Noble Intentions Research Articles

Implementation of Catch-Up Fridays: A Case Study on Teachers' Experiences at the Davao Del Norte Division

The study focuses on the implementation of the "Catch-Up Fridays" program in the Davao del Norte Division, Philippines, aimed at addressing learning gaps among students exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Initiated by the Department of Education (DepEd), this program dedicates every Friday to reading and writing activities, values, peace, and health education to enhance students' academic and holistic development. Despite its noble intentions, the program faces challenges in execution, notably in the provision of adequate resources and teacher training. This research explores teachers' experiences with the program, highlighting the additional burdens placed on them, such as the personal cost of photocopying materials due to inadequate resources. It also discusses the program's lack of structure, training, and differentiation, as assessed by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2). The study revealed themes in terms of teacher perspectives prior to the Catch-Up Friday program implementation, namely: educational impact, training and support, awareness and understanding. Moreover, three themes emerged for the challenges such as communication and coordination, teacher workload, and student engagement. Meanwhile, in terms of drawn insights, two themes appeared, namely: the importance of support and idealism and limitations. Furthermore, Theoretical frameworks such as Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Organizational Theory, Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), Resource Dependency Theory (RDT), and Complexity Theory provide insights into the complexities of implementing educational interventions. By examining these challenges, the study aims to propose solutions to improve the "Catch-Up Fridays" program's effectiveness and support its goal of leaving no student behind.

Social Objectives of Microfinance Institutions and Evaluating its Implementation: A Systematic Review

This research explores the social goals of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), emphasizing their role in empowering underserved groups, including women, rural populations, and micro-entrepreneurs through financial services. Despite their noble intentions, the commercialization of MFIs, influenced by large banking entities, has shifted the focus towards profitability, potentially undermining their mission to alleviate poverty. A systematic literature review conducted from 2010 to 2020 discloses mixed results regarding the relationship between financial sustainability and outreach depth for microfinance institutions (MFIs). The study explores such as balancing financial sustainability and social outreach, mission drift, regulatory hurdles, and governance shortcomings. It underscores the necessity for collaborative regulation, financial literacy, and enhanced governance to maintain the sustainability and efficacy of microfinance efforts. The study highlights the need for MFIs to balance financial sustainability with their social missions, advocating for enhanced governance, regulatory cooperation, and financial literacy to optimize their impact on poverty alleviation and economic inclusion. Academically, it calls for continued research into the trade-offs between profitability and social outreach, and the effectiveness of innovative microfinance interventions.

Narrative Collusion and Allegiance Justifying: A Cultural Critical Approach to The Dictator’s Last Night Novel by Yasmina Khadra

Yasmina Khadra’s novels adeptly navigate complex themes such as terrorism and revolution, employing a gripping narrative style that skillfully constructs a purposeful, creative storyline. This narrative technique is designed to accentuate the emotional dynamics and psychological transformations experienced by all participants throughout the depicted events. Commonly, Khadra interweaves a romantic subplot within his narratives, artfully blending reality with fiction. His novel, The Dictator’s Last Night, vividly recounts the confrontation faced by Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi shortly before his demise. In this portrayal, Khadra draws a subtle yet profound parallel between revolution, portrayed as a fringe act of defiance, and authority, seen as a central, dominant force. This juxtaposition reveals Khadra’s critical stance on revolutions; he views them as inherently unnatural acts that disrupt the transcendent balance of established centrism, regardless of the justification provided by their leaders. By delving into the depths of Gaddafi’s ordeal and the dispositions of the rebels, Khadra exposes the complex layers of loyalty and violent opposition, illustrating how the revolution strayed from its noble intentions towards a path marred by gruesome vengeance and malevolent retribution.

