Education Funding Research Articles

A Comparative Study of Students Graduation Analysis Using Classification Methods in Undergraduate Electrical Engineering Tidar University

This research aimed to classify achievement factors for electrical engineering students at Tidar University using K-Means and Agglomerative Clustering classification algorithms. The goal was to understand if any parameters influence high-achieving student performance. The Indonesian government and private sector for university students provide significant education funds. Student scholarships are awarded based primarily on GPA and entry path, overburdening staff and causing confusion during distribution to eligible recipients. A system was needed to accommodate additional eligible criteria. The researcher selected factors to identify engineering student performance, including school origin, entry path, tuition fees, and GPA. These inputs could determine graduation status. The results compared calculation methods based on collected data accuracy, processing times, and characterizing clustered data to determine the best classification method. Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering performed better. Accuracy testing on 600 training data points yielded 73.94% for improved K-means and 90.42% for AHC. The Average processing time was 674.92 seconds for improved K-means and 554.35 seconds for AHC. Silhouette testing also characterized calculation methods, with improved K-means scoring best at 0.654 and AHC at 0.787 using two clusters.

The Management of Facilities and Infrastructure in the Development of Islamic Boarding Schools in Jambi Province

This research is motivated by the condition of Islamic boarding schools in Jambi province in terms of infrastructure management. The research objective is to determine the infrastructure management system in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province.The research method uses a qualitative approach. The sample in this study; Nurul Jalal Islamic boarding school, Tebo Regency City, Zulhijjah Islamic boarding school, Batang Hari Regency, Nurul Iman Islamic boarding school, Jambi City and as a research informant for Islamic boarding school leaders, madrasa leaders and staff who handle infrastructure management. Data collection technique using snowball sampling. Sampling technique using the method : interviews, documentation, observation. To test the validity of the data by using data triangulationThe research results are as follows; first, management of facilities and infrastructure in the development of Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province, the Islamic boarding schools as samples in this research are as follows; carry out planning, carry out implementation and organization, then carry out the process of procurement and inventory of facilities and infrastructure as well as the final stage of monitoring and evaluating the condition of infrastructure in an effort to develop Islamic boarding schools. All activities are oriented towards achieving goals, clarity and responsibility, administration, efficiency and consistency in the use of facilities and infrastructure. Second, the inhibiting factors in the process of managing facilities and infrastructure to develop Islamic boarding schools in Jambi province include; human resources, educational funds as well as the location and geography of Islamic boarding schools, while the supporting factors in managing facilities and infrastructure in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province come from the culture of Islamic boarding schools and the principles possessed by Kiai as leaders of Islamic boarding schools. Third, the efforts made by Islamic boarding schools in managing facilities and infrastructure in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province include; maximizing the allocation of the use of education financing funds for facilities and infrastructure, increasing human resources through training, collaborating with other institutions, collaborating with the private sector, collaborating with the government and the community. Fourth, a suitable management model for facilities and infrastructure in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province, the results of findings in the field show a model that is more suitable for developing Islamic boarding schools. The facilities and infrastructure management model is carried out using a strategic management model and at the beginning of activities uses the active management concept. This activity is influenced by the type and style of Islamic boarding school leadership. Apart from that, Islamic boarding school leaders view facilities and infrastructure as resources in the form of sources of strength in achieving a goal and as resources related to humans, finances and materials.

ANALISIS PENGANGGARAN DANA BANTUAN OPERASIONAL SEKOLAH DALAM MENINGKATKAN SARANA DAN PRASARANA PERPUSTAKAAN DI SMK AL-JAUHARIYAH

This study aims to analyze the utilization of School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds in the context of library improvement. School libraries have an important role in improving the quality of education and BOS funds are a source of funding that can be used for it, This research was conducted using descriptive-analytical methods. Data were obtained through surveys, interviews, and documentation studies on schools receiving BOS funding. Research respondents included school principals, library managers, and related teachers. The results showed that the utilization of BOS funds for library improvement is still not optimal. Most schools use the funds to purchase new reference books, update library collections, improve library accessibility, and provide facilities that support learning in the library. There are still several obstacles that hinder the effective use of funds, such as lack of awareness of the importance of library development, knowledge and skills of library managers, and limited budget allocated.

