A synthetic biopolymer was prepared from bithiophene (C8H6S2) monomer, isosorbide (C6H10O4) and ethylene glycol (C2H6O2) was synthesized via melt polycondensation process. The results show that the polyester has good thermal and mechanical properties. The bithiophene monomer (2,2′-dithiophene)-5,5′-dicarboxylic acid was prepared by direct coupling of combined phosphine-free palladium ligand with polyethylene glycol palladium (Pd/PEG) as catalyst. This method can effectively polymerize bithiophene monomer with isosorbide and ethylene glycol. The series of polyesters display good heat resistance, crystallinity and high-tensile modulus. In addition, the bithiophene monomer coupled with isosorbide units increased the glass transition temperature of the polyesters. These polyester films exhibit excellent oxygen/water barrier properties, which are interestingly superior to those of polyethylene terephthalates, and has a significant degradation in soil degradation under the influence of microorganisms.
Page(s): 01-08 Date of Publication: 28 October 2021
DOI : 10.51244/IJRSI.2021.81001Download PDF
Educational leadership literature has identified generalised instructional leadership roles of school leaders particularly in the context of the Western world. Using a multiple case study design, targeting ten senior teachers at two primary schools as participants, the study aimed at exploring teachers’ perceptions of school heads’ instructional leadership behaviours that supported or hindered effective teaching and learning. The two primary schools are situated in Lower Gweru District in Zimbabwe. The ten senior teachers from each school were purposefully sampled to participate in the study. Data for the study was generated using three research instruments namely group interviews, semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The data was analysed using the thematic approach. What came out of the study was that there are certain instructional leadership behaviours which were perceived by teachers as facilitating teaching like generating an attractive and inspiring vision of academic excellence, modelling best instructional leadership behaviours, creating a school atmosphere conducive for teaching and learning, individual consideration behaviours focusing on teachers’ professional and social needs and incentivising teachers. However some Instructional leadership behaviours by school heads were labelled as retrogressive to effective teaching and learning and these include lack of personal commitment to leadership by the school head (being a visiting head), an atmosphere of insecurity and inconsistencies, being disrespectful to teachers, not knowing curriculum content and managerialism. It was recommended that school heads should spend the greatest part of their time at their work station or better reside at their work stations to afford themselves enough time to monitor instructional processes at their schools. Workshops on instructional leadership must be held often to familiarise school heads of their new leadership roles.
Page(s): 09-16 Date of Publication: 28 October 2021
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The research was designed to screen some selected medicinal plants for in-vitro anti-mycobacterial activity. Nine (9) plants (Erythrina senegalensis, Striga hermonthica, Tamarindus indica, Ximenia Americana, Butyrospermum paradoxum, Euphorbia hirta, Pilostigma reticulatum, Waltheria indica, Cissampelos mucronata) were used in the study. Extraction was done on Leaf extract of Waltheria indica, Stem bark extract of Ximenia Americana, Leaf extract of Pilostigma reticulatum, Aerial part extract of Striga hermonthica, Leaf extract of Butyrospermum paradoxum, Root extract of Cissampelos mucronata, Whole plant extract of Euphorbia hirta, Root-bark extract of Tamarindus indica and Stem-bark extract of Erythrina senegalensis. The percentage yield of the extraction was 8.2, 9.5, 7.6, 9.4, 10.5, 10.3, 11.6, 9.2 and 8.5 respectively. Preliminary phytochemical analysis on the crude extracts have revealed the presence of the following bioactive chemical constituents; Alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids, Anthraquinones, Saponins, Glycosides, Tannins and Phenols. Preliminary anti-mycobacterial screening was done on the crude plants extracts. The result revealed that only four (4) plants out of the nine (9) selected plants exhibited anti-mycobacterial activity (at conc/well of 500 -125mg/ml) when tested against Mycobaterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Table 3). The crude extract of the aerial parts of S. hermonthica inhibited growth of the tested organisms at 500mg/ml but at lower concentrations (125mg/ml) the extract was not active against M.tuberculosis. The crude extract of stem bark of E. senegalensis was also active at 500mg/ml against the tested organisms but did not demonstrated activity against M. tuberculosis at lower concentrations. The root of extract of C. mucronata was only active at 500mg/ml but was inactive at lower concentrations and the whole plant extract of E. hirta was only active at 500-250mg/ml against both M.smegmatis and M. tuberculosis. No activity was observed for the other five (5) plants extract used in the study that is W. indica, X. americana, P. reticulatum, B. paradoxa and T. indica.
