Although there are some empirical researches undertaken on poverty in Ethiopia, there is a need for new researches that make use of recent data set and improved methods. Moreover, little research is done on the variables that affect the dynamics of poverty to understand what determines households to fall into and move out of poverty. Using Ethiopian Socioeconomic Survey (ESS) wave 2 (2013/14) and wave 3 (2015/16) data, this research identified the correlates of poverty, and the factors that determine the movement of households into and out of poverty. To this end, Kripfganz and Schwarz's sequential (two-stage) regression is used as a primary tool of analysis. The findings from this sequential regression are then compared with two other alternative methods of estimation: Logit Random Effect regression and Logit Fixed Effect regression. The research found that dependency ratio, age of household head and the square of age of head of household are strongly associated with poverty of households. Moreover, it was found that households with illiterate heads have a higher probability of falling into poverty, as compared to the base group of households headed by one with adult and informal education. A multinomial logistic regression undertaken to capture the probability of moving into and out of chronic poverty showed that ownership of nonagricultural business has the tendency to decrease the (relative) probability of a household being chronically poor, rather than move out of poverty. The research finally recommended that the government need to design polices and incentive packages for head of household to get into literacy programs. Family planning scheme should also augment the poverty reduction programs as it reduces the dependency rate. It is also recommended that the government needs to design appropriate entrepreneurial-oriented economic policies and incentive packages that support households to start up businesses.
Background: Health of a nation lies in hands of its people. India harbours a huge load of thalassemia , the fatal yet preventable condition, in various forms. Haemoglobin E has prevalence of 3-10% in West Bengal and is believed to be harboured mostly by Rajbanshis, who form majority of the local population in this terrain. Hence effective utilization of services provided is of utmost importance. Satisfaction of clients determines optimum service utilization, an indicator of effective health outcome and desirable health indicators. Accountability, accessibility, availability and sensitivity to felt needs of community by health staffs engaged in service delivery ensure satisfaction among beneficiaries. Thalassemia control unit (TCU) is a state government endeavour which aids in case and carrier detection through screening programs and there further management. The objectives of the study were to assess client satisfaction among beneficiaries regarding various aspects of services provided to them at TCU and resolve issues with managerial skills.Methods: Study was conducted in TCU of North Bengal Medical College for six months. Study subjects were selected by systematic random sampling technique pertaining to study criteria. 120 beneficiaries were studied. Predesigned, pretested schedule adapted from CSQ8 Questionnaire was applied and exit interview was done. Satisfaction of clients in different components was assessed and means scores compared. Health staffs were also interviewed. Results: Among selected beneficiaries 40 were known to health staffs at clinic. Majority were adults, Hindus, females and illiterates. Satisfaction level regarding different components varied among respondents. Significant difference was noted among two groups of respondents regarding behaviour of staffs at the clinic. Managerial issues were addressed after prioritization and categorization.Conclusion: Satisfaction levels varied for different components among respondents. Significant difference was noted regarding behaviour of staff to known beneficiaries .Various issues existed which were neglected but could be addressed with managerial skills. Appropriate health education and sensitive interventions may prove beneficial. However, a larger study with more representative sample is warranted. DOI:10.21276/AABS.2017.1309
Introduction Amid a pat for marching towards the measurable "Education for All" goals, the chastisement that India has the world's largest illiterate population and that the poverty-stricken women in India will take 65 years to attain literacy should make all those who have stake in India's development sit up and pull up their socks. A major thrust has been made in each decade since Independence to spread literacy in India. Major initiatives include Social Education (1952), Farmers' Training and Functional Literacy Programme (1967–68), and National Adult Education Programme (1977–78). Then in 1988, the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi inaugurated the ambitious National Literacy Mission (NLM) that envisaged making 30 million Indians literate by 1990 and 50 millions more literate by 1995. Using unprecedented techno-pedagogic inputs, NLM initiatives began across the country. The initiatives, especially NLM, bore results but they were less than satisfactory. An example from Gujarat makes it clear. A review,1 commissioned by the Government of Gujarat and carried out by Sardar Patel Institute of Economic and Social Research declared 15 out of 21 districts fully literate. Remarkably this review was commissioned when a government-commissioned review2 by Gujarat Institute of Development Research earlier in the same year reported less than satisfactory progress in the state's Gandhinagar district. The ground reality was affirmed in 1999 when Action India, a non-government organisation floated by some well meaning influential non-resident Indians, identified literacy as an area to work in. Sam Pitroda, the technocrat credited with conceiving NLM, was the driving force behind Action India. By 2003, the Government of Gujarat which had claimed total literacy in 15 out of 21 districts, officially recognised the state's literacy scene as one of the poorest in the country and appointed a core group headed by a UNESCO consultant to look into the problem. The idea, obviously, was to make future literacy initiatives more effective. ...
