The drop out experience of basic school children in rural Ghana: implications for universal basic education policy

One of the key issues surrounding participation in basic schooling is the phenomenon of school dropout. Dropout is known not as a single event but a process that is not well understood. The rationale for this thesis argues that unless the dropout process is understood, there will be no meaningful intervention to curb it. This study therefore explores the dropout experience of basic school children in Ghana. In the context of this exploratory study, informed by the concerns of achieving education for all children by the year 2015, I sought to gain insight into the processes that lead children to drop out of school, how dropout occurs, the manifestation of dropout and the policy implications of dropout for free compulsory universal basic education in Ghana. The research inquiry is guided by two main research questions: what are the experiences of dropout children? And how is school dropout manifested? Specifically, the research questions sought to explore children‘s understanding and interpretation of dropout, how dropout occurred; what conditions within and outside school do children regard as responsible for their dropping out, and what the implications of the findings are for universalising universal basic education in Ghana. In exploring the experience of dropout children, I tracked 18 children who had initial access to basic education but stopped schooling at some point for their stories. I used multiple methods of data collection, viz. in-depth interviews, observations, photographs and school records. From the data gathered, the following are the main findings of the study: Concerning the dropout process, children experience dropout first as temporary—sporadic, event and cohort based on their economic survival needs and later permanently—unsettled and settled as a result of becoming significantly overage and the diminished value of schooling. Conditions both within school – teacher factor, school practices and processes, and outside – poverty, opportunity cost of schooling, networks among children to encourage dropout by pushing and/or pulling children out of school. As a process, pupils go through three phases – disadvantage, disaffection and disappearance to become school dropouts. It is argued that, to prevent pupils from dropping out of school and to encourage children who already dropped out to return to school. Education policy would have to focus more on addressing the peculiar needs of children who show sights of entering the dropout process. Also, it is necessary to differentiate out of school children – dropouts from out of school children –never enrolled when designing and implementing interventions for universalising basic education

Integrating interactive multimedia into mathematics course modules for distance education

This study investigated the validity and perceived effectiveness of multimedia courseware designed to deliver lessons to students learning mathematics by distance. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design in which 50 volunteered distance education students pursuing a diploma in basic education at one of 23 study centres of the University of Education, Winneba participated. After students have used the multimedia courseware developed on CD-ROMs within twelve weeks, a perceived learning effectiveness questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed descriptively. The result indicates that courseware was a suitable complementary medium for mathematics lesson delivery by distance in terms of content delivery style; evaluation exercises presentation; motivation; and multimedia effects. It was also revealed that majority of the students learning mathematics by distance perceived multimedia courseware as effective in their learning successes. The inclusion of validated multimedia set-ups to printed text materials for learning mathematics contents by distance is recommended

Biotechnology in Agricultural Policies of Sub-Saharan Africa

The agricultural policy environment in sub-Saharan Africa in the last 15 years has been erratic, especially with regard to adoption of biotechnology. While many biotech products such as tissue culture (TC) banana, hybrid maize, and others are now frequent at farm level, the adoption of some of the technologies remains relatively low, partly due to political and regulatory bottlenecks that have hampered farm deployment and entry into market systems of genetically engineered crops and products. This chapter reviews the political landscape of biotech crops across sub-Saharan Africa; analyses the state of enabling policy environment in key countries; discusses the impact of push-pull factors on food security, research, and training; and identifies the opportunities for investment in biotechnology and agribusiness in sub-Saharan Africa

Grape Seed Nutraceuticals for Disease Prevention: Current Status and Future Prospects

Grapes (Vitis spp.) are consumed as fresh table fruits, raisins, and processed into wine, juice, jelly and other value-added products. Grapes contain bioactive secondary metabolites (polyphenols), such as proanthocyanins (oliogemeric flavonoids), flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, and quercetin), and anthocyanins. They have non-flavonoids such as hydroxycinnamic acids (p-coumaric, cinnamic, caffeic, gentisic, ferulic, and vanillic acids), and hydroxybenzoic acids: trihydroxy stilbenes (resveratrol and polydatin). These phytochemicals are of economic importance to pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. Nutraceuticals from grape seeds have potential cardioprotective, anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective and antimicrobial properties. Grape seed nutraceuticals have been re-invented in the past few years as a new paradigm in human medicine. In particular, nutraceuticals from grape seeds have been used in stopping wound bleeding, anti-inflammatory agents, pain relief, and anti-diarrhea. In addition, they can be used for the treatment of various human health conditions such as cancer, cholera, smallpox, and nausea as well as eye infections, skin, kidney, liver diseases, etc. Nowadays, consumers are demanding for healthy supplements and personal care products with natural ingredients. Therefore, the present review highlights recent developments and future opportunities of grape seed nutraceuticals for the prevention of human diseases

RAPD markers associated with resistance to blackleg disease in Brassica species

Blackleg, caused by Leptosphaeria maculans, is a serious disease of Brassica species. Genetic analysis of resistance to L. maculans was carried out with 15 accessions from the USDA Brassica germplasm collections, representing diploids (A, C), and tetraploid (AC) genomes, respectively; and 9 cultivars from the National Winter Canola Variety Trials (NWCVT) all carrying AC genomes. All genotypes were screened for blackleg disease at the cotyledonary stage. The results indicated that 46% of the 24 genotypes were resistant, while 54% were susceptible. On the other hand, adult plant screening revealed that all the public genotypes were resistant. In an effort to identify molecularmarkers associated with resistance to blackleg disease, all genotypes were screened with 13 RAPD and 8 SSR markers producing 169 amplified products. Six RAPD markers (OPB01, OPE03, OPE16, OPF10, OPE12, and OPI01) were polymorphic, while the SSR markers were monomorphic. Chi-square analysis indicated that 5 amplified fragments (OPE03-4000, OPE16-1100, OPE16-1300, OPE16-1900, and OPI01- 280) from RAPD primers were significantly associated with blackleg resistance. Thus this study demonstrated that RAPD primers could be effectively used to identify DNA markers that are associatedwith blackleg disease resistance, and that resistance to L. maculans might also exist in the A and C genomes

QUELS DÉTERMINANTS POUR LES POLITIQUES COMPTABLES DANS LES PME CAMEROUNAISES ?