White Liberalism and Black Consciousness in Rosie Motene’s Reclaiming the Soil (2018)

White liberal gestures of kindness such as interventions to alleviate poverty in black communities are often seen as altruistic initiatives with noble intentions. However, in recent years, these interventions have come under greater scrutiny as scholars question the “white savior mentality” that often frames and propels such initiatives. In fact, contemporary neo-liberal interventions bear resemblance with the colonial civilizing mission because of their preoccupation with fixing problems in “broken” black communities. This article draws on Steve Biko’s notion of black consciousness and some concepts from black feminist thought to explore how Rosie Motene’s autobiography, Reclaiming the Soil: A Black Girl’s Struggle to Find her African Self (henceforth Reclaiming the Soil) interrupts the hegemonic liberal narrative of white saviorism to insert an alternative narrative of black struggle for self-determination. The study has three objectives. Firstly, it investigates how the autobiography narrates Motene’s lived experiences as a black girl adopted by and growing up within a white family. Secondly, it explores how the autobiography narrates liberal white saviorism in the context of apartheid racism and discrimination. Thirdly, it examines how the contradictions of the apartheid system and the white savior narrative awaken feelings of resentment and ultimately black consciousness in the narrator. The study argues that Motene’s autobiography is a “black consciousness” text that highlights the inherent contradictions of being white and liberal in a society that systemically entrenches poverty and suffering for black people to serve white interests.

The Jewel of Wisdom: Studies in Interdisciplinary Knowledge

The Jewel of Wisdom: Studies in Interdisciplinary Knowledge: ISBN 978-606-95069-6-7 published in Technium Books. Foreword by Professor Fawwaz Abd-Al-Haq Al-Zboun The president of the Hashemite University The university’s mission is not restricted only to teaching and graduating students; however, along with these two valuable missions, the university shoulders other noble responsibilities adding extra value to knowledge, and representing its essential visions as a higher educational institution. The most important goal that a university must look forward to achieve is the process of generating new knowledge, which must benefit the surrounding environment and everyone on the globe. This kind of production should also spring from honest and noble intentions teachers and students hold, and more specifically it is part of the academic respossibility of higher studies students, who are supposed to contribute and add knowledge to the humanities and scientific disciplines under the mentorship and guidance of their instructors. We, at the Hashemite University, support the value of education through creative, critical, and innovative thinking skills in order to achieve the change that leads to more development and excellence in almost every aspect. One of the experiences we have had, for example, in the Hashemite university, is what Dr Omar Abdullah Fajjawi, professor of pre-Islamic literature in the department of Arabic literature, made to create a new way of teaching ''literature and humanities" course for PhD students by making literature an interesting central point that speaks to several other sciences, shedding light on matters that have an essential effect on the profound understanding of literary texts, including poetry, prose, and other genres. His approach also includes teaching the holy Quran, which is mainly considered the first reference to the Arabic language. I knew that he had paved the way for his theortical method, which is known as ‘cultural integration’ by bringing out examples from Arabic traditions that show the way our old scientists and ancestors in the past used to have, representing high level of ‘articulating the cultural integration’, a thing that is evident in Professor Fajjawi's personality as an expert in many sciences, serving his precise specialization through this writing and classifying knowledge. With this tremendous literary achievement, I was delighted to know that, in every academic event and gathering, Professor Fajjawi used to invite a specialist whose major is related to the subject matter of each seminar, which usually begins with texts from the holy Quran and from poetry and prose, which are very important to be explained by the specialized guest. He invites specialists from different fields and disciplines, such as politics, economy, sociology, education, military sciences, and law. I was delighted when he invited me to lecture on the relationship between Arabic and the English language from many perspectives, such as translation and linguistic planning. From my point of view, the precise specialization of the university professor is an important issue. However, it should not lead to introversion because, in each specialization, some signs and implications should be explained by an expert, which is the central point of education. With this cheerful achievement, I am pleased to say that I found this book great and unique. It is worth mentioning that The Hashemite University is distinguished by its culture of knowledge industry, and this is an integral part of its mission. It will continue to flourish with God's help and guidance.

