Strengthening health care systems in government meant cost containment and improved equity. Escalating costs and poorly constructed strategies are weakening the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery in health care. This has a negative impact on value creation and internal processes as critical elements such as human capital, information and organisational capital are not aligned with strategies and roll-out plans for HIV/Aids interventions. This research study therefore questioned the extent to which these strategies have impacted on the roll-out plans for HIV/Aids interventions, and investigated if the utilisation of public-private partnerships (PPP) resulted in applying fiscal reponsible mechanisms in health care reforms (effectively, efficiently, economically and equitably (4Es)). Trends in the new public management (NPM) movement inspired a shift towards business-like reforms and saw PPP as a mechanism that improved efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery as it offered the promise to strengthen the capacity of government policy. The study aimed to put forward value-creating strategies and develop a best practice model that strengthened government’s policy capacity by providing efficient, effective, economical and quitable service in health care and thereby improving strategies that impact on the roll-out plans for HIV/Aids. This comparative study comprised four international case studies (developed and developing countries) which presented benchmarks against which the performance of the national case study was measured. A better understanding of the influence which different ideologies had on the architecture of international and global governance structures was gained as it highlighted and compared the key issues that influenced strategies for HIV/Aids intervention between the developed and developing countries. Results of the study indicated that there are conflicting views between government departments in how to achieve value-for-money outcomes and their application of risk allocation. The conflicting views widened the gap between public and private governance structures and relations. The focus of the PPP definition as applied in the national context of health care is not percieved as being health-specific or effective as it excludes some forms of interactions occurring in the health sector. PPP goals emphasised efficiency, affordability and value-for-money approaches, while health care goals emphasised the interest of the “patient” and public health. / Thesis (PhD (Public Affairs))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) / unrestricted

A thesis submitted to the Faculty Of Education in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy (D.Ed) in Science Education in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education at the University Of Zululand, 2018 / Classroom assessment is an essential component of teaching and learning. It should be an on-going process that improves instruction rather than a periodic evaluation of what has been achieved. This study was designed to investigate teachers’ and learners’ conceptions and experiences about assessment for learning (AfL) and its impact on learners’ performance in Life Science. Simple random sampling was used to select four schools from the uThungulu district to participate in the study. Two of the selected schools constituted the Treatment Condition while the other two served as the Comparison Group. Altogether, 160 Grade 11 learners (forty from each participating school) participated in the study – comprised of four intact classrooms, one from each participating school. Two teachers were trained to use AfL as an instructional approach, while the teachers of the Comparison Group used their usual instructional approaches. The topic being studied by all the learners were Animal Nutrition and Cellular Respiration, lasting six weeks for the two groups. In addition, 80 Life Science teachers also took part in the study as respondents on their assessment practices in the subject. Data were collected using pre- and post-tests for the learners and a questionnaire for the teachers. These were followed by semi-structured interviews with the two teachers of the Treatment Group and selected learners from the same group. The quantitative component of the study took the form of a Quasi-Experimental Pretest-Posttest Comparison Group Design, while the qualitative component employed a hermeneutical research approach. Data were collected using a test, questionnaire, survey and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that the current formative assessment practices used by Life Science teachers in uThungulu district are out of alignment with the principles of formative assessment as directed by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Furthermore, the respondents’ conceptions of AfL did not influence their classroom assessment and instructional practices. On the question of learner performance following the six week instructional intervention, the study found that learners in the Treatment Group performed significantly higher than learners’ in the Comparison Group. From these results, recommendations are made to influence both policy and classroom practice. Investigating the wide variety of assessment practices has allowed me to come to understand the culture of assessment within the AfL approach, where assessment placed learners at the center of learning to help support the learning process. Learners’ views/experiences about AfL approach suggests that AfL instructional approach constitutes a better strategy that makes learning a more enjoyable and pleasant experience.

