How university students in South Africa perceive their fathers’ roles in their educational development

The larger study that has influenced this article was designed to explore what influenced rural men’s capabilities to actively participate in children’s early social development and its impact on transition to adulthood among their university-going children. Studies have established an increase in the level at which fathers in South Africa have been found wanting in terms of supporting their children’s development at early stages in their lives. It has been reported that this unacceptable behaviour can be transmitted or carried over from one generation to the next. There is the belief that the majority of the young male children who experienced non-supportive fathers will grow up repeating this behaviour with their children. This calls for a study on the perceptions of young people about what fatherhood is all about, hence this study. This study used a descriptive survey with a sample size of 300 students studying education in one university in the Eastern Cape Province. A 25-item questionnaire titled Perception of Fatherhood by University Students (α = 0.75) was used to collect data that were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The participants perceived that the experience and level of education influence men’s perception of fatherhood positively. Extra‑curricular programmes for proper fatherhood transition of young boys are recommended, commencing from Grade 1 through to Grade 12, to expose them to the kinds of dispositions that will enable them to be responsible fathers. There is also a need for compulsory empowerment programmes such as for designers, artists and sportsmen and other semi-skilled professions for male children who cannot acquire higher education to strengthen them socio-economically to provide education for their children

Transformation and decolonisation of mathematics education for sustainable development: A case study of its learning trend in Nigeria

the quest to contextualise education in Africa has been on-going for a while and many countries have been making efforts towards it. During this time of educational review, conscious efforts should be made to identify problematic levels of some subjects that are dreadful to the learners to pave the way for curriculum re-design for context appropriateness. Mathematics learning in African countries has been a source of concern to all educational stakeholders despite several efforts towards its deconstruction. An examination of performance trend in the subject might reveal at what point the learning started declining and this will suggest intervention towards decolonisation of its content. This study measured the academic performance of pupils from preschool level up to the end of primary education (VI class). A descriptive survey research design was adopted and 720 Primary VI pupils were selected through multi-stage sampling technique in a state in Nigeria. Primary School Mathematics Performance Record Sheet (PSM_PRS) was used to collect mathematics scores from preschool through Primary VI class. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and graphs. Pupils started experiencing major declines in mathematics from Primary III class. Results also indicate no significant difference in the class where male and female pupils’ performances started declining. Therefore, there is the need to review and contextualise mathematics content from third year in primary/elementary school for effective learning. Activity-based and exploratory strategies using contextual experiences and resources to deliver mathematics lessons were recommended for third year in primary/elementary schools and beyond

The Woes of Scientific Realism

This paper investigated the disagreement between Realists and Anti-realists on the observable and unobservable distinction in scientific practice. Whilethe realists maintain that machines and gadgets can simulate the human act of perception there-by making all realities under the screen of science observable, the anti-realists or the instrumentalists insist that what cannot be observed with the human senses even if detected with gadgets are not observable. This paper contended against the realist position which says that machines can simulate the human activity of perception. Hence the distinction between what is observable and unobservable is shown to be indisputable

A Trial to Prevent Sorbitol Negative Escherichia coli Infections in Chicks using Autogenous Bacterin and Probiotics

This study was carried out to investigate the efficacy of locally prepared autogenous bacterin from sorbitol negative (sor-) Escherichia coli isolated from chicken feeds as well as commercially prepared probiotic in the prevention of sor-E. coli infection in broiler chicks. A total of forty (40) representative chicken feed samples were randomly collected and screened for the presence of sor-E. coli using pour plate technique. The isolate obtained was characterized and identified using its morphological and biochemical characterization. The pathogenic potentials of the isolate on the broiler chicks were investigated by challenging the chicks orally using 0.5ml of the inoculum (108cells/ml). The protective effects of locally prepared autogenous bacterin (B), commercially prepared probiotic (P) and autogenous bacterin plus commercially prepared probiotic (BP) were investigated using in vivo method. Out of 40 representative chicken feed samples, 23(57.5%) were positive for sor- E. coli. There were significant obvious pathological signs and lesions in the internal organs of the infected non-protected chicks, which decreased significantly (p<0.05) when protected with P, B and PB. The higher viable mean plate counts were obtained from the internal organs of the infected non-protected chicks which significantly (P<0.05) decreased when protected with P, B and PB. Moreover, the serological investigation revealed an improvement in the titer of antibodies after vaccination and probiotic treatment. The tested antimicrobial agents have proved to be safe and effective against the isolate, of which BP showed the most pronounced activity

