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EDUCATION POLICY AND PRACTICE IN NEPAL: AN EXPLORATION OF EDUCATION QUALITY OF PRIVATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION IN CONTEXT OF A DECENTRALIZED EDUCATION SYSTEM IN KATHMANDU, NEPAL
Get PDFAs a strategy for improving the country’s education sector and meet national development initiatives, the government of Nepal has implemented decentralization measures. Similarly, the government has committed to the Sustainable Development Goal 4, the premise of which is ensuring by 2030 all Nepalese school aged boys and girls have access to quality education. Decentralization, as defined, is the transfer of authority over school management to local governments, the private sector, and local communities. Decentralization, however, is not a panacea for all and when incorrectly implemented the consequences can be deleterious.
Therefore, this study sought to answer this research question: In the context of a decentralized education system, what is the quality of primary and secondary education in private schools in Kathmandu, Nepal?
The research was conducted on-site at a private school in Kathmandu, Nepal. The researcher utilized primary data gathered from semi-structured interviews conducted with five primary education teachers, one administrator, and four secondary education teachers. The collected data was thematically analyzed, and findings presented according to the themes of administrative inputs, pedagogical practices, and school infrastructure. The findings of the study indicate that school environments lacking proper administrative leadership, teacher support, educational resources, and professional development opportunities compounded with poor classroom environments negatively impacts the quality of education schools provide. This study’s implications suggest that Nepal must mandate Fundamental School Quality Levels in all private schools to accomplish its target goal by the year 2030.
Keywords: Decentralization, Democracy, Federalism, Neoliberalism, Quality Education, Sustainable Development Goal
Maternal Healthcare Access and Obstetric Complications: A Cause and Effect Relationship?
Get PDFPoverty-stricken migrant women, named ‘Kayayei or Kayayo’ because of the nature of their job in the informal sector, have high birth rates and are said to have many barriers affecting their access to maternal health resources. In this study, Kayayei in Madina Market were interviewed and both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered to determine whether a relationship exists between access to maternal health and the obstetric complications and outcomes experienced by Kayayei. A Chi-Squared Test of Independence and a Qualitative Content Analysis were both used to analyze the data. Due to a non-significant p-value, it was found that the Kayayei in Madina Market have access to both prenatal and antenatal care, however, the quality of this care varies. It was also found that a high percentage of Kayayei experienced pregnancy-induced Depression, Anxiety, Anemia, and High Blood Pressure. The results show that other factors must be examined to determine their relationship with obstetric complications among Kayayei
Troop composition and behavior of mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) in mangroves and forested islands south of David, Panama
Get PDFThe mantled howler monkey, Alouatta palliata, is one of the most commonly studied and widely distributed primate species in Central America. They have been reported to inhabit mangrove environments in Panama, but few studies have undertaken to describe their demography and behavior in these particular ecosystems. For my study, I spent 12 days studying A. palliata populations in both the mangrove and forested island ecosystems (Isla Parida and Isla Boca Brava) south of David. Seven groups were found in the mangrove environments, and 11 groups were found on the island environments. The mangrove groups were significantly smaller and at a lower population density than in the islands. They also spent significantly less time foraging and ate less fruit than in the islands. Reasons for these differences may be connected to the low species diversity and nutrient quality of food in mangrove environments, which could present an ecological constraint on A. palliata troop size and behavior. This was a preliminary study into the previously undescribed populations of the region, and more research is needed. It is important to understand the ways that primates utilize coastal mangroves, particularly because these ecosystems face threats of habitat destruction
The Australian News Media and Climate Change: How Frames Impact the Response of Individuals in an Anthropocentric Society
Get PDFNews media plays an instrumental role in shaping opinions and perceptions on climate change due to it being such a wide-reaching institution. The discourses of news media are able to use frames to determine the discursive context in which a concept or issue is discussed by promoting a central theme or message. This study aims to use critical discourse analysis to determine how climate change is framed in news media, and how these frames depict the forms and scope of possible climate action. The study also analyzes if these forms of action are predominantly anthropocentric in nature. Critical discourse analysis entails looking at how the use of linguistic elements can structure meanings and relations to larger structures or institutions and, for the purposes of this study, how news media constructs these relationships
Pesantren Waria Al-Fatah: Navigating the Intersection of Gender Nonconformity and Islam in Indonesia
Get PDFThe Effects of Stigma Against HIV and Tuberculosis on Patient Mental Health and Healthcare-Seeking Behavior in Dharamshala
