ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT PROVIDED TO TEACHERS DURING IMPLEMENTATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION CURRICULUM

Early childhood is the foundation of primary education and beyond, it is with this concern that proper implementation of the ECDE curriculum has to take place through provision of adequate and necessary support to pre-school teachers. This study investigated the administrative support that was provided to schools during the implementation of early childhood development education curriculum in Baringo North Sub County, Kenya. This study was guided by Gross et al theory on curriculum implementation which asserts that for any successful implementation, suitable conditions must be fulfilled such as administrative support. The study used descriptive research design. The study used selected schools in Baringo North Sub County, which had 120 pre-schools, 160 pre-school teachers, 120 head teachers and 5 DICECE officers. Results showed that head teachers played a major role in the implementation in purchasing some of the required resources, through initiating the parents to support the teachers though it was found that they were not adequate at the time of the study. The head teachers and DICECE officer claimed that they never received adequate support from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to assist in the implementation of the ECDE curriculum. The paper recommends that for effective implementation of the curriculum, top administrative support should be provided to teachers to enhance effective curriculum implementation.  Article visualizations

Efficient removal of sulfamethoxazole onto sugarcane bagasse-derived biochar: Two and three-parameter isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamics

In this work, bagasse, an agricultural waste was used for the development of environmentally benign biochar (CBG) and the thermal pyrolysis product applied for adsorption of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) from water using a batch technique. The pseudo-first-order model best described the adsorption kinetics. Equilibrium adsorption data were modelled using six twoparameter and five three-parameter isothermequations and the best-fitting models obtained using five error functions. The Sips isotherm best predicted the equilibrium data with an estimated adsorption capacity of 128.8 mg g–1. Error analysis showed that three-parameter isotherms best explained the experimental data. The thermodynamic functions, viz. enthalpy (ÄH = –24.72 kJ mol–1), Gibbs free energy (ÄG=–15.67 kJ mol–1), entropy (ÄS=32.65 kJ mol–1), showed that the reaction is spontaneous and exothermic. The mechanism of adsorption involved charge-assisted hydrogen bonding (-)CAHB. The amount of CBG required for the removal of 99 % of SMX in a given volume of effluent was predicted. The results attest that CBG is an effective low-cost adsorbent for SMX adsorption

Determinants of Domestic Savings Mobilization Among the Rural Poor, The Contribution of Table Banking in Kenya

This study examined the determinants of domestic savings mobilization among the rural poor in Uasin-Gishu county, Kenya. The general notion is that the subsistence farmers are too poor to save. This seems to be unfounded given the fact that they are general excluded from formal financial services and studies on poverty in the country show that the average propensity of the rural households to save is higher than the national average. What are the factors which motivate small scale farmers to save? The study was conducted on 446 table banking groups under the aegis of JOYWO, a table banking grouping in Kenya. Data was collected using structured questionnaires from members of groups under the umbrella of JOYWO. The findings of the study indicates that household income had a positive and significant effect on savings mobilization while dependency ratio had a negative and significant effect on savings mobilization. Household size was not significant. The results point to the need to expose the rural poor to informal savings and financing models expected to enhance income generating capabilities of the rural poor and lower the level dependency through government welfare funding for senior citizens and essential services for the young Keywords: Savings mobilization, Table banking, Rural Poor, Joyful Women Group. DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/10-6-02 Publication date:March 31st 201

Participatory Governance in Secondary Schools: The Students’ Viewpoint in Eastern Region of Kenya

The purpose of the study was to determine the students’ view on participatory school governance in secondary schools of the Eastern region, Kenya. Participatory school governance implies the involvement of stakeholders in the decision making process in schools. The objectives of the study were to identify the key decision makers in selected management tasks in secondary schools as perceived by students in Eastern Region, Kenya and to establish the students’ opinion on their involvement in decision making in secondary schools of Eastern Region, Kenya.  It was also meant to identify structures within the secondary school system which are used for students’ involvement in decision making process in secondary schools of Eastern Region, Kenya. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The target population was 28441 students of the secondary schools of Eastern Region of Kenya. A sample of 720 respondents was selected through multi-stage sampling procedures.  Data was collected by the use of a questionnaire and was analyzed by the use of descriptive statistical tools. The findings were that the key decision makers in curriculum and design were the teachers, principals and students. In students’ management and welfare, it was the principals, teachers and Boards of Management while in school-community relations it was the principals. The students said that they should be involved in decision making and in their view, their involvement is very important. Though there is emphasis on the application of students’ governance through the students’ councils, students believe that since teachers’ interfere with the process of electing their leaders, then the structure of governance is the prefects system. Keywords: Decision Making, Participatory school governanc

Income diversification and financial performance : should banks trade?

