Tunisia. In addition, regressive models expressing impacts of global climate fluctuations on spatial regionalization of water erosion process was developed.Keywords: water erosion, EPM model, GIS and RS techniques, climate changes, spectral and statistical analyses, Medjerda watershed, North Tunisia
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Beyond Role Conflict and Ambiguity: A Global Measure of Role Stress among South African School Teachers - Padmanabhanunni, Anita; Pretorius, Tyrone B. (Revista de investigación e innovación en ciencias de la salud, 2024)
Background. Role stress is linked to reduced work performance, diminished organizational commitment, increased intention to leave a job, and negative physical and mental health effects. Given the significant implications of role stress, researchers have sought to understand and quantify the concept. The Role Conflict and Ambiguity (RCA) scales are widely utilized in job stress research as the predominant measurement tools. They were originally conceptualized as consisting of two independent dimensions: role conflict and role ambiguity. Objective. This study advances the validation research of the RCA scales by exploring its dimensionality through Mokken Scale Analysis (MSA) and Classical Test Theory (CTT). Method. South African school teachers responded to the RCA scales, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Teaching Satisfaction Scale. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and MSA were employed for data analysis. Results. The research determined that a second-order model provided the optimal fit, indicating that role ambiguity and role conflict are subordinate dimensions within the overarching construct of role stress. Conclusion. The findings from the CFA and supplementary bifactor indices reinforce the view that the instrument comprises 13 items, which assess a general dimension of role stress along with two sub-dimensions: role conflict and role ambiguity. Such specificity may lead to more effective strategies to mitigate role-related stress, thereby enhancing overall employee well-being, job satisfaction, and organizational productivity.
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Identification of Earthquakes and Anthropogenic Events in Madagascar - Razafindrakoto, Hoby N. T.; Rakotoarisoa, Andriniaina Tahina (2024)
Earthquake catalog is a key element in seism hazards. However, it may be contaminated by non-natural earthquake sources. Hence,This study aims to discriminate natural and non-natural earthquakes through machine learning techniques and spatio-temporal distribution of the events. First, we propose a Convolutional Neural Network based on spectrograms to perform the waveform classification. It is targeted to applications in Madagascar. The approach consists of three main steps: (1) generation of the time–frequency representation of ground-motion recordings (spectrogram); (2) training and validation of the model using spectrograms of ground shaking; (3) testing and prediction. To measure the compatibility between output predictions and given ground truth labels, we adopt the commonly used loss function and accuracy measure. Given that the spatial distribution of the seismic data in Madagascar is non-uniform, we perform two-step analyses. First, we adopt a supervised approach for 6051 known events in the central part of Madagascar. Then, we use the outcome for the second step of training and perform the prediction for non-categorized events throughout the country. The results show that our model has the potential to separate earthquakes from mining-related events. For the supervised approach, among the 20% used for testing, 97.48% and 2.52% of the events give correct and incorrect labels, respectively. These pre-trained data are subsequently used to perform predictions for unlabeled events throughout Madagascar. Our results show that the model could learn the features of the classes even for data coming from different parts of Madagascar.From the analyses of the spatio-temporal patterns of seismicity, we also found evidence of induced earthquakes associated with the heavy-oil exploration in Tsimiroro, Madagascar with an increase in the rate of earthquake occurrence in 2022.
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NextGen Drought Index Dashboard - Designing and piloting a new satellite data platform to strengthen drought risk financing in the Horn of Africa - Richaud, Bertrand; Anthonj, Jannik; Larsen, Ole; Enenkel, Markus; Plevin, J. (2024)
One of the biggest strengths of parametric drought insurance products is that they can trigger payouts independently from observed losses (and expensive loss assessments), potentially increasing the speed of payouts and lowering premiums. To support low-income countries in formulating policies and developing instruments aimed at enhancing their financial resilience against drought, the World Bank’s Crisis and Disaster Risk Finance (CDRF) team and DHI are developing a novel drought risk finance dashboard. The overarching objective is to improve the transparency and accountability related to the development of drought risk financing instruments to strengthen national decision-making and risk ownership in low-income countries. The NextGen Drought Index (NGDI) dashboard is being piloted in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, with the vision to be implemented across Africa, and ultimately, on a global scale. The new tool allows users to access, visualize, and analyze historical and current drought conditions alongside socio-economic data, such as food insecurity. This enables users to close the critical gap between drought hazard, drought impact, and the performance of financial products. The dashboard optimizes the use of satellite-derived climate datasets, such as estimates of precipitation, soil moisture and vegetation greenness. It empowers users to combine and benchmark climate data from diverse Earth Observation (EO) platforms. This dynamic approach enables the assessment of drought risk and its temporal progression. Since the data must be analysed at a consistent geographical scale, all climate and environmental variables are aggregated and preprocessed for further analysis by governmental partners or regional stakeholders. The NGDI dashboard will be added to the CDRF team’s catalogue of tools. All choices regarding the platform’s architecture and technology prioritize sustainability, scalability, and cost-efficient maintenance. The dashboard was developed under the World Bank Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance Program, funded by the Global Shield Financing Facility (GSFF) and the Global Index Insurance Facility (GIIF).
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Magma storage quantified under Aluto volcano, Ethiopia, using probabilistic tomography - Roy, C.; Nowacki, Andy; Curtis, Andrew; Baptie, Brian (2024)
Rift volcanoes worldwide present significant hazards to people from eruptions but also provide resources such as geothermal energy. Aluto volcano in the Ethiopian rift is a hotspot for geothermal power exploitations, despite significant periods of deformation in the last 15 years. Various geophysical imaging methods have been applied to Aluto to obtain a detailed 3D image of the hydrothermal reservoir and the location, geometry, and size of possible magma bodies. However, the models give a single or narrow range of answers without the possibility for the exploration of uncertainties arising from the data and assumptions. Here we address this current limitation for the seismic data by performing a fully nonlinearized joint inversion of local seismic P- and S-wave travel times, and surface wave dispersion data between 0.5 Hz and 2 Hz from empirical Green's functions, for the location of earthquakes and the velocity of the subsurface. The combination of data types helps reduce the range of permitted models. We use a reversible-jump Markov chain Monte Carlo approach to incorporate prior information and, from our data, retrieve the posterior probability of earthquake parameters and seismic velocity in a Bayesian sense. This provides rigorous distributions of the covariance of the earthquake and velocity parameters. Our 3D seismic models display areas of elevated Vp/Vs ratio at 2-6 km depth under the caldera, interpreted as areas of partial melt. The hydrothermal reservoir shows in our results as lower Vp/Vs. This is in good agreement with the previous resistivity models from the magnetotelluric study of Samrock et al. 2020. However, while Samrock et al. observed two zones of partial melt, our model suggests that the lower and upper melt zones are connected. To go one step further, we developed a workflow to link seismic velocities to melt fraction estimates by combining the posterior distributions of seismic velocity and thermodynamic modeling. We conclude that the melt fraction under Aluto is between 3 and 7 % at 5 km depths, and the melt volume is approximately 0.37 km3.
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From systemic risks to systemic resilience: A pathways approach for disaster and climate risk management in Malawi and South Africa - Sparkes, Edward; Cotti, Davide; Manyuchi, Albert Edgar; Kita, Stern Mwakalimi; Ukatu, Nkemakonam Naomi; Pfeiffer, Simone; Werners, S.E.; Hagenlocher, Michael (2024)
To comprehensively manage the impacts from hazards and disasters, a nuanced understanding of the systemic nature of risks is needed. The effects of natural hazards, climate change and other human-generated shocks transcend borders, sectors and systems, highlighting the interconnected nature of risks. The lack of resilience in one sector can propagate risks across multiple other sectors, and interventions in response can generate trade-offs and unintended negative consequences leading to maladaptation. This emphasises that not only do we need to analyse risk from a systemic perspective, we must also approach risk management and adaptation to consider interconnected positive and negative cascading effects. Despite recent progress in complex risk assessment, translating information into actionable inputs for risk management remains a challenge. These challenges are especially pressing in countries burdened by increasing exposure to natural hazards and extreme climate effects. To support addressing this challenge, we integrated a novel systemic risk analysis method named Impact Webs (Sparkes et al., 2023) with a pathways approach, to co-create disaster and climate risk management pathways with stakeholders, using the Republics of Malawi and South Africa as case studies. Impact Webs are system-oriented conceptual risk models that identify interconnections between hazards, risks, impacts, interventions, drivers of risks and root causes, mapping their interaction across different sectors and at various scales. We co-developed Impact Webs with stakeholders, building on them to identify lessons for risk management adopting a pathways approach. Pathways are a flexible planning approach that incorporates stakeholders’ perspectives into decision making, reducing path dependencies and managing trade-offs. Decisions are taken based on how future conditions unfold. Our pathways development was also driven by stakeholders’ inputs, first using Impact Webs to identify entry points for risk management options. Barriers to implementing options were then identified, as well as enabling conditions to overcome them. We then engaged with potential trade-offs and positive cascading effects, identifying pathways for Malawi and South Africa that could strengthen resilience across multiple sectors. We took a transformational pathways approach, developing pathways for wide-ranging system changes needed to reach high resilience futures. The work was done over four workshops with a range of expert stakeholders, and was complemented by desk study and interviews. Reflecting on the approach, a challenge arose in sequence actions, i.e., justifying the selection of one risk management option before another. This was due to developing pathways at the national scale across many sectors, therefore they were not targeted towards a specific decision or group of decision-makers. Despite this, the integration of the Impact Webs and pathways provides a useful methodology to move from systemic risk analysis to systemic risk management. Collecting feedback from stakeholders during the workshops, the co-creation process, and engaging with the visual output of an Impact Web, helped them think about risks and risk management in an interconnected manner, by considering cascading effects and response risks of interventions. This can foster understanding among decision makers about the interdependencies between sectors, thus supporting disaster and climate risk management that strengthens system-wide resilience across multiple sectors.
