AN ANALYSIS OF THE NEW 9- YEAR BASIC EDUCATION MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM IN NIGERIA

The intention of this paper is to describe and reflect on the changes in the new 9-year basic education mathematics curriculum in Nigeria. The paper is divided into four major themes: history of curriculum development in mathematics education at the basic education level in Nigeria, the motivations for the revision of the primary and junior secondary education mathematics curricula, the development process of the new 9-year basic education mathematics curriculum, and the distinctions between the old mathematics curricula and the new 9-year basic education mathematics curriculum

Inequality and Economic Growth: An Analysis of 8-Panels

Purpose: This paper investigates the effects of inequality on economic growth in the world using continental approach.Design/methodology: Gini Coefficient and Gross Domestic Products (GDP) per capita were used to measure inequality and economic growth respectively. The study conducted a panel data analysis of the relationship between inequality and economic growth. The data span from 1991-2015. Five countries were selected each from seven continents and were also pooled together to constitute a single panel for 35 countries, thus establishing 8 panels. The Hausman test was conducted to determine whether a random or fixed effect model best fit pooled countries analysis or not.Findings: Findings revealed that for the developing countries, high income inequality retards economic growth while for the developed countries such as Europe countries; the situation seems to be different. European countries as revealed in the findings showed that developed countries have benefited from inequality which has significantly and positively affected their economic growth. The results for Panel II (Asia countries) and Panel III (Europe countries) are in line with the study of Forbes (2000) and Li and Zou (1998) that documented that inequality boosts economic growth. Importantly, we found that inequality positively affects economic growth for Panels/Continents with fixed effect model while inequality negatively affects economic growth for Panels/Continents with random effect model.Research Limitation: The study did not control for each continent differences. For African countries, weak institutional settings and environment is a key factor contributing to high inequality.Originality: The paper was able to know the specific effect of inequality on economic growth in each continent in the World. This documents continents that have benefited from inequality and those that inequality has greatly affected their economies negatively

PROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF THE STEM BARK AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF MUSANGA CECROPIOIDES IN CARBON TETRACHLORIDE- AND ACETAMINOPHEN-INDUCED ACUTE HEPATOTOXICITY IN RATS

The hepatoprotective activities and the mechanisms of actions of Musanga cecropioides stem bark aqueous extract (MCW) were investigated on acute hepatocellular injuries induced by intraperitoneal (IP) carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) (20% CCl4/olive oil, 1.5 mL/kg) and 800 mg/kg/IP of acetaminophen (APAP) in normal saline, in male Wistar rats. Among the Yorubas (South-West Nigeria), cold decoction of MCW is used as a natural antidote for oral gastric poisonings, infective hepatitis and other liver diseases. Its hepatoprotective activities were monitored by assaying for the serum aminotransferases, ornithine carbamoyl transferase and the toxicant-induced histopathological lesions in rat livers 24 hours post-induction. These enzymes are markers of acute hepatic injuries and their elevations are indications of acute liver injuries. Pretreatment of rats with graded doses (125 - 500 mg/kg) of MCW significantly attenuated the acute elevation of the liver enzymes and the hepatotoxin-induced histopathological lesions in the rat livers. The presence of two active natural antioxidants (flavonoids and alkaloids) in high concentrations in MCW may account for the hepatoprotective activities observed in this study. These results, thus, support the folkloric use of MCW for treatment of hepatic injuries resulting from acute gastric poisonings, infective hepatitis or other liver diseases

Recent Curriculum Reforms in Primary and Secondary Schools in Nigeria in the new Millennium

The world over, education is regarded as an instrument per excellence for effecting social, psychological, economical, political, intellectual, and developmental transformation of a people and curriculum remains the tool for achieving this purpose. This paper therefore started with a brief account of education reform in Nigeria since 1960 and gradually graduated into a detailed account of recent curriculum reforms in pre-tertiary institutions (primary and secondary schools) in Nigeria in the new millennium interspersed with the reasons for the reforms, underlying principles, misconceptions about the reforms and recent review of the nine-year basic education curriculum. The differences between the new curriculum tagged Curriculum 2007 and the old curricula, constraints to the implementation of the new curriculum, and the way forward were extensively discussed. Keywords: Curriculum reforms, Primary and Secondary Schools, New Millennium, Nigeri

