Balancing the Focus of Quality Assurance Frameworks of Higher Education Institutions in Africa: A Ghanaian Context

Higher education institutions in Africa appear to be completely copying the quality assurance (QA) frameworks of developed countries instead of conceptualising their own frameworks for delivering quality higher education outcomes in Africa. Certain factors (limited funding, inadequate infrastructure, inadequate staffing, relatively low research outputs, and limited graduate employable skills) characterising higher education are peculiar to developing countries including Africa. Using a qualitative case‐study approach through interviews and document reviews, and a “PPP” conceptual framework, this study examined the foci of quality assurance frameworks of three flagship universities in Ghana. The findings indicate that the least attention is given to facilities in the quality assurance frameworks even though limited facilities pose a major challenge to the quality of higher education outcomes of the universities. The findings indicate that most attention is paid to programme areas such as teaching and learning. The results of the study recommend regular and appropriate balancing of the foci of quality assurance frameworks in the universities to enable them to give optimum attention to all key operational areas for quality outcomes

Modelling Default Risk of Borrowers: Evidence from Online Peer to Peer Lending Platforms in Australia

Peer to Peer lending has the capacity to transforming the mass banking industry worldwide but credit risk modelling remains the core challenge of the platform. The general objective of this study is to analyse the credit default risk of borrowers of Peer to Peer online lending platform based in Australia. Specific objectives include the following; To identify the loan information applicants provide to request for a loan facility,Using RateSetter.com published data on loans to predict the likelihood of credit risk of the platform. In this article, we employed binary logistic regression model to assess the likelihood of loan default. Based on the mathematical approach and the nature of dependent variable, we grouped variables into categorical, numerical-continuous as well as binary. The dependent variable is dichotomous whilst real-life dataset was retrieved from a popular and competitive online lending platform based in Australia from 2014-2017. We identified that early repayment, no mortgage tenant; car, debt consolidation, investment, major events, professional services, 3-year loan duration, 4-year loan duration, interest rate and income have significant influence on borrowers’ likelihood to default. Our empirical coefficients suggest that, there is 83.4% likelihood of borrowers default rate and hence recommended a critical examination of borrowers’ information presented to the platform. This paper fulfills the need to examine the credit information provided by loan applicants. Similarly, it endeavors to predict the possibility of borrowers default risk and the reasons contributing to online lending credit default risk. Keywords: Credit Risk, Peer To Peer Online Lending, Binary Logistic Regression DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/10-2-0

The Assessment of the Performance of Public basic Schools and Private basic Schools, Ghana

The findings of the study gave evidence that there were disparities in the academic performance of pupils in public and private basic schools in the Berekum Municipality From the study it was established that both internal and external factors in the classroom and outside the classroom were responsible for the disparities of academic performance in schools These factors included the fact that public schools did not have the needed teaching and learning resources in order to operate fully in the teaching and learning proces

Mapping higher education policymaking in Ghana with aquadruple helix framework

Whilst research works have identified many actors involved inhigher education public policymaking in the Ghanaian context,there is a paucity of empirical studies on how the application of aquadruple helix network of policy actors considered essentialconstituents of higher education provision could create addedvalue to strengthen the policymaking ecosystem in Ghana. Usingmultiple data collection techniques including, document analysis,in-depth interviews and analytic memoing, this paper examinesdeeper insights into higher education public policymaking inGhana from the perspective of a quadruple helix framework ofpolicymaking and argues for an added value in the use ofquadruple helix framework in higher education policymaking

Effect of national immunisation campaigns with oral polio vaccine on all-cause mortality in children in rural northern Ghana:20 years of demographic surveillance cohort data

Background: Studies from Guinea-Bissau and Bangladesh have shown that campaigns with oral polio vaccine (C-OPV) may be associated with 25–31% lower child mortality. Between 1996 and 2015, Ghana had 50 national C-OPVs and numerous campaigns with vitamin A supplementation (VAS), and measles vaccine (MV). We investigated whether C-OPVs had beneficial non-specific effects (NSEs) on child survival in northern Ghana. Methods: We used data from a health and demographic surveillance system in the Navrongo Health Research Centre in rural northern Ghana to examine mortality from day 1–5 years of age. We used Cox models with age as underlying time scale to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for the time-varying covariate “after-campaign” mortality versus “before-campaign” mortality, adjusted for temporal change in mortality, other campaign interventions and stratified for season at risk. Findings: From 1996 to 2015, 75,610 children were followed for 280,156 person-years between day 1 and 5 years of age. In initial analysis, assuming a common effect across all ages, we did not find that OPV-only campaigns significantly reduced all-cause mortality, the HR being 0.96 (95% CI: 0.88–1.05). However, we subsequently found the HR differed strongly by age group, being 0.92 (0.75–1.13), 1.29 (1.10–1.51), 0.79 (0.66–0.94), 0.67 (0.53–0.86) and 1.03 (0.78–1.36) respectively for children aged 0–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–11 and above 12 months of age (p &lt; 0.001). Triangulation of the evidence from this and previous studies suggested that increased frequency of C-OPVs and a different historical period could explain these results. Interpretation: In Ghana, C-OPVs had limited effects on overall child survival. However, triangulating the evidence suggested that NSEs of C-OPVs depend on age of first exposure and routine vaccination programs. C-OPVs had beneficial effects for children that were not exposed before 6 months of age. These non-specific effects of OPV should be exploited to further reduce child mortality. Funding: DANIDA; Else og Mogens Wedell Wedellsborgs Fond.</p

Predicting Bankruptcy and Financial Fraud of Both Listed and Unlisted Commercial Banks in Ghana Using 3 Z-Score Models

