Making rangelands more secure in Cameroon: Lessons learned and recommendations for policy makers, development actors and pastoralists

In Cameroon, rangelands occupy about 20 % of surface area; provide critical habitat to many animal and plant species; offer many vital goods and services to society and are home to pastoralists, agropastoralists, crop farmers, fishermen and hunter-gatherers, who for centuries co-existed peacefully. In recent years this harmony is being threatened by changing land use patterns, poor land use planning and poor recognition of ownership rights. Despite efforts by state and non-state actors to improve pastoral tenure security little has been achieved because of poor coordination among actors and a complete absence of opportunities to document and or showcase these good initiatives. This study, supported by the ILC Rangelands Initiative, sought to identify, review and analyse the different initiatives that are contributing/have contributed in making rangelands more secure. A case study approach was used to document initiatives using primary and secondary sources and with choice predicated on the prominence, variety and indicated successes of the initiatives. Ten initiatives were showcased under five thematic areas ranging from: governance/decision making processes; resolving conflicts; land use planning; empowering communities; protecting pastoral resources. The results of this study will contribute to a more targeted development of future initiatives that build on past good practices

The Nature Of Action Research And The Variety Of Uses To Which It Can Be Put In Teacher Education

A ZBTE article on action research in education.This article reviews literature on Action Research with the objective of establishing the rationale and purposes served by Action Research in Teacher Education Programmes. The major characteristics of Action Research are highlighted, as a means of sensitizing student-teachers, teachers and teacher educators in Zimbabwe to the need to exploit the opportunities for systematic self-study offered through Action Research In addition, the relevance of Action Research to project work in teacher preparation in Zimbabwe is brought to the fore

The official language-in-education policy and its implementation at infant school level in Zimbabwe

A ZJER study focusing on reasons for the discrepancy between the official language policy and its implementation in Zimbabwe's education sector.This study focused on underlying reasons for the discrepancy between the official language policy and its implementation at infant school level in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe. A survey design was used. The sample consisted of 152 infant teachers, 25 school heads, 17 teachers-in-charge and three Provincial Education Administrators. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study found that participants were generally ignorant about the nature and requirements of the language policy of the 1987 Education Act (amended in 2006). Attitudes were found to be more positive towards English than Shona/ Ndebele as the language of instruction at infant level. Recommendations were made for policy makers to put in place mechanisms for attitude change and to conscientise policy implementers on the interpretation and implementation of the language-in-education policy

Reflective Skills: Students Use of their Evaluation of Teaching

A ZBTE article on reflective skills amongst student teachers in Zimbabwe.An action-research approach was adopted in an effort to improve the researcher's own practice in developing reflective skills of student teachers in evaluating lessons taught. The study involved four pre-service Diploma in Primary Education students on Teaching Practice (TP) at one Primary School in Mutoko District, Zimbabwe, four mentors, two college lecturers who were participant observers and myself (the researcher). Post-lesson observation conferences revealed that the students' ability to be self-critical had been enhanced. An analysis of TP documents also reflected great improvement in the evaluating patterns on both schemes and lesson plans. The insights gained from participating in this action research study are highlighted

NOW THE SOLUTION IS HERE – SOCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR ORPHANED CHILDREN: THE EXTENDED CHILD SUPPORT GRANT

The current crisis in foster care was precipitated by using the child protection system to meet the social assistance needs of orphaned children. The new parallel system in the form of an extended child support grant system would enable children in the care of relatives to access an appropriate grant without having to go through a time-consuming and resource-intensive statutory process. This article outlines the challenges in the South African foster care system, discusses the reasons for introducing the extended child support grant system and explains how it will be implemented. The paper seeks to contribute to the knowledge base on social work policy changes. The policy shift towards an extended child support grant could ensure that the majority of orphans have access to adequate social protection and free up the formal child protection system, enabling a quicker social work response to cases of child abuse, maltreatment and neglect

Fecal occult blood and fecal calprotectin as point-of-care markers of intestinal morbidity in Ugandan children with Schistosoma mansoni infection.