РЕАЛІЇ ТА НАПРЯМИ ПОКРАЩАННЯ ІНВЕСТИЦІЙ У РОЗВИТОК ПРОФЕСІЙНО-ТЕХНІЧНОЇ ОСВІТИ В КИТАЇ

Introduction. Over the past ten years, the Chinese government has attached great importance to the development of vocational education, improving its quality and optimizing its structure. Problem Statement. Realities and directions for improving investment in the development of vocational education in China. The purpose is to determine the directions of formation of an effective system of financing vocational education in China. Methods. The general scientific and special methods were used: analysis and synthesis, graphic, comparison, theoretical generalization, abstract and logical. Results. Attention is focused on the analysis of the current system of financing vocational education in China and the substantiation of proposals for optimizing its structure and forms, the need to increase non-fiscal sources of investment in its development. The authors analyze the current system of vocational education with Chinese specifics, consisting of secondary vocational education, higher vocational education and vocational education. The authors compare the financing of vocational and other forms of education, as well as the dynamics of changes in state funding per student. The structure of non-fiscal sources of funding for vocational education is analyzed. The uneven distribution of financial allocations of local authorities for vocational education in China is revealed. The effectiveness of measures to manage a special fund to improve the quality of modern vocational education is evaluated. Conclusions. Thus, at the present stage, the Chinese government seeks to build a modern system of vocational education with Chinese characteristics. The result-oriented approach to financing vocational education has been noted. At the same time, the structure of investment in its development is not effective enough. There is also a significant regional stratification of education costs. The author substantiates the need to deepen the interaction of industrial and educational policies in their unity. Transfer payments should be made on the basis of transparency and openness. The revenue structure of various educational funds should be improved.

Investment in tertiary education in OECD countries: Student spending and public support, allocation of education funding by resource category

Subject. This article discusses the issues of financing and ensuring the accessibility of higher education, and getting the balance between higher education spending and other public spending. Objectives. The article aims to analyze the major economic indicators of the higher education system's development in some countries and regions. Methods. For the study, I used the general scientific research methods. Results. The article describes different combinations of students' tuition costs and ways to find the optimal balance between different forms of learning support undertaken by governments of different countries. Conclusions. The high quality of higher education is recognized as an absolute priority. In the coming decade, higher education ecosystems will change in many countries, driven by changes in demand for higher education. More flexible and diverse financing modalities are needed, taking into account the practices of different countries.

Missing the target? Government commitment to education sector funding in Sub-Saharan Africa 2000–2023

It is assumed (at least implicitly) that the SDG4 Education for All targets are unlikely to be achieved unless governments commit at least 20% of total government expenditure to the education sector. This article focuses, therefore, on analysing medium-long term trends in the education funding share (EFS) for 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa since 2000. The two main conclusions are that the EFS is currently above 20% in less than 10% of these countries and that the EFS has been steadily declining in around half of all countries in SSA.

Three-way interaction effect of entrepreneurial orientation, CEO power, and organizational slack on Indonesian firms’ performance

This study aims to explore the complex interplay between entrepreneurial orientation, CEO power, and organizational slack, and their collective impact on firm performance within Indonesia’s manufacturing sector, providing actionable insights to optimize operations in a dynamic, resource-constrained environment. The paper employs a longitudinal approach, utilizing dynamic panel data from 127 publicly-traded manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2014 to 2022, focusing on this sector due to its significant role in Indonesia’s economy and the unique challenges these firms face in adapting to market changes and competitive pressures. The study initially found that entrepreneurial orientation did not significantly influence firm performance. However, when CEO power was introduced into the analysis, it significantly, albeit negatively, moderated the effect of entrepreneurial orientation, suggesting that higher CEO power may actually diminish beneficial impacts of entrepreneurial orientation on performance (β = –48.041, p < 0.05). Importantly, the analysis revealed that organizational slack can positively interact with both entrepreneurial orientation and CEO power, mitigating this negative influence and enhancing firm performance (β = 15.261, p < 0.05). These findings illuminate the complex interdependencies within strategic management, underscoring the necessity of aligning upper echelon power dynamics with organizational resources. This alignment is crucial for leveraging the full potential of entrepreneurial orientation to enhance firm performance. AcknowledgmentsThis study received sponsorship from Beasiswa Pendidikan Indonesia and Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education). The support from these organizations has been invaluable in the completion of this work, enabling comprehensive data collection and analysis crucial to complete the study.

