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Reflective practice has been reported to be effective in enhancing teaching and learning. However, many teachers of English in Nigeria are not aware of it. Thus, this study investigates the awareness and implementation of reflective practices among English language teachers in Nigerian secondary schools. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted and 77 teachers were selected to participate in the study. Data for the study were collected using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The study discovered that most of the respondents have a low level of engagement in reflective practice in their teaching activities. The findings also suggest a lack of awareness of reflective practices among the majority of respondents. Additionally, the study discovered that even those with some awareness of reflective practices rarely followed established steps for incorporating reflection into their teaching. This indicates a significant gap between theoretical knowledge and practice. Thus, the study makes recommendations for professional development programs to familiarize educators with the concept of reflective teaching and its potential impact on instructional effectiveness.

Analogies are useful tools for teaching difficult scientific concepts and clearing up learners' misconceptions. However, if not properly used, they can lead to further misconceptions. More importantly, little is known about how science teachers use analogies in Nigerian classrooms. This study assessed science teachers' use of analogies by identifying their common practices in secondary school classrooms in Ilorin, Nigeria. The sample comprised 80 science teachers obtained across 34 secondary schools using the convenience sampling technique. Aresearcher-designed questionnaire was used for gathering data. Frequency, percentages, and mean were used to describe the responses, while Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test the null hypothesis at a 5% level of significance. The findings revealed that the science teachers were intentional with their use of analogies -- they plan an analogy before use and explain its limitation, but mostly use analogies in the body of their lessons. There was no significant difference between science teachers' use of analogy based on their teaching experience. The study concluded that analogy use is not considered a science teacher's primary instructional strategy, but rather one that can be used to supplement the conventional methods of teaching. It was recommended that secondary school science teachers consider using more analogies in the introductory and concluding stage of their lessons.

Students' living conditions may suffer as a result of climate change. This research examined the impact of climate change awareness on undergraduates' beliefs about socio-emotional well-being in Nigeria. The total number of undergraduate students in Kwara state made up the study's population, with the sample size being 589. The Climate Change and Mental Wellbeing Questionnaire (CCMWQ) was used to collect data from randomly selected undergraduate participants for the study. The acquired data was evaluated using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and PPMC at a significance level of 0.05. The results showed that most undergraduates are aware of climate change but have little understanding of its origins, effects, and preventive strategies. The results further revealed that the undergraduates' level of climate change awareness influences their beliefs about their socio-emotional wellbeing. At different ages, participants' opinions on how climate change would affect their socio-emotional health varied dramatically. Similarly, a correlation exists between climate change awareness and beliefs about socio-emotional well-being and awareness and attitude towards protecting the environment.

The concept of frugal innovation has gained significant traction in low middle-income countries due to its potential to contribute to sustainable development goals (SDGs). This study examines the role of universities in promoting frugal innovation and their capacity to drive socio-economic development through entrepreneurial initiatives. The objective is to explore how universities can serve as both entrepreneurial and development-focused institutions and to develop a conceptual framework to guide their efforts. The study utilizes an exploratory single case study methodology, focusing on the American University of Nigeria (AUN), a leading institution in Nigeria known for its development and entrepreneurship programs. Drawing on data from the AUN THE global impact ranking 2024, the results of the study indicate that the ability of a university to effectively manage technology and skills transfer in frugal innovations is influenced by six university capabilities, and the generation of frugal innovations is moderated by policy and innovation ecosystems involving government agencies, regulatory bodies, and policymakers. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by initiating a discussion on how development and entrepreneurship can support frugal innovation, and offers practical insights to inspire other universities to develop their own models for societal and economic impact. The study underscores the necessity of integrating "development" into the vision of universities, particularly in low middle-income and developing economies, and emphasizes the significance of universities embracing both entrepreneurial and development-focused roles. The findings highlight the potential of universities in advancing sustainable development goals, particularly in low middle-income and developing economies, as they work towards meeting the global SDGs by 2030.

The research examined the effects of hands-on teaching strategy on senior school learners' performance waves in Ilorin, Nigeria. Senior secondary school (SSS2) science students were sampled at intact classes using a purposive sampling technique. Researcher-designed instructional packages on waves and Physics achievement test on waves (PATW) were the instruments employed. The gathered data were analysed with the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Percentage, mean and standard deviation were employed in answering the research question. Meanwhile, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was utilised in testing the hypotheses formulated at a 0.05 alpha level. The study showed that students' performance exposed to hands-on instructional strategy was very impressive, while students' performance exposed to traditional strategy was low, there was a significant effect of hands-on instructional technique on the performance of students in waves and no statistically significant collaborative effect of hands-on instructional technique and students' gender on performance in waves. It was suggested that hands-on instructional strategies should be integrated and used to make teaching and learning more concrete and active based for both teachers and students.

Critical dialogue is a problem-posing discussion set up to ensure equal access and participation by all students, constructed to focus on a multiplicity of viewpoints. This study examined the effects of Critical Dialogue on the academic performance of students in Economics in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Quasi-Experimental design was adopted. Two research questions were raised for this study which had corresponding hypotheses. 73 students (35 critical dialogue and 38 conventional) were randomly selected from a purposefully sampled secondary school. ANCOVA was used to the hypotheses generated. There was significant difference in the performance of students exposed to critical dialogue. This study recommended among others that teachers should expose students to critical dialogue instructional strategies to develop students' generic skills.