Page(s): 17-21 Date of Publication: 29 October 2021
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Life insurance is critical in providing coverage and protection against the risk of a person’s death and total permanent disability. However, only a small number of Malaysians own life insurance and a few of them are from the B40 group. This paper examines the consumption of Life Insurance and Takaful policies for the B40 group in Malaysia. The secondary data were obtained from 15 Takaful operators in Malaysia from the year 2014-2019. There are six factors namely, (1) Ethnicity, (2) Monthly Income, (3) Gender, (4) Age, (5) Occupation, and (6) Highest level of education that use to predict the affordance amount of insurance spending among B40 group in Malaysia. By using Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) indicates that ethnicity, monthly income, and education level were statistically significant to predict the affordance amount of insurance spending among B40 group in Malaysia. Based on their monthly income, the average affordable amounts spending among B40 group were RM 43.48±84.38. Therefore, in promoting financial services that are accessible to all Malaysian especially B4 group, it was suggested to provide an affordable amount of premium for B40 group.
Page(s): 22-25 Date of Publication: 30 October 2021
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This study sought to develop a destination image (DI) recovery model for enhancing the performance of the tourism sector in developing countries with particular reference to Zimbabwe. This study was conducted just before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. This study allows tourism stakeholders to separate the current state of Zimbabwe’s tourism industry after it was exposed to the pandemic from the one it was in just before Covid-19. Many countries across the world are prioritizing tourism because of the role it plays as one of drivers of inclusive growth, job creation, forex generation and environmental preservation. Tourism is one of Africa’s engines of growth and development. The study was prompted by the failure of African tourism destinations to develop destination image recovery models for enhancing tourism performance and yet a number of them require destination image recovery. The study adopted a mixed method approach rooted in the pragmatist paradigm. It used the convergent parallel mixed methodology research approach and a cross sectional survey. Probability and non-probability sampling methods were employed in order to derive the sample from the population. The triangulation of sampling methods was meant to add rigor and enable a full exploration of the research problem. Data were collected in person from a sample of three hundred and nineteen respondents comprising international tourists, service providers and key informants. A structured, semi-structured questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide were used respectively. Quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and AMOS version 25 while qualitative data was analysed using NVivo version 12. Tests were conducted using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to analyze the multiple independent variables which included accessibility, amenities ancillary services and prices as well as dependent variables which were affective image and performance. Quantitative data were presented using tables and figures while themes were used to present qualitative data. The major findings of the study were that price, ancillary services and amenities significantly influenced affective image. Ancillary services significantly influenced destination performance. The study recommended that the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality organizes workshops to train tourism stakeholders on the management of these destination attributes and include the generality of the host community in image recovery. The study concluded that there was need to adopt the stakeholder approach in order to achieve sustainable destination image recovery.
Page(s): 26-39 Date of Publication: 31 October 2021
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A solar pond is an application that is used to store large amounts of thermal energy. Solar pond with a salinity gradient was constructed in this research salt containing sodium chloride was used with a concentration of 26%. Initial experiments were conducted with 0.3m thickness of the pond lower zone, then the thickness was changed to 0.4m. It was conducted in Iraq at Karbala (32.55°N, 43.97°E). Useful energy and thermal efficiency are key factors used to measure the performance of a solar pond. The results showed that solar radiation could be got at about 1 pm. The results also showed that the maximum lower zone’s temperature of the pond with a thickness 0.3m and 0.4m is about 46.2 °C and 49.2 °C respectively. It was also concluded that changing the thickness of the lower zone improves the thermal energy, useful energy and thermal efficiency of solar pond by 6.5%, 21.7% and 14.5% respectively.