Cahier de recherche PMMA ; 2007-04 ; National audience ; The purpose of the study is to investigate the integration of the relative cost of children to parents and of economies of scales in the context of the evaluation of household welfare. Results derived with empirically-estimated scales show that households headed by women are poorer than those headed by men. Poverty is also found to be more prevalent in rural areas, in households whose heads are illiterate, and in households whose heads works in the informal sector. As for poverty dynamics, the results show that poverty increased in Cameroun between 1996 and 2001. Despite the fact that some results are the same with those derived from the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) scales used by Cameroon's National Institute of Statistics, many stand in stark contrast to these. The results of the present study are used to recommend specific policies in favour of poverty alleviation. ; Le problème que pose la présente étude est celui de la prise en compte du coût relatif des enfants par rapport à celui des adultes et des économies d'échelles dans l'appréciation du bien-être des ménages. Les résultats issus des échelles empiriques construitent à cet effet montrent que les ménagent dirigés par les femmes sont plus pauvres que ceux dirigés par les hommes. La pauvreté est plus ambiante dans les zones rurales, dans les ménages dont le chef est analphabète et dans les ménages dont le chef exerce dans le secteur informel. En ce qui concerne la dynamique, les résultats montrent que la pauvreté a augmenté au Cameroun entre 1996 et 2001. Bien que certains résultats confortent ceux issus des échelles "Recommended Dietary Allowances" (RDA) utilisés par l'institut national de la Statistique, d'autres les remettent en question. Les résultats de l'étude recommandent la mise en oeuvre de politiques spécifiques pour la réduction de la pauvreté.
Le problème que pose la présente étude est celui de la prise en compte du coût relatif des enfants par rapport à celui des adultes et des économies d'échelles dans l'appréciation du bien-être des ménages. Les résultats issus des échelles empiriques construitent à cet effet montrent que les ménagent dirigés par les femmes sont plus pauvres que ceux dirigés par les hommes. La pauvreté est plus ambiante dans les zones rurales, dans les ménages dont le chef est analphabète et dans les ménages dont le chef exerce dans le secteur informel. En ce qui concerne la dynamique, les résultats montrent que la pauvreté a augmenté au Cameroun entre 1996 et 2001. Bien que certains résultats confortent ceux issus des échelles "Recommended Dietary Allowances" (RDA) utilisés par l'institut national de la Statistique, d'autres les remettent en question. Les résultats de l'étude recommandent la mise en oeuvre de politiques spécifiques pour la réduction de la pauvreté. ; The purpose of the study is to investigate the integration of the relative cost of children to parents and of economies of scales in the context of the evaluation of household welfare. Results derived with empirically-estimated scales show that households headed by women are poorer than those headed by men. Poverty is also found to be more prevalent in rural areas, in households whose heads are illiterate, and in households whose heads works in the informal sector. As for poverty dynamics, the results show that poverty increased in Cameroun between 1996 and 2001. Despite the fact that some results are the same with those derived from the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) scales used by Cameroon's National Institute of Statistics, many stand in stark contrast to these. The results of the present study are used to recommend specific policies in favour of poverty alleviation.