Distribution of catheterisation laboratories in Indonesia 2017–2022: a nationwide survey

BackgroundGeographical terrains of Indonesia pose a major hindrance to transportation. The difficulty of transportation affects the provision of acute time-dependent therapy such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Also, Indonesia’s aging population would have a significant impact on the prevalence of acute coronary syndrome in the next decade. Therefore, the analysis and enhancement of cardiovascular care are crucial. The catheterisation laboratory performs PCI procedures. In the current study, we mapped the number and distribution of catheterisation laboratories in Indonesia. MethodsA direct survey was used to collect data related to catheterisation laboratory locations in July 2022. The population data was sourced from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The recent growth of catheterisation laboratories was examined and evaluated based on geographical areas. The main instruments for comparing regions and changes throughout time are the ratio of catheterisation laboratories per 100,000 population and the Gini index (a measure of economic and healthcare inequality. Gini index ranges from 0 to 1, with greater values indicating more significant levels of inequality). Regression analysis was carried out to see how the number of catheterisation laboratories was affected by health demand (prevalence) and economic capacity (Gross Domestic Regional Product [GDRP] per Capita). FindingsThe number of catheterisation laboratories in Indonesia significantly increased from 181 to 310 during 2017-2022, with 44 of the 119 new labs built in an area that did not have one. Java has the most catheterisation laboratories (208, 67%). The catheterisation laboratory ratio in the provinces of Indonesia ranges from 0·0 in West Papua and Maluku to 4·46 in Jakarta; the median is 1·09. (IQR 0·71–1·18). The distribution remains a problem, as shown by the high catheterisation laboratory Gini index (0·48). Regression shows that distribution of catheterisation laboratories was significantly affected by GDRP and the prevalence of heart disease. InterpretationThe number of catheterisation laboratories in Indonesia has increased significantly recently, however, maldistribution remains a concern. To improve Indonesia's cardiovascular emergency services, future development of catheterisation laboratories must be better planned considering the facility's accessibility and density. FundingIndonesia Endowment Fund for Education – Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (LPDP)

Moderating role of enterprise risk management in the relationship between sustainability performance and a firm’s competitive advantage

The emergence of sustainable business practices has garnered interest among stakeholders. However, the question of whether sustainability performance provides companies with a competitive advantage is still being debated in the literature. This paper aims to examine the influence of sustainability performance – namely economic sustainability performance and environmental, social, governance (ESG) – on competitive advantage, with the effectiveness of enterprise risk management (ERM) as the moderating variable. This paper used 202 firm-year observations during 2015–2022 from non-financial sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. To test the hypotheses, panel data regression with a one-year time-lag analysis is conducted. The findings show that economic sustainability performance has no relationship with competitive advantage, while ESG has a positive effect. Furthermore, ERM effectiveness strengthens the effect of economic sustainability and ESG on competitive advantage. Further investigation used a two-year time-lag analysis for a long-term perspective. The analysis shows that economic sustainability performance and ESG have a positive impact on competitive advantage. In contrast, ERM effectiveness has no effect on the relationship between economic sustainability performance and competitive advantage. Moreover, additional analysis incorporates the effect of COVID-19 into the main model and shows that the pandemic did not affect competitive advantage; this is consistent with the main results. The findings encourage companies to improve their risk management and sustainability initiatives. The government may also take it into account when developing rules that promote the implementation of sustainable development. AcknowledgmentThis research was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia through the Center for Higher Education Fund (BPPT) and Indonesia Endowment Funds for Education (LPDP) for providing the Indonesian Education Scholarship (BPI-Beasiswa Pendidikan Indonesia).