Get PDFHIV and tuberculosis are highly impactful diseases in India, causing severe morbidity, mortality, and suffering for millions. The stigmatization of these diseases unnecessarily exacerbates suffering for those afflicted and their families, compounding to the existing physical and emotional burden of diagnosis. Individual interviews with healthcare workers were conducted at Delek Hospital and the Tibetan Children’s Village in order to identify the existence and effects of stigma in the Tibetan refugee population in Dharamshala. Respondents reported an extremely high burden of tuberculosis in the community, complicated by the refugee status and unique infrastructural challenges of the population. The burden of HIV in the community is remarkably low, although it may be underreported. All healthcare workers noted the tangible influence of stigma, yet many believed that stigma has decreased as the disease has become normalized. Respondents reported highly detrimental consequences to patient mental health as a result of both disease diagnosis and stigmatization, ranging from elevated anxiety and depression to isolation and suicide. Finally, stigmatization of both tuberculosis and HIV are connected with four major behavioral consequences in patients: delayed healthcare visits, resistance to disclosing their diagnosis, traveling to far-away hospitals, and refusal to follow treatment regimens. Stigmatization, and its consequences to patient mental health and disruption of healthcare- seeking behaviors, serves as a dangerous barrier to effective public health interventions and disease elimination in Dharamshala
Judicial Off-Bench Resistance in Post-Revolution Tunisia
Get PDFSince the populist Kaid Said has risen to the office of the presidency in Tunisia, the country has been experiencing its largest threat to its hard-fought democracy since the 2011 Revolution. In this paper, I argue that Tunisian judges have utilized off-bench resistance tactics to protect their own autonomy from executive encroachment. I find that judges’ strikes are the dominant form of off-bench resistance. I explain this by looking at the relationships that judges’ unions maintain with other civil society organizations and unions, particularly the UGTT. I argue that the post-revolutionary environment, the strong union culture in Tunisia, and the ability of judges to mobilize allies explains why judicial off-bench resistance has manifested as strikes
Wishing for Water While Fleeing Their Farms: A Study of Water Scarcity and Internal Migration in Tunisia
Get PDFHow does water scarcity and limited water access impact internal migration? I argue that water scarcity and limited access to water is likely to increase internal migration in Tunisia. The mechanism through which I will investigate this relationship is in the agricultural sector. In this research, I found that water scarcity does exist in Tunisia and that scarcity impacts the economy, employment, and perceptions of rural areas in Tunisia. This, in turn, likely contributes to internal migration, although my research could not conclude whether water scarcity acts a causative factor to internal migration. This topic has become more prevalent than ever to study since climate change is altering rainfall and weather patterns and will likely contribute to the ongoing immigration crisis around the globe
Sembrando una cultura de soberanía alimentaria: la Reserva Pambiliño y la Reserva de Biósfera del Chocó Andino de Pichincha
No full textPor tres semanas, investigué la soberanía alimentaria y sus implicaciones en relaciones entre personas, pueblos, el gobierno, la sociedad, y el mundo no humano en la Reserva Pambiliño, el pueblo de Mashpi, y la Reserva de Biósfera del Chocó Andino de Pichincha en Ecuador. Trabajé manualmente en la finca; entrevisté a trabajadores de la Reserva Pambiliño y miembros de la Fundación Imaymana; y realicé la observación participante en una variedad de actividades en Mashpi y el Chocó Andino. Allí, redes de ayuda mutua conectan comunidades, fincas, y reservas que trabajan en la agroforestería, la conservación, la restauración de bosques primarios, y plantas alimenticias no convencionales (PANC) para fomentar y fortalecer alternativas al desarrollo y el sistema económico y alimentario globalizado que perpetúa el extractivismo en la región a través de la minería y el turismo. Al establecer una cultura e identidad centrada en la soberanía alimentaria, aumentarán la autonomía de las comunidades y la interdependencia y conexión entre todos los componentes y procesos del ecosistema entero
La significancia de la instalación de oficinas de género para estudiantes universitarias LGBTQ+ en Chile
No full textThis investigation explores the significance that offices of gender have for queer university students in Chile. It is based on the historical Mayo Feminista protests and the resulting passage of Ley 21.369, which aims to regulate sexual assault, gender violence, and gender discrimination in higher education. This law mandates Chilean universities to have offices of gender specifically dedicated to meeting these goals. This study draws on interviews to learn from the lived experiences of queer university students and directors of the offices of gender. It concentrates on two universities in Valparaíso, Chile: la Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María and la Universidad de Playa Ancha. It questions the effectiveness of the offices of gender in bringing about institutional change that creates more inclusive learning environments for queer students at these two universities. Additionally, it aims to propose ways in which these offices could better serve these students. Through the process of interviews, this study found that the offices of gender tend to not have enough reach within the institution to create entire environmental change. In particular, their efforts fail to reach professors and straight, male students- two populations who greatly influence the university’s atmosphere. Additionally, it found that offices of gender often receive minimal support from the university itself outside of what is required by law