Cahier de recherche PMMA ; 2007-04 ; National audience ; The purpose of the study is to investigate the integration of the relative cost of children to parents and of economies of scales in the context of the evaluation of household welfare. Results derived with empirically-estimated scales show that households headed by women are poorer than those headed by men. Poverty is also found to be more prevalent in rural areas, in households whose heads are illiterate, and in households whose heads works in the informal sector. As for poverty dynamics, the results show that poverty increased in Cameroun between 1996 and 2001. Despite the fact that some results are the same with those derived from the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) scales used by Cameroon's National Institute of Statistics, many stand in stark contrast to these. The results of the present study are used to recommend specific policies in favour of poverty alleviation. ; Le problème que pose la présente étude est celui de la prise en compte du coût relatif des enfants par rapport à celui des adultes et des économies d'échelles dans l'appréciation du bien-être des ménages. Les résultats issus des échelles empiriques construitent à cet effet montrent que les ménagent dirigés par les femmes sont plus pauvres que ceux dirigés par les hommes. La pauvreté est plus ambiante dans les zones rurales, dans les ménages dont le chef est analphabète et dans les ménages dont le chef exerce dans le secteur informel. En ce qui concerne la dynamique, les résultats montrent que la pauvreté a augmenté au Cameroun entre 1996 et 2001. Bien que certains résultats confortent ceux issus des échelles "Recommended Dietary Allowances" (RDA) utilisés par l'institut national de la Statistique, d'autres les remettent en question. Les résultats de l'étude recommandent la mise en oeuvre de politiques spécifiques pour la réduction de la pauvreté.
La ciudad de Medell?n viene aumentando su poblaci?n adulta mayor, pero las condiciones para que esta poblaci?n tenga garant?as de seguridad econ?mica para una vejez digna son confusas debido a que cada vez el desempleo es mayor a pesar de que la ciudad es muy apetecida por el comercio industrial y el de servicios, esto hace que la principal alternativa para la subsistencia de la poblaci?n adulta mayor de los estratos m?s bajos sea laborar en la econom?a informal. El objetivo del presente trabajo, desde el ?rea de la gerontolog?a, es conocer las condiciones laborales de los adultos mayores que realizan su actividad de ventas en el centro de la ciudad de Medell?n. El estudio es descriptivo de corte cuantitativo, con una selecci?n aleatoria de 24 personas adultas mayores de 60 a?os que laboran en la venta informal, situados en sectores aleda?os al parque Berrio de la ciudad de Medell?n; a quienes se les aplic? una encuesta estructurada con 24 preguntas. Los resultados indican que las edades con mayor participaci?n en esta actividad est?n entre los 60-65 y 66-70 a?os y el nivel de escolaridad es bajo con un 25% analfabeta y 50% con estudios hasta 5 de primaria. Las condiciones laborales en las que ejercen sus actividades son inadecuadas e indignas, con jornadas laborales entre 9 y 10 horas y un alto riesgo en su integridad por temas como la delincuencia y el medio ambiente al que est?n expuestos, lo que supone un riesgo para la salud al referir que es frecuente que presenten dolor de espalda, piernas y cabeza. A trav?s de este estudio, se logra tener acercamiento a una realidad que padecen los adultos mayores y que es compleja en su manejo para el gobierno local como es el tema de la informalidad, adem?s algunos de los resultados pueden ser una puerta para futuros estudios multidisciplinarios y de inter?s para programas sociales que buscan mejorar las condiciones de vida de los adultos mayores que laboran en el sector informal. ; The city of Medell?n has been increasing its older adult population, but the conditions for this population to have guarantees of economic security for a dignified old age are confusing because unemployment is increasing even though the city is very much in demand for industrial and service trade, which means that the main alternative for the subsistence of the older population in the lower strata is to work in the informal economy. The objective of the present work, from the area of gerontology, is to know the working conditions of the older adults that carry out their sales activity in the center of the city of Medell?n. The study is descriptive and quantitative, with a random selection of 24 adults over 60 years of age who work in the informal economy, located in areas surrounding the Berrio Park in the city of Medell?n. The results indicate that the ages with the highest participation in this activity are between 60-65 and 66-70 years old and the level of schooling is low with 25% illiterate and 50% with studies up to 5 years of primary school. The working conditions in which they carry out their activities are inadequate and undignified, with working days of between 9 and 10 hours and high risk in their integrity due to issues such as crime and the environment to which they are exposed, which poses a risk to their health as they frequently present back, leg and head pain. Through this study, it is possible to have an approach to a reality that the older adults suffer and that is complex in its management for the local government as it is the subject of the informality, also, some of the results can be a door for future multidisciplinary studies and of interest for social programs that look for to improve the conditions of life of the older adults who work in the informal sector.