Teacher Preparation and the Implementation of Official Bilingualism in Anglophone Primary Schools in Cameroon: A Study of Some Teacher Training Colleges in the Buea Municipality

Since the reunification of the two Cameroons in 1961, successive modes of application of official bilingualism have been adopted geared toward empowering every child leaving school with communication competencies in English and French. Despite the noble intentions, the pedagogic implications of the implementation remain uncertain. With the current Anglophone crisis, the much talked about ‘living together’ is threatened by a linguistic divide which, undeniably, has a huge toll on the cultural heritage of the two linguistic communities in the country. One wonders why after more than half a century; official bilingualism is not yet a living reality among school leavers. In teacher training institutions responsible for laying the foundation for the achievement of the policy, language curriculum still leaves much to be desired. This research investigates teacher preparation as a crucial link in implementing the official bilingualism policy in Anglophone primary schools. It focuses on language curriculum as the basis for teacher training to establish its adequacy in the achievement of official bilingualism. The paper examines official bilingualism in the professional preparation of teachers in some public, confessional and lay private teacher training institutions in the Buea municipality of the South West Region of Cameroon. The findings reveal that, though most teachers have a good working experience of over 10 years, their deficient bilingualism levels do not reflect effectiveness in bilingualism teaching. They cannot plan, implement and evaluate French and bilingualism training lessons. They lack exposure in terms of content knowledge and pedagogic skills and have limited time allocation for bilingual training. Finally, teachers do not master the French language subject matter they are expected to teach.

Guardians of the Consumer: A Comparative Analysis of Consumer Protection Laws Across Countries

In this comprehensive exploration of consumer protection laws across diverse countries, the focus is on comparing the intricate structures, strengths, and weaknesses that characterize these regulatory frameworks. The journey into the historical evolution of consumer protection regulations provides a contextual backdrop to the contemporary landscape, offering valuable insights into the motivations that led to their establishment and the hurdles encountered in their implementation. The historical lens through which we examine the evolution of consumer protection laws reveals a compelling narrative. As industrialization and mass production gained momentum in the early 20th century, consumers found themselves vulnerable to a myriad of risks associated with product safety, misleading advertising, and unfair business practices. The establishment of pioneering institutions such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States marked a watershed moment, acknowledging the need for regulatory oversight to protect consumers from these emerging challenges. The comparative analysis undertaken in this article seeks to unveil the diversity of approaches adopted by different countries in addressing consumer protection concerns. Some nations have opted for comprehensive and overarching legislation that encapsulates various facets of consumer rights, while others have chosen a sector-specific approach. The European Union's harmonization efforts stand out as an example of a unified approach, fostering consistency across member states. On the other hand, countries like India and Brazil have developed specific laws targeting deceptive advertising and unfair trade practices, showcasing a tailored approach to consumer protection. Examining the reasons behind the implementation of consumer protection laws reveals a shared commitment to rectifying inherent imbalances in the marketplace. These laws aim to level the playing field between consumers and businesses by ensuring product safety, preventing fraud and deception, promoting fair competition, and providing a structured framework for dispute resolution. The overarching goal is to establish trust and confidence in economic transactions, recognizing that informed and protected consumers are essential for the proper functioning of a healthy market. Despite these noble intentions, the implementation of consumer protection laws faces a host of challenges. Enforcement issues, often stemming from limited resources and the complexity of global supply chains, pose significant obstacles to the effective execution of these regulations. Furthermore, cultural and regulatory differences among countries create complexities in achieving a harmonized global approach to consumer protection. The comparative analysis sheds light on these challenges, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts and innovative solutions to overcome these hindrances. As the article draws to a conclusion, reflections on the future of consumer protection become crucial. Identifying potential areas for improvement is essential to adapt these laws to the evolving dynamics of the global economy. The article encourages a forward-looking perspective, urging policymakers, businesses, and consumers alike to engage in an ongoing dialogue to refine and strengthen consumer protection laws. By addressing the challenges and seizing opportunities for enhancement, the global community can collectively work towards creating a more secure and equitable marketplace for consumers around the world.

RAD-XP: Tabletop Exercises for Eliciting Resilience Requirements for Sociotechnical Systems

Despite noble intentions, new technologies may have adverse effects on the resilience of the sociotechnical systems into which they are integrated. Our objective was to develop a lightweight method to elicit requirements that, if implemented, would support sociotechnical system resilience. We developed and piloted the Resilience-Aware Development Exercise Protocol (RAD-XP), a method to generate tabletop exercises (TTXs) to elicit resilience requirements. In the pilot study, this approach generated 15 requirements from a one-hour TTX, where the majority of requirements were found to support resilience. Participants indicated via survey that RAD-XP was effective and efficient, and that they would want to use RAD-XP regularly throughout the agile development process. We discuss future research and development to refine this approach to eliciting resilience requirements.

