COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ SCORES IN SOCIAL STUDIES AND INTEGRATED SCIENCE AT JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION IN EDU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

The study compared the scores of students in Social Studies and Integrated Science at the Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination (JSSCE) in Edu Local Government Area (LGA) of Kwara State, Nigeria. The research design was correlational for which the t-test and one –way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed. The sample for the study consisted of all students who sat for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 JSSCE in six out of the eleven Junior Secondary Schools in the Local Government Area. The five schools were selected using the simple random sampling technique and all the 1,689 students who sat for the JSSCE in both subjects in the three years aforementioned were used for the study.The scores of students in both Social Studies and Integrated Science were obtained directly from the Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination result sheets from Principals of the selected schools. These were used as measures of academic performance. The data collected were analysed using the descriptive statistics, t-test and one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The result revealed that there existed significant differences in the performances of male and female students in both Social Studies and Integrated Science in year 2011 with female students out performing their male counterparts however, there are no significant differences in male and female students’ performance in the two subjects in years 2012 and 2013.The multiple comparisons revealed that the scores of students in Social Studies were significantly different between years 2011 and 2012, 2011 and 2013 as well as between 2012 and 2013. In the same vein, the scores of students in Integrated Science for 2011and 2012 as well as 2011 and 2013 were found to be significant

EVALUATION OF THE NATIONAL FADAMA DEVELOPMENT PROJECT APPROACH TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT: LESSONS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS IN NIGERIA

The development of rural areas impacts positively on per capita income and food production. The tier of government entrusted with the responsibility in Nigeria of developing the rural areas has not lived up to expectation in spite of the huge capital investment. This paper identified the root causes behind the failings of the local governments, reviews the performance of the fadama programme and draw on the reasons behind the successes of the latter as a basis for suggestions on how the local government system can be improved. Capacity building at the local level, increased demand for accountability, involvement of private and research bodies in local government activities should be encouraged to enhance rural development.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

A numerical illustration of a recently proposed strongly polynomial-time algorithm for the general linear programming problem

Utilizing illustrative linear programming (LP) problem instances, this article presents a numerical illustration of a recently proposed strongly polynomial-time algorithm for the general LP problem. With each iteration of the algorithm consisting of two Gauss-Jordan pivoting operations, the algorithm's implementation is very simple. The algorithm is currently being reviewed for correctness by a reputable optimization journal. Our illustrative example LP problem instances include a Klee-Minty LP problem in its general form and an LP problem of Beale.Comment: 12 page

Teamwork in context of diversity

Utilization of teamwork for problem solving is pervasive. Teamwork is employed in classrooms to facilitate learning, but also as preparation for future vocational practice. It is used in research as collaborative ethos. Teamwork features in workplace tasks, leisure time projects, pursuing solutions to intractable trans-situated problems, etc. The space of teamwork is a public space of multidimensional assets. Inherent in it are benefits of collaboration, but it also brings with it challenges that have to be resolved in order for it to work effectively. We pursue the question of effectiveness of team function through team size, given certain identified benefits and disbenefits. We attempt to find out if there is an optimal small team size based on a few characteristics such as burden sharing, transactive knowledge and conflict (e.g. schedule conflict). We employ an agent-based model. For parameterization of variables, we take data from a short questionnaire completed by students and use its results to set values. We create small teams of different sizes and allow the dynamic model to aggregate those values as adopted by agents. We also attempt to see which one of four benefit/disbenefit valuation model specifications might work best

Facing Rural Water Insecurities: Adapting Gendered Indigenous Approaches in Ondo State, Nigeria

The participation of women in water management is critical for households and for safeguarding the health and hygiene of rural women and men, especially in Africa and around the world. This paper argues that the knowledge around gender- based water management among rural dwellers is still underrepresented and provides the rationale for this study. Qualitative methods were used to examine the approaches in rural water management and their impact on women and their livelihoods through interviews, narratives, and the respondents’ everyday experiences. Significant findings from this study revealed that the indigenous participation of women in water management at individual households improved the quality of water among the rural dwellers. Further findings also showed that the impact of gender insensitivity has reemphasized the limited role of women in rural water management (RWM) at the community level. It was concluded that various indigenous practices by women in an effort to make water potable in these villages have contributed to meeting their practical gender needs (PGNs) based on their cultural roles. However, channeling water from surrounding rivers by pipe into every street and regular gender awareness assembly between men and women across the rural communities could improve the livelihood of women by contributing to their strategic gender needs (SGNs)

Validation of a strongly polynomial-time algorithm for the general linear programming problem

