The University of Zambia Journals
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Implications of Hydraulic Geometry Exponents of Zambian Rivers
Get PDFAt-a-station and downstream hydraulic geometry exponents of rivers in Zambia, located in the central-southern African tropics, were analysed based on three power relations of width, depth and velocity plotted against discharge. Channel cross-sectional form and discharge data, for 55 gauging stations monitored by Department of Water Affairs between 1948 and 1984, the period with good data, were used. Of these stations, 12 were located in the Zambezi River sub-basin while 37 and 6 others were in the Kafue and Luangwa River basins, respectively. For downstream analysis, 14 stations located on the main channel of Kafue River were investigated. The objectives were to: (i) determine the hydraulic geometry relations of Zambian rivers for comparison with those of other regions of the world; (ii) assess the factors accounting for variations in the observed hydraulic geometry exponents; and (iii) draw some implications of Zambian rivers’ hydraulic geometry exponents. Results of analysis showed that the obtained average at-a-station hydraulic geometry exponents for width (b), depth (f) and velocity (m) of Zambian rivers were 0.15, 0.38 and 0.47, respectively, and accorded well with similar results in the literature. Similarly, ranges of downstream exponents on the Kafue River of b = 0.50, f = 0.30 and m = 0.20 were also within the ranges of reported values. The plotting of most of at-a-station hydraulic geometry exponents on the right side of the tri-axial (ternary) diagram (f>b), implies that Zambian rivers are generally adapted to the transportation of fine-grained sediment ostensibly caused by the entrenchment of the river channels. The observation of m>f in some cases was interpreted as evidence that such streams possessed greater capacity of transporting large calibre bed load sediment. It is concluded that the behaviour of Zambian rivers is comparable to others in different physiographic regions of the world. However, unlike in temperate areas, the existence and influence of dambos in Zambia provides a complicating factor in the understanding of the behaviour of rivers
A Skills Measurement Framework for the Construction Industry: A Case of Lusaka Province
Get PDFConstruction is characterised as being labour intensive and thus the continuous skills development will always be a matter of concern. The cyclic nature of the construction industry gives rise to skills mismatches which cause fluctuations in skills demand and supply. Investigating labour market conditions to assess skills demand and supply cycle of labour is a difficult task because of the scarcity or unavailability of aggregated local labour market information on the construction industry. This study investigated the issue of skills mismatches and developed a skills measurement framework to address it. The research design employed a mixed method approach to include both quantitative and qualitative data. A total of 162 firms consisting of 59 contractors,
80 consultants, 23 higher education institutions and 10 government institutions and local authorities in Lusaka Province whose core of business was inclined towards construction and development of transportation infrastructure were identified and used as the sample frame. Stratified random sampling was used to select respondents in the sample size. The method employed for data collection was the distribution of fifty (50) structured questionnaires and the conducting of three (03) semi- structured interviews with the aid of an interview guide. Quantitative data from the questionnaires was analysed using statistical software and qualitative analysis from interviews was analysed using content analysis. The most influential factors of supply and demand were; defined career paths, education and training requirements, salary scale and technological progression. Results revealed that the type of mismatches that existed were a skills gap and skills shortage. They revealed a shortage of Engineers and Construction Supervisors. Skills gaps were identified in the preparation of design specifications, estimation of project costs and preparing detailed cost plans, preparing construction method statements and technical specifications, as well technical and financial reporting. A sequential five-stage skills measurement framework structure was designed that investigated important aspects for skills development which are responsive to industry needs. The stages yield outputs which identify factors influencing skills demand and supply and skill competency requirements in construction, and assess the ability of the workforce meet the required skills competencies
Operation Strategy for Water Supply Service Delivery in Lusaka’s Upcoming Residential Areas. A Case of Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company
Get PDFAccess to safe and affordable drinking water is a basic need for every human being. However, with Lusaka Province
being the fastest province in Zambia, it is evident that the rapid development of upcoming residential areas as well as
illegal settlements in the outskirts of the city has outplaced the installation of water supply system by the water utility
company. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to assess Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company’s competitive
priorities in its endeavor to provide safe and affordable water services in Lusaka’s upcoming residential areas. The
research employed a non-intervention approach. Structured questionnaires and interviews were used for data
collection. 30 household questionnaires were administered to households in Libala, Chalala and Obama residential
areas respectively. Two water samples were collected randomly from each location and tested for quality. The findings
showed that cost of drilling a residential borehole was K 17,351 with the reported minimum cost at K5000 and
maximum at K75, 000. Borehole water from Chalala and Obama was found to be contaminated with total and feacal
coliform bacteria. Nonetheless, piped water in Libala was found to be compliant with the World Health Organisation
(WHO) standards. The residents in Libala were also generally satisfied with the water supply services, but had
concerns over the high water tariffs, the late response to water problems and the elevated levels of chlorine in the water.
