Mother-Tongue Education Policy: Effects on Children’s Achievement in Reading Skills

Researches have shown that instructions received in the mother tongue are easily assimilated and permanent than those received in a second or foreign language. The thrust of this paper is to investigate on the effect of the mother tongue education policy on Nigeria children’s achievement in reading skills. The study adopted the randomized pre-test experimental and control group as design. Three research questions were used as a guide to the study. Two hypotheses were also raised for the study at 0.05 level of significance. The sample consisted of 215 primary 3 pupils taken from 4 primary schools in two geo-political zones. The sample size consisted of 110 pupils from rural and 105 pupils from urban schools. Standard deviation, means and analyses of covariance were used to analyze the data. The results indicates that children in the rural schools taught in the mother-tongue performed better than those from urban schools who were taught in English Language in reading skills. From the findings, it is recommended that the language policy on mother tongue usage should be enforced as medium of instruction in the early primary schools years. Keywords: Mother-tongue, policy, achievement and reading skills

Dynamic linkages between monetary policy and the stock market: the case of South Africa

This study analyses the linkage between monetary policy and the stock market in South Africa using monthly data for the period from 2000 to 2010. It provides an overview of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the monetary regimes adopted by the South African Reserve Bank since the 1960s and the interrelation between the monetary variables and the stock market. It also provides a review of literature, both theoretical and empirical on the linkages between the two variables. Based on the review of literature, a Vector Autoregression [VAR] model was chosen as a method of analyzing the relationship between the two variables. The empirical results revealed that there is no long term relationship between the variables, however, in the short-run there is a dynamic relationship between monetary policy and the stock market in South Africa. This implies that innovations in the stock market affect the implementation of monetary policy and vice-versa. The study recommended that monetary authorities should pay attention to the fact that the stock market performance has a great impact on their decision making due to the fact it is greatly affected by repo rates

Dynamic linkages between monetary policy and the stock market: the case of South Africa

This study analyses the linkage between monetary policy and the stock market in South Africa using monthly data for the period from 2000 to 2010. It provides an overview of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the monetary regimes adopted by the South African Reserve Bank since the 1960s and the interrelation between the monetary variables and the stock market. It also provides a review of literature, both theoretical and empirical on the linkages between the two variables. Based on the review of literature, a Vector Autoregression [VAR] model was chosen as a method of analyzing the relationship between the two variables. The empirical results revealed that there is no long term relationship between the variables, however, in the short-run there is a dynamic relationship between monetary policy and the stock market in South Africa. This implies that innovations in the stock market affect the implementation of monetary policy and vice-versa. The study recommended that monetary authorities should pay attention to the fact that the stock market performance has a great impact on their decision making due to the fact it is greatly affected by repo rates

The dynamics of household debt in South Africa

Household debt as a proportion of South African household disposable income remain alarmingly above 70 percent. Impliedly, the majority of households are spending the bulk of their income on servicing debt. This not only puts a strain on household welfare but also on economic growth as household spending is the major contributor to economic activity in the country. Based on this background, the study examines the dynamics of the South African household debt. The analysis was done both at the macro and individual/household level (micro). The macro-level data covered the period from 1994 to 2018 utilizing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model. The empirical results indicated that there is both a long-term and short-term relationship between the variables of interest. The results further show that the majority of low-income households in South Africa borrow more, as a way to smoothen their consumption. Interest rate as the official instrument to counter borrowing was found to have a positive relationship with household debt, indicating that households borrow to settle the existing debt as interest rates increases. The dummy variable used to capture the credit regulations enactment/amendments was found to be insignificant in the long run. This suggests that credit regulations implemented in South Africa have not reduced the propensity to borrow. At a micro level, the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) data was used. Five waves of data were collected on the same individuals every 2 years. Panel regressions were employed in the analysis and the empirical results revealed that employment and income at the micro-level are found to be strong determinants of household debt. The results further showed that being a male and a white individual was positively associated with the likelihood of taking up more debt in general. On the other hand, the results indicated that being a black African is associated with a high likelihood of using services from most of the informal non-banking institutions. The results also revealed that the greater the education level of the head of the household, the higher the probability of taking more debt. One of the telltale signs of over-indebtedness is the persistence of debt, households respond to increased debt and their inability to repay it by increasing their borrowing. The study also investigated the transmission matrices of households in and out of debt. The results indicate a higher transition frequency in and out of debt on informal loans from the non-banking sector that is normally accessed by the poorer households, this could indicate debt entrapment and the persistence of debt at lower-income levels. Based on empirical results, the study recommended policies that would support consumption without necessarily increasing the credit appetite of household debt. Additional recommendations are those that support selective lending and the strengthening of the risk management of lending institutions. Furthermore, to combat the rising levels of household debt, several measures are proposed in the study.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 202

