Improving the capacity and operational efficiency of an on-street parking system using data-based parking management strategies: case study of watt market in Calabar, South-South Nigeria

Solving parking challenges in a manner that is sustainable would require a shift from using up more scarce land resources in providing supply to meet an unending demand for parking. Parking management is the approach of tackling parking challenges that efficiently utilizes scarce resources to meet demand in a sustainable way. This paper studied an on-street parking system in the central business district with the aim of proffering  policies and strategies that can help improve the capacity and operational efficiency of the park. Parking inventory and the license plate method were employed in analyzing the parking characteristics of the park. By introducing a parking duration restriction, more capacity could be  accommodated on the current available lots. A 90-minute limit would accommodate at least 106 more vehicles and increase the turnover from 13 to 14 vehicles per lot for the duration of survey, thus improving operational capacity and efficiency. The paper shows that parking management  strategies that are effective in making the difference should be employed based on adequate field surveys, observations and analysis. Keywords: On street parking, parking capacity, parking management, Parking survey, License plat

Effect of nutrition education on the consumption pattern of students of secondary schools in Ikot Okpora of Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria

This research on effect of nutrition education on the consumption pattern of secondary school students in Ikot Okpora in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State was aimed to investigate the types of food available in Ikot Okpora.Methodology: Survey and purposive sampling was used to select three hundred and twenty students of the school since the number was small and one hundred (100) parents. Descriptive statistics, percentages and independent paired sample t-test was used to separable and compared.Result: The result of the study showed that majority of the parents were teenagers (36%) who were mostly farmers/traders (40/26%) respectively and who are majorly low income earners (N15,000,00) per month. A significant increase in some food items such as dairy products, vegetables, legumes, meat and fish product, pastas, baked products after and a reduction of consumption in food items of carbohydrates such as starchy roots a tubers, cereals, sweets/sugars. This implied that nutrition education had effect on the consumption pattern of the secondary school students. This finding also showed that nutrition education had effect in reducing the amount of carbohydrates and increasing the consumption of protein foods among the young students. The increase in baked products and pastas consumption could be allowed to enable the students take some snacks while in school during brake time. Increase in the consumption of fat and oil (margarine) should be encouraged as most margarine are fortified with some micro-nutrients. The excessive consumption of sweets and sugars should be discouraged as this could lead to dental carries especially in children and chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, etc. The increase in the consumption of certain food items especially meat, and fish products and healthy snakes would lead to the healthy growth and development of the secondary school students. This is because, this is another stage of growth spurt, to enable them developing optimally, reduce micro-nutrient efficiencies, stunting and wasting, etc.Conclusion: Nutrition education should be intensified both in schools and community. School feeding programme should be implemented in the state/federal schools, so as to encourage the students to eat variety of meals

Influences of Marital Status, Parenthood and Housework on Womenas Attitude towards Paid Employment in Calabar, Nigeria

For economic and other social and psychological reasons most developing countries like Nigeria are currently witnessing a massive influx of women into workforce One sure way of empowering women and reducing inequality between men and women in today s fast changing world especially in a developing society like Nigeria is by getting more women actively engaged in economic activities to improve their financial status Although most of the women are found in the informal and private sectors where their contributions to society may not be adequately felt a recognizable proportion are still found in the formal sector where they function as actors in development and in turn receive regular salaries In view of their increasing involvement in paid employment this study investigates the extent of influence such familial factors as marital status parenthood and housework have on the attitudinal disposition of female Public Servants towards paid employment in Calabar Metropolis Nigeria Results reveal that for both married and single women in the study housework and child care are both very stressful and combining both tasks with paid employment is even more demandin

Communication and violence against women and children as power relations

In recent space-time, so much emphasis has been placed on issues which concern gender related violence and the relationships which exist between communication and violence against women and children. To wit, governmental and non-governmental organizations : local, national and international - have been concerned with how to enforce and eradicate chronic problems relating to gender inequality and other primitive patriarchal vestiges, which have been very detrimental to the realisation of the essence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on the status of women, the rights of a child and other charters and conventions of the United Nations Organization like the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the United Nations Convention on the Child. The current essay is a critical analysis of the respective issues listed here from the perspective of Communication and Media studiesKeywords: Communication, Violence, Women and Childre