Majority of the respondents also reported that a decentralized water supply system was an innovative idea. From
the overall findings, the main operational core competency identified was the water quality. As a result, for LWSC to
extend water supply to the upcoming residential areas in Lusaka, it was recommended that LWSC formulates a welldocumented operations strategy that will focus on the cost of the service and time of service delivery. These can be
achieved through a well thought out and implementable capacity strategy and asset management. Capacity strategy
will involve decisions on the sizing, timing, type and location of real assets or resources
Promoting Academic Integrity
Get PDFUnethical practices in academic writing must be avoided at all costs
Teacher Education versus Teacher Training: Epistemic Practices and Appropriate Application of both Terminologies
Get PDFIn this article, the author presents a practice-based approach, of an analysis of two concepts; teacher education and teacher training, to preparing candidates for quality teaching. The emphasis is on understanding the meaning of the two terms based on what educational thinkers have come to understand and appreciate as the reasoning behind each one of them. Thus, the author delimited himself to what is meant when the two terms are used rather than providing empirical data on the quality of teachers produced as a result of which term is used in teacher preparation. The philosophical stance in this article is that the meaning of these concepts influences the design of learning experiences for prospective teachers, the framing of their curriculum, and the attitudes teacher educators will have in the preparation process. Others may actually be tempted to think anyone can teach since they assume teaching is innate or natural. However, the author explains the necessity and urgency of teacher education and training if quality teachers are to be produced so as to achieve effective curriculum implementation in schools
Implementing a History Competency-Based Curriculum: Teaching and Learning Activities for a Zambian School History Classroom
Get PDFIn 2013, there was a curriculum review and development process in Zambia. The Zambian education system adopted a competency-based curriculum. The purpose of the curriculum was to provide learners with skills, knowledge, and values that can enable them to compete at a global level. A competency-based curriculum is a complete paradigm shift from a content-based curriculum that merely focuses on the acquisition of knowledge. Thus, there is a need for teachers to interpret the competency-based curriculum correctly so that they could implement it effectively. In a competency-based curriculum, a teacher needs to design activities that can help learners to cultivate the desired competences in their field of study. These activities could be individual learner activities and participative activities. Teaching and learning activities that can be used in the teaching and learning of History include research, group work, discussions, question and answer method, role-plays, drama, field trips, debate, and teacher exposition. In conclusion, a brief analysis of the implications of teaching using the competency-based curriculum has been done
Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Managing Chronic Pain of Degenerative Conditions: An Overview of Randomized Clinical Trials and Meta-Analysis Studies
Get PDFBackground: Cognitive behavioral therapy is a goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving. It has been documented in various studies to have an impact when used in the management of chronic pain. It has been shown to lack the drawbacks of pharmacological and surgical treatments such as addiction and toxicity; and cost and recovery time, respectively. Cognitive behavioral therapy has also been shown to target cognitive distortions such as pain catastrophizing among other things. The objective of the review is to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in the management of chronic pain of degenerative conditions. Methods: This review article was conducted basing on the previous studies published from 2009-2019 and data analyzed was retrieved from Google Scholar, Elsevier and Science Direct. Only the articles that looked at effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in the management of chronic pain from a physiotherapists point were included. Results: The outcomes of the studies used varied and included reduction in pain intensity, pain disability, fear avoidance, catastrophizing and kinesophobia. The CBT approaches used across the studies also varied and included operant conditioning, biofeedback, relaxation techniques, pacing, cognitive coping techniques, graded activity and graded exposure.