The use of multiple representations in explaining chemistry concepts has been reported to be an unavoidable model for effective teaching and learning of chemistry concepts. Therefore, its awareness by colleges of education chemistry students is of paramount importance. The study was conducted to determine the awareness of use of multiple representations in explaining chemistry concepts. One hundred and seventy-five respondents were involved in the study. A researcher designed questionnaire tagged CSAMPQ was used to collect data from the respondents which was later analysed. The hypotheses were tested using Chi-square statistics. Finding from the study revealed that there was no significant association between both gender and level of education of the students and their awareness of use of multiple representations. It was therefore recommended that the teachers of these students should create awareness for those students that are not aware of the use of multiple representations and this should be irrespective of gender and level of education of the students.

This study examines the future of libraries in Nigeria during the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), when advanced technologies will change the way people live and work. It explores the outlook from the perspective of six academic librarians drawn from the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The survey findings reveal that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is generally perceived as an era for the adoption and application of new technologies. These innovations will expedite library operations, increase client satisfaction, and improve technical performance of difficult library tasks. The study recommends adequate funding of libraries and recruitment of librarians with requisite skills to work in the 4IR era. Librarians who lack the necessary skills are encouraged to consider professional development to prepare themselves for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

This study explored the trends in students' achievement in Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in Further Mathematics in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive research design of ex-post factor type. The sample comprised all Further Mathematics students in 79 public senior secondary schools with 3 Local Government Areas in Kwara State. Two research questions were raised and answered in the study. Frequency count, Percentage and Autoregressive (AR) processes for modelling of time series analyses were used to analyse the data. The results revealed that the trend of students' achievement in WASSCE Further Mathematics from 2007 to 2016 was stochastic with random walk steadily progressive and percentage of the students obtained credit ranged from 23.0 to 77.3; pass ranged from 18.2 to 72.2 and fail ranged from 0.0 to 25.8. It was recommended among others that stakeholders in education should improve the quest for scientific literacy particularly for science-based subjects and further Mathematics curriculum should be all inclusive and non-discriminating to allow development of problem solving ability.

This paper is a deliberate effort aiming at sensitising teachers, students, parents and other stakeholders on the basic objectives of civic education in its introduction into senior secondary school curriculum and the need to obtain full potentials for constructivist theory in teaching and learning of the relatively new subject. The introduction of civic education to Nigerian senior secondary school was directed at cultivating and developing in learners the skills and attitudes to function as relevant citizens of their society. The writer noted that the teaching of civic education in Nigeria is yet to achieve the purpose of which the subject was introduced. Among the objectives of civic education is to highlight the responsibilities of the government to the people and vice-versa and to also cultivate in students of senior secondary school their duties and obligations to the society. Curriculum experts have certain roles to play in integrating standard into curriculum by developing a curriculum framework. Onus of implementing civic education curriculum lies in the efforts and determination of qualified teachers, these categories of teachers are those who has chosen and are convinced that teaching is their calling, and are ready to serve their country in that capacity. The type of teaching expected from these teachers should help the students emerge with an understanding of their country's history and most cherished values. This is to say that learning experience must allow the students to practically demonstrate what civic education has taught them in any situation.

This study investigated creativity Level of Hearing Impaired and Hearing Students of Federal College of Education in Oyo. Specifically, the study investigated the creativity level of hearing and hearing-impaired students. Also, a relationship between gender and onset of hearing loss and students' creativity level were found out. A descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. A purposive sampling technique was used to sample a total of 248 second year students Nigerian Certification in Education (NCE II) of the School of Education who participated in the study. A researcher-designed questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.76 was used to collect data for the study. The Findings showed that the creativity level of hearing-impaired students is significantly higher compared to their hearing peer. It was revealed that female hearing impaired students significantly show a higher level of creativity than their male peer. Also, post-lingual hearing-impaired students are significantly higher in creativity level than their pre-lingua peers. Based on these findings, it was recommended that mainstreaming approach of providing education services adopted by Federal College of Education in Oyo should be strengthened and adopted in all institution where hearing and hearing impaired attend.

This study investigated the availability, frequency of use, learning styles, and the challenges encountered with engagement of digital devices among Nigerian secondary school students, and solutions were proffered on how the challenges could be remediated. The study is a descriptive study that used survey data. The sample consisted of 323 students from public and private secondary schools in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria. The data collected were analysed using frequency counts, percentages and means. The study findings indicate that most schools do not have adequate digital media to facilitate good instruction. However, the available digital media were judiciously used for instruction. Further, it was found that challenges were encountered by students in the use of digital media and solutions were suggested. It was recommended that Nigerian schools endeavour to procure adequate digital media that would facilitate good instruction. Employing appropriate teaching strategies using newer learning digital technologies to identify student's strengths, interests and learning styles would go a long way in engaging students to learn actively and independently. Also, organization of seminars, workshops and training for both students and teachers on acquisition of skills would facilitate a better pedagogical experience.

The Almajiri children in Nigeria are deserving of special interventions to reduce the life-long divide in educational achievement, social status, and economic empowerment. One way of speedily achieving this is through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This study examined the prospects and challenges of using ICT in the teaching and learning processes of Almajiri children's education in Nigeria. A descriptive research methodology was adopted and data were collected from the Almajiri children, their teachers, and parents from communities with a high concentration of Almajiri schools. The results showed that while the official language of instruction in schools in Nigeria is English, the language often spoken by children and teachers was Hausa. Also, while teachers and parents were quite familiar with ICTs such as mobile phones, computers, and television, the Almajiri children were more familiar with television and mobile phones, and very few had used a computer. Some strategies proposed for successful adoption of ICT in Almajiri education include the use of indigenous languages in courseware development and the use of one-to-many ICT facilities, such as multimedia teaching aids, projectors, and smart televisions.