Carcass and organ characteristics of broiler finisher chickens fed matured sun-dried nypa palm fruit (Nypa fruticans) nut meal

Graded levels of matured sun-dried nypa palm fruit nut meal (Nypa fruiticans) as replacement for maize in the diet of finisher broiler chicken was carried out in a feeding trial that lasted for 56 days. One hundred and eighty (180) eight weeks old broilers were used. The birds were assigned to six dietary treatments of three replicates each. The experiment was conducted using the Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each diet represented a treatment. Diet I served as the control free of the test component. The remaining five (5) diets were formulated on 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 percent substitution levels of matured sun-dried nypa palm fruit nut meal for maize. The diets and water were provided ad libitum throughout the experimental period. Data generated on carcass and visceral organs were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results revealed that dressing percentage decreased with increasing level of nypa palm fruit meal substitution. Carcass mean for the drumstick, breast, back and thigh were significantly (P<0.05) different, while the relative weights of the neck and wings were not significantly (P>0.05) different from each other. Weights of the visceral organs for the gizzard, heart, liver, proventriculus, abdominal fats and intestinal weights were significantly (P<0.05) different. However, the relative organs of the kidney, lungs and crop were not significantly (P>0.05) different. Conclusively, the low abdominal fat associated with increase substitution level of nypa palm fruit nut meal for maize is an assurance of good benefit for people with heart related problems. Keywords: Carcass and organs, characteristics, broiler finisher, matured sun-dried, nypa fruit mea

Investigating factors affecting Paratransit Travel Times: Perspectives from two Paratransit Routes in Kumasi, Ghana

Paratransit trips on minibus vehicles have reportedly been unreliable, and users are unsatisfied with the quality of service they receive. Providing travel-related information, such as travel time information and introducing interventions along the roadway, may improve service quality and user experiences. To do this, there is a need to understand the nature of paratransit travel time and the factors affecting it. The study investigated factors affecting travel times of paratransit at the route and segment levels on two selected routes in Kumasi. A travel time survey onboard the vehicle was used to collect GPS, stop related and other information with the help of a mobile application. The Backward Stepwise Regression technique was used to determine the most significant factors which were drawn from literature and a careful study of paratransit operations. The results indicated that dwell times rather than stops contributed to paratransit travel times. Deviation from the route was found to increase travel time, contrary to the logic of using deviation to bypass apparent traffic congestion ahead. The study proffered interventions that can help improve travel time and the quality of service and made policy suggestions

Beyond school grades: Measuring students’ learning outcomes and the emergence of achievers and underachievers

The achievement of positive learning outcomes is central to students' educational experience. Various important issues in students' learning outcomes are prevalent in the educational landscape. These issues encompass the significance of using valid and reliable assessments, the mounting pressure on accountability, the necessity for equal access to high-quality education, and the utilisation of technology. Additionally, there is a growing awareness of the importance of preparing students for the demands of the 21st-century workforce, which requires a broader range of competencies beyond traditional academic skills. It is essential to address these issues by continually focusing on and working together among educators, policymakers, and researchers to improve student learning outcomes. This article provides an overview of learning outcomes and the emergence of achievers and underachievers in educational settings. The first section defines learning outcomes and discusses the benefits of stating expected learning outcomes and guidelines for developing good statements. The article then explores the differences in cognitive functioning between achievers and underachievers, along with the classification and identification of these groups through a literature review. The next section delves into the relationship between learning outcomes and the emergence of achievers and underachievers, including factors contributing to students' under- and over-achievement. These factors include home conditions, peer relations, physical and mental well-being, psychological state, academic inclinations, and aspirations and prospects. Finally, the article discusses teachers' important role in improving student learning outcomes. In conclusion, teachers can provide targeted interventions and support to improve their learning outcomes by understanding the factors contributing to students' successes and failures. The paper has significant implications for educators, policymakers, and researchers and can contribute to developing effective educational interventions to improve student success