Haematopoetic effect of methanol seed extract of Citrus paradisi Macfad (grape fruit) in Wistar rats

Abstract The present study was undertaken to evaluate the blood-forming effects of (100% methanol seed extract) of Citrus paradisi Macfad in adult Wistar rats for 30 days as a way of evaluating its traditional use in the treatment of blood deficiencies. Acute oral toxicity study was also conducted usin

Examining Attitude towards Continuous Assessment Practices among Nigerian Preservice STM Teachers

The study investigated the attitudes of 339 preservice Science, Technology and Mathematics (STM) teachers towards continuous assessment practices in Nigeria within the blueprint of a descriptive survey research design in a conventional university. Data were collected using an instrument tagged preservice STM teachers’ attitudes toward CA questionnaire in which respondents were to indicate the extent of their agreement or otherwise, on a modified five–point Likert attitude measuring scale, to a set of 39 statements made on various assessment practices. Results showed that a higher proportion of the preservice STM teachers seemed to display positive attitudes toward most of the continuous assessment practices while their attitudes toward some assessment practices tended to be either negative or neutral. Although gender and age might not be factors in preservice STM teachers’ attitudes toward continuous assessment practices, discipline of study was the only potent predictor of preservice STM teachers’ attitudes towards CA practices. Keywords: Attitude, continuous assessment practices, preservice science, technology, and mathematics teachers, Nigerian

Anchor Borrower Programme on Agricultural Commodity Price and Employment Generation in Kebbi State, Nigeria

Low investment in the agricultural sector, as well as problem of financing are among the major challenges hindering farmers in the rural areas engaging in mechanized farming that might increase food supply, and thereby checking the agricultural commodity prices, and possibly creating more job opportunity in the agricultural sector. In an effort to meet the food supply for the growing population of the country, the government introduced various policies aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in basic food supply, among these policies is the Anchor Borrower Programme. This study examines the impact of Anchor Borrower Program on agricultural commodity price and employment generation in Kebbi state, Nigeria. Data were collected through interview and structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 400 farmers in Argungu L.G.A, of which 360 questionnaire were correctly filled and returned. A multiple regression analysis was used to analyse the data. The results reveal that Anchor Borrower Programmes (ABP) supports for farmer have a positive and statistically significant impact on agricultural commodity price (ACP) and employment generation (EMPG) in agricultural sector in Kebbi state, particularly in Argungu LGA. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that anchor borrower programme policy in Nigeria should be encouraged and subjected to periodic review so as to provide more platforms for employment generation and stabilize agricultural commodity price in Kebbi state, particularly in Argungu LGA

Innovative use of tourniquet in the management of an advanced abdominal pregnancy to achieve an unusually normal postoperative outcome: a case report

Mrs. UVG was an un-booked G3P1+1 petty trader, who presented with an obstetric ultrasound scan report, with an incidental diagnosis of abdominal pregnancy at 32 weeks of gestation with the placenta attached to the fundus of the uterus. Her admission packed cell volume was 24%. She had pre-operative preparation and 2 units of compatible blood were transfused to correct the anemia. Four additional units of compatible blood were made available before she was scheduled for an exploratory laparotomy at 33 weeks of gestation. A grossly normal male infant weighing 2.2 kg was delivered from the peritoneal cavity with Apgar scores of 2 at 1 minute and the same at 5 minutes. The placenta which was attached to the fundus of the uterus was removed manually completely after a tourniquet had been applied distal to the point of separation. Intra-operative blood loss was 1000 ml. The infant died 1 hour after delivery due to respiratory failure. Autopsy report revealed massive intracerebral hemorrhage and pulmonary hypoplasia. The post-operative period was uneventful and the decline in serum assay of β-human chorionic gonadotrophin postpartum was normal. She was discharged home on the 8th post-operative day and seen at the postnatal clinic twice at weekly intervals with normal serum assay of β-human chorionic gonadotrophin. Her 6 weeks postnatal visit was also uneventful