Student Number: 7507654 Masters in Education Faculty of Humanities / The right of access to education has been an issue of international concern for many decades. With the transition to democracy in South Africa, marked by the first democratic election in 1994, the right of access to education has also formed a cornerstone of South Africa’s education policy. Access to nine years of basic education is guaranteed in terms of the South African Constitution. The right to further education is also entrenched in terms of the Constitution, although this is conditional on the state making this progressively available and accessible through reasonable measures. By using actual 2001 population and school enrolment data, this research study measures access to schooling by using standard international indicators of access, namely gross and net enrolment ratios, age-specific enrolment rates, and apparent and net intake rates. The study compares such data with existing estimates by other organisations and analysts. It assesses the extent to which universal or full access to basic education has been achieved and how far South Africa has gone in making further education progressively available. The study suggests that in-depth analysis of the data shows that access to education is not as widespread as other estimates have indicated. The net enrolment ratio in the basic or compulsory education phase is 89% and not 97% as estimated by the Department of Education. Some 13% of children of school-going age (or 1.55 million children) are not attending school. The study found that universal access to basic education has not been achieved. There are problems with access to further education and South African learners’ access to education is affected by provincial location. Provincial gross enrolment ratios range from 89% to 101% and net enrolment ratios range from 82% to 91%. The study recommends that further research is required to identify the barriers that are preventing full access to education. It also recommends that future progress in terms of access to education must continue to be monitored which means that good, accurate and consistent data must be made available.

This study investigates the effect of human capital, using gross enrolment rate as a proxy, on labor productivity. It also investigates if a larger public effort in providing education opportunities would lead to a more efficient distribution of skills and therefore give a positive effect on labor productivity. We use a panel data approach to estimate an endogenous growth model on countries that are selected as to be reasonably similar. The main results are that growth in gross enrolment rate have a positive effect on labor productivity, while the level of government expenditure on tertiary education (measured as a percentage of GDP) has a negative effect on labor productivity.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo analisar o impacto das transferências de royalties de petróleo no crescimento do PIB dos municípios beneficiados no Brasil.Para tanto, é utilizado o método Duplamente Robusto em um painel de municípios observados entre 2004 e 2013.Essa metodologia consiste em duas etapas: primeiramente, estima-se a probabilidade condicional dos municípios receberem as rendas do petróleo, ou seja, o propensity score;em seguida, estima-se um modelo em painel de efeitos fixos ponderado pela estimativa anterior. A principal vantagem desse procedimento é a obtenção de estimadores consistentes quando ao menos uma dessas etapas é especificada corretamente.Os resultados obtidos vão na direção contrária à tese de Maldição dos Recursos Naturais proveniente de rendas de petróleo e derivados. No caso, as evidências apontam que os royalties não afetam a taxa de crescimento do produto per capita municipal, apesar de promoverem um aumento geral nas despesas orçamentárias locais / This Master Thesis in Economics aims to analyze the impact of oil revenue transfers on the economic growth of benefited municipalities in Brazil. For this purpose, the Doubly Robust isthe method applied to a panel of localities observed between 2004 and 2013. This methodology consists of two stages. Firstly, it estimates the conditional likelihood of receiving the oil royalties, i.e., the propensity score. Then it estimates a fixed effect model weighted by the previous estimative. The main advantage of this procedure is to obtain consistent estimators when at least one of the mentioned stages is correctly specified. The results refute the Natural Resources Curse hypothesis in the Brazilian oil revenues. More specifically, the evidence is that royalties do not affectthe municipal GDP per capita growth, despite providing a general increase in local expenses.