Peer tutoring has generated a great deal of scholarly interest in the field of education. It is viewed as an essential instructional strategy for inclusive education because it constitutes one of the strongholds of cooperative learning. This study examines the effect of peer tutoring and the moderating effect of gender on the academic performance of economics students in Ilorin-South Local Government of Kwara State, Nigeria. Two intact classes in two different secondary schools were selected for this study. The experimental (peer tutoring) group had a population of 40 students while the control (conventional instruction) group had a population of 38 students. A 50-item multiple-choice objective test titled Economics Performance Test (EPT) was used to measure academic performance. Students in the peer tutoring group obtained higher EPT scores than students in the conventional instruction group. This effect was not moderated by gender. We recommend that teachers adopt peer tutoring instructional strategies in the classroom so as to develop students' generic skills.

Introduction: Cancers are amajor cause of childhood mortality worldwide especially in LMICs where underdiagnoses and lack of quality cancer data hampers effective cancer control efforts. This study aimed to document and describe the patterns and characteristics of childhood cancers in the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study that collected cancer data from 4 out of the 6 states in the North East of Nigeria. The data included all malignancies diagnosed in children aged 0-19 years between 2019 and 2022. The age-specific incidence rates were also calculated for the individual 5-year age groups (0-4 years, 5-9 years, 10-14 years, and 15-19 years). The crude incidence rates (CIR) were calculated as the weighted averages of the respective ASRs in each age range within 0-14 years and 0-19 years respectively. The cancers were grouped according to the International Incidence of Childhood Cancers, volume 3 (IICC3). Results: Cancers in people <20 years accounted for 7.3% of all cancers diagnosed over the same period. The crude incidence rates (CIR) for cancers in children and adolescents were 20.9 per million children aged 0-19 years and 18.8 per million children aged 0-14 years respectively, while the agestandardized rates (ASR) were 1.80 and 1.63 per million person-years respectively. There was a variation in the most commonly diagnosed cancers across all age groups. However, lymphomas were the most commonly diagnosed cancers overall, while CNS tumors were overwhelmingly rare. Conclusion: Despite data limitations, this study provides useful insights into patterns of cancers in the region and will hopefully provide a basis for the strengthening of pediatric oncology care, childhood cancer control programs and population-based cancer registries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined stress coping strategies used by the management staff of colleges of education in Nigeria. A descriptive research of the survey design was used for the study. The sample of the study consisted of 1500 respondents, comprising 294 principal officers, 294 deans of schools and 910 heads of departments. Purposive stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the sample. A questionnaire titled Stress Coping Strategies among Management Staff of Colleges of Education Questionnaire (SCSMSCOEQ) was designed for the study. The validity of the instrument was established by giving the instrument to experts in the Department of Educational Management and Test and Measurement, Department of Guidance and Counselling, Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, while the reliability of the instrument was ensured through test-retest method. The reliability coefficient of 0.79 was obtained for the instrument which was considered high enough for reliability. Data collected were analysed using frequency counts, means, percentages and t-test analysis. The research questions raised were answered descriptively, while the null hypothesis formulated was tested at 0.005 level of significance using t-test analysis. The study revealed that the level of stress among management staff was high during the period understudy. The findings further indicated that, consultative management, maintenance of cordial relationship, sleep well, immediate response to issues and proper planning are the major strategies used by the management staff. The stress coping strategies being used by management staff of Federal Colleges of Education are quite different from those used by the State owned Colleges of Education in Nigeria. Based on the findings, it was recommended that in order to make stress management strategies being used more effective and that there was no significant difference in the stress coping strategies between Federal and State owned Colleges of Education, the working environment should be made conducive by the stakeholders in order to have similar strategies to cope with stress in the colleges of education.

The major purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of Think-Pair-Share instructional Strategy on secondary school students' achievement in Civic Education in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The study adopted a quasi-experimental 2x2x3 pre-test,-post-test factorial design. All the SSS II students in Bayelsa State constituted the target population. Intact classes of 61 and 46 students were purposively sampled for the experimental and control groups respectively. Three researcher-designed instruments which included two instructional packages and one Test were used to collect data for the study. Reliability index of the Civic Education Achievement Test was 0.83 obtained through a test re-test method after an interval of two weeks using Pearson's Product Moment Correlation while Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) statistic was used to test three research hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings from this study revealed among others that students taught Civic Education using Think-Pair-Share strategy outperformed those in the control group. There is no significant effect of treatments on secondary school students' achievement in Civic Education based on gender. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that teachers should engage all categories of students in active learning where students' previous experiences are explored to recreate new knowledge.

This study investigated the lecturers' perspectives on enhancing university graduates' employability in Nigeria. Findings revealed that majority of the lecturers agreed that there is need for the undergraduates to acquire transferable skills and a broad-based experience. Also revealed that majority of the lecturers agreed that the undergraduates need to be exposed to internship and work experience irrespective of their field of study. In addition, majority of the lecturers agreed that guidance and counselling services should be vigorously pursued and revived in our institutions of learning. Based on the findings of this study, some recommendations were made; School authority should expose the undergraduates to internship and work experience scheme irrespective of their field of study. School authority should establish guidance and counselling unit to provide supportive service for the students especially on career-related issues. Government should improve the school environment by providing adequate infrastructural facilities, instructional materials that will enhance broad-based experience among the undergraduates.

The sociopolitical and economic structure of Nigeria is being threatened by youth incivility, while civic virtues in all spheres of life are gradually declining. This study examined the effects of the 5Es instructional strategy on the literacy scores of students in Civic Education. A research question was raised with the corresponding hypothesis. Two intact classes in two different schools were selected for this study from the available secondary schools. Seventy-seven students participated in the study, in which the experimental group consisted of 39 students while the control group consisted of 38 students. The 50-item multiple-choice objective Civic Education Literacy Test (CELT) was used for collecting data. The validated CELT was tested for reliability, and a value of 0.68 was obtained. Analysis of Covariance was used in determining the significant differences between the two groups. The results revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest literacy scores of students taught Civic Education using the 5Es instructional strategy. Thus, the study recommended that teachers should expose students to the 5Es instructional strategy in the classroom to develop students' generic skills and civic competence.