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of income diversification on the financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a sample of 31 commercial banks and panel data for the period 2008-2017. Data was extracted from the individual bank’s financial reports and the Central Bank of Kenya’s bank supervision annual reports. The data was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics, while the hypothesis was tested using fixed effect regression based on the results of the Hausman test. Financial performance was measured as return on assets (ROA), while Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) was used to measure income diversification. The study controlled for firm size, firm age and lending strategy. Findings: The findings indicated that income diversification had a positive and significant effect on banks’ financial performance in Kenya. The control variables had varied effects; firm size had a positive effect, while firm age and lending strategy had a negative effect. Practical implications: The article offers insights to bank managers and the regulator. First managers should consider an optimal level of diversification to compensate for the deteriorating interest revenue. Second, the regulator should relax laws that limit the extent banks can diversify their revenue streams. Originality/value: Unlike previous studies which focused on developed and emerging economies, this study centered on a developing economy, and the findings are consistent with the propositions of the modern portfolio theory.peer-reviewe

Moderating effect of social networking on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and performance of small and medium enterprise in Nakuru county, Kenya

An emerging stream of research indicates that entrepreneurial orientation is a critical factor in enhancing entrepreneurial outcomes such as firm performance. However, few studies have examined how a firm’s embedded in inter-firm networks influences enterprise performance. The study aimed at evaluating the moderating effect of social networking on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and Small and Medium Enterprises performance in Nakuru town Kenya. The specific objectives were; to determine the effect of risk-taking and pro- activeness on performance of small and medium enterprises and finally to determine the moderating effect of social networking on relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and performance of small and medium enterprises. The study utilized the resource based view theory (Barney 1991). Explanatory research design guided the study. A questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 214 SMEs in Nakuru town. Collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Correlation and multiple regression analysis were employed to test the hypotheses. The results indicated that Risk-taking, Pro-activeness and Innovativeness were significant in affecting performance of SMEs. Also the results revealed that social networking positively moderates the relationship between risk-taking Proactiveness and performance of SMEs. It is recommended that SMEs need to endeavor and embrace social networking since it offers a cost effective way in expanding contact bases and enhancing the profitability of firm. Finally the study contributes to knowledge and theory by establishing the moderating effect of social networking on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and performance of SMEs in Keny

Factors affecting adherence to antiretroviral therapy among children and adolescents living with HIV in the Mbita Sub-County Hospital, Homa Bay- Kenya

Background: Adequate adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is key to the successful treatment of children and adolescents living with HIV. Continuous ART Adherence is the key factor for virologic suppression and stability of the immune system and prevents the occurrence of opportunistic infections. Children and adolescents struggle with adherence to ART for various reasons, including a poor psychosocial support system and clinic attendance. Objectives: To describe the uptake of HIV treatment services among children and adolescents in the Mbita Sub-County Hospital, Homa Bay and determine how schooling, clinic attendance, and type of pill/regimen affect adherence to ART and viral suppression. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the Mbita Sub-County Hospital. Medical chart data was abstracted from the hospital files of children and adolescents between the ages of 0-19 years on antiretroviral therapy, between the periods of October 2016 and September, 2017. Data was analyzed using measures of central tendency, and cross-tabulations were done to compare schooling, clinic attendance, type of pill/regimen and viral suppression. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine associations between groups. Results: According to patient files reviewed, majority of patients, 244(91.4%) were enrolled into care within 2 weeks of HIV diagnosis according to guidelines, and 193(73.1 %) remained enrolled in care at end of study period. An overall viral suppression of 74.2 %( 132) was recorded. Of all the files reviewed, 121(74.7%) of patients attending school suppressed against 11(68.8 %) out of school, p=0.280. Suppression among Day and boarding reported at 78.6 %( 11) and 74.8 %( 113) of those out of school, respectively, p=0.533. Participants in primary school, 17(85.0%) suppressed better than those in secondary school, 102(73.4%), p=0.263. Keeping clinic appointments among eligible patient files reviewed decreased from 83.1% at 3 months, p=0.016, to 76.6%, p=0.526 at 6 months and to 52.9% at 12 months, p=0.278. Only 3- month clinic appointment return rates and Enhanced Adherence Counseling (EAC) were significant predictors of viral supression \u3c72 (2) = 0.280, p = 0.869 (> 0.05). Conclusion: The clinic attendance rate within the first 3 months, and Enhanced Adherence Counseling (EAC) were significant predictors of viral suppression, and therefore adherence to antiretroviral therapy