O Gross Motor Function System Expanded and Revised (GMFCS E & R) e o Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) têm sido amplamente utilizados na pesquisa e na prática clínica como complemento ao diagnóstico da paralisia cerebral (PC). Ambos consistem em cinco níveis, sendo que o nível V indica maior limitação funcional. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar o processo de tradução e adaptação transcultural do GMFCS E & R e MACS, avaliar a confiabilidade inter-avaliadores (entre terapeutas e entre terapeutas e pais) e intra-avaliadores (terapeutas) acerca dos sistemas de classificação (GMFCS E & R e MACS) e verificar a influência de fatores relacionados à criança (tipo de PC) e aos pais (escolaridade, renda, ocupação e idade) na confiabilidade entre terapeutas e pais. Participaram 100 crianças com PC, que eram acompanhadas pelo serviço de neurologia ou de reabilitação de um hospital terciário no interior paulista na faixa etária entre 4 a 18 anos, e seus pais. Para a aplicação dos sistemas de classificação realização da tradução e adaptação transcultural do GMFCS E & R, seguiram-se seis estágios: tradução, síntese das traduções, retrotradução para língua de origem, comitê de análise, submissão aos autores e pré-teste. A coleta de dados foi feita por dois terapeutas com diferentes níveis de experiência na área de neuropediatria. Os terapeutas classificaram a função motora grossa da criança (GMFCS E & R) através da observação direta (controle de cabeça, tronco, transferências, mobilidade) e os pais responderam ao GMFCS Family Report Questionnaire, onde deveriam selecionar uma opção, dentre cinco, correspondente ao nível motor da criança. Quanto à habilidade manual (MACS), os terapeutas observaram a criança manipulando objetos (brinquedos, alimentação, vestuário) e obtiveram informações dos pais. Os pais realizaram a classificação da habilidade manual da criança com base na leitura do folheto explicativo do MACS. Foram realizadas filmagens das observações das crianças para avaliação da confiabilidade intra-avaliadores (terapeutas), após um mês da avaliação inicial. Utilizou-se o coeficiente Kappa (k) para avaliação da confiabilidade inter-avaliadores (entre terapeutas e entre terapeutas e pais) e intra-avaliadores (terapeutas) acerca do GMFCS E & R e MACS e o teste do qui-quadrado (x2) para verificar a associação entre os fatores relacionados à criança e aos pais. Após realizados os seis estágios referentes à tradução e adaptação transcultural do GMFCS E & R e MACS, as versões em português foram aprovadas pelos autores. Em relação à confiabilidade inter-avaliadores (AV1 e AV2), obteve-se concordância quase perfeita para o GMFCS E & R e MACS (K = 0,902 e 0,90 respectivamente), assim como intra-avaliadores, obtendo-se concordância quase perfeita para ambos avaliadores acerca do GMFCS E & R (k=1,00) e MACS (K= 0,958 para AV1 e K= 0,833 para AV2). Em relação à confiabilidade entre terapeutas e pais, esta foi substancial para GMFCS E & R (K = 0,716) e considerável para MACS (K =0, 368). Em relação ao GMFCS E & R, verificou-se que o porcentual de discordâncias no grupo de pais que não trabalha fora é significativamente superior ao porcentual de discordância de quem trabalha fora (x 2 =4,79; p= 0,03), quando comparada à classificação do terapeuta. Maior freqüência de pais classificaram as crianças como severamente limitada, comparada à classificação do terapeuta (x 2 =4,26; p= 0,04). Em relação ao MACS, verificou-se que as discordâncias entre terapeutas e pais foram significativamente superiores nas crianças de 4 a 6 e 6 a 12 anos do que em relação às crianças de 12 a 18 anos (p=0,05), assim como pais na faixa etária de 20 a 30 anos discordaram significativamente mais do terapeuta (p=0,04). É importante considerar a influência de fatores ambientais no desempenho típico da criança com PC em relação à função motora grossa e habilidade manual. Portanto, embora terapeutas e pais apresentem diferentes perspectivas em relação a tais aspectos, por julgarem diferentes contextos como referência (pais consideram o desempenho em casa, escola, ambientes externos; o terapeuta, o ambiente clínico), os dois pontos de vista necessitam ser apreciados conjuntamente. Conclui-se que as versões traduzidas para o português Brasil do GMFCS E & R, GMFCS Family Report Questionnaire são confiáveis para classificar crianças com PC por pais e terapeutas. / The Gross Motor Function System Expanded and Revised (GMFCS E & R) and Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) has been widely used in research and clinical practice to complement the diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP). Both