Social media are emerging technology which came into existence out of fun to connect with friends, but it has evolved to become a powerful tool for teaching and learning globally. However, despite its usefulness and relevance to learning the intention to use social media for learning by postgraduate gender in South-west Nigeria has not been confirmed. Therefore, the study used UTAUT model to established the intention to use social media for learning based on the interactive effect of postgraduate gender in South-west Nigeria. The study was a descriptive research of cross-sectional survey method and purposive sampling was used to sample 2,458 postgraduate students across the universities in South-west, Nigeria. Stratified sampling technique was used to select postgraduate students along gender and area of study. The questionnaire adapted was administered on 2,458 postgraduate students (1530 males and 928 females). Mean scores were used to answer research questions and t-test analysis was used to test research hypothesis. The findings of the study were that postgraduate students used Linkedin, Technorah, Blogger, Flickr, Myspace, Instagram, etc., postgraduate students had positive perception towards social media and intention to use for learning. The study concluded that postgraduate students' use social media for learning due to positive perception they had towards usefulness and ease of use of social media. It was however recommended that the use of social media should be encouraged in facilitating learning irrespective of students' gender and area of study.

The popularity of games and their availability through both ICT and non ICT tools require the investigation of students' attitude towards the use in instructional delivery. The study therefore examined students' attitudes towards instructional games on peace education. A total of 360 students randomly selected from the six states forming the South-West geopolitical zone in Nigeria participated in each of the games after which their attitude was examined. Two instruments namely, Attitude towards Board Game Questionnaire and Attitude towards Computer Game Questionnaire with reliability coefficient of 0.73 and 0.75 respectively were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using mean, Pearson product moment correlation and t-test. The results revealed: (1) students' positive attitude towards the instructional games; (2) significant relationship between students' attitudes towards the instructional games and their achievement in peace education; and (3) significant difference in students' attitude towards the games based on gender. The study recommended: (1) the use of instructional games for learning; (2) provision of necessary facilities needed for the use of game-based strategy in instructional delivery; (3) training of teachers to develop and use game-based strategy in the teaching-learning process; and (4) designing of gender neutral instructional games.

This study investigated the relative effectiveness of computer-supported cooperative learning strategies on the performance, attitudes, and retention of secondary school students in physics. A purposive sampling technique was used to select four senior secondary schools from Minna, Nigeria. The students were allocated to one of four groups: Students Team Achievement Division (STAD), Jigsaw II, Team-Assisted Individualisation (TAI), or Individualised Computer Instruction (ICI). Computer-Assisted Learning Package (CALP) on physics was used as the treatment instrument and the Physics Achievement Test (PAT) and Physics Attitude Scale (PAS) were used as outcome measures. Analysis of Covariance and the Scheffe post-hoc test were used for data analysis. Some significant differences were found in the performance and attitudes of the groups, though cooperative learning strategies did not improve retention compared to ICI. These findings support the integration of computer-supported cooperative instructional strategies in secondary school classrooms.

This study was aimed at the development of an instrument for measuring students' attitudes towards mathematics. A survey research design was adopted involving 510 students randomly selected. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was carried out to determine the number of factors to be retained in the ATMS. The adequacy of the sample was confirmed by means of Bartlett's Sphericity Test (BST), the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) index, and the matrix determinant. The BST was significant at p < 0.01 with KMO index of 0.93 and correlation matrix determinant of 0.00006207. The factors were extracted using principal component analysis and the components were rotated using Varimax with Kaiser Normalization and converged after 10 iterations. The final 30-item ATMS contains four attitude subcategories: perception of difficulty, feelings of anxiety towards mathematics, usefulness of mathematics, mathematics phobia and has a reliability coefficient of 0.91 with sufficient evidence of content and face validity.

