Quality Assurance Practice in African Universities: Lessons from a Private Nigerian University

The education enterprise and indeed businesses worldwide thrive on quality products and services. It can be posited that the success or survival of any enterprise is strongly contingent on the quality of its business processes and products. Information explosion and global competiveness have placed a compelling demand on educational institutions to enhance the quality of their delivery process and products. These clarion statements serve to justify the need for this study. The core research questions addressed are: What are the quality assurance models operational in the Nigerian private university studied? To what extent do the models meet international standard? How are the Quality Assurance models implemented? What are the challenges experienced in the course of implementing the Quality Assurance models? What is the degree of overall success in attaining and maintaining quality? The ex post facto, case study and survey designs were used in this study. Consequently, questionnaires, interview guideline and observation grids were among the instruments used for data collection. Data was analyzed with simple descriptive statistics and qualitative techniques. Some of the Quality Assurances practices/models adopted in the private Nigerian University were: National University Commission [NUC] Accreditation visits; Proprietor’s impromptu visits; Faculty Support Programme; Webometric Ranking Model, and Thomas Reuter University Ranking Model. Findings reveal that though Quality Management practice in the Nigerian private university studied was of world-class standard, there is still room for improvement. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2015.v5n2p25

Global, regional, and national progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 for neonatal and child health: all-cause and cause-specific mortality findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 has targeted elimination of preventable child mortality, reduction of neonatal death to less than 12 per 1000 livebirths, and reduction of death of children younger than 5 years to less than 25 per 1000 livebirths, for each country by 2030. To understand current rates, recent trends, and potential trajectories of child mortality for the next decade, we present the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 findings for all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in children younger than 5 years of age, with multiple scenarios for child mortality in 2030 that include the consideration of potential effects of COVID-19, and a novel framework for quantifying optimal child survival. Methods We completed all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality analyses from 204 countries and territories for detailed age groups separately, with aggregated mortality probabilities per 1000 livebirths computed for neonatal mortality rate (NMR) and under-5 mortality rate (USMR). Scenarios for 2030 represent different potential trajectories, notably including potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential impact of improvements preferentially targeting neonatal survival. Optimal child survival metrics were developed by age, sex, and cause of death across all GBD location-years. The first metric is a global optimum and is based on the lowest observed mortality, and the second is a survival potential frontier that is based on stochastic frontier analysis of observed mortality and Healthcare Access and Quality Index. Findings Global U5MR decreased from 71.2 deaths per 1000 livebirths (95% uncertainty interval WI] 68.3-74-0) in 2000 to 37.1 (33.2-41.7) in 2019 while global NMR correspondingly declined more slowly from 28.0 deaths per 1000 live births (26.8-29-5) in 2000 to 17.9 (16.3-19-8) in 2019. In 2019,136 (67%) of 204 countries had a USMR at or below the SDG 3.2 threshold and 133 (65%) had an NMR at or below the SDG 3.2 threshold, and the reference scenario suggests that by 2030,154 (75%) of all countries could meet the U5MR targets, and 139 (68%) could meet the NMR targets. Deaths of children younger than 5 years totalled 9.65 million (95% UI 9.05-10.30) in 2000 and 5.05 million (4.27-6.02) in 2019, with the neonatal fraction of these deaths increasing from 39% (3.76 million 95% UI 3.53-4.021) in 2000 to 48% (2.42 million; 2.06-2.86) in 2019. NMR and U5MR were generally higher in males than in females, although there was no statistically significant difference at the global level. Neonatal disorders remained the leading cause of death in children younger than 5 years in 2019, followed by lower respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases, congenital birth defects, and malaria. The global optimum analysis suggests NMR could be reduced to as low as 0.80 (95% UI 0.71-0.86) deaths per 1000 livebirths and U5MR to 1.44 (95% UI 1-27-1.58) deaths per 1000 livebirths, and in 2019, there were as many as 1.87 million (95% UI 1-35-2.58; 37% 95% UI 32-43]) of 5.05 million more deaths of children younger than 5 years than the survival potential frontier. Interpretation Global child mortality declined by almost half between 2000 and 2019, but progress remains slower in neonates and 65 (32%) of 204 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, are not on track to meet either SDG 3.2 target by 2030. Focused improvements in perinatal and newborn care, continued and expanded delivery of essential interventions such as vaccination and infection prevention, an enhanced focus on equity, continued focus on poverty reduction and education, and investment in strengthening health systems across the development spectrum have the potential to substantially improve USMR. Given the widespread effects of COVID-19, considerable effort will be required to maintain and accelerate progress. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

Assessing the Effectiveness of Mobile Learning Devices in Tertiary Institutions: The Experience of Undergraduates in a Nigerian Private University

Over the years, technology appears to be making life easier and better.  However, in some instances, it appears technology is counterproductive. Mobile learning devices, as the name suggests, have been developed to facilitate learning on the move.  The questions are: Are these devices truly facilitating learning? If they are truly facilitating learning, are they facilitating learning positively or negatively? �  To answer these questions, the survey research design was adopted on a sample of 215 randomly selected students.  In the process, questionnaire and focused group discussion guideline were used to collect relevant data.  Data analysis was both qualitative and quantitative.  Some of the core findings from this investigation were that majority of the respondents, and by extension the target population, were barely using the tablets and free internet browsing megabytes [10Gb monthly] given to all students for the intended purpose of learning.  Some were pre-occupied with downloading videos, films and music while some spend endless hours playing computer games or chatting on social networks with the attendant consequence of poor learning, dwindling academic performance and productivity.  Relevant recommendations to redress this unwholesome trend were proffere

Quality Assurance Practice in African Universities: Lessons from a Private Nigerian University

The education enterprise and indeed businesses worldwide thrive on quality products and services. It can be posited that the success or survival of any enterprise is strongly contingent on the quality of its business processes and products. Information explosion and global competiveness have placed a compelling demand on educational institutions to enhance the quality of their delivery process and products. These clarion statements serve to justify the need for this study. The core research questions addressed are: What are the quality assurance models operational in the Nigerian private university studied? To what extent do the models meet international standard? How are the Quality Assurance models implemented? What are the challenges experienced in the course of implementing the Quality Assurance models? What is the degree of overall success in attaining and maintaining quality? The ex post facto, case study and survey designs were used in this study. Consequently, questionnaires, interview guideline and observation grids were among the instruments used for data collection. Data was analyzed with simple descriptive statistics and qualitative techniques. Some of the Quality Assurances practices/models adopted in the private Nigerian University were: National University Commission [NUC] Accreditation visits; Proprietor’s impromptu visits; Faculty Support Programme; Webometric Ranking Model, and Thomas Reuter University Ranking Model. Findings reveal that though Quality Management practice in the Nigerian private university studied was of world-class standard, there is still room for improvement