The dynamics of household debt in South Africa

Household debt as a proportion of South African household disposable income remain alarmingly above 70 percent. Impliedly, the majority of households are spending the bulk of their income on servicing debt. This not only puts a strain on household welfare but also on economic growth as household spending is the major contributor to economic activity in the country. Based on this background, the study examines the dynamics of the South African household debt. The analysis was done both at the macro and individual/household level (micro). The macro-level data covered the period from 1994 to 2018 utilizing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model. The empirical results indicated that there is both a long-term and short-term relationship between the variables of interest. The results further show that the majority of low-income households in South Africa borrow more, as a way to smoothen their consumption. Interest rate as the official instrument to counter borrowing was found to have a positive relationship with household debt, indicating that households borrow to settle the existing debt as interest rates increases. The dummy variable used to capture the credit regulations enactment/amendments was found to be insignificant in the long run. This suggests that credit regulations implemented in South Africa have not reduced the propensity to borrow. At a micro level, the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) data was used. Five waves of data were collected on the same individuals every 2 years. Panel regressions were employed in the analysis and the empirical results revealed that employment and income at the micro-level are found to be strong determinants of household debt. The results further showed that being a male and a white individual was positively associated with the likelihood of taking up more debt in general. On the other hand, the results indicated that being a black African is associated with a high likelihood of using services from most of the informal non-banking institutions. The results also revealed that the greater the education level of the head of the household, the higher the probability of taking more debt. One of the telltale signs of over-indebtedness is the persistence of debt, households respond to increased debt and their inability to repay it by increasing their borrowing. The study also investigated the transmission matrices of households in and out of debt. The results indicate a higher transition frequency in and out of debt on informal loans from the non-banking sector that is normally accessed by the poorer households, this could indicate debt entrapment and the persistence of debt at lower-income levels. Based on empirical results, the study recommended policies that would support consumption without necessarily increasing the credit appetite of household debt. Additional recommendations are those that support selective lending and the strengthening of the risk management of lending institutions. Furthermore, to combat the rising levels of household debt, several measures are proposed in the study.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 202

描绘精神友谊:: 郎世宁与康雍乾三位皇帝

This paper examines the dynamic of spiritual friendship between the Jesuit painter Giuseppe Castiglione and three emperors: Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, who reigned in China between 1662 and 1796. Paintings, historical reference and the poetic calligraphy which the emperor added with his own brush to Castiglione’s paintings, corroborate the notion of a deep friendship, one that is spiritual, in the way that spiritual friendship is defined and described by the 11th century Cistercian, Aelred of Rievaulx. The role of perspective, in both its technical and its spiritual connotations, is examined in terms of classical Chinese and western European traditions in relation to the deeper interior seeing of a spiritual friend. It is argued that Castiglione came to know the heart and mind of the emperor with such empathy that he is able to paint from that shared interiority, sharing affection, joy and even sorrow, beyond words, to suffuse spiritual experience within the work of painting, brush to silk, and for the gaze of the viewer.本文研究耶稣会画家郎世宁（本名：朱塞佩·伽斯底里奥内）与中国1662-1796年间在位的康熙、雍正、乾隆三位皇帝的精神友谊。郎世宁的多幅经典画作、诸多史料记载以及皇帝在郎世宁作品上的诗文题词，无一不是他们深厚友谊的见证。这种友谊符合11世纪熙笃会教士圣埃尔雷得对“精神友谊” 的定义和描述。无论从现实层面还是精神层面，无论从传统中国视角还是西欧视角，精神友谊意味着其中一方能够洞察另一方深层次的内心需求。有人认为，郎世宁正是抱着这样的同理心接近皇帝的心灵和思想，这样他才能分享皇帝的内心世界，他的情感、喜悦甚至悲伤，无需言语交流，在绢本中融入丰富的精神体验，创作出令读者（皇帝）满意的作品

