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An Assessment of the Causes of Persisting Teachers’ Professional Malpractices in Kilwa District
Get PDFThis study assessed the causes of the persisting teacher’s professional malpractices in Kilwa District Council. Specifically, the study aimed to identify the types of professional malpractices commonly practised by teachers in secondary schools, and to explore the causes of teachers’ professional malpractices in secondary schools. The study employed descriptive design whereby qualitative and quantitative approaches were the means of data collection and analyses. The study sample comprised 5 secondary schools and a total of 60 respondents. Specifically, the respondents were 45 teachers who were randomly selected to respond to the questionnaires while 5 heads of schools, 5 discipline masters, 1 District Education Officer, 2 TSD Officials, 1 Ward Education Officer and 1 Human Resources Officer were purposively selected and interviewed. The findings showed that the most dominant malpractices in Kilwa District were absenteeism, the use of Swahili language in English language classes during teaching and negligence. Moreover, teachers’ absenteeism seemed to be the common problem above all in urban and rural schools. Teachers' absenteeism and duty negligence were associated with teachers' low status that seemed associated with their low salaries. Teachers tended to neglect and skip classes, as they had to engage in extra-curricular activities to increase their purchasing power to meet human livelihood. The causes for professional teacher malpractices include bad working conditions, poor management and stress. This situation had managerial implications that if teachers’ needs are not fulfilled, not provided with good working environment, welfare and wellbeing are not maintained per government regulations on teaching conditions, the malpractices would persist
Situational Analysis on the Integration of Disability Issues in Technical Education Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) Institutions Based in Lusaka, Zambia
Get PDFThe integration of disability issues in education and training programmes has recently been a focus of attention for governments, organizations and institutions in the world. The aim of the study was to establish the extent to which disability issues have been integrated in TEVET institutions in Lusaka province in Zambia. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. The researchers visited 23 sites in Lusaka province and collected data using questionnaires, interview guides and focus group discussion schedules from 250 participants. Participants were principals, heads of departments, lecturers and instructors; managers and employers; disabled and abled students drawn from the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) institutions within the province. Simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were applied. Findings reveal that the majority of the participants were in favour of integrating disability issues into the vocational and entrepreneurship training programmes in TEVET institutions. More abled students were enrolled in TEVET institutions than the disabled. Participants expressed ignorance on the existence of the TEVET National policy on the integration of disability issues in TEVET institutions. The training environment and programmes seemed to be suitable for students with mild than those with severe disabilities. Based on the findings, the study recommends that Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Authority (TEVETA) in conjunction with other stakeholders, facilitate a national situational analysis. This analysis should focus on the integration of disability issues in TEVET institutions in order to get a national picture of the extent to which disability issues have been integrated in institutions. This should apply in both rural and urban provinces of Zambia for generating more detailed and useful information for national planning on integration of disability issues in training programmes
Issues on the Examination Grading System of the Open University of Tanzania Undergraduate Students’ Academic Programmes
Get PDFAssigning grades to students’ academic performance is a significant part of learning. This article highlights some of the issues in the Examination Regulations of the Open University of Tanzania (OUT). The main objective of the article is to stir up OUT stakeholders’ critical outlook at issues raised. The main issues raised are the lack of grading Student Progress Portfolio (SPP); the un-proportional weight given to the Annual Examination relative to Main Tests; the rationale of having 40% as a pass mark for a course in a degree programme; the classification of Failure; the big range of Grade “A” relative to the other grades; and the question of only giving “C” to re-sitters and repeaters regardless of their performance in respective courses. Several recommendations have been advanced in regard to the above issues
Incubation of Spirometra eggs at laboratory conditions by Modified Harada-Mori method