The Fulfillment of Prisoners' Rights by Establishing Private Prisons as an Alternative to Prisoner Development is Reviewed from Law Number 22 of 2022 Concerning Corrections

The problem of prisons in Indonesia has not been resolved until now. There are 3 (three) main problems to date, namely, Overcrowded Prisoners, Lack of Human Resources in Prisons and Large Costs. This greatly affects the rights of prisoners themselves, where the rights of prisoners have been regulated both in International (Standard minimum Rules For The Treatment Of Prisoner) and National provisions (Law Number 22 of 2022 concerning Corrections). This research aims to answer legal problems regarding how the government has been managing prisons and private prisons as an alternative solution to the problems of prisons in Indonesia. To answer the research problem, this study uses a type of normative legal research with a legal approach, concepts and comparisons. The data used are secondary data supported by primary, secondary and tertiary legal materials obtained through literature research or document studies. The results of this study show that in managing prisons, legally Indonesia has made significant improvements and more implemented the human rights system by changing the orientation of retaliation to coaching prisoners. However, in its implementation, the Indonesian government still finds it difficult to implement these noble intentions and until now there are 3 (three) major problems that have not been addressed, namely Overcrowded Prisoners, Lack of Human Resources in Prisons and Large Costs. To be able to implement these noble intentions, there is an alternative solution, namely the implementation of private prisons with the Public Private Partnership system or Hybrid System where this system has been successfully applied in France and produces efficiency for the state

Foresight for ethical AI.

There is growing expectation that artificial intelligence (AI) developers foresee and mitigate harms that might result from their creations; however, this is exceptionally difficult given the prevalence of emergent behaviors that occur when integrating AI into complex sociotechnical systems. We argue that Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) principles, models, and tools are well-suited to tackling this challenge. Already applied in high-consequence domains, NDM tools such as the premortem, and others, have been shown to uncover a reasonable set of risks of underlying factors that would lead to ethical harms. Such NDM tools have already been used to develop AI that is more trustworthy and resilient, and can help avoid unintended consequences of AI built with noble intentions. We present predictive policing algorithms as a use case, highlighting various factors that led to ethical harms and how NDM tools could help foresee and mitigate such harms.

Menggunakan Karunia Rohani Sebagai Bentuk Membangun Iman Jemaat Analisa Teks (1 Korintus 14:26-40)

Encouraged by the motivation of serving His congregation in Corinth, through the Apostle Paul, God’s servant who was entrusted with establishing, guiding, and advising God’s people there in God’s word which reads :
 “Though I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and have all knowledge; and though I have faith perfect to move mountains, yet I have no love, I am utterly useless” (TB 1 Cor 13:2).
 So, with the motivation because I love God's congregation, who have mistaken the spiritual gifts that God has bestowed or have wrong perceptions, I wrote a paper with the title "Using spiritual gifts as a form of building congregations", so that we all know that the gifts that are God gives is to have noble intentions and goals.

Disobedience as Usual: Why Design Activists Need Historians

Since the financial crash of 2008, and the resulting rise of the Occupy, Indignados, and other anti-capitalist movements, a flurry of academic publications devoted to design activism has also resulted.1 Publishers recognize a hungry student readership wanting to be reassured that, once they graduate, there may be alternatives to “working for the giant,” something other than selling their souls in service of capital. Of course, this isn’t the first time that a narrative of social change has inhabited the history of design. Indeed, a rather “standard” history of design—from William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement, through the early Bauhaus, postwar reconstruction, Italian radical design to present-day design activism—may be recounted as one of socially committed design and the crafting of alternative visions.2‘The history of design is a history of activism’. Discuss. might be an examination question for an undergraduate History of Design program general paper. The late 1960s and early 1970s have gained special attention lately.3 This might be because many of the emergent activities of the period, including participatory processes and community engagement, as well as design as refusal, critical practice, and autonomous action, have found a new relevance for design activists today. These accounts underpin the suggestion that the most interesting design in history has been disobedient. Given all this, one sometimes wonders why there seems to be such a wide gap between these noble intentions and what we have in daily life.