In 1888, the lake Hjälmaren underwent a process of lowering by almost 2 metres with the aim of gaining 19.000 ha of arable land. This process had a wide array of ecological implications, and in connection with other historical events, it also resulted in spatial and social cracks dividing the city of Örebro laying on Hjälmaren’s west shore. The changing physical aspects of the city have led us to question the relationship of humans and species to the lake, but also to the stream Svartån connecting the lake and the city. Örebro used to be a city of collective practices and shared resources. It had much stronger ties to water as it used to be more present and made the city more centre-oriented. This does not apply today - the city’s development is oriented outwards, its centre lacks in quality non-consumerist spaces and capitalism and individualism are at the forefront. With this explorative design thesis, we propose solutions to activate Hjälmaren and Svartån. Our project widens the offer of common spaces and resources in Örebro, giving its residents more opportunities to interact in the everyday presence of water – just like in the past, but with a more modern spin.

This research examines the intellectuals’ reform activities in local society at the turn of twentieth century. Focusing on Wuxi, a city in south China, this study seeks to shed light on two major issues. First, it studies the reform activities in the areas of education and print media in such a transformative era. I come to argue that differences existed between reforms at a national level and the circumstances in local society. These reformers in Wuxi provided the common people more choices besides Chinese learning, rather than following the ti-yong formula. They connected their reform proposals with the common people. Second, this study scrutinizes the complexity of their local endeavors. The most profound challenge these reformers encountered, I argue, was whether they could compete in the urban space, which had become a site of conflict and contestation.

No description available.

Thesis ( M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / Environmental impacts from a land claim-discarded settlement development are positive, negative and cumulative by nature, within the broad scope of environmental impacts there has been much focus on the physical environment neglecting the socio economic and other political factors of the environment. This study presents from a total environmental perspective the investigation of the environmental impacts of land claim-discarded settlement development in Mamahule ga-Matsaung. Both primary and secondary sources of data were used for the purposes of this study. The study used the non-probability purposive sampling for the entire targeted population. The study used both thick descriptions and qualitative techniques to analyse the collected data. Thick descriptions were used to explain the environmental impacts of various temporal phases as well as processes settlement development and land claim, while quantitative (Leopold matrix and Cost Benefit Analysis) were used to evaluate environmental impacts and economic valuations of the land claim and the settlement development. The study shows that the Environmental Impact Assessment should be conducted prior the development of any settlement to avoid multiple negative environmental impacts on the environment. The study also highlights the impact that land claim has on development activities and the way in which settlement development can delay the process of a land claim. The study arrived to a conclusions that both settlement development and land claim impacted differently on the environment. / National Research Foundation (NRF) Scholarship

In the empirical literature on the revenue consequences of trade liberalization, most studies have focused on cross-country analysis. Because these studies are static in nature, they have not addressed the short-run and long-run dynamic public revenue and public investment consequences of economic reforms in developing countries. This dissertation contributes to the literature employing a dynamic time series analysis of the three East African countries-Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. The dissertation uses a co-integration and error-correction framework to distinguish between short-run and long-run relationships. The results indicate that trade reforms in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda had varying impacts on government revenue, tax performance and public investment spending in these three countries. It is demonstrated that trade reforms had adverse impact on government revenue in Uganda, but not in Tanzania and Kenya. The results also show that Tanzania has had the weakest overall tax revenue and public investment. Poor tax performance and erratic revenue generation have been problems in all three countries, contributing to adverse impacts on public investment spending.

No description available.

