Impact of adult distance learning on teachers : a case study of Katete Day Secondary School, Zambia

The study aimed at addressing the contribution adult distance learning in as far as personal growth and economic development is concerned through the acquisition of new skills. More so, the study addressed challenges that affected the adult learners in their learning process. By and large the teachers who were respondents undertook their training from various institutions across the country and beyond, thus having a broad spectrum of challenges. The study was largely qualitative in nature and used a case study design. However, some of the data were interpreted quantitatively, effectively making this a mixed-methods study. It centred on how teachers in adult distance learning and learners are impacted and the challenges which affect adult distance learning in general. Katete Day Secondary School was chosen as a site from where interviews were carried out. The target sample included eight teachers, the head of the institution and one official from the District Education Office. The sample size was determined based on the fact that a rich source of information from the informants was available at the main site selected, making it easier and cost-effective for the researcher and the informants. The target sample of 8 teachers was selected by using snow ball sampling. The technique was ideal because it avoided naturally linked bondages amongst respondents. The head of the institution (01) and the District Education Standards Officer (01) were selected using purposive technique. The technique was employed because data collected was more specific and could only be provided by strategically positioned respondents. The semi-structured interview schedule was used for all the categories of participants. Qualitative data was analysed thematically through identification of themes which prominently emerged from the data collected. The other form of data collection used was through the analysis of documents collected from the school which aimed at assessing the performance of learners in the grade twelve general certificate examination for three consecutive years basing. The data were important to ascertain whether the performance of teachers who studied through distance learning had any impact on the performance of school-going learners. The study revealed that respondents had challenges in adult distance education because of the misinterpretations surrounding the meaning of the concept ‘adult education’. The study also revealed that adult distance students encountered many challenges during the course of their studies. The challenges ranged mainly from lack of financial support, lack of adequate and timeous feedback to demanding work schedules. However, participants highlighted how they mitigated the challenges they encountered. Among the mitigations cited were accessibility to loan facilities, working extra hours and as well as being in constant contacts with other students. All the participants were, however, in full support on the relevance of adult education because of the role it plays in development; provision of opportunities for individual growth and acquisition of knowledge and skills.Adult Basic Education (ABET)M. Ed. (Adult Education

An Overview of Semi-Quantitative, Qualitative and Knowledge-Based System Methodologies Relevant to Solid Waste Disposal Site Design in Arid and Semiarid Environments

This paper provides an overview of the methodologies and techniques currently being employed in geotechnical engineering and engineering geology fields and examines their relevance to waste disposal site design in arid and semi-arid environments. The methodologies covered are: semi-quantitative, qualitative and knowledge-based systems. Various fundamentals and limitations associated with each of the techniques are discussed. The combination of semi-quantitative and qualitative techniques in developing Knowledge-Based System Model Methodologies for evaluating the performance and design of waste disposal sites in arid and semiarid environments can provide relevant and sufficient data, and reduce uncertainty in the final results. However, such systems should be aimed at giving advice rather than attempting to replace human expertise

The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on the Relationships between Institutional and Individual Factors and Entrepreneurial Intention of University Graduates: Evidence from Zambia