consist of five levels where the level V indicates greater functional limitation. The aim of this study was to carry out the process of translation and cultural adaptation of the GMFCS E & R and MACS, evaluate the inter-rater reliability (between therapists and between therapists and parents) and intra-rater (therapists) about rating systems and verify the influence of factors related to the child (type PC) and parents (education, income, occupation and age) in reliability between therapists and parents. Participants 100 children with CP who were accompanied by the department of neurology and rehabilitation of a tertiary hospital in São Paulo aged 4-18 years and their parents. To perform the translation and cultural adaptation of the GMFCS E & MACS, followed by six stages: translation, synthesis of translations, back translation for source language, analysis committee, submission to the authors and pretest. Data collection was done by two therapists with different levels of experience in neuropediatric.Therapists rated the child\'s gross motor function (GMFCS & E) through direct observation (head control, trunk, transfers, mobility) and parents responded to GMFCS Family Report Questionnaire, which should select an option Among five, corresponding to the child\'s motor. As for manual ability (MACS), therapists observed the child handling objects (toys, food and clothing) and obtained information from parents. Parents held the classification of manual ability of the child based on reading the brochure MACS. Were filmed observations of children to assess intra-rater reliability (therapists), one month after the initial evaluations. To assess the reliability used the kappa coefficient (k) and the chi-square (x2) to determine the association between factors related to the child and parents, the reliability between therapists and parents. Performed after the six stages related to translation and cultural adaptation of the GMFCS E & R and MACS, the Portuguese versions were approved by the authors. Regarding inter-rater reliability (AV1 and AV2), we obtained almost perfect agreement for the GMFCS E & R and MACS (K = 0.902 and 0.90 respectively) as well as intra-rater, yielding almost perfect agreement for both evaluators about the GMFCS E & R(k = 1.00) and MACS (K = 0.958 for AV1 and AV2 for K = 0.833). Regarding reliability between therapists and parents, this was substantial for GMFCS E & R (K = 0.716) and to considerable MACS (K = 0, 368). Regarding the GMFCS E & R, it was found that the percentage of disagreements in the group of parents who do not work out is significantly higher than the percentage of those working outside of disagreement (x 2 = 4.79, p = 0.03), compared to ratings of therapist. Parents classify children as more severely limited than therapists (x 2 = 4.26, p = 0.04). It is important to consider the influence of environmental factors on the performance of children with PC in relation to gross motor function and manual ability. Therefore, parents and therapists have different perspectives regarding such aspects, judging by different contexts as reference (parents consider performance at home, school, outdoors, therapist, the clinical setting), the two points of view need to be assessed together. We conclude that the translated versions for Portuguese - Brazil\'s GMFCS E & R, GMFCS Family Report Questionnaire are reliable to classify children with CP by parents and therapists.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo analisar o impacto das transferências de royalties de petróleo no crescimento do PIB dos municípios beneficiados no Brasil.Para tanto, é utilizado o método Duplamente Robusto em um painel de municípios observados entre 2004 e 2013.Essa metodologia consiste em duas etapas: primeiramente, estima-se a probabilidade condicional dos municípios receberem as rendas do petróleo, ou seja, o propensity score;em seguida, estima-se um modelo em painel de efeitos fixos ponderado pela estimativa anterior. A principal vantagem desse procedimento é a obtenção de estimadores consistentes quando ao menos uma dessas etapas é especificada corretamente.Os resultados obtidos vão na direção contrária à tese de Maldição dos Recursos Naturais proveniente de rendas de petróleo e derivados. No caso, as evidências apontam que os royalties não afetam a taxa de crescimento do produto per capita municipal, apesar de promoverem um aumento geral nas despesas orçamentárias locais / This Master Thesis in Economics aims to analyze the impact of oil revenue transfers on the economic growth of benefited municipalities in Brazil. For this purpose, the