Across multiple countries, primary school reforms have been implemented with the goal of improving school attendance and accessibility. Failing to account for spillover effects from the children directly targeted by these reforms to their siblings may underestimate the reforms’ full impact. Using a regression discontinuity design and data from six countries, I compare women whose younger siblings were exposed to an education reform with those whose younger siblings were not. I find that, across several countries, there is a significant younger-to-older sibling spillover effect on an older sister’s probability of enrolling in secondary school and on her fertility. These findings demonstrate the broad impact of education reforms, and contribute to the understanding of the links between education and fertility, and the role played by parental reallocation of resources. / Dans de nombreux pays, des réformes de l’éducation primaire ont été implanté dans le but d’améliorer l’accès et les taux d’inscription aux écoles. Nous risquons de sous-estimer l’impact de ces réformes si nous ne considérons pas les retombées de celles-ci des enfants ciblés à leurs frères et sœurs. J’utilise une approche de régression par discontinuité et des données provenant de six pays pour comparer les femmes dont les frères et sœurs cadets ont été affectés par une réforme de l’éducation à celles dont les frères et sœurs cadets ne l’ont pas été. Je constate que, dans plusieurs pays, il y a des retombées significatives sur l’éducation secondaire et sur la fertilité des sœurs ainées. Ces résultats mettent en évidence les vastes impacts des réformes de l’éducation, et permettent de mieux comprendre les liens entre l’éducation et la fertilité, ainsi que l’importance de la réallocation des ressources par les parents.

Geography as a subject has during its lifetime been a part of the Swedish school system. More implemented during some time periods than others. New approaches and different types of traditions have emerged and taken its place over time. During the early 1950´s the subject was divided into two different faculties at the universities all over Sweden: cultural geography and physical geography. Some time after the partition the subject lost its popularity, and geography in Swedish schools were now subjected to a lower status. Previous research also shows how other countries has experienced similar problems with a decreased status. The subject has also undergone many changes while new school curricula reforms have been implemented. Geography is a subject that in many ways can be connected to its contemporaries, what is happening in the world is in constant change and thus is the subject of geography as well.  Through interviews with several geography teachers who shared their own experiences of working with different curricula, an understanding of what teaching looks like in practice has been formed. This essay aims to examine how the subject of geography in Swedish schools has changed in steps with various curricula reforms and how it has affected teachers and their teaching. This essay also aims to examine how other changes, apart from curricula reforms, have affected the content of the geography subject and why. The results have shown that both curricula and other external factors has influenced the educational subject of geography. / Geografiämnet har under sin livstid haft mer eller mindre plats i den svenska skolan. Nya infallsvinklar har dykt upp och olika typer av traditioner har fått träda fram under olika tidsperioder. I mitten av 1900-talet delades ämnet upp i två fakulteter på universiteten i Sverige, kulturgeografi och naturgeografi. En tid efter uppdelningen tappade geografiämnet sin popularitet och skolämnet kom att präglas av en låg status. I samband med införandet av olika kursplaner och nya reformer har ämnet genomgått många förändringar. Geografi är ett ämne som på många sätt går att koppla till sin samtid, det som sker i världen är i ständig förändring och därmed är ämnet geografi likaså. Det har forskats mycket både i Sverige och runt om i världen på geografiämnets roll i skolan, där vissa länder har mer undervisning i ämnet och andra nästan ingen undervisning. En gemensam nämnare hos forskare är vikten av att geografi är nödvändigt i skolan och att ämnets status bör öka och tas på allvar. När en ny läroplan implementeras hör lärare till de som påverkas mest. Styrdokumenten är det som styr deras vardagliga arbete. Lärare är alla egna individer och på så sätt kommer en läroplan att tolkas på en mängd olika sätt. Genom intervjuer med verksamma geografilärare som delat med sig av egna erfarenheter kring arbetet med olika kursplaner bildas en förståelse för hur det ser ut i praktiken. Denna uppsats ämnar visa hur geografiämnet förändrats i takt med olika läroplansreformer och hur det påverkat lärares undervisning i ämnet. Resultatet enligt intervjustudien visar att den största förändringen som skett i undervisningen utifrån geografilärares perspektiv var implementeringen av Lgr11 och Gy11 och de förändringar som den innebar. Andra faktorer utanför kursplaner och läroplaner som också förändrat undervisningen i ämnet är bland annat den ökade digitaliseringen. Diskussionen visar på hur tidigare forskning i ämnet stärker de resultat som kommit fram genom studien. Slutsatsen betonar vikten av att elever erbjuds kunskaper i både natur- och kulturgeografi för att kunna utveckla ett geografiskt tänkande och främst förstå sambandet mellan människa och natur.