Contrastive analysis between Spanish and English / Raquel T. Anderson and José G. Centeno -- English language learners: literacy and biliteracy considerations / Hortencia Kayser and José G. Centeno -- Bilingual development and communication: implications for clinical language studies / José G. Centeno -- Neurolinguistic aspects of bilingualism / Martin R. Gitterman and Hia Datta -- Sociocultural, societal, and psychological aspects of bilingualism: variables, interactions, and therapeutic implications in speech-language pathology / Alizah Z. Brozgold and José G. Centeno -- Cross-linguistic research: the convergence of monolingual and bilingual data / Raquel T. Anderson -- The cognitive neuropsychology of language disorders among Spanish speakers / Brendan Stuart Weekes -- Ethical and methodological considerations in clinical communication research with Hispanic populations / José G. Centeno and Willard Gingerich -- Exploring the grammar of Spanish-speaking children with specific language impairment / Raquel T. Anderson -- Language elicitation and analysis as a research and clinical tool for Latino children / María Adelaida Restrepo and Anny Patricia Castilla -- Utterance length measures for Spanish-speaking toddlers: the morpheme versus word issue revisited / Donna Jackson-Maldonado and Barbara T. Conboy -- Lexical skills in young children learning a second language: methods, results, and clinical applications / Kathryn Kohnert and Pui Fong Kan -- Measuring phonological skills in bilingual children: methodology and clinical applications / Brian A. Goldstein -- Prepositional processing in Spanish speakers with aphasia: the role of semantic value and amount of contextual information / Belinda A. Reyes -- Cohesion in the conversational samples of Broca's aphasic individuals: theoretical and clinical implications / Lourdes G. Pietrosemoli -- Language switching in the context of Spanish-English bilingual aphasia / Ana Inés Ansaldo and Karine Marcotte -- Description and detection of acquired dyslexia and dysgraphia in Spanish / I. Carolina Iribarren -- Cross-linguistic aspects of dyslexia in Spanish-English bilinguals / Elizabeth Ijalba and Loraine K. Obler -- Neuropsychological profile of adult illiterates and the development and application of a neuropsychological program for learning to read / Feggy Ostrosky-Solís [and others] -- Phonetic descriptions of speech production in bilingual speakers: empirical evidence and clinical considerations / Fredericka Bell-Berti -- Epilogue / Loraine K. Obler.