No full textIncubation of Spirometra eggs was conducted in the helminthology laboratory Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture during the period July to September, 2012. Spirometra eggs from faeces of naturally infected lions (Panthera leo) from Tarangire National Park, Tanzania were cultured at laboratory condition using modified Harada-Mori method. The objective of the study was to hatch coracidia and use in a life-cycle experiment. The culture consisted of a thin film of washed eggs on a strip of filter paper inserted in an upright falcon tubes containing sterile sand and stones to the bottom up to 1 cm level and aquarium water up to just below the egg smear. Eggs were cultured at temperature 26-29ºC and light. On day 6 the eggs started hatching coracidia. Under the circumstance it was fruitful to culture Spirometra eggs using modified Harada-Mori method. The modified Harada-Mori culture technology showed a high rate of hatching of Spirometra eggs. We recommend using this modified Harada-Mori method for culture of Spirometra eggs being able to hatch many eggs, inexpensive and less time consuming
Usage of E-resources in Postgraduate Research at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences: A Citation Analysis
No full textA citation analysis was conducted to examine the use of e-resources in postgraduate research at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Tanzania. A total of 549 masters dissertations produced between 2002 and 2011 were examined. Collected data were analysed in Microsoft Excel. The findings indicate that a total of 30,405 references were extracted giving an average of 55.4 references per dissertation. References to print journal articles accounted for 70% of the total references. E-resources made up only 5.2% of the total references and citations to e-journals were even fewer (0.3%). The highest citation to eresources was recorded in 2008 and there were no e-journal citations for the years 2002 and 2004. In general, the number of e-journal citations has remained very low during the ten years period. The findings therefore paint a picture that eresources were underutilized by postgraduates at MUHAS. However, there is possibility that some of the journal articles cited were retrieved from CD-ROMs databases or retrieved from the web but they were cited as print sources due to lack of skills in using correct citation styles. It could also be that students incorrectly cite secondary references. It is recommended that universities should intensify provision of information literacy programmes (including the use of various citation styles) for students and staff as well as promoting the use of e-resources. Future research may combine citation analysis and other methods to establish reasons for the low usage of e-resources
Vegetation Cover Changes in Selected Pastoral Villages in Mkata Plains, Kilosa District Eastern Tanzania
No full textArid and semi-arid savannah ecosystems of Tanzania are subjected to increasing pressure from pastoral land-use systems. A spatial temporal study involving analysis of satellite imageries and range surveys was carried out to determine the effects of high stocking levels on savannah vegetation cover types in Mkata plains. The GIS data sources include MSS satellite image of 1975, Landsat TM images of 1991 and 2000. Information obtained during community mapping and timeline trend analysis with local communities formed a local knowledge integrated into GIS analysis. Ground- truthing was based on 2000 satellite imagery sub-scenes. The main vegetation covert types in the study area include: wooded grassland (23.5%), bush grassland (20.12%), bush land (15.15%), woodland (11.65%), open grassland (5.2%), and cultivation area (18.64%). Net area cover changes between 1975 and 2000 include: 4 X increase in bush land, – 66.7% loss of open grassland and + 95.3% increase of wooded grass lands. Land cover change detection matrix indicates that the main land cover changes involved conversion to cultivation area (33.0%) and succession progression towards woody vegetation cover types (+ 33.4%). The rangelands were overstocked, in poor range condition and declining trend. There was a strong negative correlation (r = - o.87932) between stocking levels and size of open grassland and perfect correlation (r = 1) between stocking level and woody grassland cover types. It was concluded that increasing stocking levels has significantly contributed to conversion to woody cover types and loss of open grasslands. It was recommended to develop state-transit-models in order to predict the likely system response to policy interventions and to integrate control fire regimes and livestock mobility in range management strategy for the area
Application of System Analysis in ODL
No full textResearch reports and observations have indicated the absence of quality planning in the management of open and distance education in Africa. This appears to be one of the major constraints to the effective management of Open and distance education in majority of the institutions all over Africa. This paper is theoretical in nature. The main purpose is to discuss the application of system Analysis in Educational Management. The paper reviewed how system Analysis can help to promote distance education. It also discussed the meaning and objectives of System Analysis. Distance education and the strategies for applying System Analysis in distance education. It was recommended that Policy makers should avoid working on the symptoms of problem but rather the exact nature of the problems, the government should equip study centers with facilities in order to facilitate learning through distance education. Â