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Investigating Impacts of Climate Change and War on the Green Cover Area in Northeast Syria Between 2000 and 2023 - Sukkar, Abdullah; Essoussi, Sara; Alqaysi, Omar; Hisam, Enes; Şeker, Dursun Zafer (2024)
During the 20th century and continuing into the present, significant warming was observed due to the emission of greenhouse gases, primarily CO2 and CH4, into the atmosphere. The sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates a warming of 1.1°C above 1850-1900 in 2011-2020. As climate warming continues to reshape atmospheric conditions and trigger extreme weather events such as drought, forest fires, and floods. The intricate relationship between these changes and vegetation dynamics becomes increasingly evident, profoundly affecting ecological systems, agriculture, and politics. Vegetation is an essential component in ecological systems since it serves as a connection between soil, atmosphere, and water; and plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of carbon and water, facilitating the exchange of materials and energy, ensuring climate stability, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Generally, changes in vegetation are analyzed to assess the environmental conditions at both regional and global levels. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is a commonly employed tool for analyzing variations in vegetation dynamics. Examining these changes and their triggers is crucial for comprehending the relationships between vegetation and ecosystems. Syria, located at the intersection of Asia and the Mediterranean, is an area with a high level of water scarcity and is susceptible to extreme droughts, especially in the northeastern region, where temperature and evaporation have significant impacts. The land cover in the northeastern region has undergone significant alterations in recent decades due to the armed conflict, which its effects on the land use and land cover (LULC) are neither unidirectional nor spatially uniform. Research and policy alike have given careful consideration to the relationship between conflict and climate change. Extreme weather events, like droughts, have been shown to correspond with the start of armed conflicts occasionally. The most widely proposed mechanism between climate change and violent conflict is the relationship between shocks to agricultural productivity and the degradation of vegetation. In this study, the ERA5-Land data has been used to analyze the climatic conditions in northeast Syria between 2000 and 2023. In addition, the satellite images of Landsat 5, 7, 8, and 9 have been used to generate NDVI maps. Then, a correlation between the meteorological parameters and the NDVI was established to examine how climate change and drought have affected the green cover in the study area, especially after 2011, when the armed conflict started. Meteorological parameters such as temperature, soil temperature, precipitation, and evaporation on an hourly scale have been applied. The drought events have been addressed by the number of precipitation events, precipitation accumulation, and precipitation intensity. Moreover, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), which is considered as a global standard for evaluating the severity of drought, has also been used for various time scales (3, 6, 9, and 12 months). The study highlighted how climate change had affected the vegetation areas in the northeastern region of Syria. The results emphasized different drought events and mapped the change in the LULC through the time period of the study.
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Ecological risk assessment of metal pollution in the surface sediments of delta region, Egypt - Thabet, Walaa M.; Moneer, Abeer A.; Abdelwahab, Ola; Ahdy, Hoda H.H.; Khedawy, Mohamed; Shabaan, Nashwa A. (Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2024)
Abstract The surface sediments from eleven sectors perpendicular to the Egyptian Mediterranean Sea coast, along the delta region, have been assessed. These sectors cover areas of Eastern Harbour, Abu Qir Bay, Rosetta, Abo Khashaba, Burullus, Baltim, Damietta, and Manzala. The assessment process is based on determining the eight metals’ (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, Co, Pb, and Cd) content, followed by applying different pollution and ecological risk indices such as enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation factor ( I geo ), contamination factor (CF), Pollution Load Index (PLI), degree of contamination ( C deg. ), Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index (NIPI), and Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI). The results indicate the average concentrations of metals (μg/g) were Fe (18,000), Mn (213), Zn (120), Ni (26), Co (13), Cu (12), Pb (10), and Cd (2). The single-pollution indices reveal that most metals were depleted to metal levels, the sediments were moderately polluted with Cd and unpolluted with other metals, and the CF values confirmed that the sediments were highly polluted with Cd and low contaminated with the rest of the metals. According to the integrated pollution indices, the Eastern Harbour, Damietta, Manzalah, and Bardawil (eastern Inlet) are the most polluted sectors relative to the rest, subjected to various point sources of pollution. Drainage management system is recommended to enhance water conservation and improve fish stocks.
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Climate change, disturbance legacy and abrupt shifts in ecosystem functioning: what makes arid African savannas more resilient? - Vermeulen, Liezl Mari; Verbist, Bruno; Meerbeek, Koenraad Van; Slingsby, Jasper A.; Bernardino, Paulo N.; Somers, Ben (2024)
The accelerating pace of climate change has led to unprecedented shifts in surface temperature and precipitation patterns worldwide. Regions particularly susceptible to these changes include African savannas. With increased climate anomalies and human impacts, comes increased disturbance events in the form of fires, overgrazing from elephants, invasive species etc. Consequently, there is a continual, large-scale transformation in vegetation patterns. Long-term ecosystem characteristics, such as soil traits, topography, and species composition, also contribute to the susceptibility of ecosystems to these climate and disturbance pressures. Understanding the complex interaction between climatic pressures, local disturbance drivers and underlying ecosystem traits, and their impact on ecosystem functioning and stability, is thus crucial.This research pursued a dual objective: firstly, detecting shifts in ecosystem functioning within the African savanna biome and analysing their spatial and temporal patterns; secondly, exploring the interplay between climate legacy, disturbance legacy, and underlying ecosystem characteristics, and how these factors influence savanna ecosystem resilience at regional and local scales in the context of global change. Remote sensing time series analysis and breakpoint detection algorithms were employed to identify change hotspots in the South African savanna biome. Combining this ethodwith survival analysis, a novel approach, also helped uncover large-scale climatic drivers and underlying ecosystem traits facilitating these changes. Bayesian hierarchical modeling, coupled with field data collected in the Kruger National Park of South Africa, was then utilised to delve into the complex interactions between disturbance legacy (e.g., drought legacy, history of extreme rainfall events, increased fire frequency, and elephant activity) and the resistance and resilience of the savanna landscape at a local scale. The outcomes of this research contribute to prioritising conservation efforts and enhancing our understanding of the future of savannas in the face of global change.
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Multi-Source Earth Observation Data for Drought Monitoring in the Borena Region in Southern Ethiopia - Weldemariam, Elias Cherenet; Mulualem, Getachew; Yohannes, Tinebeb; Nieto, Héctor; Andreu, Ana; Burchard-Levine, Vicente (2024)
Drought is a recurring phenomenon in the Borena region of Southern Ethiopia. The imbalance between potential evaporation and precipitation during the growing season often results in drought conditions, posing significant threats to the biodiversity, agriculture and human activities. The zone has endured severe drought risk due to consecutive years of no rainfall, significantly impacting ecosystem services, livestock and agro-pastoralist communities. To mitigate the effects of droughts and to provide quick decision-making with timely information for an effective response, it is crucial to regularly analyze the information about its severity and its extent in terms of spatial and temporal pattern. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal pattern of drought in the Borena region, using integrated indices such the Composite Drought Index (CDI) from 2000 to 2022. The CDI, which incorporates the Precipitation Drought Index (PDI), the Temperature Drought Index (TDI), and the Vegetation Drought Index (VDI), are used as input to examine spatial and temporal drought patterns, providing a comprehensive view of drought conditions over the given area. Additionally, the Mann–Kendall trend test and Sen’s slope were employed to understand the trends of these indices and determine their magnitude of change.The study identified the occurrence of extreme drought events in recent years during 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2021 in Borena Zone. The findings also showed a decreasing trend in rainfall, an increase in temperature, and a diminishing trend in vegetation condition during the study period. Specifically, the computed mean growing season of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values ranged between -0.02352 to 0.0312, with 57.67% of the Borena region showing a decreasing trend. Future work will incorporate actual evapotranspiration (ET) estimates based on thermal infrared (TIR) imagery within the CDI, as this has the potential to more rapidly detect water stress in vegetation compared to spectral indices such as NDVI. These findings can guide the development of climate policies, disaster risk reduction and strategies in Ethiopia, contributing to the mitigation of future drought impacts and the promotion of sustainable dryland natural resources practices, including supporting early drought warning detection systems for agro-pastoralist communities.