Background: - Fatalities from hypertension in East Africa are increasing even though it decreased in western industrial regions. Older age, female, illiterate, smoking, physical inactivity and high waist circumferences are major risk factors for the development of hypertension. The prevalence of Hypertension among federal ministry civil servants in Addis Ababa was found to be high; which is an indication for institution based hypertension-screening programs. This study aimed to collect and organize the data about prevalence and associated factors of hypertension. Objective: - To assess the prevalence and major associated factors of hypertension among Outpatient attendants at Health Centers in Akaki Kality Sub-City. Methodology: - Cross-sectional study was conducted on 401 outpatient attendants whose age were greater or equal to 18 years from the four Government Health Centers in Akaki Kality sub-city. Systematic random Sampling was used to select study subjects from each Health Center. The data were collected by face-to-face interview. A structured pre tested questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire was adopted from WHO STEPWISE survey and included additional information. In addition, blood pressure was measured using manual sphygmomanometer and stethoscope, Weight by adult weight scale, Height by tape meter and BMI was calculated. Results: - The overall prevalence of hypertension was found to be 14% (95% CI: 13.653-14.347); of which 30 (53.57%) were males (P- value > 0.05). Based on this data, alcohol drinkers were 11.844 times more likely to be hypertensive compared to non-alcohol drinkers (AOR= 11.844, 95% CI: 3.596-39.014). Cigarette smokers were 16.511 times more likely to be hypertensive compared to non-cigarette smokers (AOR= 16.511, 95% CI: 4.775-57.084). Khat chewers were 6.964 times more likely to be hypertensive compared to non-chat chewers (AOR= 6.964, 95% CI: 1.773-26.889). BMI (AOR=1.320, 95% CI: 1.149-1.516) and age (AOR=1.040, 95% CI: 1.004-1.077) were also significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusion: - The prevalence of hypertension is 14% among OPD attendants in Akaki Kality health centres. Alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking, Khat chewing, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and Age ≥ 44 years old are major determinants identified by this study. Keywords: prevalence, associated factors, hypertension, Ethiopia
Abstract Background Evaluation of patient/client satisfaction with pharmacy services as a crucial part of the health services through appropriate studies is important. This will help identify specific areas of the service which need improvement in realizing high quality pharmacy services in general and enhance the positive changes in the current pharmaceutical services provision in Ethiopia. The current study aimed at assessing the level of client satisfaction with the services of the outpatient pharmacy of Gondar University Referral Hospital (GURH) in northwestern Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted involving 400 clients who had prescriptions/orders filled at the outpatient pharmacy of the hospital during the period of 5th to 25th of November 2013. The data on the level of satisfaction of clients with the services of the outpatient pharmacy in the hospital was collected using a structured interview guide adopted from an instrument translated into Amharic and validated. The data collected was entered into and analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. Results The overall mean score the respondents gave to satisfaction with the pharmaceutical services was 2.48 out of a maximum of 5.00 score. The mean scores for all the individual parameters rated were less than 3.00. Maximum mean scores were given for parameters asking about the promptness of prescription medication service (2.99), and professionalism of the pharmacy staff (2.96) with the lowest being scored for information given to clients about the storage of medication (1.25), and explanations of possible side effects (1.27). Clients who were served free of fee recorded significantly higher level of satisfaction than those who paid. Higher levels of satisfaction were also reported among illiterates, older adults and those with no job compared to those with higher education, merchants and government employees. Conclusions This study showed that the overall mean satisfaction level of clients of the outpatient pharmacy was low and it differed among different socio-demographic characteristics. Further research in to the reasons behind the low satisfaction should be done to provide appropriate solutions to improve the service.
