INTERPLAY BETWEEN PARENT-TEACHER COLLABORATION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PUPILS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN MIGORI COUNTY, KENYA

This study aimed to establish the influence of parent-teacher collaboration on the academic performance of pupils with Learning Disabilities (LD) in public primary schools in Migori County, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive design. The study was guided by Constructivist Theory developed by Jerome Bruner (1966). The target population was 47 primary schools, 1000 pupils in grade three, 113 parents of pupils with learning disabilities, 47 grade 3 class teachers, and 47 head teachers in Migori County. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the primary schools. Grade three pupils, class teachers, parents, and head teachers were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The sample size consisted of 11 primary schools, 11 grade 3 class teachers, 11 head teachers, 55 grade 3 pupils, and 22 parents. Researcher-constructed questionnaires, pupil rating scales, and test and interview schedules were used to collect data. To establish the validity and reliability of the research instruments, a pilot study was carried out in one primary school in Migori County. The collected data were descriptively analyzed using means, frequencies, and percentages. Pearson product-moment correlation analysis was used to examine the nature of the relationships among the study variables. The results were presented using tables. The data from the interview schedule for the head teachers were analyzed thematically, and the results were incorporated into the quantitative findings. Findings indicated that effective collaboration between parents and teachers significantly enhanced academic performance. The study concluded that there was a positive correlation between parent-teacher collaboration and the academic performance of pupils with LD revealed a positive correlation, emphasizing the significance of collaborative efforts to elevate academic achievement. The study recommended that to strengthen collaborative efforts, it is imperative to foster a deeper partnership between teachers and parents. In a leadership role, head teachers need to take the lead in sensitizing both teachers and parents on the profound significance of parent-teacher collaboration for the academic performance of pupils with LD. Also, teachers and Ministry of Education officials in the county should create time to meet the parents and teachers to sensitize them about LD and their needs to improve the learning outcomes of such learners.  Article visualizations

Assessment of land-based pollution problems in Kenyan marine environments to facilitate adaptive management of coral reef systems

Coral reefs are sensitive to environmental perturbations, and an unprecedented decline in corals has been reported globally as a result of increasing global and local stressors including excessive input of anthropogenic nutrients. This study investigated the effect of land-based sources of nutrients (N and P) associated with sewage, on ocean water quality and the health of corals in Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve in Kenya to inform integrated coastal zone management and ocean governance. A year-long study was conducted to determine water quality according to protocols described in Grasshoff et al. (2007). Coral health status was also monitored using Underwater Visual Census (UVC) to record coral reef ecological parameters. The study area’s temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen were within the recommended standards for healthy coral reefs. The study indicated that land-based nutrients, Chlorophyll-a (Chl a) and total suspended solids (TSS), are the key factors affecting corals and could be the reason for the observed coral health, which ranged from fairly healthy to unhealthy. On average, nutrient concentrations were higher than recommended to maintain at least 50% coral coverage. Ammonia was the dominant form of nitrogen ranging from 0.105 to 0.4130 mg/l, while nitrate concentrations were 0.0348-0.0468 mg/l, indicating the possibility of blooming algal species in the area. Total suspended solids were above the recommended values, ranging between 33.5 and 79.3mg/l and Chl a 0.7114 and 1.58 μg/l. The study concluded that land-based nutrient load influenced coral reef health during the study period. It recommends that land-based pollution needs to be addressed as part of a holistic, integrated coastal zone management approach supporting practical, sustainable and legal management of nutrient discharge into the marine environment to preserve the water quality of Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve

Implementing SLMTA in the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service: lessons learned

Background: The Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service (KNBTS) is mandated to provide safe and sufficient blood and blood components for the country. In 2013, the KNBTS National Testing Laboratory and the six regional blood transfusion centres were enrolled in the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme. The process was supported by Global Communities with funding from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Methods: The SLMTA implementation at KNBTS followed the standard three-workshop series, on-site mentorships and audits. Baseline, midterm and exit audits were conducted at the seven facilities, using a standard checklist to measure progress. Given that SLMTA was designed for clinical and public health laboratories, key stakeholders, guided by Global Communities, tailored SLMTA materials to address blood transfusion services, and oriented trainers, auditors and mentors on the same. Results: The seven facilities moved from an average of zero stars at baseline to an average of three stars at the exit audit. The average baseline audit score was 38% (97 points), midterm 71% (183 points) and exit audit 79% (205 points). The Occurrence Management and Process Improvement quality system essential had the largest improvement (at 67 percentage points), from baseline to exit, whereas Facilities and Safety had the smallest improvement (at 31 percentage points). Conclusion: SLMTA can be an effective tool for preparing a blood transfusion service for accreditation. Key success factors included customising SLMTA to blood transfusion activities; sensitising trainers, mentors and auditors on operations of blood transfusion service; creating SLMTA champions in key departments; and integrating other blood transfusion-specific accreditation standards into SLMTA