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the Degree of Doctor of PhilosophyUniversity education is no longer a passport to secure employment for graduates. This requires young graduates to consider entrepreneurship and self-employment as a viable career option. Understanding the determinants of entrepreneurial intention (EI), therefore, becomes important. In exploring the determinants of EI, prior studies investigate the effects of individual factors, contextual factors and entrepreneurship education (EE) in isolation from each other. Moreover, literature on the effect of EE on EI shows mixed conclusions. The current study, by considering EE as the kernel, firstly examines individual and institutional determinants of EI. Secondly, it explores whether EE affects the relationships between EI and its individual and institutional determinants. To avoid bias from utilising one particular methodology, this study purposely employed a concurrent triangulation strategy. This was intended for model testing and in-depth understanding of the research issues in the Zambian context. Primary data were collected from Zambia via qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey. For the qualitative study, 13 interviews were conducted and interviewees included final year undergraduate students, educators and practitioners in enterprise support organisations. For the quantitative study, 452 useful responses were received from final year undergraduate students. Research results suggest that, firstly, EI is primarily a function of perceived feasibility and desirability of entrepreneurship. Secondly, individual and institutional factors directly influence perceived feasibility and desirability of entrepreneurship. Thirdly, and more importantly, individual and institutional factors indirectly exert their impact on perceived feasibility and desirability via EE. The study contributes to knowledge in four major areas. Firstly, against the backdrop of mixed conclusions in prior research about the effect of EE on EI, this study finds that the effect of EE should be examined in conjunction with factors at individual and institutional levels. Specifically, it establishes that effectiveness of EE mediates the effects of individual and institutional factors on perceived feasibility and desirability of entrepreneurship i.e. the attitudinal antecedents of EI. This helps clarify the role of EE. Secondly, unlike prior studies and models that examine the influence of EE, individual factors and contextual factors in isolation from each other, this study develops and validates a multi-level integrated model to explore how these factors jointly shape EI. Specifically, the model shows that factors at individual and institutional levels influence EI not only through their effects on perceived feasibility and desirability but also through their impact on the effectiveness of EE. Thirdly, the study provides evidence from Zambia, an under-researched developing country, that EI is primarily a function of perceived feasibility and desirability of entrepreneurship. This supports prior research conclusions from developed countries. Lastly, the study further develops and validates constructs for EE, providing a basis for evaluating EE. In particular, it demonstrates that effectiveness of EE in relation to EI can be evaluated from three angles: perceived learning from the module/programme, experiential learning and access to resources. On the whole, the findings derived suggest that, in order to promote graduate entrepreneurship, multifaceted and concerted efforts will be required from policy makers (to help shape institutions), practitioners (to devise and implement collaborative support mechanisms), educators (to design and deliver appropriate EE content and pedagogy) and scholars (to evaluate and develop knowledge). Acknowledgements I am entirely responsible for the work presented in this thesis. However, at the same time I acknowledge that work of this magnitude and depth can never be solely the effort of one individual. There are many stakeholders to thank. I am greatly indebted to the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission (UK) for offering the Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship, the Coppebelt University for granting the study leave, and the University of Wolverhampton Business School’s Management Research Centre for facilitating the research project. I am also indebted to my supervisors, Dr Yong Wang (Director of Studies), Dr Ian Mckeown and Dr Graham Tate for guiding me through this study. Without Dr Yong Wang’s dedicated direction, mentoring and support, this project would not have been finished properly. Special thanks go to the eight universities in Zambia which authorised and facilitated access to the final year students for the survey. Special gratitude also goes to the lecturers, students and enterprise support practitioners in Zambia who participated in the interviews. I am also grateful to all the staff at the University of Wolverhampton for their support. Particularly, I wish to thank Prof Silke Machold, Prof Mike Haynes, Prof Les Worrall, Dr Paschal Anosike, Dr Stuart Farquhar and Steven Greenfield for their encouragement and support. I thank Andy (Dr Jones), David and Aurelian (Dr Mbzibain) for all the insightful discussions in ML119 and ML120. Lastly, words are not adequate for appreciating my wife and best friend Bernadette and our children Bruce, Grace and Benita for their encouragement and sacrifice during this research project. I end this section with gratitude to God for life and blessing.Commonwealth Scholarships Commission, funded by the United Kingdom Governmen

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR LOW CONVICTION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE OFFENDERS- LUSAKA DISTRICT, ZAMBIA

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a worldwide phenomenon which has evolved from a matter of family to public concern. Numerous researches have demonstrated tremendous after-effects inclusive but not limited to psychological and physical. The international community, Zambia included battles to combat this ravaging scourge. Prosecution of offenders has reemerged as a measure to stop CSA. This study examined factors responsible for low conviction of offenders of CSA in the face of substantial evidence. Survey design using qualitative methods: a questionnaire, semi structured interview and participant observation methods were used to conduct the study. The results showed: absence of technical knowledge of child psychology in courtrooms, an adversarial court system, official’s lack of skills and training, understaffing and poverty, contribute to the failure to convict offenders