The purpose of this study was to assess the possibilities of bankruptcy and financial statement fraud in Ghana’s banking sector. An investigation of the financial statements of the banks for the period 2015 to 2018 was made with the use of Altman’s (2000), Taffler’s (1983), and Beneish (1999) models. The Altman (2000) and Taffler (1983) models are predictors of insolvency or bankruptcy. To unveil the possibilities of financial statement fraud, this study used the Beneish [1999], model. The examination of the bank's annual financial reports with the Beneish model revealed the banks were engaged in earnings manipulation. The Altman [2000] and Taffler [1983] models, on the other hand, brought to light the financial soundness of the banks with an average of 14 (74%) and 18 (95%) of the 19 selected banks correctly classified into the safe zone with an impressive Z-Score performance according to Altman and Taffler’s models respectively. The study, therefore recommends that, if the Beneish model is applied well together with the failure prediction models by researchers, it can provide a reliable finding for policymaking. Also, auditors, investors, management, and stockholders when making good use of the Beneish model, it can provide potential ‘red flags’ for further investigation to be carried out for better audit assignment Keywords: Altman [2000] Z-score model, Beneish [1999] M-score model, bankruptcy, commercial banks, fraud, financial statement, Ghana, Taffler [1983] Z-score model. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-12-05 Publication date: April 30th 202

Cause specific under-five mortality rates and associated risk factors among children in northern Ghana between 2007 and 2012 using survival analysis techniques

This study assessed the causes of under-five (U5) deaths and examined the associated risk factors in northern Ghana. The study analyzed prospectively collected longitudinal data of children born between 1st January 2007 and 31st December 2012 and resident in the Navrongo Health and Demographic Surveillance System (NHDSS) area in northern Ghana. Data from 20,651 children were analyzed with 1,056 under-five deaths and 51,783 person-years of observation. The overall mortality rate was 19.5 per 1000 person-years of observation. The main cause of under-five deaths was malaria (19.5%). Being male (Hazards ratio [95% CI]; 1.20 [1.06-1.36]; p=0.004), children born to single mothers (1.3 [1.18-1.59]; p<0.001) and home deliveries (1.29 [1.12-1.48]; p<0.001) were associated with increased risk of mortality. Children born to women aged 20-34 years (0.81 [0.67 – 0.98]; p=0.0.25) were associated with relatively lower risk of death compared to those born to women aged 19 years and below. Children from high socioeconomic households had relatively lower risk of death even though not statistically significant (0.87 [0.74-1.03]; p=0.056). Malaria remains the leading cause of under-five deaths in the study area. Adherence to prevailing malaria prevention measures including use of insecticide treated bed-nets, seasonal chemo-prophylaxis, indoor-residual spraying and adequate access to healthcare will greatly improve child survival

Retrieval of the Complete Coding Sequence of the UK-Endemic Tatenale Orthohantavirus Reveals Extensive Strain Variation and Supports Its Classification as a Novel Species

©2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Orthohantaviruses are globally distributed viruses, associated with rodents and other small mammals. However, data on the circulation of orthohantaviruses within the UK, particularly the UK-endemic Tatenale virus, is sparse. In this study, 531 animals from five rodent species were collected from two locations in northern and central England and screened using a degenerate, pan- orthohantavirus RT-PCR assay. Tatenale virus was detected in a single field vole (Microtus agrestis) from central England and twelve field voles from northern England. Unbiased high-throughput sequencing of the central English strain resulted in the recovery of the complete coding sequence of a novel strain of Tatenale virus, whilst PCR-primer walking of the northern English strain recovered almost complete coding sequence of a previously identified strain. These findings represented the detection of a third lineage of Tatenale virus in the United Kingdom and extended the known geographic distribution of these viruses from northern to central England. Furthermore, the recovery of the complete coding sequence revealed that Tatenale virus was sufficiently related to the recently identified Traemersee virus, to meet the accepted criteria for classification as a single species of orthohantavirus

Quality of glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its association with markers of coagulation and inhibitors of fibrinolysis: A case–control study in the upper west region, Ghana

Background and Aims: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) individuals are at a higher risk of developing diabetes complications, with approximately 80% complication-related mortality. The increased morbidity and mortality among T2DM patients are partly due to dysregulated hemostasis. This study determined the quality of glycemic control in T2DM and its association with markers of coagulation and inhibitors of fibrinolysis. Methods: This case–control study recruited 90 participants involving: 30 T2DM patients with good glycemic control, 30 with poor glycemic control, and 30 nondiabetic subjects as controls at a Municipal Hospital in Ghana. Fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), calculated international normalized ratio (INR), and full blood count (FBC) were determined for each respondent. Plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) were determined using the solid-phase sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Data were analyzed using R language software. Results: Plasma PAI-1 antigen levels were significantly higher in the participants with poor glycemic control as compared to participants with good glycemic control (p \u3c 0.0001). There was no significant difference in plasma TAFI levels between the participants with poor glycemic control as compared to participants with good glycemic control (p = 0.900). T2DM patients had significantly shorter APTT, PT, and INR than controls (p \u3c 0.05). At a cut-off of ≥ 161.70 pg/μL, PAI was independently associated with increasing odds (adjusted odds ratio = 13.71, 95% confidence interval: 3.67–51.26, p \u3c 0.0001) of poor glycemic control and showed the best diagnostic accuracy for poor glycemic control (area under the curve = 0.85, p \u3c 0.0001). Conclusion: PAI-1 levels were significantly increased in T2DM with poor glycemic control and emerged as the best predictor for poor glycemic control. Good glycemic management to control the plasma levels of PAI-1 is required to prevent hypercoagulability and thrombotic disorders