Distance Learners’ Support through ICT Training: the Experience of the Open University of Tanzania
Get PDFThe Open University of Tanzania is a government owned institution that delivers its services through various means of communication including face-to-face and online interactions. Since 2004 the University started using ICT in delivering its services. However, the use of ICT in training started in 2011 when the University directed all students to enroll on ICT course. This paper documents the experience of students on the influence of ICT training in supporting their learning process. The study used a descriptive survey design with a view to determine distance learners opinion on how ICT training supports their learning process. 100 respondents purposively randomly selected from Mwanza Regional Centre participated in the study during the 2016 May/ June Examination Session. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The results indicate that ICT course provides support for distance learners in terms of awareness, use and adaptation. Students reported to face challenges related to practical training, availability of ICT resources for practices, internet connectivity, low internet speed and high costs for internet bundles. The study recommends OUT increasing availability of ICT infrastructure to distance learners through collaboration and partnership and increasing ICT learning opportunities to students especially in the use of different systems developed to support students including examination registration system, application system, Students Academic Records Information System (SARIS), E-learning system and the Library system
Non Conventional Livestock for Better Livelihood: Prospects of Domestic Cavy in Mixed Production Systems of Tanzania
No full text Similar to majority of Sub-Saharan African countries, Tanzania depends largely on small and large ruminants, poultry and seafood to meet its animal protein needs. While most of the non-conventional protein sources are hunted, domestication of some of the species is equally promoted because hunting harvests cannot provide sustainable and affordable meats. Meanwhile, there have been growing demands for white meats, especially among the middle and high income population classes, exacerbated by changes in eating and living habits. Recent reports have identified domestic cavy (Cavia porcellus L.) as a right delicacy. This small pseudo ruminant that is also referred to as guinea pig or as Pimbi or Simbilisi in Kiswahili, is adopted in rural and urban households in Tanzania. This paper highlights on prospects of production of cavies focusing on the mixed production systems of Central Tanzania, where identified farmers keep a few cavy families either in own pens in a compound or within living houses of owners. Results indicated that farmers have such major reasons as keeping cavies for food (37%) or cash income (33%). Inadequate knowledge on improved husbandry practices was the most limiting constraint (38%) in the study sites where cavy keeping hinges on local knowledge and locally available feed resources. Therefore, innovative approaches and more attention from research and extension services are called for to improve production, consumption and marketing of cavies and other non-conventional meat sources as stipulated in the national livestock policy. Â
The Role of ODL in Reproductive Health Education: A way Towards Reducing Pregnancy to Students
No full textIn spite of liberal environment of our society, there remains reticence to talk about sexuality in natural way, especially around children. Parents or teachers without bad intention have either introduce erroneous facts or warning when asked about sexuality matters. As a result false information is spread, and the parents, (society) are satisfied because they have been able to avoid it altogether. This research was conducted to determine the role of Reproductive Health Education (RHE) in reducing pregnancy rate among adolescent school girls in Bagamoyo District. The sample included 80 adolescent girls in secondary schools, 10 teachers and 10 parents. Majority of adolescent students reported to become aware of puberty and biological changes in their bodies when they have already attain menarche, about 10% of adolescent between 10-13 years were not aware until when they menstruation. About 60% of parents reported not to discuss with their daughter on sexual matters; although there are some topics of RH in biology syllabus, the topics were either partially covered or not taught at all. Almost all teachers 100% did not cover the topics of RH in the syllabus while majority (80%) report to have used lecture methods. It is recommended that RHE should be made a compulsory subject together with teachers training on provision of RHE and mobilization of parents towards home RHE.  ODL can be used as proper option to reach majority of adolescent and parent on this critical aspect of RH. To overcome the physical distance and build in interaction, the provider may try to use the two way potential of, for example, mailed assignment marking, emails, telephone, tele- and video-conferencing, call-in radio or TV, as well as prerecorded video or audio materials