Aim: To compare the effectiveness of 50 and 100 μg of carbetocin with 10 IU of oxytocin for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Methods: This was a triple‐blind, non‐inferiority trial involving pregnant women recruited at term. We compared two doses of carbetocin (50 and 100 μg) with 10 IU of oxytocin administered as uterotonic agent after vaginal or cesarean delivery. Uterine contractility was assessed at 2‐ and 5‐min after uterotonic administration. The association between adequate uterine tone and PPH with the patients' characteristics were examined using the chi‐square test. Effect of the drugs on the odds of developing PPH was examined using logistics regressions. All analyses were conducted using STATA (StataCorp L.L.C.) with a significance level set at 0.05. Results: In total, 324 women (50 μg carbetocin group‐111, 100 μg carbetocin group‐106, and oxytocin group‐107) participated in the study. There was a significantly higher proportion of women with adequate uterine tone in those that had 100 μg carbetocin relative to 50 μg and 10 IU oxytocin at 5 min (p < 0.001). Patients who received oxytocin had a higher average blood loss than women that had either 50 or 100 μg carbetocin (p = 0.128). There was a significant difference in the need for additional uterotonic, with a higher proportion of participants among those who received 10 IU of oxytocin (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Patients that had 100 μg of carbetocin had a better adequate uterine tone at the fifth minute compared to those who had 50 μg and 10 IU of oxytocin. Generally, carbetocin use was less likely associated with risk of PPH and use of additional intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of frugal innovation has gained significant traction in low middle-income countries due to its potential to contribute to sustainable development goals (SDGs). This study examines the role of universities in promoting frugal innovation and their capacity to drive socio-economic development through entrepreneurial initiatives. The objective is to explore how universities can serve as both entrepreneurial and development-focused institutions and to develop a conceptual framework to guide their efforts. The study utilizes an exploratory single case study methodology, focusing on the American University of Nigeria (AUN), a leading institution in Nigeria known for its development and entrepreneurship programs. Drawing on data from the AUN THE global impact ranking 2024, the results of the study indicate that the ability of a university to effectively manage technology and skills transfer in frugal innovations is influenced by six university capabilities, and the generation of frugal innovations is moderated by policy and innovation ecosystems involving government agencies, regulatory bodies, and policymakers. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by initiating a discussion on how development and entrepreneurship can support frugal innovation, and offers practical insights to inspire other universities to develop their own models for societal and economic impact. The study underscores the necessity of integrating "development" into the vision of universities, particularly in low middle-income and developing economies, and emphasizes the significance of universities embracing both entrepreneurial and development-focused roles. The findings highlight the potential of universities in advancing sustainable development goals, particularly in low middle-income and developing economies, as they work towards meeting the global SDGs by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Headache disorders, including migraine, pose a significant burden globally, with varying prevalence rates across different regions. However, research on migraine in Nigeria and other low-income countries is limited. Understanding the prevalence, characteristics, and treatment outcomes of migraine in Nigeria is essential for informing healthcare policies and improving patient care. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize existing literature on migraine prevalence, characteristics, and treatment outcomes in Nigeria. Eligible studies were identified through comprehensive searches of multiple electronic databases and grey literature sources. Studies reporting migraine prevalence, diagnostic criteria, treatment modalities, and outcomes were included. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed following established guidelines. Results: Ten studies involving 7,768 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of migraine headache in Nigeria was calculated to be 16% (95% CI = 7–28), with significant heterogeneity observed among studies (I² = 99.35%, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed a higher prevalence of migraine among women compared to men. Common triggers for migraine included physical activity, sleep deprivation, mental and physical fatigue, and emotional stress. Treatment modalities varied, with simple analgesics, NSAIDs, ergotamine derivatives, and amitriptyline being commonly used. However, many participants reported inadequate pain relief or significant side effects, highlighting the need for improved management strategies. Conclusion: The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis underscore the significant burden of migraine in Nigeria and the need for improved healthcare policies and interventions. Addressing gaps in access to specialized care and implementing more effective treatment regimens could help alleviate the burden of migraine on individuals and healthcare systems in Nigeria. Further research is needed to standardize diagnostic criteria and methodologies and provide more reliable prevalence estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Sub-optimal patient medication knowledge, negative beliefs, and concerns about the potential of medications to cause harm are important contributory factors to non-adherence in patients with depression. Objectives To assess the effectiveness of a pharmacist intervention on antidepressant medication knowledge, necessity, and concerns beliefs in patients with depression. Methods A prospective interventional study (approval number: ABUCUHSR/2020/018) was carried out between April 2019 and March 2020 at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria. Patients were randomized into the usual care or intervention group. The intervention consisted of an educational programme, and data were collected at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Patient knowledge about medicines and beliefs about medicines questionnaires were used to assess patient knowledge and beliefs. Key findings A total of 49 (81.6%) and 52 (86.6%) participants completed the 6-month follow-up in the usual care and intervention groups, respectively. Significant improvements in mean medication knowledge scores of participants in the intervention group were observed at 3 months (P <.001) and 6 months (P <.001), respectively. Significant improvements in mean medication necessity and concerns belief scores of participants in the intervention group were also observed at 3 months (P <.001) and 6 months (P <.001), respectively. Medication knowledge (P <.001, partial η2 = 0.203), medication necessity (P <.001, partial η2 = 0.329), and medication concerns (P <.001, partial η2 = 0.163) positively changed with time. Conclusion Pharmacist intervention significantly improved antidepressant medication knowledge, necessity, and concerns beliefs in patients with major depressive disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of computer-assisted Jigsaw II cooperative strategy on physics achievement and retention. The study also determined how moderating variables of achievement levels as it affects students' performance in physics when Jigsaw II cooperative learning is used as an instructional strategy. Purposive sampling technique was used to select two senior secondary school class II (SSSII) physics students from two intact classes in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Eighty students from two intact classes were assigned into Jigsaw II and Individualized Computer Instruction (ICI) groups. Computer-Assisted Learning Package (CALP) on physics and Physics Achievement Test (PAT) were used as treatment and test instruments. Analysis of Covariance and Scheffe's test were used for data analysis. Findings indicated that students taught physics using computer-assisted Jigsaw II performed better and retained the physics concepts longer than those taught using individualized computer instruction. In addition, achievement levels had significant influence on their performance. Based on the findings, it was recommended among other that physics teachers should be encouraged use computer-assisted Jigsaw II cooperative strategy to enhanced students' performance.

This study investigates the nexus between two dimensions of student personnel services (Admission Services, Extracurricular Services) academic achievement in secondary schools with the particular interest to know the significant impact of these services on students' academic achievement. It is believed that the provision of these services are determinant factors that fast track the development of the students in the school system. The study is quantitative in nature and adopts a correlation survey method. Instruments titled: "Admission and Extracurricular Services Questionnaires" (AESQ) were adapted from relevant studies to measure the services. Questionnaires were distributed to 379 students in one of the secondary schools in Kwara State, Nigeria. This study secondary data to measure the academic achievement of students. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and Structural Equation Modelling (Smart PLS) were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed a significant relationship between admission services and academic achievement as well as significant relationship between extracurricular services and academic achievement in school. The study concludes that admission and extracurricular services are essential services that are needed for the development of the school students. The presence of these services stimulates students to achieve academic excellence while the reverse could lead to students' failure. Thus, this study recommended that schools should ensure that admission processes should be thoroughly done for them to select the best students for placement. Also, extracurricular activities should be provided for students to be developed socially, physically and emotionally. Future studies should focus on other aspects of students personnel services like health, accommodation services, and bursary services etc. with a view to assess more on the impact of the services in education system.