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FRAME – a Fast Response Aftershock network for the Moroccan Earthquake (Mw 6.9, 08.09.2023) - Zeckra, Martin; Moudnib, Lahcen El; Nouyati, Abderrahime; Carrasco, Sebastián (2024)
The 2023 Mw 6.9 Al Haouz Earthquake in the Moroccan High Atlas mountains is the most recent example of a destructive event in an intraplate setting under the absence of a causative plate boundary. Their large inter-event times in such seismotectonic regimes hinders the study of single focus regions and apparently underestimates their larger seismic hazard potential, leaving local communities unaware of the scale of their exposure to these risks. One major shortcoming in the immediate scientific analysis of this unprecedented earthquake is the lack of (publicly) available seismic waveform recordings in the source area.An immediate impact is displayed in the source location uncertainty, including a high variability in focal depth estimations. Associating the earthquake origin to a causative fault remains puzzling, bearing in mind the deeper-than-average focal depth of around 32 km. The complex tectonic history of the Atlas mountain chains is depicted in a plethora of active, reactivated and abandoned faults. In addition, prior studies noticed a lithospheric anomaly underneath the High Atlas mountain range, that lacks a classical mountain root. Thus, this event raise questions on the thermo-elastic parameters at depth in order to support a large seismogenic thickness of the crust.In the immediate aftermath of the Al Haouz, we initiated a rapid-response task force for setting up a temporal seismic network in the High Atlas. Within two weeks, six autonomous seismological stations have been installed between 20 and 80 km from the estimated epicenter. Due to the large degree of destruction, problematic access and absence of major infrastructure in the epicentral region, we relied on autarkic and robust sensors. As a novelty, the stations consisted of SmartSolo® three component 5 Hz geophone sensors. These industrial-level instruments are light-weight and easy to deploy in any terrain. In a compact casing, the passive sensors host digitizer, data storage, GPS and battery life-time of up to 30 days.Here, we present the first data of this 2 months temporary network. Based on preliminary analysis, we could obtain more than 1000 events recorded on all stations of the network during the 54 recording days. The largest recorded events had an assigned magnitude of ML 4.5. Considering single stations detections as well, we estimate more than 10,000 earthquake detections overall. This catalog will greatly expand the scientific insight into the mechanisms of this exceptional earthquake in the near-future.Further, through the use of simple geophone sensors this study presents a proof of concept for rapid response installations of temporary aftershock network. These sensor types strongly outperform the fully elaborated counterparts in installation speed, transportability and external requirements for potential installation sites without large drawbacks in data quality.
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Evaluating Compound Risks of Heatwaves and Droughts on Crop Yield and Food Security in Morocco - Zellou, Bouchra; Bergou, El Houcine; Moçayd, Nabil El (2024)
In an era marked by climate change, heatwaves and droughts have increasingly begun to co-occur within a single growing season, significantly impacting crop yields in key agricultural regions globally. Against this backdrop, the current study is dedicated to quantitatively evaluating the effects of these combined hot-dry episodes on agricultural productivity in Morocco, a country where such climatic extremes pose a significant threat to food security and economic stability. Utilizing high-resolution gridded precipitation and temperature data that closely aligns with 29 ground station observations, we calculate the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Temperature Index (STI) across Moroccan arable regions in the agricultural season (September-May) during 1981-2018. Employing a vine-copula conditional probability model, the study explores the complex interactions between drought and heatwaves and their joint impact on vegetation, as indicated by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The focus is on identifying the conditional probability of vegetation loss under multiple compound dry-hot episodes. The findings highlight that the combined effects of droughts and heatwaves can have catastrophic consequences for crop yields, especially during the growth season. This underscores the critical need to assess their compound impact on agricultural productivity, rather than examining each factor separately. This study provides a robust understanding of compound hot-dry events and their impacts on crop yields, highlighting the emerging need for comprehensive adaptation strategies that bolster agricultural resilience and support sustainable productivity in the face of evolving climatic challenges. Keywords: Compound, drought, heat waves, NDVI, vine-copula, conditional probability.
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Review of: "Raising Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in Energy and Food Sectors of Egypt" - Domingos, Renata Mansuelo Alves (2024)
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The Impact of Talent Leadership on Attracting and Retaining High Value Professors at Historically Disadvantaged Higher Education Institutions in South Africa - Mabasa, Fumani; Morukhu, Doreen; Maluka, Rivalani Harriet (Journal of Business and Management Review, 2024)
Research Aims: This study aimed to investigate the impact of talent leadership on attracting and retaining high-value professors at HDHEIs in South Africa.
Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach was used, with 20 face-to-face interviews and document analysis with academic leaders from five HDHEIs. Thematic analysis used to analyse the collected data.
Research Findings: The findings revealed five themes regarding the impact of talent leadership at HDHEIs: empowerment, motivation, engagement, commitment, and competence among professoriate staff at the university.
Theoretical Contribution/Originality: This study demonstrates the significance of talent leadership in providing a sense of belonging, respect, personal growth, and development to the professoriate, all of which are necessary for attracting and retaining high-value professors. Recommendations stemming from the study encompass targeted leadership training programs, the establishment of mentorship initiatives, and the implementation of inclusive and supportive policies. These recommendations are intended to guide HDHEIs in South Africa toward fostering an environment that not only attracts but also retains high-value professors, ultimately contributing to the sustained growth and development of these South African institutions.
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An investigation of the language attitudes, identity and power perspectives of isiZulu home-language-speaking students towards isiZulu and other Black South African languages - Masha-Sambo, Mashadi; Olifant, Tilla; Cekiso, Madoda; Ditsele, Thabo (South African Journal of African Languages, 2024)
1AbstractIsiZulu is the most widely spoken language in South Africa, and most of its home language (HL) speakers reside in KwaZulu-Natal. Outside this province, there are significant isiZulu HL speakers who reside in Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to explore the thoughts of isiZulu HL speakers on their language in relation to identity and power. Furthermore, the study investigates the attitudes held by isiZulu HL students towards their language and other Black South African languages (BSALs). This study used a mixed-methods approach supported by a concurrent triangulation design. Quantitative data were collected through the use of a survey questionnaire, whereas a semi-structured interview was used to collect qualitative data. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. From the sample of 60 isiZulu HL speakers selected from university students studying isiZulu at first- to third-year levels, anecdotal evidence suggests that most isiZulu HL speakers perceive there to be a correlation between the home language that a person uses and their identity. Furthermore, the majority of isiZulu students indicated a positive attitude towards other BSALs. The study thus recommended that BSALs should be introduced at all primary schools, with the purpose of exposing every learner to the various BSALs at a young age.
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Review of: "Analysis of Gender Representations in Recommended Biology Textbooks Used by Senior School Students in Nasarawa State, Nigeria" - Mokhtar, Mazlin Mohamed (2024)
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Reconceptualising initial teacher education in South Africa: A quest for transformative and sustainable alternatives - Ndebele, Clever; Marongwe, Newlin; Ncanywa, Thobeka; Matope, Samson; Ginyigazi, Zanele; Chisango, Grasia; Msindwana, Phumla Nomatolo; Garidzirai, Rufaro (Interdisciplinary journal of education research, 2024)
Education serves as a catalyst for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and it is essential for education to keep pace with societal dynamics. This paper argues for the reconceptualisation of initial teacher education in South Africa to promote an alternative transformative and sustainable pedagogy. Questions arose regarding the compatibility of the current teacher education program in South Africa with the needs of today's learners. Therefore, it is important to assess whether South African higher education institutions provide adequate training for future teachers. The current teacher education programme has remained unchanged for many years, failing to adapt to the evolving educational landscape and instead adhering to traditional methods that were relevant in the past. Incorporating flexible, transformative pedagogies and technologies can enhance student learning and engage learners of the 21st century. Using a typological methodological design, this conceptual explanatory paper identifies six themes: program content, pedagogy, technological advancements, preparing teachers for inclusion, school-based experiences, and addressing anxiety. This paper contributes to existing knowledge by advocating for the reconceptualisation of teacher education programs, aiming to produce graduates who are equipped to address global challenges. Furthermore, it emphasises the need for an alternative transformative sustainable initiative to overhaul teacher education programs to align with modern societies' complexities and dynamics. Therefore, this paper calls for the reformulation of South Africa's initial teacher training to align with SDG 4 (quality education) and Agenda 2023, which underpin Africa's transformational aspirations for a better future for all.