Sequential Pathological Study of Fowl Typhoid in Experimentally Infected Chicks

This study was undertaken to examine the sequential pathological study of fowl typhoid disease in experimentally infected chicks. A total of 40 chicken feed samples was randomly collected from different shops in Ihiala market and screened for Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum using pour plate method. The isolate obtained was characterized and identified using the morphological and biochemical characteristics. The pathogenic potential of the isolate on day old chicks was investigated by challenging the day old chicks orally using 0.5ml of the inoculum (108cells/ml). All the chicks were kept under complete examination for 2 weeks for obvious pathological signs and lesions. Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum was detected in 13(32.5%) chicken feed samples analyzed. Obvious pathological signs and lesions were significantly (P˂0.5) seen among the infected chicks whereas the non-infected chicks showed no obvious pathological signs. The internal organs (liver and spleen) of the infected chicks showed significant (P˂0.5) viable counts of the challenged organism, which was mostly recorded in the spleen. This study has shown that Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum isolated from chicken feed samples exhibited reasonable pathological features among the infected chicks

Effect of Spices, pH and Temperature on the Survival and Multiplication of Staphylococcus aureus in Zobo Drink

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of spices, pH and temperature on the survival and growth of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from stream water samples in zobo drink. A total of 12 water samples were drawn from 3 different streams used in Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State, and screened for the presence of Staphylococcus aureus using pour plate method. The isolate obtained was characterized and identified using their morphological and biochemical characteristics. The effect of spices, pH and temperature on the isolate was determined by subjecting the isolate to 0.25%, 1.25% and 2.5% of spices (Zigiber officinale and Myristica fragrans), different pH ranges (3-10) and different temperatures (40C, 250C and 370C). Eleven water samples out of twelve samples drawn from the streams showed the presence of Staphylococcus aureus. The spices showed pronounced activity against the organism in both sterilized and non sterilized samples of which the activity increased significantly (P<0.05) as the concentration increased. The activity of Zigiber officinale was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of Myristica fragrans. The maximum growth of the isolate was significantly (P<0.05) observed at pH 6 and 370C. Little or no growth was observed at 40C. This study has shown that the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in zobo drink could be controlled using Zigiber officinale and Myristica fragrans extracts at pH values other than 6, and should best be sold and consumed at refrigeration temperature (40C)

Pathogenicity Study of Dematiaceous Fungi Isolated from Chicken Feeds on Immunoincompetent Chickens

This study was carried out to investigate the pathogenicity of dematiaceous fungi isolated from chicken feeds sample in immunoincompetent chickens. A total of 40 chicken feed samples were collected from Ihiala market and screened for the presence of dematiaceous fungi using spread plate technique. The isolates obtained were characterized and identified using their microscopic and macroscopic characteristics. They were challenged orally using 0.5 ml of each of the test isolate to investigate the pathogenic potentials of each test isolate on the chickens. Dematiaceous fungi were detected in 13 chicken feed samples out of 40 chicken feed samples analysed. Alternaria alternata, Phialophora verrucosa, Madurella grisea, Madurella mycetomatis, Exophiala jeanselmei were the dematiaceous fungi detected from the feed sample. There was significant (P<0.05) decrease in the body weight of the infected immunoincompetent chickens. The total mean viable plate counts of the challenged isolates from the internal organs (heart, liver, lungs) of immunoincompetent chickens were significantly (P<0.05) higher. No count was recorded on the non-infected chicken. It was observed that the test isolate showed reasonable pathogenic features among immunoincompetent chickens and Alternaria alternata proved to be most pathogenic among the tested isolates

INFLUENCE OF HEAD-TEACHERS CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLE ON TEACHERS’ JOB SATISFACTION IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

The study focused on influence of head-teachers conflict management style on teachers’ job satisfaction in public secondary schools in Awka education zone of Anambra State, Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population of the study consisted 122 head-teachers in 61 public secondary schools in Awka education zone. No sample was taken, as the population size was manageable. A 16-items structured questionnaire validated by three experts was used for the study. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient to determine its degree of reliability which obtained overall reliability coefficient values of 0.95. Data related to the research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation while Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that respondents disagreed that head teachers use integrating conflict management style while they agreed in using obliging conflict management style for their job satisfaction. The study revealed that head teachers’ years of teaching experience does not affect the uses of integrating and obliging conflict management style in their job satisfaction. It was concluded that integrating conflict management style are rarely used by the head teacher. It was recommended, among others, that Head teachers should strive at minimizing conflicts and use appropriate methods to manage them such integrating either than obliging conflict management style.  Article visualizations