苦难时期展现的精神友谊: 郎世宁与乾隆皇帝圆明园的共同缔造者

Giuseppe Castiglione, arrived in China during one of the most troubled times in history, in the midst of the Rites Controversy. Yet, he came to know the interiority of the Qianlong emperor with deep intimacy. His design work at the Yuanmingyuan reflects an empathic understanding of the Emperor’s desires and longings, emulating the spiritual unity of the Lord Creator with artists and architects working as one. Having known Qianlong since the Emperor’s childhood, he was well aware of his pleasures and concerns, his self perception as Son of Heaven, and Lord of the vast domain he held together in an era of peace. Castiglione and his Jesuit brethren gathered inspiration from the creative design of gardens and palaces from their imaginative memory and the similar lived experience of the most powerful figures in Europe. Parallels are drawn between Maria de Medici’s longing for her home in Florence articulated in the design of Luxembourg garden and the emperor’s desire to quell the longing of his Fragrant Concubine, Xiang Fei, for her home in Kashgar shown in the Islamic influences found the Belvedere palace at Yuanmingyuan. Marian imagery in the depiction of the Emperor’s concubine waiting for her Lord is also examined. The spiritual lesson: in times of crisis, speak less, listen more and engage your senses.郎世宁来中国时，中国正值礼仪之争这一历史上最艰难的时期之一。不过，他熟悉地了解到乾隆皇帝的内心世界。他在圆明园的设计工作反映了他对皇帝愿望和向往的移情式领悟，并向造物主和艺术家、建筑师浑然一体工作的精神统一看齐。乾隆幼时起，郎世宁就认识他，他深知乾隆的乐与忧以及他作为天子与和平时代大一统领地君主的自我认知。郎世宁与他的耶稣会兄弟们从他们富有想象力的回忆以及欧洲权贵们体验的相似经历中，收集了花园与宫殿的创意设计灵感。卢森堡花园的设计清晰反映了玛丽·德·美第奇（Maria de Medici）对她在佛罗伦萨的家乡的思乡之情，同样，皇帝的意愿要减轻香妃对故乡喀什的思念，体现在圆明园远瀛观的伊斯兰风格的影响中。玛丽的形象也在皇帝的妃子等待其君主的描写中被审察到。精神教训：危机时期，少说，多听，用心感受

A chi-square-SVM based pedagogical rule extraction method for microarray data analysis

Support Vector Machine (SVM) is currently an efficient classification technique due to its ability to capture nonlinearities in diagnostic systems, but it does not reveal the knowledge learnt during training. It is important to understand of how a decision is reached in the machine learning technology, such as bioinformatics. On the other hand, a decision tree has good comprehensibility; the process of converting such incomprehensible models into an understandable model is often regarded as rule extraction. In this paper we proposed an approach for extracting rules from SVM for microarray dataset by combining the merits of both the SVM and decision tree. The proposed approach consists of three steps; the SVM-CHI-SQUARE is employed to reduce the feature set. Dataset with reduced features is used to obtain SVM model and synthetic data is generated. Classification and Regression Tree (CART) is used to generate Rules as the Last phase. We use breast masses dataset from UCI repository where comprehensibility is a key requirement. From the result of the experiment as the reduced feature dataset is used, the proposed approach extracts smaller length rules, thereby improving the comprehensibility of the system. We obtained accuracy of 93.53%, sensitivity of 89.58%, specificity of 96.70%, and training time of 3.195 seconds. A comparative analysis is carried out done with other algorithms