Adapting the Study of Chemistry in Senior Secondary Schools in the Gambia to Cost-Reducing Strategies

In an attempt to elaborate the concept of cost reduction, the researchers tried to explain why the judicious application of expendables and the need to miniaturize experimental models should be introduced in schools, embellishing and drawing examples from relevant literature materials. The researchers further explored, through a survey, the perception of Gambian based teachers on the extent to which their experience and qualification had influenced their judicious use of expendables. And, through an experimental study, the researchers compared the learning outcome derived from student learners who were taught chemistry by the conventional macro model on the one hand with their equivalent counterparts taught the same chemistry concepts by the micro model on the other hand. In the survey design; three research questions were answered and three hypotheses tested while in the experimental design two research questions were answered and one hypothesis tested. By means of multi-stage random sampling techniques, samples of 100 chemistry teachers and 200 senior chemistry students were used for the study. A questionnaire validated and reliably determined with a composition of 27 items was administered to the chemistry teachers, while a standardized test of ten items was also administered to two equivalent groups of 100 chemistry students each taught by the macro and micro models, respectively. At the level of 0.05 probability, qualification and experience, acting independent of each other, were significant factors in adjudging the extent to which chemistry teachers had applied expendables judiciously. At the same level of probability, no significant difference existed between the learning outcomes obtained in the use of the two models, even though the chemistry students taught chemistry by the micro model had a slight edge over their macro model counterparts. Finally, relevant recommendations were made

An investigation of the health hazards of some of the chemical content of powdered juice sold in the Gambia

This short piece takes a limited look at the health hazards of the chemical contents of seven fruit juices sold in The Gambia. All of them have very negative effects on health. The following additives were considered: sweeteners, coloring agents, flavoring agents and acidifiers vis-à-vis established studies. [African Journal of Chemical Education—AJCE 5(1), January 2015

Assessment of the Level of Mercury Present in Soaps by the Use of Cold Vapour Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometric Analysis – A Gambian Case Study

Sixteen brands of soap were analysed for their total mercury content using cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The aim was to find out if the soaps contained mercury and if so, what quantity. In addition, are the quantities acceptable for health purposes. Mercury was found to be present in some soaps which did not indicate it on their labels, as required by law. The amounts of mercury found in the soaps were generally low, and may not lead to any short term mercury-linked health problems. A very low limit of detection was obtained.Keywords: Mercury, The Gambia, Soaps, Indigenous industry, Fluorescenc

Knowledge, attitudes and practices associated with pesticide use among horticultural farmers of Banjulinding and Lamin of the Gambia

This work takes a limited but significant look at knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) vis-à-vis pesticide use in two farming communities in The Gambia. Most of the users have no formal education and they never received any formal training related to pesticide use. However, for the most part, there was a very high level of awareness among users about the dangers posed by pesticides. In addition, most of the respondents do not respect pesticide labels. More than 50% of the respondents experienced symptoms of pesticide poisoning, and about one-fifth of these sought medical help. Lack of knowledge, unsafe attitudes and dangerous practices were identified as the leading cause of pesticide poisoning

Les hemiplegies au Chu-campas de Lome: Aspects epidemilogiques,cliniques, evolutifs et etiologiques. A propos des 306 cas

No Abstract