Rethinking Nigeria’s Development: The Transformative Power of Ethics, Education and Religion

The concept of development has been intertwined with human existence since ancient times. The study delved into the contemporary development landscape of Nigeria, analysing it from a comprehensive perspective that encompasses ethics, education, and religion. The study was initiated by a profound scientific inquiry in order to explore the intricate interplay between ethics, education, and religion in the growth and development of Nigeria. In addition, data collected from secondary sources such as text, journals, and the internet were analysed using exposition and content analysis methods. The concepts of education, development, and development ethics were further elucidated. The study highlighted Nigeria's on-going struggle to achieve developed status, citing the prevalence of immoral acts like corruption. It also emphasised the undeniable influence of religion on various aspects of Nigeria's development, such as education, social amenities, science and technology, language, peace as well as reconciliation. The study also revealed that the Nigerian government's insufficient investment in the education sector has resulted in a scarcity of experts in various fields, hindering the nation's progress. As a result, the study recommended that the government increase funding for education and that educational institution incorporate ethics into their curricula.

224 Influence of gender on animal science research funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Abstract According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, females and males in science disciplines obtain bachelor of science degrees at or near parity, yet females are not equally represented in academic faculty positions. This is true for agricultural field including the animal sciences. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) administers the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) at USDA, a flagship competitive grants program that fund research, education, and extension efforts with a total appropriation of $455 million in 2023. Our objective was to determine the difference between genders for submission rates (i.e., number of standard and seed grant applications submitted), success rates (i.e., number of grant award/number of applications submitted), and peer reviewers of grant applications in the main animal related AFRI program area priorities. All applications submitted to AFRI programs in animal genomics, reproduction, health, nutrition and growth, and welfare during 2013 to 2022 were evaluated. Gender was assigned to Project Directors (PD) and peer reviewers using first names as input into Gender API software (Gender-API.com; Passau, Germany) with ≥ 95% accuracy and ≥ 20 database occurrences used as quality filters and binary outcomes only (i.e., male or female). Effect of gender on submission rates, success rates, and peer review panel compositions were then analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-squared tests with P ≤ 0.05 considered significant. A total of 3,392 applications were submitted, of which 2,579 (76%) PD genders were assigned and analyzed further. Overall, the proportional submission rate for females was 28% and for males was 72%. Submission rates for females increased (P = 0.0497) over time ranging from 22% in 2013 to 33% in 2021. Submission rates differed by gender across programs (P < 0.0001) and ranged from 22% female in animal reproduction to 48% female in animal welfare. Overall, the funding success rate was 22% and did not differ between genders (P = 0.9826). Success rates did not differ between genders over time (P = 0.4691), but differences among programs approached significance (P = 0.0670). Across 53 panels, 42% of panelists were female; no differences were identified for the proportion of female panelists over time (P = 0.9762) or by program (P = 0.7028). Females submitted less than one-half as many applications as males, but the proportion of submissions by females increased over time. This trend remained consistent despite challenges of relocation of NIFA and COVID-19 during this time. Funding success rates did not differ by gender, but some variation was observed across programs. Overall, the proportion of NIFA panelists who were female exceeded the proportion of applications submitted by females. These results indicate that although differences in gender existed for application submission rate and panel composition, these differences did not impact funding success rate of applications in animal science programs at NIFA, which did not differ between genders.

The Impact of Educational Conditions on Income Inequality and Economic Growth in South Sumatra

Before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, income inequality and economic growth in South Sumatra experienced fluctuating conditions that could hinder learning and education activities. This study aims to examine the effect of educational conditions, consisting of the average length of school (RLS), literacy rate (AMH), pure participation rate (APM), and percentage of 15+ population of senior high school level (PPTP) on income inequality and economic growth in South Sumatra. Data were obtained from the BPS-Statistics of South Sumatra. The current study implemented panel data regression analysis on cross-sectional data from 16 cities/regencies in South Sumatra and time series 2017–2021. The research findings in the first equation show that RLS has a significant effect on reducing income inequality. AMH, APM, and PPTP do not significantly reduce income inequality. The second equation shows that APM and PPTP have a significant effect on economic growth, while RLS and AMH have no significant effect on economic growth. The influence of education on several of these factors has not reduced income inequality and economic growth caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from that, the APBD’s focus has been redirected to coping with the COVID-19 case; therefore, education has received less attention for this condition. Regional government efforts need to be increased by utilizing school operational assistance for people experiencing poverty and increasing the allocation of education funds above 20% so that compulsory education becomes 12 years. Keywords: COVID-19, economic growth, income inequality, length of school average, pure participation rate