In this study, the author examined the validity of MATH 105 as a prerequisite to MATH 201. The data for this study was extracted directly from the examination results logic of the university. Descriptive statistics in form of correlations and linear regressions were used to analyze the obtained data. Three research questions were formulated and the collected data were analyzed using Minitab 16 statistical software. Some concepts of Graph theory were employed to answer one of the research questions and the other two using some statistical tools. The findings revealed that MATH 105 is a powerful predictor of students' performance in MATH 201. It then became obvious that a poor performance in MATH 105 is tantamount to a subsequent failure in MATH 201 while a good score in MATH 201 is a green light to passing MATH 201. Furthermore, it was recommended that MATH 105 should be retained and even thoroughly enforced as a prerequisite for MATH 201.

This study examined the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction on Student Team Achievement Division (STAD) and Learning Together Model (LTM) cooperative learning strategies on Nigerian secondary students' achievement and motivation in physics. The efficacy of Authors developed computer assisted instructional package (CAI) for teaching physics concepts in cooperative settings was determined using Pretest-Posttest Experimental group design. The reliability coefficient of the research instruments were 0.71 and 0.82 using Kuder-Richardson KR-20 and KR-21 respectively. 90 (45 male and 45 female) students from three secondary schools in Minna, Nigeria made-up the sample. The schools were randomly assigned to experimental group I (STAD), experimental group II (LTM) and control group (Individualized Computer Instruction, ICI). Results revealed that the students taught with STAD and LTM performed significantly better than their counterparts taught using individualized computer instruction (ICI). The cooperative learning strategies were found also to be gender friendly. Based on the findings, recommendations were made.

This paper reports part of a study that hoped to understand Teacher Educators' (TE) assessment of the affordances of selected cloud computing tools ranked among the top 100 for the year 2010. Research has shown that ICT and by extension cloud computing has positive impacts on daily life and this informed the Nigerian government's policy to integrate ICT into education with teachers playing critical roles in this enterprise. For teachers to effectively integrate cloud computing into education they must first be able to identify the uses of these tools. It becomes necessary to understand TE's perceptions of the affordances of the newest ICT frontier for language teacher education. Participants in the study were randomly selected Nigerian TEs studying in the United Kingdom. They used the tools for various activities and their assessments measured against a checklist. They were also asked to think aloud while using the tools while the researcher took notes of what they said. Their assessments were classified according to thematic paradigms. The results indicate that TEs were able to correctly identify intended, perceived, unintended and false affordances. The implications for language teacher education include recognizing that enlightenment and training are critical for the integration of cloud computing tools into the classroom. Stakeholders should Consider Strategic development of basic ICT infrastructure. It may be more effective to use a comprehensive approach to adoption. Moreover there is the need for further studies with a focus on other levels of education and cloud computing tools.

The study investigated perception of undergraduates on factors responsible for examination malpractices. The study is a descriptive study; a sample of two hundred (200) undergraduates formed the participants for the study. A questionnaire titled: "Factor responsible for examination malpractices was used for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, mean scores, t-test and ANOVA statistical analysis. The findings of the study revealed the poor study habit, poor concentration during lectures, and peer influence are major factors responsible for examination malpractices; the findings also revealed that there is no significant difference on perception of undergraduates on the factors responsible for examination malpractices on the basis of gender and academic programme; while, there is significant difference on perception of undergraduates on factors responsible for examination malpractice on the basis of academic level. Based on the findings it was recommended that university management should establish a functioning counselling unit to cater for the needs of the students; and adequate punitive measure should be given to any students that get involve in examination malpractice.

This research studied the relationship between student's gender and academic performance in computer science in New Bussa, Borgu local government of Niger state. Questionnaire which consisted of 30 multiple-choice items drawn from Senior School Certificate Examination past questions as set by the West Africa Examination Council in 2014 multiple choice past question was used as the research instrument. The questionnaire was administered to 275 students from both private and public schools in the study area. The students' responses were marked and scored, and afterward analysed using independent t-test. The results of the study showed that even though the male students had slightly better performance compared to the female students, it was not significant. This better performance was found to be pronounced in the private school which was shown to possess the best male brains found in the study area. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations were made. Parents are encouraged to provide the right education they can afford for their children irrespective of gender. Also, there should be a deliberate Federal Government policy to encourage absorbance of female students into further study in computer science. Furthermore, it was recommended that stake holders in the education industry should make use of these findings and try to research into ways of making gender sensitive policies.

This study investigated the effectiveness of computer-assisted Students' Team Achievement Division (STAD) cooperative learning strategy on physics problem solving, students' achievement and retention. It also examined if the student performance would vary with gender. Purposive sampling technique was used to select two senior secondary schools year two physics students (SS II). The schools were assigned into computer-assisted STAD and Individualized Computer Instruction (ICI) groups. 84 students from two intact classes participated in the study. The Computer-Assisted Learning Package (CALP) on physics and the Physics Achievement Test (PAT) were used as treatment and test instruments respectively. Analysis of Covariance and Scheffe test were used for data analysis. Findings indicated that students taught physics with computer-supported STAD performed better than their counterparts in ICI group. In addition, they had better retention than those in ICI group. However, gender has no influence on students' performance. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that physics teachers should be encouraged to use computer-assisted cooperative instruction to enhance students' performance.

