Cointegration growth, poverty and inequality in Sudan

This analytical review explores the links between growth, poverty and inequality in Sudan for the period 1956-2003. This paper build upon different models to investigate empirically the relationship between economic growth – as measured by GDP per capita growth- and inequality as measured by Gini coefficient (the growth, inequality and poverty triangle hypotheses), using data from the national and international sources. The paper tries to answer the following questions: i) whether growth, inequality and poverty are cointegrated, ii( whether growth Granger causes inequality, iii) and whether inequality Granger causes poverty. Finally, a VAR is constructed and impulse response functions (IRFs) are employed to investigate the effects of macroeconomic shocks. The results suggest that growth; poverty and inequality are cointegrated when poverty and inequality are the dependent variable, but are not cointegrated when growth is the dependent variable. In the long- run the causality runs from inequality, poverty to growth, to poverty. In the short-run causal effects, runs from poverty to growth. Thus, there is unidirectional relationship, running from growth to poverty, both in the long- run and short rungrowth; poverty; inequality; Sudan

Social protection and economic growth in the Sudan: Trends, perspectives, cointegration and causality

This paper takes into account the recent role of social protection on economic growth as a socio-economic-political stabilizer. Social protection outcome in Sudan is influenced by limited targeting actions with very low interventions between results in economic growth and accesses to basic social services. These may affects the social protection contributes to the process of development in the Sudan during the period under consideration. The results show that more social spending increase output which enhances GDP per capita growth by 0.5% with 3.1% towards convergence equilibrium in the long run. Moreover, universal approach and expanded cover to social protection services which aim at building a social protection as a productive factor may have contributed to enhancing income security, education and health outcomes, reducing the poverty, income inequality, socio-political stability, encouraged poor productive activities and enhancing economic growth lead to sustainable development.Social Protection, Growth, Cointegration, causality, Sudan

‘It is empowering…’ Teachers’ voices on action research using Flanders' Interactional Analysis Categories (FIAC) for peer observation to improve teaching and learning of English language

Observing teachers especially experienced teachers can be a difficult task. Nevertheless, observation is an effective means to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning practice of any course or programme. Peer observation is one of the effective ways with relative ease. This paper discusses the findings of a study that involves three ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers at Changlon Secondary School in Kedah Malaysia. This study incorporates the use of Flanders' Interactional Analysis Category (FIAC) for Teacher Support Team (TST) programme between Universiti Utara Malaysia(UUM) and the school. The paper begins first by explaining the involvement of the teachers and their feelings about peer observation. This paper then highlights teachers’ feelings and perceptions towards FIAC as an alternative tool to observe and improve teaching effectiveness and how its use create an awareness of the kind of teaching that takes place in their classrooms. The dogma of learner-centred versus teacher-centred teaching was evidently discussed. The paper concludes by providing ways to make the classrooms more learner-centred as opposed to the current practice of the teachers which are more teacher-centred

A STUDY OF PHYSICAL PROPERTIES & SHOCK ABSORPTION ABILITIES OF STARCH POLYMER FOAM AS CUSHIONING MATERIAL FOR PACKAGING

This project involved in producing starch polymer foam to be used as cushioning material for packaging. To produce the starch polymer foam; starch, PVA, urea, citric acid, and dionised water are the selected materials. Water amount and, drying and curing process were the variables that were being manipulated to produce the best foam of cushioning material for packaging. After several changes of the variables, the best ratio of starch:pva:citric acid is 1:1:4. The amount of water used is 10 ml/gram of starch/PVA weight. The best foaming process was done at a speed of 1500rpm for 40minutes. Drying process was done at 70 ºC for 24 hours, and after that, the curing process was done at 100 ºC for 1hour to produce closed cell foam. The two best samples, open cell and closed cell foams produced were cut to 6cm x 6cm x 0.5cm. The density the foams were measured and then subjected to weight drop destructive test

Physicomechanical properties of nano-silica effect on geopolymer composites

Addition of Nano-SiO2 (NS) to geopolymer composites has been studied through measurement of compressive strengths, Fourier Transformer Infra-Red (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Alumino–silicate materials are coarse aggregate included waste concrete and demolished walls with its cementing binder, cement kiln dust (CKD) used and can possess a pronouncing activation for the geopolymer reaction resulting from the high alkali contents within. Materials prepared at water/binder ratios in a range of 0.30: 0.40 under curing of 40 oC and 100% R.H, while the used activator is sodium hydroxide in the ratio of 2 wt. %. First, CKD is added in the ratio from 10 up to 50 wt., %, and the demolished walls was varied depending on the used CKD content, while using constant ratio of waste concrete (40 wt., %). Second step, depending on the optimum CKD ratio resulted from the first one (40 wt. %), so the control geopolymer mix composed of CKD, demolished walls and waste concrete in the ratio (40:20:40, wt %). NS partially replaced waste concrete by 1 up to 8%. Results indicated that, compressive strengths of geopolymer mixes incorporating NS were obviously higher than those control one, especially at early ages and specially with 3%NS.Addition of Nano-SiO2 (NS) to geopolymer composites has been studied through measurement of compressive strengths, Fourier Transformer Infra-Red (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Alumino–silicate materials are coarse aggregate included waste concrete and demolished walls with its cementing binder, cement kiln dust (CKD) used and can possess a pronouncing activation for the geopolymer reaction resulting from the high alkali contents within. Materials prepared at water/binder ratios in a range of 0.30: 0.40 under curing of 40 oC and 100% R.H, while the used activator is sodium hydroxide in the ratio of 2 wt. %. First, CKD is added in the ratio from 10 up to 50 wt., %, and the demolished walls was varied depending on the used CKD content, while using constant ratio of waste concrete (40 wt., %). Second step, depending on the optimum CKD ratio resulted from the first one (40 wt. %), so the control geopolymer mix composed of CKD, demolished walls and waste concrete in the ratio (40:20:40, wt %). NS partially replaced waste concrete by 1 up to 8%. Results indicated that, compressive strengths of geopolymer mixes incorporating NS were obviously higher than those control one, especially at early ages and specially with 3%NS.Addition of Nano-SiO2 (NS) to geopolymer composites has been studied through measurement of compressive strengths, Fourier Transformer Infra-Red (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Alumino–silicate materials are coarse aggregate included waste concrete and demolished walls with its cementing binder, cement kiln dust (CKD) used and can possess a pronouncing activation for the geopolymer reaction resulting from the high alkali contents within. Materials prepared at water/binder ratios in a range of 0.30: 0.40 under curing of 40 oC and 100% R.H, while the used activator is sodium hydroxide in the ratio of 2 wt. %. First, CKD is added in the ratio from 10 up to 50 wt., %, and the demolished walls was varied depending on the used CKD content, while using constant ratio of waste concrete (40 wt., %). Second step, depending on the optimum CKD ratio resulted from the first one (40 wt. %), so the control geopolymer mix composed of CKD, demolished walls and waste concrete in the ratio (40:20:40, wt %). NS partially replaced waste concrete by 1 up to 8%. Results indicated that, compressive strengths of geopolymer mixes incorporating NS were obviously higher than those control one, especially at early ages and specially with 3%NS