Conclusion: Published randomized controlled trials provide good evidence for the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy and how specific approaches may vary in effectiveness depending on the desired outcomes
Key gender issues in the military education in Nigeria and a call for gender-sensitive security sector reforms
Get PDFThis paper is based on a study that investigated key gender issues that impact access to and participation of female naval personnel in the continuing professional education (CPE) of the Nigerian Navy. It also draws on a published report on sex-role socialisation of female personnel of the Nigerian Navy. The central argument of the paper is that women personnel are not adequately represented in all specialisations of the Nigerian navy. Consequently, they are not able to easily ascend to senior positions that could enhance their opportunities to participate in national decision-making processes on security and other matters of the state. The nature of continuing professional education in military education in Nigeria has a significant role to play in this. However, this has not been adequately explored in the literature on continuing adult education in Nigeria. To bridge this gap, the study explored the lived experiences of female personnel of the Nigerian Navy, concerning how and why they are (un)able to access and participate in the CPE of the military; the challenges that the experiences present; and the policies and institutional frameworks that guide and support the CPE of the Nigerian Navy. This was a qualitative e case study design and was framed within critical theory. In-depth interviews and document reviews were used to collect the data; Phenomenological content analysis was used as the method for data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that women personnel of the Nigerian Navy experience gender-based discriminations and participation in CPE. Besides, the study revealed that the Nigerian Navy did not have any CPE policy nor internal gender policies. Furthermore, the institutional frameworks that guide and support the CPE of the Nigerian Navy were not gender-sensitive. The paper concludes that there are gender issues in the Nigerian Navy that impact female personnel’s participation in CPE and that these issues call for gender-sensitive reforms in the navy
Disablers to Academic Success of Learners with Special Education in Selected Higher Education Institutions in Zambia
Get PDFThe international community is agreed that the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal particularly number four on education is dependent on how effective inclusive education is implemented by various countries. Whereas the implementation of inclusive education is well articulated at primary and secondary school levels, the same cannot be said at Higher Education level. Thus, in this article, we explore the status of inclusive education with reference to learners with special education needs at higher education level in Zambia. The article uses a Phenomenological approach to illustrate the lived experiences of learners with special education at the University of Zambia and Mulungushi University in Zambia. Key among the study objectives include exploration of the disablers experienced by learners with special education. The study findings point to a mismatch between policy and practice, negative attitudes, inaccessible learning environment and learning content among others cited as the major disablers to the success of learners with special education needs. This state of affairs could be attributed to system failure to domesticate inclusive education and develop responsive policies in Higher Education institutions. As such, inclusive education has remained a theoretical concept, well understood by the elites but poorly implemented on the ground. This then calls for Higher Education institutional system-wide transformation in favour of inclusive education
An Evaluation of the Challenges in the Management of Electoral Conflicts in Zambia
Get PDFCurrent studies on elections show that electoral conflicts are a common global phenomenon. Violence is one form of electoral conflict. Zambia has seen a rise and intense electoral violence in the recent past. This is despite the formation of Conflict Management Committees (CMCs) to deal with electoral violence. This article is an evaluation of the management of electoral conflicts in Zambia by the CMCs. The objectives of this study were to determine how the Lusaka CMCs manage electoral conflicts; to assess the capacity of the Lusaka CMCs in the management of electoral conflicts; to establish strategies of improving the performance of the CMCs in the management of electoral conflicts. This study employed a qualitative descriptive research design. A purposive sampling technique was used which targeted twelve key electoral stakeholders. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and observations. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The strategy used by CMCs in Zambia to resolve electoral conflicts was mediation. There was a Lack of a legal framework in the management of conflict and in the enforcement of the Electoral Act. To this effect, the study established strategies of improving the performance of CMCs which are: introducing electoral fast track courts, increasing educational awareness activities on electoral conflict, increasing access to CMCs and importantly, strengthen the legal mandate. Based on the findings, the study recommends to ECZ to attach a legal framework to the mandate of the CMCs and to make wider consultations on the best way to resolve electoral conflicts. There is need in future to assess the measures individual political parties have put in place to address electoral violence