Differential Effects of Early Weaning for HIV-Free Survival of Children Born to HIV-Infected Mothers by Severity of Maternal Disease

BACKGROUND. We previously reported no benefit of early weaning for HIV-free survival of children born to HIV-infected mothers in intent-to-treat analyses. Since early weaning was poorly accepted, we conducted a secondary analysis to investigate whether beneficial effects may have been hidden. METHODS. 958 HIV-infected women in Lusaka, Zambia, were randomized to abrupt weaning at 4 months (intervention) or to continued breastfeeding (control). Children were followed to 24 months with regular HIV PCR tests and examinations to determine HIV infection or death. Detailed behavioral data were collected on when all breastfeeding ended. Most participants were recruited before antiretroviral treatment (ART) became available. We compared outcomes among mother-child pairs who weaned earlier or later than intended by study design adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS. Of infants alive, uninfected and still breastfeeding at 4 months in the intervention group, 16.1% who weaned as instructed acquired HIV or died by 24 months compared to 16.0% who did not comply (p=0.98). Children of women with less severe disease during pregnancy (not eligible for ART) had worse outcomes if their mothers weaned as instructed (RH=2.60 95% CI: 1.06-6.36) compared to those who continued breastfeeding. Conversely, children of mothers with more severe disease (eligible for ART but did not receive it) who weaned early had better outcomes (p-value interaction=0.002). In the control group, weaning before 15 months was associated with 3.94-fold (95% CI: 1.65-9.39) increase in HIV infection or death among infants of mothers with less severe disease. CONCLUSION. Incomplete adherence did not mask a benefit of early weaning. On the contrary, for women with less severe disease, early weaning was harmful and continued breastfeeding resulted in better outcomes. For women with more advanced disease, ART should be given during pregnancy for maternal health and to reduce transmission, including through breastfeeding. TRIAL REGISTRATION. Clinical trials.gov NCT00310726National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD); National Institutes of Health (R01 HD 39611, R01 HD 40777

Pregnancy loss and role of infant HIV status on perinatal mortality among HIV-infected women

Background: HIV-infected women, particularly those with advanced disease, may have higher rates of pregnancy loss (miscarriage and stillbirth) and neonatal mortality than uninfected women. Here we examine risk factors for these adverse pregnancy outcomes in a cohort of HIV-infected women in Zambia considering the impact of infant HIV status. Methods: A total of 1229 HIV-infected pregnant women were enrolled (2001–2004) in Lusaka, Zambia and followed to pregnancy outcome. Live-born infants were tested for HIV by PCR at birth, 1 week and 5 weeks. Obstetric and neonatal data were collected after delivery and the rates of neonatal (<28 days) and early mortality (<70 days) were described using Kaplan-Meier methods. Results: The ratio of miscarriage and stillbirth per 100 live-births were 3.1 and 2.6, respectively. Higher maternal plasma viral load (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] for each log10 increase in HIV RNA copies/ml = 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10–3.27) and being symptomatic were associated with an increased risk of stillbirth (AOR = 3.19; 95% CI 1.46–6.97), and decreasing maternal CD4 count by 100 cells/mm3 with an increased risk of miscarriage (OR = 1.25; 95% CI 1.02–1.54). The neonatal mortality rate was 4.3 per 100 increasing to 6.3 by 70 days. Intrauterine HIV infection was not associated with neonatal morality but became associated with mortality through 70 days (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.76; 95% CI 1.25–6.08). Low birth weight and cessation of breastfeeding were significant risk factors for both neonatal and early mortality independent of infant HIV infection. Conclusions: More advanced maternal HIV disease was associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Excess neonatal mortality in HIV-infected women was not primarily explained by infant HIV infection but was strongly associated with low birth weight and prematurity. Intrauterine HIV infection contributed to mortality as early as 70 days of infant age. Interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes for HIV-infected women are needed to complement necessary therapeutic and prophylactic antiretroviral interventions