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Trends in Admittance and Equity in Higher Education: Are Male Students in Uganda Disadvantaged? - Arinaitwe, Judith (Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education, 2024)
The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of trends in admittance and equity in higher education. Using Qualitative approach in data collection, this study answered the following questions: Are Male students currently disadvantaged in admittance to higher education in favour of female students? What is the impact this imbalance in relation to job market demands for skilled labour from both sexes? What long-term initiatives might significantly increase the number of male students admitted to higher education institutions for gender equity? The findings were that the available data on trends in admitting students in higher institutions show an almost equal number of the ratio of females to male with some exceptional institutions where female ratios have exceeded male ratios. It is recommended that the government should review affirmative action policies so that the recruitment does not favor one gender as it were before the programs.
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Internationalisation and the lived experiences of Non-South African postgraduate students in accessing higher education in South Africa - Banda, Tiwonge; Zungu, Bonga (South African journal of higher education, 2024)
The internationalisation of higher education has resulted in an increase in student mobility from countries of their origin to experience a different kind of education elsewhere. South Africa absorbs most international students within Africa. According to Chasi and Quinlan (2021, 209) the Council for Higher Education reported that 6.5 per cent of the total number of enrolments in universities in South Africa are international students, which is a significant proportion of the student body. The success of these students contributes to raising the profile of South African universities as far as rankings are concerned as well as generating revenue for the institutions. This article explores the lived experiences of postgraduate international students at a university in South Africa. The aim of the article is to identify the opportunities and constraints that students experience, coming from outside South Africa to pursue postgraduate studies. Using Sen’s capability approach, the article endeavoured to unveil conversion factors that international students encounter while studying for their postgraduate programmes. A qualitative approach was employed to generate data through interviews with students who had completed their postgraduate studies. The findings revealed the capability to study as a “doing” that mattered to the students with the intention of ultimately attaining their postgraduate qualifications. Experiences along the way included both enabling and constraining factors such as immigration, cultural adjustments, supervision and institutional factors. There is a compelling need to revisit the processes of admission and immigration regarding international students aimed at benefiting both students and institutions.
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Source of the 2023 Morocco Earthquake (Mw6.8) inferred by analysis of Seismic and Geodetic Data - Caldeira, Bento; Buforn, E.; Oliveira, Rui Jorge; Bezzeghoud, Mourad; Borges, José Fernando; Hamak, Ines (2024)
On September 8, 2023, at 22:11 UTC, a seismic event of magnitude Mw6.8 (according to the USGS) occurred near the village of Talat N’Yaaqoub, Al Haouz province, in the High Atlas region of Morocco. This earthquake had a profound impact, violently shaking the entire area within a radius of over 70km from the epicentre. More than 78,000 buildings were severely damaged, resulting in approximately 5,600 injuries and around 3,000 fatalities. A considerable portion of the affected population resides in buildings seismically vulnerable and limited access to resources for mitigating such risks. This incident stands out as a significant earthquake in a region characterized by a low deformation rate and generally considered to have low seismic activity. Testimonies collected by CSEM reveal that the seismic vibrations were felt not only in the High Atlas but also by people in a wider area extending to Algeria, southern Spain, and Portugal. This study presents the preliminary results obtained from a comprehensive investigation of the earthquake's source. The analysis is based on the interpretation of seismic and geodetic data, employing a combination of the following methods: (1) inversion of the seismic moment tensor to determine fault plane geometry and hypocenter depth, (2) waveform inversion using a finite source model to assess spatiotemporal slip distribution, (3) modeling of surface strain field produced by the slip distribution model. The validation of the rupture model was performed by comparing the synthetic surface deformation field with the observed field obtained through the geospatial InSAR method. Acknowledgement: The work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) project UIDB/04683/2020 - ICT (Institute of Earth Sciences).
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Hydro-meteorological and Agricultural drought assessment under Solar Radiation Modification over the Niger river basin in West Africa - Coulibaly, Amadou; Ballo, Abdoulaye; Akpoti, Komlavi; Sawadogo, Windmanagda (2024)
West African countries are vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate extremes such as drought which are becoming more frequent and more intense over the past decades. However, drought characterization and its associated drivers are not well understood in the region. In this study, we will investigate the implication of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) in Hydro-meteorological and Agricultural drought over the Niger River Basin, as well as their larger-scale atmospheric and ocean-atmosphere drivers. The impacts of SRM on these aspects of drought will be assessed using ARISE/GeoMIP Global Climate Model (GCM) data. The study will use three drought indices: Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) over each grid point for each dataset for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI) employed as an indicator of rainfall concentration for annual and seasonal scales (wet and dry seasons). Precipitation Concentration Degree (PCD) and Precipitation Concentration Period (PCP) to measure the rainfall distribution and the peak rainfall date, based on the daily or monthly total precipitation. Standardized runoff index (SRI) and standardized soil moisture index (SSWI). The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) will be used to assess the current and future water balance in the basin and to estimate the features of meteorological, hydrological and agricultural droughts. The model with be driven by a statistically downscaled of the SRM climate model data. In the Preliminary results, models reproduce the near normal drought for each type of drought over the basin. The ssp585 shows less dry condition in the far future over the basin. The model intervention reduces the gap and has serious implications for future management of droughts over the basins. This is an ongoing study. The results of this research will provide valuable insights to stakeholders in the region on the regional impacts of a global climate mitigation solution such as SRM on key socio-economic climate hazards. Details results from the study will be presented in oral at the workshop. The results will enable much better-informed contributions from African policymakers in the UNFCCC and other fora where the pros and cons of geoengineering of climate in general, and SRM in particular, are being debated.
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Mentorship and Professional Development of Young Academic Staff in Some Selected Universities in North-West, Nigeria - Elizabeth, Josephine; Tumburku, Wakkala Garba; Danjuma, Mairo (Journal of advances in education and philosophy, 2024)
This study sought to examine the relationship between mentorship and professional development of young academics staff in selected universities in Northwest, Nigeria. Using a quantitative approach, the study employed descriptive correlational design. The sample size of 185 respondents was used, which was selected using purposive sampling technique. The objectives were: to determine the level of mentorship; to determine the level of professional development of young academics; to examine the relationship between mentorship and professional development of young academics staff; and to examine the influence of mentorship on professional development of young academics in the selected universities. Data was collected using a questionnaire which validity and reliability were confirmed through computation of content validity index (CVI) and Cronbach Alpha test which were found to be 0.79 and 0.85 respectively. The quantitative data was analysed using mean, Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that the level of mentorship in the selected universities is good; the level of professional development is also good; the association between mentorship and professional development is positively significant; and mentorship is a significant predictor of professional development of young academic staff. The study concludes that professional development of young academics can be enhanced through mentor-mentee relationship. The study recommends among others, university managements should invest into mentoring programmes as a strategic priority for the development of quality human resource and capacity building needed for the achievement of their vision and mission.
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The importance of magmatic degassing at a mineralized, submarine volcano: The case of Conical Seamount, Papua New Guinea - Gautreau, Louis-Maxime; Hansteen, Thor H.; Portnyagin, Maxim; Brandl, Philipp A. (2024)
Conical Seamount is an active submarine volcano of the Tabar-Lihir-Tanga-Feni island chain (TLTF) in north-eastern Papua New Guinea. This island chain is located within the New Ireland Basin and the related alkaline to shoshonitic magmas are ascending through a thick sedimentary sequence. The TLTF hosts several Cu-Au mineralized volcanic centers. Conical Seamount is a rare example of a submarine epithermal-style mineralization and is considered to be a juvenile analogue of the Ladolam world-class gold deposit located on the nearby island of Lihir. Recent research assessed important crustal magmatic processes as precursors for the mineralization at Conical Seamount. More specifically, the presence of a degassing crustal magma chamber has been found to be critical for the metal concentration and transfer into the epithermal system. This may explain why other seamounts in the TLTF island chain remain barren (unmineralized). Here we present new volatile (H2O, CO2, F, Cl, S) as well as major and trace element data of clinopyroxene-hosted melt inclusions. These data along with fluid inclusion data allow us to further constrain the volcanic plumbing system, more specifically the pressure (i.e., depth) of the crustal magma chamber, the degassing stage and sulfide saturation processes. Chalcophile elements and Au in particular are scavenged within sulfides concomitant with the magmatic fluid exsolution, leading to ideal conditions for the transfer of metals into the ore-forming system.