NETRALITAS PAJAK PERTAMBAHAN NILAI TERKAIT DENGAN PENGKREDITAN PAJAK MASUKAN DI INDONESIA

The HPP Law, which came into effect in 2022, sparked controversy regarding the types of goods and services exempt from VAT and removed from the negative list of the VAT Law. This was anticipated by issuing Government Regulation 49 of 2022, which provides VAT facilities under Article 16B for goods and services removed from the negative list. Using the literature review method, the author attempts to give an opinion on the provision of VAT facilities concerning the concept of VAT neutrality adopted by all countries implementing VAT in their respective countries. Based on simulations and literature review, it is concluded that providing VAT facilities with exemption contradicts the concept of neutrality more than providing VAT facilities with zero-rate. Therefore, if the government intends to provide VAT exemption facilities, a more in-depth study should be conducted to ensure that the noble intentions and objectives are maintained.

Hustler Fund: A Benediction or an Enigma Implementation and Economic Empowerment of Recipients in Uasin Gishu County

The Hustler Fund, as a form of digital finance exploring mobile money, has received considerable amounts of praise and criticism almost in equal measures, notwithstanding the material determination behind its creation or the noble intentions of its architects. Though ingeniously crafted, publicized, and adorned into the hearts of Kenyans during the campaign period, that political phase has long elapsed. Promulgated at the end of 2022 amidst pomp and colour, Kenyans were excited that, eventually, the fund was here, and the uptake was unprecedented. Just like for any other innovation, feedback comes in fast, both positive and negative. Some praised the Hustler fund immensely, while others did not have many kind words. All this was in the heat of the moment, a demonstration of general perceptions, not sufficient to make a resolute deduction on the Hustler fund. That wave has finally settled. Time for monitoring and evaluation now, followed by improvement. The hard work has just begun. This paper undertakes an assessment of the effect of the implementation of Hustler Fund on the economic empowerment of recipients in Uasin Gishu County. Eldoret town provided the sample for the study. The end-game is to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the evolving Hustler fund.

Improving Legislative Performance by Strengthening Authority and Increasing Obligations

The Regional Representative Council (In Indonesia: DPD/Dewan Perwakilan Daerah) is a government institution formed with noble intentions, to strengthen the representation of regional people so that their issues are fought for in the central government. However, in actual political practice, DPD is constrained by existing regulations in Indonesia, making DPD a legislative body without a clearly defined function and authority, and causing its inability to help increase the output of legislation. The legislature's performance, which increasingly often receives negative comments from the public, is a wake-up call for the Indonesian parliament to improve. This study aims to analyze the legal facts of the chaos of the Indonesian constitutional system that is not optimal in utilizing existing institutions such as DPD. This study also purposes to strengthen the urgency in correcting the mess through legal reform at the constitutional and legislative levels. The normative juridical legal method was used to investigate this matter, which refers to the positive regulations or laws that have been in force in Indonesia, which regulate the Indonesian constitution. As an institution with great potential for assisting the function of the House of Representatives (hereafter called DPR/Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat), DPD has always been neglected by Indonesian constitutional law politics according to this study. This research highlights the problems restricting the Indonesian government in connecting, understanding, and most importantly solving the problems that effect the lives of local communities, and how DPD has the potential to fix if given a better position in the legislation system.

Liability for assistance to aggressor state: issues of qualification and improvement of criminal law