Ventilatory Variability Is Increased at Rest in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Ventilatory instability is associated with adverse outcomes in left heart failure, with periodic breathing during awake, rest, sleep and exercise (exercise oscillatory ventilation) associated with increased mortality. Increased peripheral and central chemoreflex sensitivities and impairment of cardiac output have been implicated as causative mechanisms of ventilatory instability in heart failure. As these factors are also present in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), we tested the hypothesis that variability of breath-by-breath ventilation at rest would be increased in PAH compared with healthy controls. In fourteen patients with PAH (9 female, age 48.4±12.8 years, mean ± SD) and 14 healthy participants (9 female, age 49.4±14.2 years) breath-by-breath measurement of tidal volume and breathing frequency was undertaken with a pneumotachometer connected via a mouthpiece with nose-clip for 10 minutes while they rested awake and supine. Ventilatory (V̇E) variability was assessed using root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), standard deviation (SD), average real variability (ARV, i.e., sum of absolute differences in successive observations), coeffcient of variation (CoV), as well as Poincaré analysis and compared between PAH and healthy controls (Student’s t-test). Correlations between measures of ventilatory variability and pulmonary hemodynamic characteristics, exercise capacity and function were assessed with Pearson’s correlation coeffcient. Resting V̇E was higher in PAH compared to healthy controls (14.3±1.1 and 12.1±0.5 L·min−1 respectively; p=0.009). Measures of variability for V̇E were increased in PAH compared to healthy controls. More specifically, RMSSD (3.59±1.36 vs. 2.48±0.87 L·min−1, p=0.017), SD (2.92±1.14 vs. 1.98±0.53 L·min−1, p=0.012), ARV (2.47±0.97 vs. 1.67±0.60 L·min−1, p=0.016), Poincaré SD1 (short-term variability, p=0.020) and SD2 (long-term variability, p=0.028) were increased in PAH compared to healthy controls, respectively. No correlations were found between measures of ventilatory variability and pulmonary hemodynamics (mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and cardiac output), six-minute walk distance or WHO functional class. In summary, resting ventilatory variability is increased in PAH and not associated with haemodynamic factors and exercise capacity. Whether such raised ventilatory variability in PAH is related to increased chemoreflex sensitivity requires exploration. This study received funding support from the Greenlane Research and Educational Fund (21/01/4153), Health Research Council of New Zealand (19/687), and the Sidney Taylor Trust. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Respiratory Modulation of Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Dysfunctional sympathetic neural regulation is present in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with augmented muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) responses to handgrip exercise, cold pressor testing, and augmented sympathetic-blood pressure transduction identified. MSNA is modulated by respiration such that it is inhibited at higher lung volumes and increased at lower lung volumes. Herein we aimed to determine whether T2D affects the respiratory modulation of MSNA. Resting MSNA (microneurography) and respiration pattern (strain-gauge pneumobelt) were measured simultaneously in 20 patients with T2D (age 49.1±7.4 years, body mass index [BMI] 31.9±4.1 kg∙m−2, mean ± SD) and 13 age- and BMI-matched, healthy controls (46.3±9.4 years; 32.1±4.6 kg∙m−2). MSNA was stratified by the phase of respiration. Further comparisons were made between low lung volume (defined as 60-100% expiration + 0-60% inspiration) and high lung volume states (60-100% inspiration + 0-60% expiration). Resting MSNA burst frequency, burst incidence and total activity were similar between T2D and controls (p=0.953, p=0.624, and p=0.884, respectively). Both groups exhibited peak MSNA in late expiration to early inspiration, whilst inhibition of MSNA occurred during late inspiration to early expiration (respiratory phase p<0.001 for burst frequency, incidence and total activity), though no group x respiratory phase interaction was observed (p>0.05 for all MSNA measures). When MSNA responses were compared between lung volume states, percent reduction of MSNA burst incidence from low lung volume to high lung volume was less in T2D than controls (26.1±33.9 vs 50.1±25.6%, p=0.025). Furthermore, in T2D, there was a shift in the distribution of MSNA bursts with a greater proportion of bursts occurring at high lung volumes (i.e., burst count during high lung volume divided by total burst count) compared to controls (43.8±10.5 vs. 37.8±12.5% respectively, group x volume interaction p=0.04). Notably, the normal pattern of respiratory modulation of MSNA was absent in 5 T2D patients (non-modulators), whilst this did not occur in any control participants. Non-modulators had higher systolic blood pressure compared to modulators (138.7±16.6 vs. 123.2±10.6 mmHg respectively, p=0.024), with no differences in age, BMI, HbA1c, duration of T2D, or overall MSNA parameters (all p<0.05). These results suggest that whilst respiratory modulation of MSNA occurs in T2D, its effect appears blunted compared to healthy controls. Notably, the usual pattern of respiratory-sympathetic coupling is absent in some T2D patients, which may be associated with higher resting systolic blood pressure. MP is supported by the Greenlane Research and Educational Fund (21/01/4153). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