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Deep Learning-Based Monitoring of Artisanal Mining to Tackle Environmental Degradation: A SERVIR West Africa Case Study in Ghana - Gelaye, Kidia K.; Asare, Emmanuel; Ani-Amponsah, Mary; Bartel, Paul; Traoré, Pierre C. Sibiry; Abramowitz, Jacob; Cherrington, E. A.; Mensah, Foster (2024)
Deep Learning-Based Monitoring of Artisanal Mining to Tackle Environmental Degradation: A SERVIR West Africa Case Study in Ghana Kidia Gelaye1, Emmanuel Asare2, Mary Amponsah2, Paul Bartel1, Pierre CS Traore3, Jacob Abramowitz4,5, Emil Cherrington4,5, Foster Mensah2 1 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Accra, Ghana, 2 University of Ghana, Center for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Services (CERSGIS), Accra, Ghana, 3 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Dakar, Senegal, 4 Earth System Science Center, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, USA 5 NASA SERVIR Science Coordination Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA Artisanal mining, a prevalent form of mineral extraction and income generation activity in Africa, is widely practiced in Ghana. Small-scale gold mining is a common livelihood in rural areas, often conducted in forest reserves, cocoa farms, lands along riverbanks, and sometimes within rivers. It involves traditional techniques such as digging pits, washing soil, and extracting gold through sieving or amalgamation using mercury (Hg). However, due to the decentralized and small-scale nature of this practice, monitoring, regulating activities, and making timely decisions become challenging. Consequently, in recent years, gold mining has expanded rapidly into agricultural lands, protected forest reserves, and some parts of the savannah regions leading to severe land degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution of water bodies, and soil acidification, adversely affecting both biophysical and socio-economic environments. To counteract these issues, real-time remote sensing is employed to monitor large and remote active gold mining sites in Ghana. SERVIR West Africa is implementing Earth observation services using Fully Convolutional Neural Networks (FCNN) approach to support decision-making. The data preparation involves digitizing active mining areas, inactive mines, and polluted rivers using Planet/NICFI imagery. The FCNN shows high accuracy in classifying land use features. For instance, distinguishing between mining and farm or forest areas with accuracy matric (F1) score of 0.99, while differentiating active from inactive mines achieved an F1 score of 0.94, and classifies polluted versus unpolluted rivers with moderate F1 score (0.91). The high accuracy of FCNN classifications is attributed to the distinct visual difference between vegetation-covered land features and bare lands (mining sites). Keywords: Decision making, Deep-Learning, FCNN, Ghana, Planet/NICFI, Small-scale gold mining
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The psychological well-being during the COVID-19 lockdown of doctoral students at a private higher education institution in South Africa: An application of Self-Determination Theory - Hoque, Monirul (South African journal of higher education, 2024)
Doing a doctorate can be an experience but it can also be challenging. Doctoral students often experience high levels of stress, pressure, and expectations, which can have a negative impact on their mental health. There is very little research examining the psychological well-being of doctoral students during COVID-19 in the South African context. This study therefore aimed to assess the psychological well-being of doctoral students at a private South African university. A cross-sectional study was conducted with forty-two doctoral students, using a self-completed and validated questionnaire. The data were collected using the QuestionPro online platform. The significant predictor for positive emotion was identified using multiple of linear regression analysis using SPSS version 27.0. Most of the participants agreed highly regarding relatedness, autonomy and competence. Autonomy and competence are significant predictors of positive emotions. This study highlights the importance of perceived competence, autonomy, and positive emotions for the psychological well-being of doctoral students during unplanned and involuntary periods of remote learning. The findings provide insights into approaches that might be employed to enhance the well-being of doctorate students through distant learning, hence minimising the adverse consequences of this particular circumstance.
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Storm Daniel and the timing and magnitude of floods in Northeast Libya - Hunt, Chris; El-Rishi, Hwedi; Brown, David; Dick, J. (2024)
Storm Daniel caused major flooding throughout much of the Jebel al-Akhdar massif in Northeast Libya, leading to huge damage and loss of life in the city of Derna and widespread damage to infrastructure through the region in September 2023. There is little historical record of significant floods in the region. We conducted dendrogeomorphological and palaeohydrological research in the wadis Kouf and Bottamsa in the Jebel al-Akhdar. Radiocarbon- and tree-ring dated flood return and flood magnitude sequences suggest three major floods during the 17th to 19th centuries AD in the Wadi Kouf and one major flood during the 18th Century in the Wadi Bottamsa, with major flood return intervals of about one per 100 years. The timing of the major floods in these two catchments seem to be different, suggesting the storms that caused them were localised. The major floods in the Wadi Kouf would have been large enough to have caused considerable damage to modern infrastructure, which seems to have been designed to cope with the much smaller floods of the mid-20th Century. Storm Daniel, however, was the product of a much larger weather system than the storms that gave rise to the earlier floods and it caused the largest floods in these wadis in the last 400 years.
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Promoting student success in online post-graduate studies at a South African University: The role of professional and administrative support - Johannes, E; Lalendle, L.L. (South African journal of higher education, 2024)
Post-graduate online students studying in cohorts are expected to collaborate effectively with their peers and instructors in the virtual environment and are presumed to have the necessary skills needed for self-directed online learning. However, studies have shown that the low retention and success rates in online learning could be attributed to individual students experiencing a sense of isolation in a community of online students. Providing various non-academic support is as crucial for ensuring success as academic support services. More importantly, the support should acknowledge and address the unique set of skills, experiences, and expectations of the individual student in the community of online learners. This study aimed to ascertain whether professional and administrative student support that focused on the individual needs of the post-graduate student promotes retention and success in online studies. A qualitative case study at a business school at a South African higher education institution evaluated the professional and administrative support types, range and timing in promoting success in online post-graduate studies. This included the content analysis of key documents such as the self-evaluation report and the survey report on evaluation, impact and lifelong learning of a post-graduate qualification, followed by a focus-group session to ascertain staff perceptions of the professional and administrative services and resources in promoting success in online post-graduate studies. Using Simpson’s Proactive Motivational Support model (PaMS) as a lens, the study revealed a lack of motivational aspects of student support for online post-graduate students. Furthermore, the results affirmed the presumption of post-graduate students as a homogenous group prepared to succeed in online learning communities. Moreover, that limited provision was made to support online post-graduate students from remote areas and for those with disabilities. The study concludes that a more personalised approach to student support will motivate post-graduate students to become successful self-directed students in a community of online learners. Moreover, a focused school, college and institutional approach and an integrated inter- and intra-institutional collaboration are needed to enhance self-directed learning, foster a sense of belonging, and promote success in online post-graduate studies.
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Review of: "Influence of Meta-cognition, Self-efficacy, and Self-regulated Learning on Students’ Achievement in Biology in Ibadan, Nigeria" - Karasneh, Samih Mahmoud Al (2024)
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Exploring the Viability of Team Teaching as a Solution to Enhance the Teaching and Learning of Religious Education in Lesotho Secondary Schools - Kurata, Lehlohonolo; Rinchen, Sonam (International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 2024)
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Investigating expanding air pollution and climate change on the African continent - Levelt, P. F.; Marais, Eloïse A.; Worden, H. M.; Tang, Wenfu; Martínez-Alonso, Sara; Edwards, D. P.; Eskes, Henk; Veefkind, J. P.; Brown, Steven S.; Hodoli, Collins Gameli; Hughes, Allison Felix; Lefer, B. L.; et al. (2024)
In the next few decades a large increase in population is expected to occur on the African continent, leading to a doubling of the current population, which will reach 2.5 billion by 2050. At the same time, Africa is experiencing substantial economic growth. As a result, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions will increase considerably with significant health impacts to people in Africa. In the decades ahead, Africa’s contribution to climate change and air pollution will become increasingly important. The time has come to determine the evolving role of Africa in global environmental change. We are building an Atmospheric Composition Virtual Constellation, as envisioned by the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), by adding to our polar satellites, geostationary satellites in the Northern Hemisphere : GEMS over Asia (launch 2022); TEMPO over the USA (launch 2023) and Sentinel 4 over Europe to be launched in the 2024 timeframe. However, there are currently no geostationary satellites envisioned over Africa and South-America, where we expect the largest increase in emissions in the decades to come.In this paper the scientific need for geostationary satellite measurements over Africa will be described, partly based on several recent research achievements related to Africa using space observations and modeling approaches, as well as first assessments using the GEMS data over Asia, and TEMPO over the USA. Our ambition is to develop an integrated community effort to better characterize air quality and climate-related processes on the African continent.