Pattern of comorbidities in school-aged children with cerebral palsy in Cross River State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: To describe the pattern of comorbidities in school-aged children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to identify which, if any, were associated with poor school attendance. A cross-sectional study, using the key informant methodology, between December 2017 and July 2018 was conducted in Cross River State, Nigeria. Assessments, confirmation of CP and identification of systemic comorbidities using standard tools and questionnaires were performed. Children confirmed to have CP between the ages 4 to 15 years were included. RESULTS: Three hundred and eighty-eight children were confirmed to have CP, 59% males. The mean age was 9.2 years ± SD 4.0; 28% were non-ambulatory (gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) level IV-V) and spastic CP was seen in 70%. Comorbidities included Speech impairment 85%, feeding difficulties 86%, and swallowing difficulties 77%, learning difficulties 88%, abnormal behaviour 62%, visual acuity impairment 54%, objective perceptual visual disorders 46%, communication difficulties 45%, epilepsy 35%, hearing impairment 12% and malnutrition 51%. Learning difficulties (OR 10.1, p < 0.001; CI: 3.6-28.1), visual acuity impairment (OR 2.8, p = 0.002; CI: 1.5-5.3), epilepsy (OR 2.3, p = 0.009; CI:1.2-4.3) manual ability classification scale 4-5 (OR 4.7,p = 0.049; CI:1.0-22.2) and CP severity (GMFCS V-VI) OR 6.9 p = 0.002, CI: 2.0-24.0.) were seen as increasing the likelihood of poor school attendance. CONCLUSION: Comorbidities were common, and some were associated with limited school attendance. A multidisciplinary tailored approach to care, with application of available therapeutic interventions for comorbidities is suggested. This may be useful in reducing barriers to school attendance

Determinants of Social Studies Curriculum Implementation by Teachers with Intellectual Disabilities in Selected Schools of Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria: Implication for Psychology

Teachers with intellectual disabilities frequently have cognitive processing or perceptual problems. Visual processing problems interfere with understanding text, illustrations, and written work associated with a social studies lesson. Most social studies textbooks include many maps and graphs. For most teachers, these maps clarify the topics covered and those that should be covered as well; however, teachers with visual-spatial and visual-processing disorders may have difficulty interpreting such information. Hence, this study evaluated the factors that affected how the social studies curriculum was implemented by teachers with intellectual disabilities in a sample of schools in the Cross River State, Nigeria, Calabar South Local Government Area; implications for psychology. Two survey factors have been developed to guide the study. The variables under review were used to guide the literature review. The survey study's template was employed. Purposeful selection approaches were used to choose the 60 respondents that made up the study's sample. A structured questionnaire with 10 items and a four-point Likert scale was used to collect the results. Using the Cronbach Alpha reliability method, the instrument's approximate correlation was 0.78. The data was examined using a descriptive methodology. The findings of the study indicated that a teacher's teaching style and level of training among teachers with intellectual disabilities had an impact on how they instruct students in social studies. It was suggested that secondary school teachers with disabilities be given the opportunity to participate in curriculum development and implementation so that they can use student-centered methods in teaching

Implementing health worker training on sepsis in South Eastern Nigeria using innovative digital strategies: an interventional study

Background: Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. Training of health workers using digital platforms may improve knowledge and lead to better patient outcomes. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of a digital health educational module on sepsis in improving the knowledge of medical doctors in Cross River State Nigeria on the diagnosis and management of patients presenting with sepsis. Design: Quasi-experimental analytical study. Methods:: We developed and deployed a sepsis module through an innovative application (Sepsis tutorial app) to doctors in Calabar, Nigeria. We assessed quantitative pre- and post-intervention knowledge scores for those completing the tutorial on sepsis between both assessments. A user satisfaction survey evaluated the content of the tutorial and the usability of the app. Results:: One hundred and two doctors completed the course. There were more males than females (58.8% versus 41.2%). Over half (52%) were junior doctors, a minority were general practitioners and house officers (3% and 5%, respectively), and 72.6% had practiced for periods ranging from 1 to 15 years post-qualification. Gender and age appeared to have no significant association with pre- and post-test scores. The oldest age group (61–70) had the lowest mean pre- and post-test scores, while general practitioners had higher mean pre- and post-test scores than other cadres. The majority (95%) of participants recorded higher post-test than pre-test scores with a significant overall increase in mean scores (25.5 ± 14.7%, p < 0.0001). Participants were satisfied with the content and multimodal delivery of the material and found the app usable. Conclusion:: Digital training using context-responsive platforms is feasible and may be used to close the critical knowledge gap required to respond effectively to medical emergencies such as sepsis in low- to middle-income settings