The association between disability and mortality: a mixed-methods study

Globally, 1·3 billion people have a disability and are more likely to experience poor health than the general population. However, little is known about the mortality or life expectancy gaps experienced by people with disabilities. We aimed to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between disability and mortality, compare these findings to the evidence on the association of impairment types and mortality, and model the estimated life expectancy gap experienced by people with disabilities. We did a mixed-methods study, which included a systematic review and meta-analysis, umbrella review, and life expectancy modelling. For the systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Global Health, PsycINFO, and Embase for studies published in English between Jan 1, 2007, and June 7, 2023, investigating the association of mortality and disability. We included prospective and retrospective cohort studies and randomised controlled trials with a baseline assessment of disability and a longitudinal assessment of all-cause mortality or cause-specific mortality. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility, extracted the data, and assessed risk of bias. We did a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate a pooled estimate of the mortality rate ratio for people with disabilities compared with those without disabilities. We did an umbrella review of meta-analyses examining the association between different impairment types and mortality. We used life table modelling to translate the mortality rate ratio into an estimate of the life expectancy gap between people with disabilities and the general population. The systematic review and meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42023433374. Our search identified 3731 articles, of which 42 studies were included in the systematic review. The meta-analysis included 31 studies. Pooled estimates showed that all-cause mortality was 2·24 times (95% CI 1·84-2·72) higher in people with disabilities than among people without disabilities, although heterogeneity between the studies was high (τ2=0·28, I2=100%). Modelling indicated a median gap in life expectancy of 13·8 years (95% CI 13·1-14·5) by disability status. Cause-specific mortality was also higher for people with disabilities, including for cancer, COVID-19, cardiovascular disease, and suicide. The umbrella review identified nine meta-analyses, which showed consistently elevated mortality rates among people with different impairment types. Mortality inequities experienced by people with disabilities necessitate health system changes and efforts to address inclusion and the social determinants of health. National Institute for Health and Care Research, Rhodes Scholarship, Indonesia Endowment Funds for Education, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Programme for Evidence to Inform Disability Action), and the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Assessment of Project Baseline Effect on Performance of Rwanda Education Funded Projects: A Case of Pan African Education Empowerment Project in Rwanda

A project's baseline is the research conducted at the commencement of the project to identify the current state of the project via data collecting, providing a benchmark against which subsequent modifications may be evaluated. The general objective of the study was the assessment of project baselines on performance of Rwanda education funded projects. A case of Pan African Education Empowerment Project in Rwanda and the specific objectives were to evaluate the influence of stakeholder’s participation as an effective baseline-survey on performance of education funded project of Pan African Education Empowerment Project in Rwanda, to examine the effect of project team competency as an effective baseline-survey on performance of education funded projects of Pan African Education Empowerment Project in Rwanda and to determine the effect of project costs as an effective baseline-survey on performance of education funded project of Pan African Education Empowerment Project in Rwanda. The study guided by the following theories: Stakeholder’s participation theory, project team competency theory, Project Costs Effectiveness theory and Expected Quality Standard theory. Project coordinators, PAEE project officers, District Education Officers in the Nyarugenge District, and project beneficiaries in the Nyarugenge District made up the target population of this descriptive research that used both quantitative and qualitative methods. In all there were 2689 from which a sample size of 348 was picked, the sample size calculated by Yamane formula. Researchers utilized a basic random sample strategy to choose participants from the whole population of interest, and a stratified sampling strategy to divide those participants into manageable subsets. Questionnaires, interviews, and records were used to compile the information needed for the study. Frequency tables, percentages, means, and standard deviations were generated using SPSS version 21 when data processing is complete. The predictors (Project cost effectiveness, Project team competency, and Stakeholders' engagement) and the Performance of education sponsored project of Pan African Education Empowerment Project in Rwanda are well correlated (R value of 0.807). There is a 0.221 coefficient for stakeholders' engagement (t = 3.938, p = 0.000), a 0.398 coefficient for project team competency (t = 8.381, p = 0.000), and a 0.254 coefficient for project cost effectiveness (t = 4.286, p = 0.000). This means that the performance of the Pan African Education Empowerment Project -funded education initiative in Rwanda improves in direct correlation with the level of each of these factors. These coefficients have important statistical significance and major roles in contributing to the success of the education financed project of Pan African Education Empowerment Project in Rwanda, since their p-values are considerably below the normal significance threshold of 0.05. Pan African Education Empowerment Project in Rwanda is recommended to strengthen stakeholder engagement, providing comprehensive training, investing in project team competency through professional development, conducting cost-benefit analyses, and implementing strong monitoring mechanisms to optimize financial resources and enhance the success of education funded projects.