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INVESTGATING THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON PUBLIC GREEN PARKS IN CAIRO, EGYPT - Magdy, Nouran; Gaber, Moutaz Mahmoud (Journal of Urban Research, 2024)
Climate change has a significant impact on urban green areas, and its surrounding environments. Public parks had been negatively affected in various aspects including landscaping conditions such as planting design within parks, the need for irrigation, declining of green coverages, mass loss of trees, in addition to the physical activities of visitors including active playing of children, walking, running, playing sports, also the psychological comfort and socializing of visitors. In order to investigate the impact of climate change on public parks in Cairo, the authors present a theoretical basis on the previous affected aspects, then observed and analyzed the previous aspects through an analytical approach in three different case studies which are International park, the Child’s park, and Maadi Island in Cairo, Egypt which represent cultural, children, and amusement parks respectively. Our findings provide evidence a highly recorded negative impact on landscaping conditions compared to the other aspects. Physical activities of visitors inside the public parks are from slightly to moderate affected while the psychological comfort of visitors are slightly affected, and socializing is the only aspect that has barely affected. The authors recommend a set of actions in order to mitigate climate change challenges among public parks in Cairo. لتغير المناخ تأثير كبير على المناطق الخضراء الحضرية، والبيئات المحيطة بها. وتأثرت الحدائق العامة سلباً في جوانب مختلفة منها ظروف المسطحات الخضراء مثل تصميم الزراعة داخل الحدائق، والحاجة إلى الري، وانحسار المسطحات الخضراء، وفقدان الأشجار بشكل كبير، بالإضافة إلى الأنشطة البدنية التي يمارسها الزوار بما في ذلك لعب الأطفال النشط، والمشي، الجري وممارسة الرياضة وكذلك الراحة النفسية والتواصل الاجتماعي للزوار. قام المؤلفون بملاحظة وتحليل الجوانب السابقة في ثلاث دراسات حالة مختلفة وهي حديقة الدولية، وحديقة الطفل، وجزيرة المعادي في القاهرة، بمصر والتي تمثل المتنزهات الثقافية، والأطفال، والمتنزهات الترفيهية على التوالي. توفر النتائج التي توصلنا إليها دليلاً على وجود تأثير سلبي على ظروف المسطحات الخضراء مقارنة بالجوانب الأخرى. وتتأثر الأنشطة البدنية للزوار داخل الحدائق العامة بشكل طفيف إلى متوسط، في حين تتأثر الراحة النفسية للزوار بشكل طفيف، ويعتبر التواصل الاجتماعي هو الجانب الوحيد الذي لم يتأثر إلا قليلاً بالتغير المناخي. ويوصي المؤلفون بمجموعة من الإجراءات من أجل التخفيف من تحديات تغير المناخ في الحدائق العامة في القاهرة. الكلمات الدالة : تغير
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The Potential of Remote Sensing for Enhancing a Sustainable Agricultural Intensification under a Changing Climate in West Africa - Meier, Jonas; Thonfeld, Frank; Garcia, Verena Huber; Aidoo, Kenneth; Heiss, Niklas; Geßner, Ursula (2024)
The challenges of climate change in West Africa are closely linked to food security in the region. Rising temperatures and increasingly variable precipitation threaten traditional rain-fed agriculture relying on the rainy season. Climate change is affecting the rainy season in West Africa in multiple ways, e.g., by shifting the onset, shortening its duration and increasingly interrupting the growing period by dry spells. An increase of extreme weather events such as heavy precipitation or storms add another risk to agriculture. The risk of crop failures hits an already vulnerable system. Since a large portion of food is imported the West African countries are vulnerable to external economic shocks. Furthermore, West Africa has one of the highest population growth rates in the world, its population will increase to 1.2 billion people by 2050. To guarantee sufficient food supply and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), a sustainable intensification of agriculture is needed (i.e., increasing yields without additional land consumption and without adverse effects on climate change) and mitigation and adaption strategies against the negative effects of climate change are required. Remote sensing has proven to be a suitable instrument to measure and evaluate both, mitigation and adaptation actions in a reliable and cost-effective way. Depending on the method of cultivation, agriculture causes different amounts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Remote sensing can provide information about biophysical development as input and reference data for land surface models to assess the produced GHG under different cultivation practices. Since the negative impact of climate change on agriculture is already measurable and visible, adaptation measures are highly important. They differ in terms of their complexity, their technical feasibility and their costs. Adaptation measures can be for example a change in land management, the choice of crop variety or technical innovation like weather forecast or irrigation systems. In various interdisciplinary research projects (CONCERT, COINS, AgRAIN), we selected adaptation measures of varying complexity and monitor and evaluate them using remote sensing-based analysis, mainly on Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and Planet data. The analyses range from land cover and land use mapping to crop classification, crop suitability modeling, field boundary delineation, identification of management events, and site-specific productivity measurements. We employ a range of methodologies, including random forest regression, convolutional neural networks (CNN), fuzzy logic approaches, and time series analysis. The results serve as a basis for local stakeholders and decision-makers, enabling the implementation of proven adaption measures to enhance resilience against climate change and promote sustainable agricultural intensification.
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Changes in extreme precipitation in East Africa and Mount Kenya based on high-resolution regional climate model simulations for the end of the 21st century - Messmer, Martina; González-Rojí, Santos J.; Raible, Christoph C.; Stocker, Thomas F. (2024)
The climate in Africa is very diverse ranging from tropical rainforest to deserts. Also, East Africa is covered by different climate zones and is very dry compared to other tropical regions. This is owed to various large-scale drivers, such as the complex topography, large water bodies such as Lake Victoria and vicinity to the Indian Ocean. The southern part of East Africa is characterized by two rainy seasons, which are separated by dry periods. The long rains from March to May feature more continuous precipitation, while the short rains from October to November show high interannual variability with days of high precipitation intensities and drier intervals. The CMIP5 and CMIP6 models project a general wetting of East Africa in the future, with a high model agreement. To obtain a better understanding of what this means for extreme precipitation and changes in the hydrological cycle we performed three different regional downscaling simulations using WRF: one for the present period from 1981–2010, and two for the end of the century (2071–2100). The latter two simulations are driven by, the RCP2.6 and the RCP8.5 scenarios, and the respective global forcing fields are based on CESM model runs. The regional model covers four different domains, whereby the first extends from the Sahara down to Madagascar with 27 km horizontal resolution, the second domain focuses on East Africa with 9 km resolution, the third domain at 3 km resolution zooms into the western part of Kenya, covering land with complex topography, and the last domain centers on Mount Kenya and surroundings at 1 km resolution. Preliminary results show that the rainy seasons are difficult to capture by WRF, when driven by a global climate model. This might be related to the fact that some of the atmospheric circulation is misrepresented in the global model and cannot be corrected by the regional model dynamics. While the long rains are underestimated in the present compared to a downscaling of ERA5, the short rains show an overestimation. A sensitivity study with adjusted SSTs to overcome some of the circulation issues in the global climate model only weakly improves the results. The projections for the future show an increase in extreme precipitation days, but also in the extreme daily precipitation amounts compared to present extreme (p99) precipitation. While the rainy seasons are projected to be more intense, the dry seasons tend to become drier, leaving some months without precipitation at all. The results further suggest that the extreme precipitation events do not differ for the RCP2.6 and RCP8.5. Thus, extreme precipitation events in Kenya might be limited by an upper bound, but this is subject of ongoing research.
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Fostering Teacher Teamwork: Strategies and Challenges for School Heads a Study of Community Secondary Schools in Nyamagana-Mwanza, Tanzania - Msonge, Edina; Lekule, Chrispina (Asian journal of education and social studies, 2024)
This study aimed to investigate the role of school heads in fostering teamwork among secondary school teachers in Nyamagana district, Mwanza region, Tanzania. The study was guided by three specific objectives: exploring the significance of teamwork among community secondary school teachers, examining the strategies employed by school heads to promote teacher teamwork, and identifying the challenges they face in this endeavor. Utilizing a qualitative research approach and a case study design, the study employed non-probability sampling, selecting 25 teachers for group discussions, and interviewing 5 heads of schools. The findings revealed the importance of teamwork for both student performance and overall school success. Despite the efforts of school heads, the promotion of teamwork was found to be insufficient due to a lack of proper knowledge and techniques in establishing and conducting it. Various challenges were identified, including the inadequate technical and interpersonal skills among school heads, attributed to inadequate training. The study recommends that government leaders provide training to school heads on managerial techniques for promoting teamwork and offer motivation to teachers to enhance their morale and work motivation. In conclusion, the study advocates for recognizing teacher teamwork as a fundamental element in motivating teachers, improving efficiency, and fostering the development of innovative ideas for overall school effectiveness.
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Assessment of air pollution emitted during cooking using biomass and cleaner fuels in the Shiselweni region of Eswatini (Swaziland) - Neumann, Maxim; Dlamini, Wonder Nathi; Sallah-Ud-Din, Rasham; Berekute, Abiyu Kerebo; Siregar, Sepridawati; Getnet, Mastewal Endeshaw; Maulana, Muchsin; Pan, Wen Chi; Lung, Shih-Chun Candice; Yu, Kuo Pin (Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 2024)
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Strategies of Communities Faced with Climate Change in the Sahelian Zone of Burkina Faso: The Case of the Namissiguima Municipality in the Province of Yat Enga (Northern Region) - Ouédraogo, Idrissa; COMPAORE, Jérôme; DIPAMA, Jean-Marie (Advances in social science and culture, 2024)
Climate change is a concern of our time, both at global level and at community level, where its impacts vary according to context. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the causes of this change are anthropogenic and require urgent action on the part of humanity in terms of mitigation but also in terms of adaptation to strengthen the resilience of populations. The municipality of Namissiguima (13° 36′ 00″ north and 2° 13′01″ west), in the province of Yat Enga in Burkina Faso, is no exception. Located in the Sahelian agro-climatic zone of Burkina Faso and receiving less than 600mm of water per year, it has a population of almost 59,000, 51.7% of whom are women and 48.3% men, whose main occupations are farming and livestock rearing (94.6%). Through a participatory analysis using the “Trousse a outils planification et suivi-evaluation des capacites d’adaptation au changement climatique (TOP-SECAC)”, this paper aims to analyze local communities’ perceptions of climate variability and change and their perceived causes, to assess the impacts of climate variability and climate change on communities’ livelihoods, and to discuss the adaptation strategies used by local people to mitigate these impacts.