From the moment of the open attack by the Russian Federation, the issues of criminal law response to encroachments on the foundations of Ukraine’s national security, which have not been resolved since the beginning of the war in 2014, have reemerged. Among the most urgent was the question of whether provisions of criminal law in force as of February 24, 2022 ensured the possibility of providing a proper assessment of the actions of persons who in various forms assist the aggressor state. The first decision made in order to solve this issue was the introduction of Article 111-1 “Collaborative activity” to the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Due to the belief of the People’s Deputies of Ukraine in the inadequacy of such a legislative step, another criminal law prohibition has appeared – Art. 111-2 “Assistance to the aggressor state”.
 The purpose of the research is in critical understanding of the debatable aspects of the criminal law novel about aiding the aggressor state, based on the results of which scientifically based recommendations should be developed in order to improve relevant provisions of the current criminal law and practice of its application.
 It has been proven that, despite the noble intentions of the parliamentarians, the inclusion of Art. 111-2 “Assistance to the aggressor state” has increased both the conflicting nature of the domestic criminal law and the legal uncertainty partially inherent in it, and also forces us to once again talk about excessive criminalization. Among the achievements of the legislative work related to the construction of the criminal law prohibition dedicated to aiding the aggressor state, one can only include the non-use in the current wording of Art. 111-2 of the Criminal Code of unjustifiably abstract phrases “other voluntary interaction with representatives of the aggressor state” and “any cooperation with representatives of the aggressor state”.
 Based on the example of criminal law assessment of such manifestations of assistance to the aggressor state, such as the transfer of material resources to the armed formations of the aggressor state and the implementation or support of the decisions and / or actions of the aggressor state, armed formations and / or the occupation administration of the aggressor state, the problematic nature of differing analyzed crime from collaborative activity, treason and justification, recognition as legitimate, denial of armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants has been demonstrated. The problem, which has risen as a result of the partially inappropriate duplication of legislative material, is proposed to be solved in one of three ways to optimize the articles of the Criminal Code on liability for treason, collaborative activity and assistance to the aggressor state.

Considering the Basotho indigenous education and school system as resources for peace-building education in Lesotho

Lesotho faces political, economic, social, cultural, religious, institutional and interpersonal violence, a situation that prompted the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to introduce a peace-building education program. This indigenous auto-ethnography inquiry arose as the result of the investigator’s realisation that the UNESCO strategy to establish peace education in Lesotho is an exclusive, narrow approach based on the formal Western education system. While UNESCO’s initiative to instil a culture of peace via education is commendable considering the seriousness of the violence in Lesotho, the article contends that the approach excludes many out-of-school youth from learning about developing a culture of peace. The article also reveals some characteristics associated with the Western educational system that contribute to its inability to incorporate all eligible groups in peace-building education. Guided by the theoretical framework of critical interculturality, this article highlighted the Basotho lebollo education system as having the ability to extend peace-building education beyond the confines of Western schooling and education to include out-of-school adolescents. The compatibility of the lebollo school system with peace-building education was proved by its indigenous epistemology and pedagogy. The article recommends a nonviolent strategy devoid of colonial violence and based on mutual respect that can bring lebollo on board for peace-building education, as has happened in response to the HIV and AIDS pandemic.Transdisciplinarity Contribution: This paper contributes to the broad debate that Western formal education ensnared in colonial power structures, has difficulty meeting the educational needs of the African child, despite its noble intentions. Using Basotho indigenous education system as a framework for calling for recognition of indigenous education, the paper makes the case for peacebuilding education as a potential model for indigenous education.

Melacak Tradisi Menulis Ulama Indonesia Abad Ke-19-21 (KH. Hasyim Asy’ari dan Ramli Abdul Wahid)

The tradition of writing among scholars has deep roots in various Islamic disciplines. Many works of scholars produced from the writing tradition strongly encourage the development of science, and Islam itself is very concerned about the development of science. This study aims to analyze the writing traditions of Indonesian ulama in the 19-21 century, which in this case is focused on KH. Hasyim Asyari and Ramli Abdul Wahid. The research method used in this research is a qualitative method based on literature study. The results of the discussion. First, the tradition of writing is a very important activity in the progress of the ummah and the nation. So it is hoped that every generation has a high ability to make their best writings for the advancement of the next generation. Second, in writing a work, of course, there is a strong belief that fosters noble intentions. And writing also requires strong supporting factors such as socio-political, time and economic. The three prominent and productive scholars, including Kiai Hasyim Asy'ari, are still remembered and proud to this day. Likewise with Prof. Dr. H. Ramli Abdul Wahid, MA who is certainly a prominent scholar, especially in North Sumatra Province, with his works that have provided developments in the world of Islamic education, especially.