Page(s): 40-42 Date of Publication: 03 November 2021
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The purpose of the study was to evaluate the teaching of reading and writing skills of Grade 2 pupils in two schools in Nchelenge district of Luapula Province, Zambia and the study sought to investigate the reading and writing teaching and learning materials and the methods used by teachers in teaching reading and writing in the two schools. The study employed a mixed paradigm and descriptive survey design that sampled two schools, Head teachers, in-service coordinators, senior teachers, teachers and learners. Data was obtained from respondents by means of interviews, questionnaires and classroom observation schedules. The sample consisted of fifty respondents. Frequency, percentages, tables, graphs and pie-charts were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data obtained. Data was then analyzed manually in some cases and also, a combination of software MS Access and MS Excel. The study found learners in Basic school performed better than those in Community school due to lack of orientation of teachers on the use of books and methodologies in teaching reading and writing Grade 2, lack of adherence to the stipulated Grade 2 literacy lesson procedure and the teaching of reading and writing with hardly any teaching and learning aids, teachers not teaching the Grade 2 class using the four pace groups and teachers’ poor organization of the teaching corner and lack of books in class libraries. The findings revealed that Grade 2 learners’ performance and achievement in reading and writing in the basic school was higher than those that were in the community school and the study recommended that the Ministry of Education should improve school infrastructure and supply books and desks while school administrators should ensure that teachers’ orientations and monitoring are done and teachers should adhere to the stipulated lesson procedure, teach using aids, use pace groups when teaching, organize teaching corner well and adhere to homework and remedial work policies.
Page(s): 43-54 Date of Publication: 08 November 2021
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This research report “The Impact of Use of manipulates on the math scores of grade 2 students” Liggett (2017) published in the Brock Education Journal is a quantitative research report. According to Leavy (2017), “quantitative research is characterised by deductive approaches to the research process aimed at proving, disproving, or lending credence to existing theories. This type of research involves measuring variables and testing relationships between variables to reveal patterns, correlations, or causal relationships. Researchers may employ linear methods of data collection and analysis that result in statistical data” p.9. Thus, the author of this journal under study (Liggett, 2017) adopted an experimental research design (which is deductive) to prove the hypothetical idea that “the use of manipulates can improve upon Grade 2 students’ mathematics scores”. (p.6). This study represented a true experimental design because of three factors namely manipulation, control, and randomization (Creswell, 2009). As such, the researcher used random selection to establish the treatment group and control school who are all Grade 2 students in a school in Northern Saskatchewan. He subjected the two groups to series of tests before and after his intervention (experiment) which saw the treatment group using mathematical manipulatives (plastic unifix cubes) for a specific period and the control group being denied the use of those manipulatives in Mathematics lessons.
Page(s): 55-57 Date of Publication: 11 November 2021
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This paper investigates the long-term prospects of Islamic banking products in Nigeria amidst the rising popularity/acceptability of non-interest banking, especially the Islamic banking system. The rationale is to examine how the products of Islamic Banks contribute to the banks’ level of profitability and to also find out what factors affect the viability of Islamic banking products. Jaiz Bank Plc being the first official Islamic bank to be introduced into the Nigerian banking sphere is considered as a case study. The range of products/services offered by the bank are investigated in detail as well as their viability, keeping in mind the socio-economic and demographic factors prevailing in the environment. Data were sourced primarily with the help of a structured questionnaire. Discrete choice models were used as the econometrics tools of data analysis and the impact of seven variables was assessed on the viability of Islamic banking products. Also, Heteroskedasticity, Multicollinearity and F. tests were all conducted to ascertain the validity of the analysis. Six independent variables were found to be statistically significant at 1% levels and conform to a priori expectations. While the remaining variable even though it conformed to a priori expectations; was not found to be statistically significant. The research discovered that Islamic banking products are viable enough to add to the bottom line/profitability of Islamic financial institutions.