This paper discusses importance of technology education and evidence of declining performance of junior secondary school students in basic technology subject. Benefits of PowerPoint presentation in classroom instruction as a means to improve classroom teaching in the developing countries are also discussed. The effectiveness of PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) for teaching Technical Drawing concepts in Basic Technology was determined using a pretest-posttest, non-equivalent, non-randomized experimental group design. A 2x2x3 factorial design was employed. One hundred JSS 1 students (53 male and 47 female) categorized into 29 high, 54 medium and 17 low achievers from two secondary schools in Abuja Metropolis formed the sample. The schools were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group was taught some selected concepts from Technical Drawing using PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) while Chalkboard method (CB) was used for the control group. A validated Technical Drawing Achievement Test (TDAT) comprising a 25-item multiple-choice test was employed for data collection. The reliability coefficient of TDAT was 0.88 using Kuder-Richardson (KR-20). The hypotheses were tested using ANCOVA and Sidak post-hoc analysis. Results revealed that the students taught with PPT performed better than their counterparts taught with CB. Also, high achievers performed better than medium and low achievers respectfully. The PPT was found also to be gender friendly. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the use of PPT should be encouraged in Nigerian schools.

This study examined the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction on Student Team Achievement Division (STAD) and Learning Together (LT) cooperative learning strategies on Nigerian secondary students' achievement and motivation in physics. The effectiveness of computer assisted instructional package (CAI) for teaching physics concepts in cooperative settings was determined using Pretest-Posttest Experimental group design. The reliability coefficient of the research instruments were 0.71 and 0.82 using Kuder-Richardson KR-20 and 21 respectively. Some 90 (45 male and 45 female) students from three secondary schools in Minna, Nigeria made-up the sample. The schools were randomly assigned to experimental group I (STAD), experimental group II (LTM) and control group (Individualized Computer Instruction, ICI). Results revealed that the students taught with STAD and LTM performed significantly better than their counterparts taught using individualized computer instruction (ICI). The cooperative learning strategies were found to be gender friendly. Based on the findings, physics teachers should be encouraged to use computer-assisted STAD cooperative teaching strategy to enhance students' academic achievement, retention and motivation in physics.

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the school system is becoming increasingly prominent. This study was conducted to find out the information and communication technology literacy levels among student-teachers in the universities in North-Central Nigeria. The study involved a total of 638 student-teachers out of which 360 were males 248 were females. The instrument used for the study was a researcher-designed questionnaire with a reliability index of 0.74. The results indicated that student-teachers in North-central Nigeria have an average ICT literacy level. No significant difference was established in the level of ICT literacy between male and female student-teachers {t(636)=1.672>0.05} and there was no significant difference in the level of ICT literacy by student-teachers in the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences {F(2,635)=0.935>0.05}. It was recommended that effort should be made by the universities to make the student-teachers imbibe the culture of integrating ICT into pedagogy and educational administration since they have an average ICT literacy level and that more ICT equipment should be made available to the students by the various universities.