Memorial communities in the global world

The article reveals the methodological potential of the cosmopolitan approach to the study of collective memory as one of the main prerequisites for the formation of group identity and identification of the foundations for the formation of global memory. For this purpose, the civilizational approach of S. Huntington, the paradigmatic approach of J. Heidt and the methodological apparatus of memory studies with its inherent intention to the problem of forming a group identity are used. These methodological tools helped to explain the whole spectrum of modern civilizational transformations and provided an impartial view of the sources of aggressive policy of russia towards Ukraine’s European choice and entire Western civilization. In view of this, the results of the study can be useful for developing a humanitarian policy appropriate to Ukraine’s European choice, in particular, for elaboration of a strategy for the development of Ukrainian memory policy. It must be developed taking into account the ultimate importance of global (universal) memory for overcoming international conflicts for the sake of peace and prosperity of all mankind and understanding the problematic nature of its emergence in the near future due to civilizational differences and economic inequality. Given this, it is important to the modern world to form supranational communities, whose members being aware of the decentralized nature of global processes and the risks involved will focus on creating a system of interstate mechanisms to overcome turbulence to preserve peace and increase human well-being. Despite the noble intentions of the supporters of the cosmopolitan world based on the principles of liberal democracy, their ideas and programs are discern with great caution, and sometimes even with open hostility in cultural environments and communities with different from European collective experience and historical memory. This, in turn, puts on the list of items the need to unite the entire Western world and construct a supranational pan-European identity as a prerequisite for the internal consolidation of European society around core values defined by shared historical memories that underpins European international policy

THE FOUR-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE LLB: WHERE TO FROM HERE?

Fifteen years have passed since the four-year undergraduate Baccalaureus Legum (“LLB”) degree was first introduced in 1998. This degree was introduced by the Qualification of Legal Practitioners Amendment Act 78 of 1997 “as the minimum academic qualification for admission to practice as an advocate or an attorney … [to] ensure a level of equality between all practising lawyers”. The justification for the introduction of the four-year LLB programme was twofold: First, there were too few black South Africans represented in the legal profession and, secondly, the country’s previous apartheid policy had resulted in a distinction between the law degree that could be obtained bywhites and that which could be obtained by non-whites. To address these problems, Government introduced a single law degree, which was intended in one fell-swoop to remedy both the problem of under-representivity as well as provide equal qualifications for all.Despite the noble intentions of the democratic Government, the “symbolic gesture which was intended to herald a transformative shift has been a hollow victory”. On the surface, Government succeeded in remedying the problem with which it was faced: the new LLB did produce more black law graduates. However, the quality of graduates entering the legal profession is poor. In fact, the graduates that have been born from this initiative are not worthy of the qualification that they have obtained as many of them are unable to read, write and count atthe level required by the legal profession. (Here it should be emphasized that we are not talking about “plain old reading and writing”, as Boughey puts it, “rather much more specific kinds of literacy.” She adds that “[u]niversities require students to make inferences and draw conclusions from what they read, and to use reading of other texts and their knowledge of the world to question what they are reading”. This in her opinion does not render “reading at university more difficult, rather that reading at university requires the reader to take up a different position in relation to what he/she reads”. This requires a depth which in my opinion students in the undergraduate LLB degree lack because their knowledge of the world is very limited, despite being in possession of a degree which should indicate the contrary. This is problematic because poorly literate candidate attorneys and lawyers may hinder their clients’ access to justice and ultimately reduce people’s faith in the legal system in the long term if lawyers are less able to perform effectively. This is the legacy that has been left by the four-year undergraduate LLB degree. As a result of the repeated “dissatisfaction regarding the quality of law graduates raised by members of the legal profession, Government and academics”, the question that keeps rearing its head is how to address this problem. Two suggestions have been made: the first is for an extended undergraduate LLB degree to remedy the defects of the four-year degree; and the other for a return to the old post-graduate LLB degree. This note considers the four-year degree, in particular its content and pitfalls, as well as the reasons therefore. It also considers recent developments surrounding the law curriculum, the alternatives proposed and whether these are feasible. Lastly, suggestions are made for the way forward.