Doubly Robust isthe method applied to a panel of localities observed between 2004 and 2013. This methodology consists of two stages. Firstly, it estimates the conditional likelihood of receiving the oil royalties, i.e., the propensity score. Then it estimates a fixed effect model weighted by the previous estimative. The main advantage of this procedure is to obtain consistent estimators when at least one of the mentioned stages is correctly specified. The results refute the Natural Resources Curse hypothesis in the Brazilian oil revenues. More specifically, the evidence is that royalties do not affectthe municipal GDP per capita growth, despite providing a general increase in local expenses.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA (DVS) / Formal microfinance institutions have been an important tool in the fight against poverty in developing countries, but their reach for rural people and urban slum poor are limited. Following this, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) are established as an alternative, informal mechanism for saving and borrowing that do not require external capital or ongoing financial or administrative support from a founding organization or government bodies. Thus, this study aimed to assess the effects of women participation in VSLA on poverty reduction with a case study in Hawassa city, Ethiopia. Using a mixed qualitative and quantitative research methodology, the study tried to focus on examining the effects of VSLAs contribution to economic and social wellbeing of households, and decision makings, and women participation in community activities. The study used 254 samples (127 VSLA participants, and 127 non-participants) and collected data using questionnaire and focus group discussion. The study used propensity score matching (PSM) to estimate the impact of women participation in VSLA on average monthly household income, and the result indicated the average effect of women participation in VSLA on average monthly household income of participant women is positive and significant at 5% significant level, ranging from 169.63 Birr/month (nearest neighbor matching) to 141.55 Birr/month (Kernel matching), on average. Besides, comparison between participants and non-participants using hypothesis testing shows that women participation in VSLA has a significant positive association with improvements in household diet, health, children's education, and women’s involvement in household decisions. However, although hypothesized, no significant association is found in relation to women participation in community activities. Findings from the focus group discussions are also consistent with the results from the PSM and hypothesis testing. Following the findings, the study recommends government and nongovernmental organizations to provide regular, timely and need based capacity building trainings for VSLA participants; Link VSLA participants with formal microfinance institutions; conduct regular monitoring and follow ups by either the city or sub-cities Women Children Affairs Department/offices or concerned government body; different concerned stakeholders in the city including government, nongovernmental organizations, microfinance institutions and others need to work in coordinated manner to solve the recurrent challenges of VSLA participants in Hawassa city; and finally government and/or nongovernmental organizations need to take best practices and lessons from existing VSLAs and expand the VSLA initiative to address more impoverished women in the city.

No description available.

Abstract not available

Ce mémoire présente plusieurs contributions quant à l'analyse mathématique de l'équation de Gross-Pitaevskii et du modèle de Bogoliubov-Dirac-Fock. Au sujet de l'équation de Gross-Pitaevskii, l'analyse commence par la construction variationnelle des ondes progressives minimisantes. La preuve de la stabilité orbitale du soliton noir en dimension un, et la description de la limite transsonique des ondes progressives minimisantes vers les états fondamentaux de l'équation de Kadomtsev-Petviashvili en dimension deux, viennent compléter cette construction. L'analyse s'achève par la dérivation rigoureuse du régime ondes longues vers l'équation de Korteweg-de Vries en dimension un. Quant au modèle de Bogoliubov-Dirac-Fock, il s'agit de construire les états fondamentaux du modèle réduit, puis de préciser le processus de renormalisation de leur charge, lequel autorise le calcul d'un développement asymptotique de la densité de charges du vide polarisé, qui est cohérent avec les développements perturbatifs de l'électrodynamique quantique.