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Soil Carbon: Pool, Loss, Emission and Climate Change Sources and Knowledge Level of Some Land Use Systems in Sudan Savanna, Kwara State - Owoade, Folasade Mary; ABOLARIN, Abolakale Olaolu (International Journal of Life Science and Agriculture Research, 2024)
This research work was carried out in Sudan savanna of Kwara State to determine the effects of land use types on soil carbon pool, loss, emission and to determine the farmer’s knowledge level and sources of information on climate change. Six villages were selected randomly and in each Local Government Area, three villages were visited and three farms planted each with maize/cassava intercrop, cashew plantation and natural forest were sampled. Soil samples were collected from the farmland randomly at the depth of 0–20cm and analysed for physical and chemical properties in the laboratory. Carbon pool index was higher under cashew plantation. The mass of carbon lost recorded was higher under maize/cassava intercrop and cashew plantation recorded the lowest mass of carbon lost. Equivalent Carbon dioxide emitted recorded was lower under cashew plantation and maize/cassava intercrop recorded higher equivalent of carbon dioxide emitted. Natural forest had the highest organic carbon. Simple random sampling of 126 respondents were interviewed. Results revealed majority (71.4%) are willing to invest in residue retention and 92.9% are willing to engage in climate change mitigation practices free of charge. Maize/cassava intercrop recorded the lowest carbon pool due to burning of plant residues and the use of tillage practices. The highest carbon pool index recorded under cashew plantation was due to leaves litter decomposition. Carbon emitted was generally higher under maize/cassava intercrop as a result of continuous and vigorous cultivation leading to loss of carbon. Some farmers are not fully aware of climate change mitigation practices, therefore, more observation should be given to afforestation scheme to mitigate climate change and government and nongovernmental organization (NGOs) should educate and encourage farmers to practice crop residue retention and also minimize bush burning.
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Transdisciplinary assessment of social-ecological vulnerability to Climate Change in Southwest Madagascar - Razanatsoa, Estelle; Gillson, Lindsey; Virah‐Sawmy, Malika (2024)
Climate models have shown that there will be an increasing susceptibility to drought in the future for semi-arid regions. However, the impact of these droughts depends on the sensitivity of landscapes and the adaptive capacity of communities. Using a vulnerability framework, and a mixed-methods approach, this paper assesses the vulnerability of the social-ecological systems along a rainfall gradient transect in southwest (SW) Madagascar at multiple timescales. We used a transdisciplinary approach, that combines synthesized regional climate records to assess the exposure to drought, and fossil pollen data from four sites ranging from wetter to drier areas to assess the sensitivity of landscapes over the last 2000 years. Local ecological knowledge (LEK) from household surveys from the driest sites in the Plateau Mahafaly was then conducted to infer adaptive capacity of local communities. Results show that over time, changes in climate linked to drought increase the vulnerability of the social ecological systems in Southwestern Madagascar particularly to the communities’ livelihoods in the driest regions, where there were fewer adaptation options, their need to migrate, and also on biodiversity. Although some coping and adaptation strategies including migration are in place for the communities, these might create feedback loop leading to further degradation and impacts on biodiversity and its conservation, especially in the driest regions where degradation is most likely to occur due to lower adaptive capacity.
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Projected climate change signals for selected hotspot regions using regional climate simulations in southern Africa - Remedio, Armelle Reca; Weber, Torsten; Engelbrecht, François; Biskop, Sophie; Steinkopf, Jessica; Padvatan, Jonathan; Waal, C. van der; Wassenaar, Theo; Banda, Kawawa; Tlhalerwa, Keabile; Perkins, Jimmye Shannon (2024)
Based on the IPCC AR6 Report, the southern African climate change signal is projected to have a rapid warming compared to the global signal. A decreasing trend in the observed mean precipitation can already be detected in most of southern Africa and an increasing trend in heavy precipitation in eastern southern Africa. While some areas are experiencing increased rainfall and flood risks, other regions are facing reduced rainfall and more frequent droughts. These changes are projected to intensify in a warmer world, with significant impacts on water security, food security and biodiversity. In this study, the climate change signal for selected hotspot regions in southern Africa were assessed under the “TIPPing points Explained by Climate Change (TIPPECC)” project embedded in the BMBF-funded SASSCAL 2.0 research program. The temperature and precipitation changes were analyzed from existing high resolution simulations (CORDEX, CORDEX-CORE, CMIP6 Simulations) using 2 regional concentration pathways scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) during different time periods over case study regions in Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa. Based on the initial results from CORDEX-CORE simulations, the ensemble mean of absolute change of precipitation ranges from about -1 to 1 mm/day for both RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 scenarios in the near future. The ensemble mean of absolute change of mean 2-m temperature ranges from about 0.5 to 1.7 K in RCP2.6 and about 0.8 to 3.2 K in RCP8.5 in the near future. These regional climate change signals can be used as information for adaptation measures and sustainable development strategies to mitigate the impacts and enhance the resilience of communities and ecosystems in southern Africa, which is a region already water-stressed and with low adaptive capacity.
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Promoting access to, and success in postgraduate education in South Africa: A synthesis of emerging issues - Saïdi, A. (South African journal of higher education, 2024)
This article evinces that policies and plans at the national level in South Africa recognise the importance of postgraduate education within the broader national education and training system, and that they place particular emphasis on promoting access to, and success in postgraduate education as one of the priorities on the country’s development agenda. It identifies and discusses ten issues that have a bearing on the national policies, plans, programmes and initiatives aimed at promoting access to, and success in postgraduate education. These issues emerge from the analysis, triangulation, and interpretation of sets of information and data obtained from multiple projects focusing on postgraduate education, that the Council on Higher Education has implemented since 2018. They are therefore referred to as “emerging issues”. They include the relatively small size of the postgraduate component of higher education, the pyramidal structure of the distribution of students across the different levels of postgraduate education, and the offsetting of the increase in the numbers of graduates produced at all levels of postgraduate education, by a corresponding increase in the numbers of students taking longer to complete their studies than the periods stipulated by the institutions, and by relatively high dropout rates. Other issues are about transformation, student funding, inadequate supervisory capacity, under-preparedness of students, and lack of adequate support services for postgraduate students. The article sets the scene for, and context of the other articles contained in this special issue of the South African Journal of Higher Education, and prepares the readers to understand and appreciate the contents of those articles.