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR LOW CONVICTION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE OFFENDERS- LUSAKA DISTRICT, ZAMBIA

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a worldwide phenomenon which has evolved from a matter of family to public concern. Numerous researches have demonstrated tremendous after-effects inclusive but not limited to psychological and physical. The international community, Zambia included battles to combat this ravaging scourge. Prosecution of offenders has reemerged as a measure to stop CSA. This study examined factors responsible for low conviction of offenders of CSA in the face of substantial evidence. Survey design using qualitative methods: a questionnaire, semi structured interview and participant observation methods were used to conduct the study. The results showed: absence of technical knowledge of child psychology in courtrooms, an adversarial court system, official’s lack of skills and training, understaffing and poverty, contribute to the failure to convict offenders

Exploring entrepreneurial intention’s mediating role in the relationship between self-efficacy and nascent behaviour: evidence from Zambia, Africa

Purpose –This paper examines the mediating role of entrepreneurial intention (EI) in relation to the influence of the five dimensions of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) on nascent behaviour. Design/methodology/approach – The study relies on a quantitative approach where primary data were collected from 294 final year undergraduate students at a public university in Zambia. The data were examined by using correlation, logistic regression and mediation analyses. Findings – The findings indicate that each of the five dimensions of ESE is positively and significantly related with EI. Additionally, each of the ESE dimensions, except the financial aspect, is positively correlated with nascent behaviour. Lastly, the results show that the influence of ESE dimensions on nascent behaviour is significantly mediated by intention. Research limitations/implications –The study took place in a public university in Zambia; more universities could be involved to improve the generalisability of the study conclusions. Practical implications –The study shows that the five ESE dimensions positively influence not only business start-up intention but also nascent behaviour. To motivate graduates’ involvement in business start-up, there is a need to tailor training and practical pedagogical approaches on entrepreneurship that are focused on developing the five ESE dimensions. Originality/value – This paper extends an emerging body of knowledge which has not been fully investigated in terms of the mediating role of intention on the relationships between dimensions of ESE and nascent behaviour. The study also makes a valuable contribution to the under-researched context of Zambia and African entrepreneurship

Predicting the entrepreneurial intentions of university students: applying the theory of planned behaviour in Zambia, Africa

The current paper contributes to the entrepreneurial intention (EI) literature by applying the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in a developing African country with unique socio-economic and cultural context. Thus it examines the influence of social norms, personal attitudes and perceived behavioural control on business start-up intentions. Based on a quantitative approach, primary survey data were collected from 306 final year undergraduate students at a public university. The data were analyzed using correlation and hierarchical regression techniques. Controlling for age, gender and field of study, the findings indicate that each of the attitudinal antecedents is significantly positively related to EI, with an overall R2 = 0.543. For scholars, enterprise support practitioners and policy makers, the study shows that the TPB can be used to understand how to promote business start-up in developing countries with socio-economic and cultural contexts which are mostly different from developed countries where the subject is heavily researched. Specifically, mechanisms to develop entrepreneurial capabilities among citizens, improve societal norms and individual attitudes toward entrepreneurship would significantly promote entrepreneurship. The study also makes a valuable contribution to the under-researched context of Zambia and African entrepreneurship

Investigation into the Effects of Deficit Irrigation on PotatoProduction in Dedza District-Malawi

Deficit irrigation strategies in furrow irrigation are important concerns to save irrigation water in areas of poor water management. This study was conducted to establish the strengths andweaknesses of the current irrigation practices in Dedza district, to evaluate the influence of two different types of deficit irrigation on yield strategies on yield, and to establish the profitability ofpotato production under AFI and FFI.The Certified potato variety “Violet” seeds were used as study material during the experiment which was laid out as a randomized complete block design