Teachers’ Experience and Teachers’ Competency Needs in the multidisciplinary approach to implementation of environmental education curriculum in Cross River State, Nigeria

The study was undertaken to determine teachers experience and their competence needs of teachers in the multidisciplinary approach to implementation of environmental education curriculum in Cross River State, Nigeria. One research question and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The sample consisted of 737 teachers proportionally sampled from 67 public secondary schools in the three education zones of Cross River State. The teacher competence needs questionnaire in the implementation of environmental education curriculum containing competency needs items was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using means, standard deviation and t-test. Teachers’ experience (F=5.292; p<.05) significantly influenced their competence needs. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others under the multidisciplinary approach experience teachers should be well trained and retrain to be able implement EE curriculum

Adverse Effect of Water Contamination or Pollution to Human Health and Safety in the Nigeria Delta – Nigeria: An Environmental Case Study

Water have been found to be a life-supporting liquid. Humans like other living being required water for purposes of its metabolism. Human uses water for other purposes including domestic and industrial activities. Nearly every human daily activities will be free of water use. This goes further to connote the important of water. Contamination of water sources relatively has great impact on human health, domestic and industrial development as well as the survival of aquatic lives which also serve as a source of food for humans. This paper seeks to analyze this environmental situation in relation to its related health issues. Empirical evidence was examined to establish concrete evidence that water contamination can lead to severe health problems. The paper focus its scope of analyzing water contamination situation in the Niger Delta, Southern Nigeria and its impact on the health of the residence. Recommendations were proposed on how water contamination can be mitigated to avoid advent of increased mortality in Niger Delta. Keywords: Water contamination, Human Health and Safety, Water-borne diseas

TACKLING CAUSES OF FREQUENT BUILDING COLLAPSE IN NIGERIA

A building, once properly constructed is expected to be in use for a very long time. Although every society has its own problems and Nigeria is not an exception yet the very recent challenges of buildings collapsing in various locations have been giving the various arms of government and the people of Nigeria sleepless nights in view of the enormous loss of huge investments in housing, properties and human life. The major challenge on the issue of building collapse is that individuals differ radically from one another on the professional to blame as the major cause of the collapse of a building. This study reviews current challenges in the building industry in relation to collapse of buildings, loss of lives and properties. Data for the study were obtained through structured questionnaires administered to landlords and professionals in the construction industry in addition to academia in the built environment. Historical data of past collapsed buildings in Nigeria were also discussed. Findings from the three prominent groups were varied. First, building experts blamed building collapses on the use of low quality building materials coupled with employment of incompetent artisans and weak supervision of workmen on site. Second, public opinion revealed that the blames of building collapse were due to non-compliance with specifications/standards, use of substandard building materials and equipments and the employment of incompetent contractors. Third, opinion of the academia on remote causes of building collapse showed that the route causes are mainly the non-enforcement of existing laws and endemic poor work ethics of Nigerians at large. The study recommends that the press should lay more emphasis on educating the public at large on the dangers of the collapse of a building and less on public emotions. In addition, government should, on one hand, embark on proactive steps by mustering enough political will to allow the Town Planning Authorities to perform their functions unfettered and on the other hand, provide the legal framework that can improve and ensure smoother, less time-consuming and less burdensome ways to conduct business in the functioning of law courts

Unemployment, Curriculum Outcomes, Psycho-social Characteristics, and Entrepreneurial Skills of Polytechnic Graduates.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the relationship between and among gender role-stereotype, personality traits, common business practices, curriculum outcomes and entrepreneurial skills of polytechnic graduates. 60 Polytechnic graduates, 16 of whom were unemployed, 10 self employed, 14 organised private sector employed, and 20 government employed were used in the study. Those were purposively, drawn from Polytechnic graduates found in South-South Nigeria. The design was ex post facto and five questionnaires were used. Data gathered through them were analysed using Multiple Regression Statistic. Findings revealed that of the nine independent variables, psycho-motor curriculum outcomes, and masculine and feminine gender role-stereotype produced and contributed to the entrepreneurial skills of Polytechnic graduates

Influence of Festivals and Recreational Facilities on Tourism Development in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State.

This study examined the influence of festivals and recreational facilities on tourism development in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State. This Ex-Post Facto research involved two hundred respondents consisting of tourism operators, tour guides and tourism research officers selected through stratified random sampling technique. A questionnaire constructed by the researchers was used for data collection while Pearson Product Moment Correlation statistical analysis was used for data analysis. The research findings revealed that there is a significant influence of festivals and recreational facilities on tourism development in Calabar Municipality.  Based on these findings, it was recommended that cultural and Christmas festivals should be expanded to cover every local government in the state in order to expose the rich tourism potentials of the state as well as promote tourism development across the state. It was further recommended that recreational facilities should be fully developed in Calabar Municipality and other parts of the state as a means of attracting visitors both locally and internationally to such facilities, in order to promote tourism development

Transportation and Air Pollution in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria

This study analyzed transportation and air pollution in Calabar metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria. Two research questions were formulated to examine the contribution of vehicle status and maintenance to air pollution in Calabar metropolis. The ex-post facto research design was adopted. The study population was the number of registered vehicle owners in 2018 which was put at 1,860. While the study sample was 186 which represents 10% of the total population. A questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents about their vehicle status and maintenance culture and their contributions to the production of air pollutants. Data collected was analyzed using mean rating with a mean cut off point of 2.5 for positive responses. The finding revealed a polled mean of 2.56 for the first cluster which indicated a low status of vehicle for transportation and a pooled mean of 2.74 for the second cluster which indicated poor vehicle maintenance culture. It was therefore concluded that transporters in Calabar metropolis have low status of vehicle and poor vehicle maintenance culture and these contribute to emission of air pollutants in Calabar metropolis. It was therefore recommended that good standard (status) of vehicles should be used for transportation. Transporters in Calabar metropolis should be advised by relevant authorities to practice good vehicle maintenance culture in order to reduce the emission of air pollutants that contributes to air pollution. Keywords: Transportation, Air Pollution, Vehicle Status, and Vehicle Maintenance Culture DOI: 10.7176/JETP/9-6-03 Publication date: August 31st 201

Adequacy of Knowledge of Environmental Concepts among Junior Secondary School Teachers for the Multidisciplinary Approach of Implementing Environmental Education Curriculum

The important attributes of Environmental Education include the creation of environmental awareness, sustained concern for the environment and active participation in promoting environmental conservation.  It is a subject necessary for every individual in the society, since every member of the society has something to do with the environment. This is perhaps why Gifford, Hay and Boros (1982) opined that a well-educated populace is the best insurance for  preservation of  the environment. Similarly, Ezeanya (1999) asserted that environmental education is essential to change the destructive relationship between human and the rest of nature. Ukpong (1993) emphasized the importance of environmental education in achieving the goals of environmental protection and management. He stressed various educational strategies such as analysis, sensitization, information and education among others that can provoke knowledge that would change the attitude and values towards the environment. To prepare students with positive attitude towards the environment underscores the advocacy for Environmental Education curriculum (EEC). Essentially, Environmental Education is seen as a viable means of solving environmental problems. Jacobson (1985) summed up the aim of Environmental Education to include: helping individuals to acquire an awareness of and sensitivity to the total environment and to develop a basic understanding, skills, values of the total environment and the interrelationship between human and the environmen

Influence of Community Participatory Mobilization on Attitude of Farmers Towards Deforestation in Cross River Rainforest Zone Nigeria

The main purpose of this study was to examine community participation and attitude of farmers towards deforestation in the rainforest zone of southern Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study one hypothesis was formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was considered most suitable for the study.  A sample of 568 respondents was randomly selected for the study through stratified and simple random sampling techniques. A structured questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection.  The instrument was faced validated by three experts in Test and Measurement and the research supervisor who vetted the items developed.  The reliability estimate of the instrument was established through the Cronbach alpha reliability method. Simple linear regression statistical tool was used for data analysis.  The results of the analysis revealed that, there is a significant influence of community participatory mobilization on attitude of farmers towards deforestation in rainforest zone in the study area.  Based on these finding it was recommended among others that environmental educators and advocates should ensure community participation to empower them to develop more positive attitude towards eradication of negative environmental practices and actions. Keywords: community participation, environmental awareness, attitude , deforestation, rainforest DOI: 10.7176/CER/11-6-02 Publication date:July 31st 201

Entrepreneurial Perceived Material Well-Being Of Unemployed Tertiary Institution Graduates in South-South Nigeria

The study examined psycho-social abilities and their relationship to perceived entrepreneurial material well being of unemployed tertiary institution graduate through output and income stabilization. Variations in the contribution of specific predictors were noted both for the overall and discrete tertiary institutions’ models. But under the overall model, common business practices and personality traits accounted for a large amount of variance in unemployed graduates’ perceived entrepreneurial materials well-being; while among the discrete models of the University (UNI), only common business practice; College of Education (COE), personality traits and common business practices and College of Agriculture (COA), perceived curriculum outcomes, personality traits, and gender role stereotype respectively did. However, neither these nor others did under the discrete models of the Theological Seminary (TLS) and Polytechnic (POL)

Workplace resource related stressors and job performance of lecturers in public universities

Introduction: University lecturers in various climes do experience job stress at varying levels as a result of stressors such as inadequate workplace resources, which may influence the extent of their job performances. Thus, the need to assess the extent workplace resources related stress influences the job performance of lecturers.  Purpose: The study investigated workplace resources stress and job performance of lecturers in Federal University in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. Methodology: The study adopted cross-sectional research design. Data were gathered using workplace resources stress scale and job effectiveness questionnaires, which were administered on 584 lecturers sampled through stratified random sample technique.  The instrument was tested for significance using the Pearson correlation analysis.  The results of the test were all higher than 0.60 indicative of the existence of strong positive correlation between the variables.  The data were analysed using one way analysis of variance. Results: The findings revealed that workplace resources induced stress has no significant influence on publication and community service but has significance influence on teaching effectiveness. Recommendations: The study recommended among other measures that, NUC should put checks in place to ensure that internationally acceptable guidelines on resources are adhered to and adequate resources that enhance job performance should be provided by proprietors of universities