Background: HIV/AIDS poses a major threat to development and poverty alleviation, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Education has been declared an effective preventative approach and the single most powerful weapon against HIV transmission. However, there is a paucity of research on the type of education required, the appropriate teaching/learning methods, and generally how such education influences change of attitudes and behaviour on the part of the students. Purpose: In the context of Swaziland, a country with the highest HIV prevalence rate at 42.6%, this study explores how students at the University of Swaziland perceive an HIV/AIDS course. The students' comments cover the course content, the teaching/learning methods used in the course, the regulations governing the course, and the impact of the course. Sample and design: A sample of 15 students was randomly selected from all the year 1 Faculty of Agriculture students to form focus group 1. Another sample of 15 was randomly selected from year 3 students who were enrolled on a new programme to form focus group 2. Of the 15 invited students in each focus group, 11 (seven males and four females) attended the focus group 1 meeting, and 12 (eight females and four males) attended the focus group two meeting. A pilottested and pre-prepared interview schedule was used during the focus group interviews to collect information on the students' perceptions. This data was analysed using themes. Results: The findings reveal that the perceptions of the two groups were very similar. The students identified some topics that they felt were treated in great depth, and other topics, particularly dealing with traditional healers, that they felt should be added to the course content. They further criticised the excessive use of the lecture method in teaching the course and recommended that more visual materials, presentations by HIV-positive people and workers, as well as site visits to relevant places should be encouraged to make the course more interesting and give it greater educational value. Overall, the students felt that the course had been effective in changing their attitudes and behaviour. The students cited numerous benefits that they had derived from this course and recommended that it should be offered to all first-year students at the university. Conclusions and recommendations: This small scale study suggests that providing HIV/AIDS education is an important intervention in changing the attitudes and behaviour of university students and in combating the spread of HIV. It further stresses the importance of engaging all the relevant stakeholders, particularly the students, in working out the content of such a course.
In Eswatini country, youth and communities are exposed to various challenges such as poverty, violence, HIV and AIDs to mention but a few. Many frontline practitioners, community based volunteers, caregivers, who are working with children and youth in the communities, lack the necessary capacities and skills to provide economic, psychosocial care, support and protection to youth and communities. It is for this reason; the University of Eswatini with the support of the Government of Eswatini and Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI) introduced a “Certificate in Psychosocial Support” programme in 2010. // Based on the results of two surveys and recognizing the benefits and importance of the Certificate programme, the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) through the Institute of Distance Education (IDE) proposed to introduce a Degree programme in Psychosocial Support to upgrade/up-skill or enhance the knowledge of learners in their relevant field with a flexible system of multiple entry and multiple exit option covering Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree programmes in collaboration with REPSSI and SEDCO through Open Distance and eLearning (ODeL) mode. The main purpose of introducing this Degree programme is two-fold: (i) to achieve holistic psychosocial development; and (ii) to ensure employability/business creation. // The proposed programme is the result of two research surveys: (i) conducted by IDE in collaboration with Commonwealth of Learning (COL) during May-June 2019; and (ii) the survey conducted by IDE in collaboration with APSSI/REPSSI during April-May 2019.
Electricity is essential for human survival and economic development. The power sector is not only the most important component of the infrastructure sector, but also crucial for development of all other infrastructure facilities, which is so important for overall development of the economy. Increase in production of electric power and reduction in cost of power together with proper distribution of power is important to sustain a high rate of economic growth and development. The aim of this research is to analyze the Economic Value Added (EVA) in Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGENCO) for a period of 13 years. The present study is designed to make an attempt to understand the concept of EVA and its impact on APGENCO, which is a state owned organization in Andhra Pradesh, India. The analysis of the study indicates that EVA is better indicator to understand the wealth maximization of a company and increased value of shareholders wealth. EVA has applied as an indicator to understand the wealth maximization of APGENCO during the study period EVA was negative because of capital investment on new projects commenced from 2005-06 but revenues yielded from those projects commenced from 20010-11. EVA of APGENCO is low according to its size of capital and company should strive for more operating profits.
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