A secondary analysis of retention across the PMTCT cascade in selected countries: Rwanda, Malawi, Kenya, and Swaziland

There is global consensus that transmission of HIV from mother to child can be eliminated. The Global Task Team, co-chaired by UNAIDS and the US Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, has developed a global framework with the goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children (transmission rate of less than 5 percent) by 2015. Reaching the goal depends on optimal execution of each step in a complex cascade of activities, including testing and counseling for HIV, early attendance for antenatal care to optimize antiretroviral prophylaxis for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), adherence to the drugs, CD4 count testing, and, in breastfeeding populations, retention in the PMTCT program until breastfeeding cessation. Retaining pregnant and lactating women in the program is critical, however there are barriers to retention and a paucity of knowledge about extent of retention. The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation carried out a secondary data analysis of patient-level data in selected countries to assess the extent of retention among women and infants in the program. The study was conducted under USAID’s HIVCore project led by the Population Council

Educational video for nursing students on surgical instruments maintenance process

The primary purpose of this thesis project will address critical need in nursing education, especially in the context of clinical skills development. It attempts to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and actual competence by stressing the correct cleaning, maintenance, and sterilization of surgical instruments.By doing so, it hopes to greatly improve the overall quality and safety of patient treatment in hospital environments. This thesis will create instructional films for nursing students at Centria University of Applied Sciences. This study will assist students in learning critical knowledge regarding surgical instruments maintenance methods. This video will assist all international overseas students. This thesis is based on a demonstration of the surgical instrument’s sterilization procedure for Centria University of Health Science's first- and second-year nursing students. This video is appropriate for English-speaking nursing students, although Finnish students can also use it as a reference. By requesting special authorization from the Soite sterilization instrumentation section, the instructive video was prepared in collaboration with the Centria UAS thesis supervisor. The video begins with an overview of the sterilizing procedures and progresses until the instruments are ready for deployment in their respective locations. In the end, the film will be given to the nursing faculty at Centria University ofApplied Science for instructional and reference purposes

Students’ Conceptions of Role of Guidance and Counselling in Discipline Management in Secondary Schools in K1rinyaga County, Kenya

Discipline is vital in the success of educational processes. Guidance and Counselling (GC) have been adopted as strategy to manage student discipline the world over including Kenyan schools. Though students form the major clientele of services provided in schools, studies regarding provision of counselling and guidance in relation to management of learners’ behaviour have largely ignored students’ conceptions. This study sought to establish students’ conceptions of the role of GC in managing discipline among learners in public secondary’ schools in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. The descriptive survey research design was used and a sample of 167 students was randomly taken from 13 secondary schools and questionnaires used to collect data. Results indicated that though students knew of availability of counselling services, they rarely sought them. The study further noted that students experienced punitive forms of punishment, including corporal punishment, despite availability of GC departments and government policies guiding the handling of learners’ discipline in Kenyan schools. The study concluded that secondary school students sampled have not fully embraced GC services. Therefore, the practice of GC as currently structured, may fail as a discipline management strategy. The recommendations based on findings are that the Education Ministry and School Boards of Management should not only enforce government policies on discipline management and explore ways of winning students’ confidence in the GC services