Page(s): 58-67 Date of Publication: 17 November 2021
DOI : 10.51244/IJRSI.2021.81002Download PDF
Ever since the advent of globalization, the interest in strategic management studies has attracted the attention of academic scholars as well as business practitioners. Organizations have continued to realize the vital role played by strategic planning towards the realization of its goals and objectives. This study set out to answer the question: what is the effect of strategic planning practices on organization performance in Kenya. Data was analyzed and presented using methods of dispersion statistics such as means, frequencies, percentages and standard deviations and regression analysis was also used to determine the relationship of the variables. The findings of the study revealed that fundraising was the main form of resource mobilization in Baringo County Government and further that financial resources were the highly allocated resources and that there was a significant positive relationship between resource mobilization strategies, resource allocation strategies and organization performance at the county government. Leadership strategies on organization performance were applied using a policy formulation. Risk management on organization performance; used risk control strategy in the County Government of Baringo. The study, therefore, concluded that resource mobilization on organization performance through fundraising is an important way of resource mobilization. Further, that resource allocation on organization performance through financial resources is important and as well as resource allocation through policy formulations. This study recommends that Baringo County Government should continue to practice and strengthen strategic planning practices for enhanced effectiveness as well as improved organizational performance and the practices would be adopted in all other counties of Kenya where they are not practiced.
Page(s): 68-76 Date of Publication: 17 November 2021
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As part of the project embedded in the subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SURE-P), the Maternal and Child Health component initiated an incentive programme to bring would be mothers for ante and post natal care to the facilities especially child delivery by skilled birth attendant. This cash transfer was set up to ensure effective management of financial resources acquired from the removal of subsidy from 2012, thereby reducing maternal and child mortality rate in line with Millennium Development Goals number four and five. Four Primary Health Care Facilities were chosen for the pilot programme in Bauchi. This paper conducted a research in all the four facilities so as to be able to identify whether the incentive yielded the desired result. Therefore the overall objective of the research is to undertake a study to see the impact the incentives has on ante natal care and delivery in all the four facilities in Bauchi State. The research made use of both primary and secondary data. The data collected were analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics, with the aid of tables and graphs to show the significance of the incentives. The study found that a significant number of women were motivated by the incentives to avail themselves with the ante natal care and delivery by skilled Health worker available at the health facility, we however found delivery at the facility did not increase at the same rate with the ante natal care visits because of the presences of Traditional Birth Attendants in those villages, none Challant attitude of the Health workers towards pregnant women and administrative bottle neck that resulted in late payment and lack of essential items needed for safe delivery. The research concluded by recommending that an effective payment mechanism be put in place, possibly increase the incentive amount, the Traditional Birth Attendants should be incorporated to be part of the skilled birth delivery attendant and prompt supply of all tools needed for safe delivery at the facility.
Page(s): 77-83 Date of Publication: 18 November 2021
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Adequate financial health indeed accelerates the entry of firms into the export market. Many firms, already in the market, have also fizzled out of export market completely due to lack of finance. It is quiet obverse that debt financing influences not only firm’s performance but also firm’s decision export. Hence, evaluating the relationship between debt financing and manufacturing firms’ decision to export from Ghana have relevant policy implication in the context of developing country. To effectively address the objectives, the study employed the probit model on 377 manufacturing firms obtained from the World Bank Enterprise Survey data (Ghana). The study found that debt financing positively influences the decision to export. In other words, an increase in debt financing increases the firm’s probability of exporting in Ghana. Whiles female top managers are less likely to export than their male counterparts, firms with large workforce are more likely to export. Firms with experienced top managers are also likely to export their products. In terms of location, firms in Tema exports more than firms in Accra and Takoradi. The study recommends that the financial market of Ghana be developed to enable manufacturing firms’ source more external funds in the form of debt finance to enable them export.
Page(s): 84-88 Date of Publication: 19 November 2021
DOI : 10.51244/IJRSI.2021.81003Download PDF
The attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal number 4 on education is dependent on how effective inclusive education is implemented in various countries. Even though the implementation of inclusive education is well articulated at primary level, little is being done to monitor its effectiveness. Therefore, in this article, we explore the lived experiences Lived Experiences of Learners with Disabilities at Lunsemfwa Primary School, Kapiri-Mposhi district, Zambia. The article rides on phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of learners with various disabilities. Key among the study objectives includes exploration of the lived experiences of learners with disabilities. The findings revealed that learners with disabilities faced the challenges of stigma from peers, lack of support from parents and guardians, lack of socialisation and negative attitudes by teachers and peers. These challenges are as a result of lack of sensitisation by the stakeholders on disability and also lack of skills on how to handle learners with disabilities by some teachers. Therefore, this calls for the government to provide in-service training to teachers in order to improve on their teaching and learning skills. Guidance and counselling in primary schools should be strengthed in order to get away with stigma among peers.