Myocardial and Skeletal Muscle Microvascular Dysfunction Manifests Prior to Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: Sex-Dependent Differences

Introduction: Microvascular dysfunction is a recognized sign of disease in heart failure progression. Blood vessels exhibit abnormal vasoreactivity in early stage, subsequently deteriorating to rarefaction and reduced perfusion. In managing heart failure patients, where diagnosis is typically possible only when the hypertrophic heart is irreversibly damaged, earlier diagnosis is key to improving management. In this study, we apply a blood-pool MRI method for assessing vasomodulation to investigate if it can sensitively detect abnormal leg muscle vasoreactivity posited to manifest before myocardial mvD. Methods: Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained on a high-fat, high-sugar diet or a control diet for 6 months after the induction of diabetes. Beginning at month 1 or 2 post-induction and every 2 months thereafter, rats underwent blood-pool MRI to assess vasoreactivity in the heart or skeletal muscle, respectively. Ablavar, a T1-reducing blood-pool contrast agent, was administered and the T1 relaxation time dynamically measured as animals breathed in mild CO2 levels to modulate vessels and elicit a vasodilatory response. CO2 levels were set at 5% for skeletal muscle and 10% for cardiac muscle, and the gas was administered for 10 minutes. At the final timepoint, invasive laser Doppler perfusion measurements in leg muscle were recorded to verify MRI results. Results/Discussion: In this study, we provide the first demonstration that both skeletal muscle and myocardial microvascular vasoreactivity is altered in a non-obese rodent model of type II diabetes, prior to the development of heart failure symptoms. In male rats, the normally unresponsive heart to 10% CO2 reveals a pro-vasoconstriction response beginning at 5 months post-diabetes. Abnormal leg skeletal muscle vasoreactivity appeared even earlier, at 2 months: the usual vasodilatory response to 5% CO2 is interrupted with periods of vasoconstriction in diseased rats. In female rats, differences were observed between healthy and diseased animals only within the first two months post-diabetes and not later. In the heart, vasodilation to 10% CO2 seen in healthy animals was abolished in diabetes. In skeletal muscle, 5% CO2 was suboptimal in inducing reproducible vasoreactivity, but young diabetic females responded by vasodilation only. Conclusion: Abnormal vasoreactivity presents earlier than overt structural and functional cardiac changes in both sexes in HFpEF and can be detected using blood-pool MRI in leg skeletal muscle before the myocardium. Our non-invasive MRI technology sets the foundation for a paradigm shift in diagnosing mvD during the early stages of HFpEF, opening the door for early intervention. This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canada Foundation for Innovation/Ontario Research Fund, Dean’s Spark Professorship, Medicine by Design Pivotal Experiment Fund [to H.L.M.C.]; Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research PhD Education Fund, Scintica Instrumentation Inc [to S.L.]. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Corruption in Formal Adult Education in Nigeria: Implications for Sustainable National Development

This position paper took a cursory view of corruption, examined adult education, assessed corruption in formal adult education and highlighted the implications for sustainable national development in Nigeria. The paper concluded that concerted efforts must be put in place in order to curb the menace of corruption in adult education. Adult education is the poorest sector in education in terms of allocation of financial resources. Government allocates meagre financial resources annually to adult education organizations, yet corrupt financial practices are perpetrated by the operators of adult education institutions in Nigeria. There is equally the challenge of cheating in examination and examination malpractice. These have stifled the developmental needs of the country to be provided by adult education. It was suggested that the EFCC and ICPC should beam their searchlight on adult education sector of education with a view to recovering stolen funds arresting and prosecuting offenders of embezzlement and misappropriation of education funds; adult learners found guilty of corrupt practices should have their admission revoked; adult educators found guilty of the monetary extortion should be relieved of their jobs; and government should make it as a point of duty to allocate 3% of her education budget to adult education annually.