This article presents a validation of a recently proposed strongly polynomial-time algorithm for the general linear programming problem. The algorithm is an implicit, solution-space reduction procedure that works as follows. Primal and dual problems are combined into a special system of linear equations constrained by complementarity relations and non-negative variables. Each iteration of the algorithm consists of applying two complementary Gauss-Jordan pivoting operations, guided by a reduction lemma. The algorithm requires no more than m+n iterations, where m is the number of constraints and n is the number of variables of the general linear programming problem. In another arXiv article, arXiv:2309.01037[math.DC], a numerical illustration of the algorithm is given that includes an instance of a classical problem of Klee and Minty and a problem of Beale.Comment: 9 pages. This is an updating replacement of an earlier submission. The results are the same as before. The only difference is a rearrangement of statements and proofs that make this version easier to read and comprehend. The rearrangement was motivated by comments from my colleague

Computation and applications of limits of certain non-stationary Markov chains

This article describes a method for computing limits of a class of non-stationary Markov chains motivated by healthcare sojourn-time cycles. A mathematical validation of the computation method is also given. Applications are described that include predicting cycles in healthcare and very large system maintenance. An objective of this article is to hopefully foster some investigation and teaching of practical non-stationary Markov chains.Comment: 7 page

The Classification of the Greek Manuscripts of the Epistle of James

Although a significant number of the Greek manuscripts of the Epistles of I and II Peter, I, II, and III John, and Jude have recently received long overdue classification, only a very few Greek manuscripts of the Epistle of James have been given comparable treatment. In this dissertation, we have sought to rectify this situation by classifying 86 Greek manuscripts of the Epistle of James – primarily according to their phonetic relationships and only secondarily according to their text-types. In order to accomplish this, we have made use of new computer methods. In a recent dissertation on the classification of 81 Greek manuscripts of the Johannine epistles, W.L. Richards employed a computer to form “tentative groupings” by Quantitative Analysis. Theses tentative groupings served as the basis of his classification which was determined ultimately by applying (without the aid of a computer) the Claremont Profile Method. We have taken both these procedures and combined them into a single program; and have, by means of a computer, applied this program to the raw data of our collations, and have thereby produced both the dendrographic charts and the “merge” tables which serve as the basis of our classification. An analysis of these dendrograms and merge tables indicates three major manuscript groupings: (A) Group 2 (consisting of 10 manuscripts [01-2298]). This group is probably Alexandrian in text-type. (B) Group 7 (consisting of 67 manuscripts [049-876] which may be conveniently divided into 11 subgroups [subgroups 7a-k]). Subgroups 7a-h are probably Byzantine in text-type. While subgroups 7i-k have a distinct orientation towards the major representatives of the Byzantine text-type, they also show certain independence in the direction of the Alexandrian text traditions. (C) Group 37 (consisting of 9 manuscripts [522-1505]). This group is patently independent of both the Byzantine and the Alexandrian text traditions

Demand for Health Care Services and Child Health Status in Nigeria- A Control Function Approach

Nigeria has experienced significant increase in economic growth in the last decade yet the health indicators are very poor particularly in the rural sector where poverty incidence is high. The study attempts to provide insights into the determinants of health status and the demand for health care in Nigeria. Using the 2008 DHS data, the effect of the demand for health care service as a complement to other unobservable factors that affect health status of children is explored based on the complementary hypothesis. The data was analyzed using different estimation procedures and the result of the control function is explained. The demand for immunization for children is significant in explaining child health. This expectedly induces the use of other health enhancing inputs and behaviours. In poor families, immunization was not significant. Also, older children and those residing in the rural areas suffer more from poor health but educated mothers have healthier children. Policy recommendation is that the immunization coverage area be increased. In addition, improving education among women will enhance the demand for health inputs and improve the health of their children particularly for the poor and those residing in the rural areasKey words: complementarity, control function, immunization, Nigeria, underweight

DIMENSIONS OF TEACHERS’ JOB SATISFACTION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN GWERU DISTRICT, ZIMBABWE: A FACTOR ANALYSIS

The purpose of this study was to find out the dimensions of teacher job satisfaction in selected primary schools in Gweru District, Zimbabwe. The study employed the descriptive survey method. The population of the study consisted of 25 schools with 500 teachers .Two schools were randomly selected from the population and used for the pilot study. Seven teachers from each of the remaining 23 schools were purposively selected and hence 161 teachers make up the sample for the study. A self-constructed questionnaire of 32 items was used to solicit information. The instrument was both face and content validated and the reliability determined using the Alpha reliability method. An Alpha Reliability coefficient of 0.763 was obtained. The data collected were coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis. Factor analysis showed that eight factors accounted for 65.187% variance in teacher’s job satisfaction. The eight factors were security, infrastructure and teaching resources, financial incentives, supervision, working condition, monthly salary, non-financial incentives and health scheme. The major factors for teachers’ job satisfaction were security, infrastructure and teaching resources, financial incentives and supervision. The study also revealed that teachers were not paid adequate salary and that they are rarely provided with non- financial incentives. It was therefore recommended that responsible authorities should strategize means of helping boost teacher satisfaction in schools by providing adequate security, infrastructure and teaching resources as well as adequate health scheme