Page(s): 89-95 Date of Publication: 22 November 2021
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Before invent to computer, book mainly referred to hard bound product with details printed on pages. Hence, it was cumbersome for readers to get relevant matter under single point of access. With technological development Books also evolved from contemporary hard print form to Online matter.‘ Globalization is paving way for new dimension from Science to Arts to Medical to Engineering to Computer to Artificial intelligence to Space to Management to Economic, etc. These have in turn given rise various sector/field specific publications leading to increasingly available in electronic format. Its here the role do bookshelves have in the future library. Summary: For decade’s people have been fond of reading books, major spaces in library had been occupied by open shelves, catering to the information requirements of students, scientists and scholars. But readers interest is impacted by the time expended in searching Books based on Topics, Authors, geners, etc. Hence not many of them are regular in reading new books due to lack of knowledge about the content provided by the author and often feel unwilling to buy them because of their new arrival in the market. New talented authors go unrecognised but this problem can be solved using which clusters the reviews of many people at one place Of late University and public libraries are slowly transforming into study environments, in which open shelves are being replaced by a variety of other library services. So, the access to the books, journals, magazine, information, etc is increasingly transformed in digital format. BOOK-SHELF is Mobile application based tool which could be effectively used in University and public libraries, Vendors, stocktist, etc to minimize time and physical efforts in searching hard bound matter.
Page(s): 96-105 Date of Publication: 22 November 2021
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Secularism is an ideology that advocates complete division and separation of this world and the world to come. It is defined as an elimination of man from religion and then from metaphysical control over his reason and his language. It invites people to separate between religion and politics, it also calls people to separate faith from routine activities or complete elimination of metaphysical realities from daily affairs, on the ground that metaphysical world or religious affairs can create obstacles and barriers to human development and progress. As such, the physical world and its fascination should be the first priority and main target of rational being. Based on this fact, this paper by applying analytical and comparative methods aims to explore the true etymology of secularism and investigates its various definitions. Next, the paper will further explore the kinds and characteristics of secularism as an ideology that attempts to separate religion from daily activities. Lastly, the article will also compare this ideology to Islamic worldview, i.e we will investigate whether secularism is compatible with the right teaching of Islam and that will be followed by comprehensive concluding remarks.
Page(s): 106-110 Date of Publication: 22 November 2021
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It is becoming increasingly important for researchers to critically reflect on a set of research questions relevant to their own area of research that can have a positive impact on complex social phenomena, such as school leadership and management development outcomes of school leaders. This paper discusses about randomized control trial and case study enables the researcher to answer research questions within the effectiveness of leadership development of Cameroonian school leaders, in the real world, presents new challenges for collecting data and verifying inferences from these data. Many educational leadership researchers seem to have high hopes that such approaches using quasi-experimental, randomized control trails can give positive research outcomes when it comes to educational leadership development of school leaders. It is noted that case study research is more than simply to data collection, analysis, and report writing differing from the traditional, randomized control trial in terms of issues such as rigour, practicality, ethics, sampling, and validity are of great importance and perhaps of special relevance to researchers in Cameroon, and to the African context in which we work. This paper provides a further distinction between randomized control trial and case study research designs. This paper also presents a summary of the different research designs to conduct research in quantitative and qualitative and mixed methods studies.
Page(s): 111-118 Date of Publication: 23 November 2021
DOI : 10.51244/IJRSI.2021.81004Download PDF
This study aims to analyze the variables that affect the satisfaction and loyalty of e-commerce customers. This study uses a structural equation model (SEM) analysis. The data used in this study is secondary data collected using a questionnaire from e-commerce customers in western Indonesia as many as 300 respondents. The results found that Website Design Quality and E-service Quality positively and significantly affect E-satisfaction. Brand Image positively and significantly affects E-Loyalty. Then E-satisfaction positively and significantly affects E-Loyalty.
Page(s): 119-126 Date of Publication: 25 November 2021
DOI : 10.51244/IJRSI.2021.81005Download PDF