BACKGROUND: Calprotectin is a calcium-binding cytoplasmic protein found in neutrophils and increasingly used as a marker of bowel inflammation. Fecal occult blood (FOB) is also a dependable indicator of bowel morbidity. The objective of our study was to determine the applicability of these tests as surrogate markers of Schistosoma mansoni intestinal morbidity before and after treatment with praziquantel (PZQ). METHODS: 216 children (ages 3-9 years old) from Buliisa District in Lake Albert, Uganda were examined and treated with PZQ at baseline in October 2012 with 211 of them re-examined 24 days later for S. mansoni and other soil transmitted helminths (STH). POC calprotectin and FOB assays were performed at both time points on a subset of children. Associations between the test results and infection were analysed by logistic regression. RESULTS: Fecal calprotectin concentrations of 150-300 µg/g were associated with S. mansoni egg patent infection both at baseline and follow up (OR: 12.5 P = 0.05; OR: 6.8 P = 0.02). FOB had a very strong association with baseline anemia (OR: 9.2 P = 0.03) and medium and high egg intensity schistosomiasis at follow up (OR: 6.6 P = 0.03; OR: 51.3 P = 0.003). Both tests were strongly associated with heavy intensity S. mansoni infections. There was a significant decrease in FOB and calprotectin test positivity after PZQ treatment in those children who had egg patent schistosomiasis at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Both FOB and calprotectin rapid assays were found to correlate positively and strongly with egg patent S. mansoni infection with a positive ameloriation response after PZQ treatment indicative of short term reversion of morbidity. Both tests were appropriate for use in the field with excellent operational performance and reliability. Due to its lower-cost which makes its scale-up of use affordable, FOB could be immediately adopted as a monitoring tool for PC campaigns for efficacy evaluation before and after treatment

Now the solution is here - social assistance for orphaned children : the extended child support grant

The current crisis in foster care was precipitated by using the child protection system to meet the social assistance needs of orphaned children. The new parallel system in the form of an extended child support grant system would enable children in the care of relatives to access an appropriate grant without having to go through a time-consuming and resource-intensive statutory process. This article outlines the challenges in the South African foster care system, discusses the reasons for introducing the extended child support grant system and explains how it will be implemented. The paper seeks to contribute to the knowledge base on social work policy changes. The policy shift towards an extended child support grant could ensure that the majority of orphans have access to adequate social protection and free up the formal child protection system, enabling a quicker social work response to cases of child abuse, maltreatment and neglect.https://socialwork.journals.ac.za/pubam2024Social Work and CriminologyNon

Kufuwawa kwa Miiko na Kupotoka kwa Maadili Uchunguzi Kifani wa Jamii ya Wabungu

Lengo kuu la utafiti huu lilikuwa ni kuchunguza na kutafuta miiko ya jamii ya Wabungu. Mada ya utafiti ilikuwa ni kufuwawa kwa miiko na kupotoka kwa maadili uchunguzi kifani kwa jamii ya Wabungu. Mtafiti alitumiya njia ya uchunguzi kifani ili kumwezesha kupata data alizozikusudiya. Njia hii ilimwezesha mtafiti kuwasaili watafitiwa wakati huo huo akifanya uchunguzi. Ukweli ni kwamba katika utafiti huu, mtafiti aliongozwa na nadharia za Elimu ina Kwao na Fasihi ina Kwao pamoja na nadharia ya Kila Jamii ina Ujumi Wake. Kwa hali hiyo utafiti ulikuwa umesanifiwa vizuri na kumwezesha kupata data za awali na za msingi kwa wakati. Jumla ya watafitiwa 23 walisailiwa. Kati ya hawa wanaume walikuwa 15 na wanawake 8 tu. Katika utafiti huu mtafiti aliweza kukusanya miiko takribani 114 kati ya miiko hiyo yote ni miiko 20 tu ndiyo iliyojadiliwa kwa kiwango cha maadili na mingine ilijadiliwa kifalsafa na miiko mingine iliorodheshwa tu. Baada ya uchambuzi wa data zote za maelezo mtafiti alibaini kuwa ni kweli kuwa maadili ya jamii ya Wabungu yamepotoka. Watafitiwa walimweleza mtafiti usasa ni chimbuko kuu la kupotoka kwa maadili. Usasa huo ni pamoja na elimu isiyokuwa na misingi ya maadili mema na ujumi wa jamii inayowazunguka. Aidha taalimu ina kwao na fasihi ina kwao ilishadidia kupotoka kwa maadili katika jamii ya Wabungu. Mwisho mtafiti alitowa mapendekezo kwa Wizara husika kama Elimu na Utamaduni kuliangalia suala hilo kwa mtazamo wa kufuwawa kwa miiko na maadili. Pia tafiti nyingi iwezekanavyo zifanywe ili jamii za Kitanzania ziweze kuuhisha miiko ambayo ni nyanja adhimu katika sanaajadiiya