Cet article se propose de déterminer les facteurs qui influencent le choix des méthodes comptables dans les PME camerounaises. Ce choix est parfois fait par les dirigeants dans le but de lisser, de manipuler et de modifier les résultats. Il a pour objectif d’analyser et de mettre en relief les facteurs qui amènent les PME camerounaises à adopter une méthode comptable plutôt qu’une autre. Pour atteindre cet objectif, nous avons opté pour une démarche hypothético déductive. Pour ce faire, nous avons testé des données recueillies à partir d’un questionnaire administré en face à face auprès de 44 PME Camerounaises. Nous avons utilisé l’analyse de classification et l’analyse explicative. Nos résultats montrent que la rémunération des dirigeants n’a aucune influence sur le choix des méthodes comptables dans les PME camerounaises, par contre, les facteurs de contingence structurelle (la taille et le secteur d’activité) ont respectivement une influence significative négative et positive sur le choix des méthodes comptables dans les PME camerounaises

Caractéristique Physico-Chimique Etdynamique des Formes Environnementales des Coccidies Entériques Dans Les Eaux De Sources, Puits et Cours D’eau dans La Commune d’Akono(Cameroun, Afrique Centrale)

L’objectif de cette étude vise à évaluer la qualité physico-chimique et parasitologique des eaux de sources, des puits et du cours d’eau dans la commune d’Akono. L’étude entreprise d’Avril 2017 à Mars 2018 a permis d’effectuer les échantillonnages pour des analyses physico-chimiques et parasitologiques. Les paramètres physiques tels que la température (T °C), la turbidité, les matières en suspension (MES) et la couleur et quelques paramètres chimiques : le pH, la conductivité, l’oxygène, l’oxydabilité, les nitrates, les nitrites, l’azote ammoniacal ont été mesurés. Les eaux de la commune d’Akono sont légèrement acides (Ph=6,1±0,3 UC) et faiblement minéralisées (conductivité=95,5±67,5 µS/Cm). Les teneurs en azote obtenues sont inférieures aux normes. De fortes corrélations ont été mises en évidence entre la conductivité, la turbidité, la couleur, les MES et les densités des oocystes obtenues. Les analyses parasitologiques des échantillons d’eau ont permis d’identifier des oocystes du genre Cryptosporidium sp (141 oocystes/L), de Cyclospora cayetanensis (52 oocystes/L) et d’Isospora belli (40 oocystes/L). Les eaux ont été soumises à une pollution d’origine fécale dans la commune d’Akono. L’usage de ces eaux pourrait présenter un risque sanitaire pour les populations. The objective of this study is intended to assess the physico-chemical quality and the parasitological quality of spring waters, wells and stream in the Akono city council. The study was carried out from April 2017 to March 2018. Within this time, samples for physicochemical and Parasitological analyses where collected. Physical parameters such as temperature (T °C), turbidity, suspended solids (SS) and the color and some chemical parameters: pH, conductivity, oxygen, the oxidability, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia were measured. The waters of Akono municipality are slightly acidic with an average pH of 6.1±0.3 UC. These waters are lowly mineralized with an average electrical conductivity of 95.5±67.5 µS/cm. The concentrations of nitrogenous compounds obtained are slightly below substandard. Strong correlations were observed between electrical conductivity, turbidity, color, SS by the oocysts and densities obtained. Parasitological analyses were made by observation using an optical microscope 40 X objective. The results reveal the presence of oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. (141oocysts/L), Cyclospora cayetanensis (52oocysts/L) and Isospora belli (40oocysts/L). The water was subjected to pollution of faecal origin in the Akono municipality. The use of this waters could present a health risk for the population

Phylogenetic relationships within and among Brassica species from RAPD loci associated with blackleg resistance

The genus Brassica comprises economically important oilseed and vegetable crops. Their susceptibility to fungal diseases such as blackleg causes yield loss. In this study, thirty accessionsfrom USDA germplasm collection representing two diploid Brassica species (Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea var. virids) and fifteen tetraploid cultivars (Brassica napus) from the national wintercanola variety trials (NWCVT) were evaluated using 13 sets of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) associated with blackleg resistance in Brassica nigra. 126 highly polymorphic bands with an average of 10 per primer were detected. A UPGMA dendrogram showed B. rapa as highly diverse and was supported from three different basal branches, while B. napus accessions were generally monophyletic. Similarly, all of B. oleraceae accessions were supported from the same basal node.Generally, the three species were reciprocally paraphyletic, suggesting that the RAPD markers showed both functional relationships as well as homology, possibly due to selection at the RAPD loci associated with blackleg resistance. Consequently, two potentially susceptible B. napus accessions were identified. The high polymorphic information content (PIC) and number of phylogenetically informative bands established RAPD as a useful tool for phylogenetic reconstruction, quantification ofgenetic diversity for conservation, cultivar classification and molecular breeding in Brassica