U ljetnim mjesecima 1905. godine skupina demokratski usmjerenih varaždinskih studenata utemeljila je Hrvatski akademski ferijalni klub Fidelitas koji je 1907. promijenio naziv u Tomislav. Svrha ovog kluba bila je razvijanje društvenosti i širenje prosvjete među članstvom i širim slojevima pučanstva. U sljedećih desetak godina klub je razvio bogatu i sustavnu aktivnost na tri ključna područja, pri priređivanju kulturno-zabavnih programa, pučkih javnih predavanja i održavanju tečajeva za opismenjavanje. Kako bi privukli pozornost varaždinske javnosti, sveučilištarci su tijekom božićnih i uskršnjih praznika, maksimalno koristeći slobodno vrijeme svojih članova, od samog početka priređivali Dramatske večeri, glazbeno-literarne programe, tzv. jour fixe, pučke ljetne zabave, plesne vjenčiće i koncerte. Njihovim priređivanjem oni su pridonosili kulturnom i društvenom životu i osiguravali sredstva potrebna za humanitarni rad i održavanje ostalih svojih aktivnosti. Priređivanjem pučkih javnih predavanja sveučilištarci su među građanstvom nastojali predstaviti i popularizirati postignuća raznih područja znanosti i umjetnosti kako bi se općenito podigla razina obrazovanosti stanovništva. Zahvaljujući organizacijskim teškoćama i idejno-političkim nesuglasicama s lokalnim vlastima, ova se aktivnost svela na svega nekoliko priređenih predavanja tijekom 1907. i 1908. godine. Daleko uspješnija bila je aktivnost suzbijanja nepismenosti. U tu svrhu redovito su organizirani analfabetski tečajevi, a termini njihovog održavanja s vremenom su usklađeni s prekidima u akademskoj godini pa se obično zimski tečaj organizirao preko božićnih, dok se proljetni tečaj održavao tijekom uskrsnih praznika. Uobičajeno vrijeme podučavanja svodilo se na nekoliko tjedana i obično se održavalo u prostorima varaždinskih pučkih škola. Pouka je za polaznike bila besplatna jer je sve troškove pokrivao akademski klub. Premda su nastojali zadržati političku neutralnost, varaždinski sveučilištarci su se uključili u pripremu i organizaciju masovnog učeničkog štrajka protiv bana Slavka Cuvaja 1912. godine. Uz podršku Hrvatskog akademskog ferijalnog kluba Tomislav uslijedio je jednodnevni učenički štrajk upozorenja 14. ožujka i priključivanje varaždinske mladeži generalnom štrajku hrvatske mladeži 19. ožujka 1912. godine. Zabranom djelovanja svih udruga koja je nastupila s početkom Prvog svjetskog rata, klub je nažalost, prekinuo svoju legalnu aktivnost na nekoliko sljedećih godina. ; In summer months of 1905 a group of Varaždin democrat students founded the Croatian Academic Youth Club Fidelitas which was later renamed as Tomislav in 1907. The purpose of the club was the development of social activities and the promotion of teaching activities amongst its members and general public. In the following ten years the club developed a rich and systematic activity on three different levels: the organization of cultural and entertainment events, the organization of non-academic public lectures and offering literacy courses. In order to attract the attention of Varaždin public, academicians used to spend their free time during the Christmas and Easter holidays by organizing Drama nights, musical and literary programs, the so-called jour fixe, folk summer parties, regency dances and concerts. Through the organization of the mentioned events they made a contribution to the cultural and social life, as well as provided the means necessary for humanitarian activity and the organization of all other activities. The purpose of giving public non-academic lectures was to introduce the general public to new advances in various fields of science and art, in order to raise general level of education of the population. As a consequence of organizational difficulties as well as political and ideological conflicts with the local authorities, the mentioned activity was eventually reduced to only several organized lectures throughout 1907 and 1908. However, the literacy improvement activity was far more successful. In order to improve literacy, the academicians organized regular courses for the illiterate people, and eventually they managed to run the courses during the academic breaks. Therefore, winter courses were normally given during Christmas break and the spring courses during Easter breaks. The usual duration of the course was several weeks and the course was normally held in Varaždin public schools. The courses were free of charge for the students because all the expenses were covered by the Academic club. Despite the fact that they were trying to stay politically neutral, Varaždin academicians were engaged in the preparation and organization of massive student strike against viceroy Slavko Cuvaj in 1912. Supported by Croatian Academic Youth Club Tomislav, a one-day student strike was held on March the 14th and the Varaždin youth joined the general strike of Croatian youth which was held on the 19th of March, 1912. Following the official ban of all associations that was introduced at the onset of World War I, unfortunately the club had to suspend all legal activities for a couple of years.In order to attract the attention of Varaždin public, academicians used to spend their free time during the Christmas and Easter holidays by organizing Drama nights, musical and literary programs, the so-called jour fixe, folk summer parties, regency dances and concerts. Through the organization of the mentioned events they made a contribution to the cultural and social life, as well as provided the means necessary for humanitarian activity and the organization of all other activities. The purpose of giving public non-academic lectures was to introduce the general public to new advances in various fields of science and art, in order to raise general level of education of the population. As a consequence of organizational difficulties as well as political and ideological conflicts with the local authorities, the mentioned activity was eventually reduced to only several organized lectures throughout 1907 and 1908. However, the literacy improvement activity was far more successful. In order to improve literacy, the academicians organized regular courses for the illiterate people, and eventually they managed to run the courses during the academic breaks. Therefore, winter courses were normally given during Christmas break and the spring courses during Easter breaks. The usual duration of the course was several weeks and the course was normally held in Varaždin public schools. The courses were free of charge for the students because all the expenses were covered by the Academic club. Despite the fact that they were trying to stay politically neutral, Varaždin academicians were engaged in the preparation and organization of massive student strike against viceroy Slavko Cuvaj in 1912. Supported by Croatian Academic Youth Club Tomislav, a one-day student strike was held on March the 14th and the Varaždin youth joined the general strike of Croatian youth which was held on the 19th of March, 1912. Following the official ban of all associations that was introduced at the onset of World War I, unfortunately the club had to suspend all legal activities for a couple of years.