Pan-African University and German Government Higher Education Cooperation in Algeria

Pan-African University (PAU) is an initiative of the African Union Commission (AUC) that started in 2008 with the objective to promote higher education, science and technology on the African continent at a high academic level. The Pan-African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences (including Climate Change) (PAUWES) is one of the five hubs of the Pan African University (PAU) and hosted at the University of Tlemcen in Algeria. PAUWES offers graduate students access to leading academic research and the latest theoretical and hands-on training in areas vital to the future of Africa’s development in water, energy and the challenge of climate change

Mapping of ecosystem services flow in Mida Creek, Kenya

The concept of ecosystem services (ES) and its application in natural resources management decision making is a new conservation paradigm. A better understanding of ES in resource-rich developing countries can contribute to poverty alleviation and sustainable development, while at the same time conserving natural resources. This study assessed the flow of ES in Mida Creek, a marine reserve in Kenya, with the aim of characterizing land use/land cover (LULC) classes, spatially mapping distribution of ES, identifying important ES, and establishing the opinions of experts on ES flow. A qualitative and quantitative assessment was carried out coupling expert scores and LULC maps in a matrix structure. A participatory approach was used to engage and raise awareness with the community groups who actively participate in conservation activities in the creek, together with researchers/academics/managers who also are involved with the management of the reserve. The study was carried out between July and October 2015 and a total of 65 participants were involved. Datasets were collected using questionnaires in which ecosystem service flow was scored based on expert estimates per LULC class against the selected ES. Data were assessed using statistical and spatial analysis techniques. Results for the flow of provisioning services showed that, while palm trees were the main source of firewood (68%), other vegetation types were also an important source for wood products, including charcoal (46%), construction poles (54%) and fishing gear (68%). There was also a high flow of provisioning services (sea food and bait organisms) from water bodies (82%) and mangroves (80%). Flow for regulating services was mainly from mangroves, and for cultural services from beaches, mangroves and water bodies. Saline bare areas and sand flats scored least for all the ES. There were statistically significant differences in the scoring of the LULC against the different categories of provisioning, regulating and cultural services between the local communities and the other stakeholders. The method shows both the location of the resources utilized by the communities and, also, facilitates communication between these communities and the decision makers, thereby providing an example of a Management strategy at the local scale for other coastal regions of Kenya and elsewhere. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.European UnionWorld Wildlife Fund Russell E. Train Education for Nature ProgramMurray Foundationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Treatment outcomes of esophageal cancer in Eastern Africa: protocol of a multi-center, prospective, observational, open cohort study.

BackgroundEsophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a major cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in Eastern Africa. The majority of patients with ESCC in Eastern Africa present with advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. Several palliative interventions for ESCC are currently in use within the region, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy with and without chemotherapy, and esophageal stenting with self-expandable metallic stents; however, the comparative effectiveness of these interventions in a low resource setting has yet to be examined.MethodsThis prospective, observational, multi-center, open cohort study aims to describe the therapeutic landscape of ESCC in Eastern Africa and investigate the outcomes of different treatment strategies within the region. The 4.5-year study will recruit at a total of six sites in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania (Ocean Road Cancer Institute and Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Moshi, Tanzania; Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya; Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya; and Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi). Treatment outcomes that will be evaluated include overall survival, quality of life (QOL) and safety. All patients (≥18 years old) who present to participating sites with a histopathologically-confirmed or presumptive clinical diagnosis of ESCC based on endoscopy or barium swallow will be recruited to participate. Key clinical and treatment-related data including standardized QOL metrics will be collected at study enrollment, 1 month following treatment, 3 months following treatment, and thereafter at 3-month intervals until death. Vital status and QOL data will be collected through mobile phone outreach.DiscussionThis study will be the first study to prospectively compare ESCC treatment strategies in Eastern Africa, and the first to investigate QOL benefits associated with different treatments in sub-Saharan Africa. Findings from this study will help define optimal management strategies for ESCC in Eastern Africa and other resource-limited settings and will serve as a benchmark for future research.Trial registrationThis study was retrospectively registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov database on December 15, 2021,  NCT05177393