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Language in Nigerian Correctional Education: Incarcerated Persons Speak - Uche, Ijeoma Blessing; Uche, Okala A.; Nzewuji, Agatha U. (Journal of evidence-based social work, 2024)
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Impacts of land use and climate change on montane forest ecosystem services in Africa - Abera, Temesgen Alemayehu; Maeda, Eduardo Eiji; Heiskanen, Janne; Muhammed, Mohammed Ahmed; Bhandari, Netra; Hailu, Binyam Tesfaw; Pellikka, Petri; Nauß, Thomas; Zeuss, Dirk (2024)
Tropical montane cloud forest ecosystems contain some of the world's biodiversity hotspots and provide essential ecosystem services, including high quality freshwater and microclimate buffering against climate extremes. The microclimate buffering service provides microrefugia that allow species to persist under climate change, while the ability of montane forests to intercept cloud water from the atmosphere maintains freshwater availability. However, with increasing pressure from anthropogenic land use and climate change, the stability of montane forests to provide such ecosystem services remains unresolved. In this study, we investigated the impacts of deforestation and climate change on the cloud water interception capacity of montane forests in Africa over the last two decades. We predicted 2-m air and dew point temperature using satellite and in situ observations and ensemble machine learning. In addition, we estimated local warming due to deforestation and tested the 'lifting cloud base height' hypothesis attributed to deforestation and climate change separately. Our preliminary results show that 18% of montane forests in Africa were lost between 2003 and 2022, and deforestation increased the air temperature and lifted the cloud base height stronger than climate change. Deforestation weakened the cloud water interception capacity of montane forests in Africa. Overall, this study sheds light on the impacts of montane deforestation on local climate and water supply, which may have far-reaching implications for montane forest biodiversity and ecosystem service provision in Africa. This work is part of the MOFESD (montane forest ecosystem service dynamics in Africa) postdoctoral project funded by Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
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Application of air sensors to support clean cooking initiatives at education centres in low- and middle-income countries using Accra High School, Ghana as a case study. - Ablo, Victor Dzidefo; Hodoli, Collins Gameli; Agyeman-Rawlings, Zanetor; Tsikata, Kojo; Offei-Darko, Lord; Schmitt, Angela R.; Quansah, Reginald; Malings, Carl; Westervelt, Daniel M.; Mead, Mohammed Iqbal (2024)
Miniaturised air sensors (otherwise known as “small sensors”, “low cost sensors” or “lower capital cost sensors”) have been used extensively for air quality campaigns globally primarily as pilot studies. To date, their usefulness for applications to generate robust evidence for social intervention programmes, especially in geographies with poor environmental and social policies (such as those encountered in many parts of the global south), is limited. This study focused on the application of air sensor data to produce evidence to support interventions such as clean cooking initiatives at education centres in low- and middle-income countries using Accra High School located in the city of Accra, Ghana as a case study. We deployed a calibrated Airnote PM2.5 air sensor at Accra High School from June 01st to July 23rd, 2023. We employed time series, calendar and diurnal variation analysis to present the reported data. We found that 24-hour PM2.5 pollution was 7 times higher than the World Health Organization Air Quality Guidelines. The calendar plots show that cooking staff, predominantly women, are routinely exposed to unhealthy, very unhealthy or hazardous levels of PM2.5, a species linked to the incidence of asthma, COPD, heart disease, cancers and increasingly poor birth outcomes and dementia. Peak levels (~140 µgm-3) were observed between 06:00 and 18:00 hrs and are linked to cooking activity with charcoal and fuelwood. Hourly PM2.5 concentration ~300 µgm-3 was also periodically observed. These preliminary results were presented to the member of Parliament, Hon Dr Zanetor Agymang-Rawlings in whose jurisdiction the study was collaboratively conducted. Per the recommendations, a clean cooking initiative was launched with the replacement of old cooking appliances. This study illustrates the usefulness and application of air sensors to support clean cooking initiatives in environments with poor energy sources for cooking and heating. This is a directly reproducible approach which is possible to implement across many areas of continental Africa. We recommend the implementation of continuous air quality measurements at and around cooking areas to understand the impacts of newer more efficient cooking appliances on local air quality. We also recommend the use of the data for air pollution and sustainability science education at the Accra High School or in similar settings with air sensor campaigns.
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The Status Quo of Hybrid Education at Moroccan Universities: The Case of Engineering Classes - Ahmed, Tarek Taha; Hdouch, Youcef (International journal of humanities & social studies, 2024)
The pandemic has undoubtedly forced educational systems across the world to change face-to-face education practices forever. On the other hand, it has also forced online education system practices among Moroccan higher education institutions. With the spread of COVID-19 all over, the Moroccan education system circumstances did not allow face-to-face education, nor did it allow online education as a solution. As a matter of fact, hybrid learning remains the best-proposed alternative, as suggested in the literature. The present paper's main objectives were to investigate higher education English learners' attitudes towards hybrid education and examine the efficacy of hybrid education among higher education learners. After using a qualitative method, a questionnaire of 24 Likert Scale items delivered on Google Forum, and an interview of 18 learners, the findings suggested that Moroccan higher education learners showed that hybrid education does not support the majority of participants' learning process. However, hybrid learning was, to an extent, a successful experience for a number of other participants. The unsatisfying quality of the internet remains an issue to be sorted out in the future, and laziness in attending online morning classes was also evidence of why hybrid learning remained challenging. Learners favoured face-to-face classroom-based instructions over blended learning regardless of the advantages of the latter. A great portion of the population favoured face-to-face rather than online learning. The learners also got confused using the hybrid model. Last, it was evidence that the learners preferred the face-to-face model as their best model to use in many cases.
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The Challenging Nature of Volcanic Heritage: The Fogo Island (Cabo Verde, W Africa) - Alfama, Vera; Henriques, Maria Helena; Barros, Ângela Maria Melo Sá (Geoheritage, 2024)
Abstract Many volcanic landscapes reflect the essence of volcanism and are particularly attractive to different kinds of visitors, featuring the concept of volcanic geoheritage. The expressiveness of volcanic processes is exacerbated in active volcanoes, which increasingly attracts geotourism, despite the natural hazards associated to such geological environment. This work reports how the 2014–2015 eruption of the Fogo volcano at Cabo Verde (West Africa) affected the geoheritage of the central part of the caldera, classified since 2003 as Natural Park, and which caused the destruction of several villages but enabled the occurrence of new geosites. Chã das Caldeiras is the only inhabited area within the perimeter of the park and the unique case of human settlement inside the crater of an active volcano. Besides agriculture, geotourism is an important economic activity for the local communities, and both were devastated after the eruption. However, after the 2014–2015 crisis and despite the eruption risk the local population decided to return to the affected villages and re-start their former life, including geotourism which has since recorded enormous growth. The volcanic geoheritage has dynamic nature that stand out from the majority of stable geosites, with periodic destruction of geosites and corresponding geotouristic infrastructures, and the emergence of new geosites. But despite the costs of rehabilitating, this type of geoheritage must be seen as an economic asset capable of attracting visitors to travel to destinations subject to the risk of eruptions, therefore contributing to foster the typical community-based tourism of normally inhospitable territories.
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The Challenging Nature of Volcanic Heritage: The Fogo Island (Cabo Verde, W Africa) - Alfama, Vera; Henriques, Maria Helena; Barros, Ângela Maria Melo Sá (Geoheritage, 2024)
Abstract Many volcanic landscapes reflect the essence of volcanism and are particularly attractive to different kinds of visitors, featuring the concept of volcanic geoheritage. The expressiveness of volcanic processes is exacerbated in active volcanoes, which increasingly attracts geotourism, despite the natural hazards associated to such geological environment. This work reports how the 2014–2015 eruption of the Fogo volcano at Cabo Verde (West Africa) affected the geoheritage of the central part of the caldera, classified since 2003 as Natural Park, and which caused the destruction of several villages but enabled the occurrence of new geosites. Chã das Caldeiras is the only inhabited area within the perimeter of the park and the unique case of human settlement inside the crater of an active volcano. Besides agriculture, geotourism is an important economic activity for the local communities, and both were devastated after the eruption. However, after the 2014–2015 crisis and despite the eruption risk the local population decided to return to the affected villages and re-start their former life, including geotourism which has since recorded enormous growth. The volcanic geoheritage has dynamic nature that stand out from the majority of stable geosites, with periodic destruction of geosites and corresponding geotouristic infrastructures, and the emergence of new geosites. But despite the costs of rehabilitating, this type of geoheritage must be seen as an economic asset capable of attracting visitors to travel to destinations subject to the risk of eruptions, therefore contributing to foster the typical community-based tourism of normally inhospitable territories.
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Integrated modeling of climate change impacts on water resources: The Souss basin in Morocco - Attar, Oumaima; Brouziyne, Youssef; Bouchaou, Lhoussaine; Brahim, Yassine Ait; Chehbouni, Abdelghani (2024)
Climate change has different impacts on water resources, altering hydrological cycles and exacerbating water-related challenges. Changes in precipitation patterns, including more frequent and intense droughts in semi-arid areas contribute to water scarcity and unpredictable availability. Being situated in central-western Morocco, the Souss basin (SB) is subject to high variations on many different scales and is strongly influenced not only by the variability of the climate but also by anthropogenic activities. SB is a strategic watershed that has considerable economic potential, mostly related to the agricultural sector, and has the typical assets and challenges of most Mediterranean watersheds. Allowing the best use of the limited water resources helps in planning better conservation and management strategies. In this study, a DSS approach based on the ModSim-DSS model and recorded data about physical processes, hydraulic infrastructure features, and crop management was used to simulate the response of SB to climate change during the period 1990–2022. Observed rivers flow data were used to force the modeling framework over the study area. The results showed that the extent of climate change has had repercussions across the entire basin, particularly in terms of flow regimes and dam inflows. The simulation period witnessed a considerable decrease in the supply levels for the two most important dams in the region. Over the period between 2012 and 2019, there has been a notable reduction in water supplies for the Aoulouz dam, declining from an average of 100 Mm3 to 10 Mm3, representing a significant 52% decrease. Similarly, the ABDMNN dam experienced a substantial drop in water availability during the same period, decreasing from an average of 20 Mm3 to 3 Mm3, indicating a remarkable 89% decline. The differences among different supply sources fluctuate during the simulation period, resulting from changes in the available water inputs each year. The modelling approach used in this work helped identify the Souss basin’s potential challenges for best consideration in future sustainable water management plans.
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