Rad "Društveno-političke prilike u ivanićkom kraju između dva svjetska rata" u prvom redu nastojat će prikazati događaje koji su obilježili međuratno razdoblje u tri općine ivanićkog kraja (Ivanić-Grad, Kloštar Ivanić, Križ). Uz demografski, društveni i gospodarski razvoj, posebna će se pažnja posvetiti okolnostima dinamičnih političkih zbivanja u tom kraju, koja su obilježila razdoblje od 1918. do 1941. godine. ; The area of municipalities Ivanić-Grad, Kloštar Ivanić and Križ in the times of monarchist Yugoslavia (from 1918 to 1941), went through a period of transformation. This territory had a fairly diverse social and economic structure, in which there was industry, commerce and trade, along with agriculture and livestock farming. The entire area had a centuries-long tradition of education, for which there was relatively little illiterates. Moreover, the idea of linking citizens to achieve common economic and social interests was very strong among the population. After 1918 all adult male citizens of Yugoslavia got universal suffrage. Therefore the Croatian people hoped that their rights would expand even further, while the new state government wanted to build a unitary and centralized state. Citizens of Ivanić area started the struggle for the preservation of their democratic and national rights. One of the biggest and earliest armed resistances to the regime's ideas, known as the Kriæ Republic, proved in 1920 that people were not happy with the situation in their environment. Despite of proclamation of Yugoslav dictatorship, with time the authorities would find that the thoughts and actions of citizens are very difficult to control. The citizens themselves in almost absolute numbers sided with the ideas of Croatian Peasant Party and the concept of political struggle for democratic, social and economic rights of Croatian people in the monarchist Yugoslavia. Therefore, the attacks against ideas and symbols of the regime became an everyday reality. In the years following the assassination of King Alexander there was a limited democratization of the state. They were also marked by an increasing activity of the HSS. This all led to the creation of the Banovina of Croatia in 1939. However, only a year and a half later, Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Croatian Banovina will disappear in a whirlwind of World War Two.
According to the children's rights activist organization, Humanium, "More than 72 million children are not in school and 759 million adults are illiterate and do not have the awareness to find an education" ("Right to Education"). In order to fight this world issue, online courses have been created to bridge the gap of education between the world and the classroom. Through these Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOC's for short, those seeking knowledge are able to become students at a university of their choice by the simple click of a button. With the so-called, "MOOC Mania" explained by David Kirp, a professor at the University of California Berkeley, lawmakers and school administrators all around the world, especially in California, have been trying to implement online courses into the daily curriculum of prestigious universities. As a cheaper alternative, MOOC's are able to cut costs through the enrollment of hundreds of students with no need of a physical classroom, which is very attractive to people such as Khadijah Niazi, an eleven-year-old student from Pakistan, who had been deprived of an education because of her country's political struggles explained in an article of the Times Magazine. Although MOOC's have gained much popularity, a study conducted by Tatiana Semenova and Lyudmila Rudakova, students at the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow, showed that "the odds of successful completion will differ for participants with differing educational experiences" (230). Although this truth has been proven to not be efficient for certain students, "venture capitalists are on the hunt for the next Facebook, the next Google, the next eBay— particularly the opportunity in MOOCs" and it is not long until that sweet spot of traditional education and online education is found (Kirp 16). As online education becomes a practice in universities, education has become somewhat more accessible. However, many studies have found that MOOC's are not capable of serving the vast spectrum of the different types of students, which is why, in order to fix the issue of traditional curriculum being ousted by online education, university administrators must challenge their implementation for the benefit of student achievement and determine what the institution values educationally.