Budget Management of the Aceh Government: An Analysis of the Maqāṣid al-sharī’ah Approach

Aceh is a region that has special autonomy and privileges based on law within the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. In terms of the application of the special autonomy, four pillars shall be enacted by the government, including the implementation of religious life and the role of religious scholars in making regional policies in the context of Islamic law. This present study aims to examine the realization of regional expenditures based on their functions in accordance with the maqāṣid al-sharī’ah (objectives of the Islamic law). This normative legal study analyzed data by using the theory of maqāṣid al-sharī’ah. The data consisted of documents such as Aceh Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBA) reports, legislations, and relevant articles and books. The findings of the study revealed that the determination of regional expenditures has been moderate and reflected the realization of the maqāṣid al-sharī’ah, although less optimal. In addition, the implementation of APBA management has been in line with the maqāṣid al-sharī’ah, including protecting soul, property, religion, mind, and lineage. Yet, in the concept of maqāṣid al-sharī’ah, the proposed order should be protecting religion, soul, mind, lineage, and then property. Despite following the maqāṣid al-sharī’ah, the order of the implementation of APBA management differs from that developed by Muslim scholars. However, such hierarchical order needs not to be understood as is, since in certain conditions (i.e., emergency), protecting soul should be more prioritized than protecting religion. Moreover, the category of budget management cannot be distinguished diametrically, i.e., protection of mind also includes protection of religion since it involves funding for education and dayah (Islamic boarding schools).

Historical Redlining and Present-Day Nonsuicide Firearm Fatalities.

Redlining began in the 1930s with the Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC); this discriminatory practice limited mortgage availability and reinforced concentrated poverty that still exists today. It is important to understand the potential health implications of this federally sanctioned segregation. To examine the relationship between historical redlining policies and present-day nonsuicide firearm fatalities. Maps from the HOLC were overlaid with incidence of nonsuicide firearm fatalities from 2014 to 2022. A multilevel negative binomial regression model tested the association between modern-day firearm fatalities and HOLC historical grading (A ["best"] to D ["hazardous"]), controlling for year, HOLC area-level demographics, and state-level factors as fixed effects and a random intercept for city. Incidence rates (IRs) per 100 000 persons, incidence rate ratios (IRRs), and adjusted IRRs (aIRRs) for each HOLC grade were estimated using A-rated areas as the reference. 202 cities with areas graded by the HOLC in the 1930s. Population of the 8597 areas assessed by the HOLC. Nonsuicide firearm fatalities. From 2014 to 2022, a total of 41 428 nonsuicide firearm fatalities occurred in HOLC-graded areas. The firearm fatality rate increased as the HOLC grade progressed from A to D. In A-graded areas, the IR was 3.78 (95% CI, 3.52 to 4.05) per 100 000 persons per year. In B-graded areas, the IR, IRR, and aIRR relative to A areas were 7.43 (CI, 7.24 to 7.62) per 100 000 persons per year, 2.12 (CI, 1.94 to 2.32), and 1.42 (CI, 1.30 to 1.54), respectively. In C-graded areas, these values were 11.24 (CI, 11.08 to 11.40) per 100 000 persons per year, 3.78 (CI, 3.47 to 4.12), and 1.90 (CI, 1.75 to 2.07), respectively. In D-graded areas, these values were 16.26 (CI, 16.01 to 16.52) per 100 000 persons per year, 5.51 (CI, 5.05 to 6.02), and 2.07 (CI, 1.90 to 2.25), respectively. The Gun Violence Archive relies on media coverage and police reports. Discriminatory redlining policies from 80 years ago are associated with nonsuicide firearm fatalities today. Fred Lovejoy Housestaff Research and Education Fund.