Several hundred thousand women in Bangladesh terminate their pregnancy either by menstrual regulation (MR) or through abortion. Government policy does not recognise abortion; but there exists a policy for MR, permitting termination of unwanted pregnancy up to 10 weeks from the last menstrual period. But access to safe MR is limited—unskilled and untrained providers mostly conduct termination of pregnancy- making unsafe abortion one of the leading causes of maternal deaths in Bangladesh. In order to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in the country, an initiative was launched in 2008 (with financial support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands).The overall aim was to improve knowledge of and access to quality MR services for the prevention of unsafe abortion and unsafe MR. The present study was undertaken to examine the impact of the MR intervention, i.e. to assess the extent to which the implementing agencies-Marie Stopes Clinic Society (MSCS) and Family Planning Association of Bangladesh (FPAB) have achieved their desired objectives. Three independent indicators have been used for the evaluation—how far the program has been successful in: (a) increasing awareness regarding timeline for safe MR, (b) enhancing access to services to get rid of unwanted pregnancy, and (c) reducing the incidence of unsafe abortions, early marriage, and violence against women. Findings suggest that,overall, the MR initiative has been successful in achieving the targets. Respondents in the intervention area are much better off in terms of awareness regarding timeline of safe MR (79 per cent of women and 88 per cent of the MR clients) compared to their control group counterparts (51 per cent and 74 per cent respectively), access to skilled provider for termination of unwanted pregnancy, and fewer incidences of unsafe abortions as a way of pregnancy termination. People belonging to different age groups (adolescents, adults, the aged) and socio-economic categories (rich/poor, educated/illiterate) get the relevant message regarding WHY, WHEN, WHERE, and by WHOM the MR procedure should be performed. The implementing agencies have played a crucial role in promoting safe MR in their respective working areas in the aspects of awareness creation, capacity development, infection prevention, standard guideline on MR, enabling environment, and rights based approach. However, there still remains scope to improve quality of care.
The sound of children's voices reciting in unison could be heard from afar, as our mission approached a school in rural Cambodia. Inside a second-grade classroom, students took turns at the blackboard. One pointed with a stick at a list of words written by the teacher, while the rest recited. A colleague approached, wrote on the blackboard the same words in a different order, and asked the children to read. Suddenly, there was silence. Most kids had merely memorized the sequence of the words and could not even identify single letters. This scene is frequent. In the poorer schools of low-income countries, many students remain illiterate for years, until they finally drop out. With some care, the process is observable. Typically the teacher writes on the board some letters or words and asks students to repeat them. The letters may be scribbled, the children often sit at a distance, textbooks may be insufficient, and children may not have anyone at home to help them read. But they do repeat the words in unison, getting cues from a few knowledgeable classmates. The teachers stand by the blackboard, address students at large, and call on the few who perform well. How come this issue has not attracted attention? One reason is that in the middle-class schools of capitals students perform much better. Soon after our rural observations, we observed second graders in a middleclass school of Pnom Penh fluently handling the extremely complex Khmer script. However, the schools of the poor have less time for their students. There is teacher absenteeism, a lack of textbooks to take home, parental inability to make up for school weaknesses, no specific curricular time for reading. The result has been chronic illiteracy, high dropout and high repetition rates. To reduce repetition and maximize enrollments, some donors advise governments to promote students automatically.