This study assessed the implementation of the reading component of the Junior Secondary School English Language Curriculum for Basic Education in Nigeria. Ten (10) randomly selected public and private secondary schools from Kaduna metropolis in Kaduna State of Nigeria were used for the study. Among the factors assessed in relation to the implementation of the curriculum were: teachers variation of methods and the differences between school types in the implementation of reading component of the English Language curriculum. Thirty (30) English language teachers were involved in the study. Questionnaire and observation were the instruments used in gathering data. The data were analyzed, using frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation. The analysis of the data collected revealed that there was no significant difference in the implementation of the reading component of the English language curriculum in public and private schools. Teachers in both schools tended to have the same pattern of implementing the reading component of the English language curriculum. It was observed that the implementation of the reading component of the English language curriculum was not very effective from the classroom observation of the teachers. Teaching was teacher-centred. Students were passive and did not participate in class discussion. It was recommended that teachers should adopt learner centred approaches in teaching reading and students should be encouraged to participate actively in class discussions. For efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of the reading component of the English curriculum, there should be continuity of the syllabus (from JS 1-3) and there should be checks and balances to ensure the successful delivery of the curriculum.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become inseparable entities in all aspects of human life. The use of ICT has fundamentally changed the practices and procedures of nearly all forms of endeavour within business, governance and civil service. In education, ICT has begun to have a presence but the impact has not been as extensive as in other fields of endeavour. The moving of the world to digital media and information has made the role of ICT in education to become more important and this importance will continue to grow and develop in the 21st century. Information and communication technology (ICT) is an indispensable part of the contemporary world. In fact, culture and society have to be adjusted to meet the challenges of the knowledge age. Undoubtedly ICT has impacted on the quality and quantity of teaching, learning and research in tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria. The various constraints to ICT utilisation as a change agent for higher education must received prominent attention, for the ICT to continue playing its lofty role as a change agent for Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Introduction: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is plagued by myriads of diseases, mostly infectious; but cancer disease burden is rising among non-communicable diseases. Nigeria has a high burden of cancer, however its remote underserved culturally-conserved populations have been understudied, a gap this study sought to fill. Methods: This was a cross-sectional multi-institutional descriptive study of histologically diagnosed cancers over a four-year period (January 2019-December 2022) archived in the Departments of Pathology and Cancer Registries of six tertiary hospitals in the northeast of Nigeria. Data obtained included age at diagnosis, gender, tumor site and available cancer care infrastructure. Population data of the study region and its demographics was obtained from the National Population Commission and used to calculate incident rates for the population studied. Results: A total of 4,681 incident cancer cases from 2,770 females and 1,911 males were identified. The median age at diagnosis for females was 45 years (range 1-95yrs), and 56 years (range 1-99yrs) for males. Observed age-specific incidence rates (ASR) increased steadily for both genders reaching peaks in the age group 80 years and above with the highest ASR seen among males (321/100,000 persons) compared to females (215.5/100,000 persons). Breast, cervical, prostatic, colorectal and skin cancers were the five most common incident cancers. In females, breast, cervical, skin, ovarian and colorectal cancers were the top five malignancies; while prostate, haematolymphoid, skin, colorectal and urinary bladder cancers predominated in men. Conclusion: Remote SSA communities are witnessing rising cancer disease burden. Proactive control programs inclusive of advocacy, vaccination, screening, and improved diagnostics are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unintended pregnancy is a global public health issue with significant adverse effects which include health and economic consequences. Globally, there were 121 million unintended pregnancies annually between 2015 and 2019 among women of reproductive age between 15 and 49 mainly due to the non-uptake of modern contraceptives, harmful norms, stigma and lack of sexual and reproductive health care and information. Methods: We extracted information from the Nigeria Demographic Health Survey conducted in 2008, 2013, and 2018 to assess the trends and factors associated with unintended pregnancies among women of reproductive-aged 15–49. The descriptive summaries were presented using percentages and binomial logistic regressions for the inferential analysis. All analyses were computed using Stata 15.0 at a 5% level of significance and accounted for the complex survey nature as well as the population size. Results: The study included a total of 63,040 women of reproductive age. The prevalence of unintended pregnancy was highest among adolescents aged 15–19 years (15.1%, 95% CI: 13.9–16.5) and decreased with increasing age. The pooled adjusted model revealed that women had 11% lower odds of reporting unintended pregnancies in 2013 compared to 2008. Adolescent girls (aOR 2.48; 95%CI: 2.14–2.89) and young adults (aOR 1.86; 95%CI: 1.69–2.04) have higher odds of reporting unintended pregnancies compared to older women. Also, unmarried women had 9.8 times higher odds of reporting unintended pregnancies compared to ever-married women. Conclusions: The findings from this study highlight the need for further family planning educational programs and initiatives that support the uptake of effective contraceptive methods to reduce the likelihood of unintended pregnancy and improve women's sexual and reproductive health while considering regional variations within the country to ensure tailored interventions that address specific needs within each region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Security concerns have been brought up by the electronics industry's widespread use of ubiquitous gadgets. The limitations of power consumption, space, and speed make it impractical to construct a full-fledged cryptographic environment using traditional encryption techniques in embedded systems like the Internet of Things. Lightweight cryptography is the main focus in order to get over these obstacles. This study proposes a new lightweight cryptography cipher that modifies the original PRESENT cipher by introducing a new layer between the S-box layer and P-layer of the current encryption-decryption process, lowering the encryption round, and changing the Key Register updating technique. The delta value function of the lightweight cipher known as the Modified Tiny Encryption Algorithm (MTEA) is added to the key register to update its encryption value. By adding an additional layer, we are able to lower the PRESENT round from 31 to 25, which is the bare requirement for security. Encrypting the key register increases the suggested algorithm's efficiency. By using MATLAB2022a and SIMULINK2022a are product of math work, widely used for mathematical computing algorithm development, data analysis, visualization and simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste scavenging is an important activity in developing countries aiding resource recovery and poverty reduction. Despite knowing the dangers posed by the activity, the waste scavengers’ occupational safety is to some extent compromised due to poor utilization of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This study investigated the disparity between knowledge and practice of waste scavengers regarding occupational risks and safety measures in Yola urban area, through surveys and interviews with 405 participants across 55 dealers' depots. The study findings discovered 375 waste scavengers recognized the potential hazard associated with scavenging job, out of which only 41 were actually using PPEs regularly. While 30 claimed ignorant of the potential risks of the activity. This therefore categorized waste scavengers into three distinct groups in Yola urban area viz: Safe Scavengers" who possess the knowledge of dangers of scavenging and use one or more PPE regularly 41 (10.12%); “Knowledgeable non-PPEs users" who have the knowledge but do not use PPE 334 (82.47%); and "Unaware non-PPEs users" lacking both knowledge and PPE usage 30 (7.41%) mostly children. Null hypotheses were formulated where significant difference observed between Knowledgeable non-users and safety practice (p=0.016). On the other hand, no significant difference found between Safe Scavengers and safety practice (p=0.053); as well as Unaware non-users and safety practice (p=0.060). Pie chart clearly shows the knowledge/practice gap and three distinct group of the scavengers. Recommendation proposed involvement of scavengers’ middlemen and waste management authorities in developing comprehensive strategies that promote a culture of safety, provide training on safety practices, and ensure the availability of appropriate protective gear to narrow down the gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tax incentives have been used as tools to encourage investments and tax compliance from businesses. Little is known about the effect of tax incentives on tax compliance of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria. The study, therefore, investigated the effect these tax incentives (the Nigerian government tax exemption to MSMEs with income of a particular threshold and low-interest financing) have on the tax compliance of MSMEs in Nigeria. The study adopted quantitative research and administered questionnaires to MSMEs in Nigeria. Guided by the theories of social influence and slippery slope, the study employed the regression technique for the analysis and concluded that tax incentives have a significant effect on the tax compliance of MSMEs in Nigeria. Also, tax exemption and low-interest financing have a significant effect on the tax compliance of MSMEs in Nigeria. The study has contributed to the body of knowledge by showing the effect the government tax policy of tax exemption to MSMEs has on tax compliance. The different incentives of government are not sufficiently communicated to these businesses to take advantage of. It is, therefore, recommended that government policies especially on incentives to MSMEs should be well broadcast through different social media platforms for them to benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Client satisfaction is a multidimensional construct focusing on clients' perceptions and evaluations of the treatment and care received. It is one of the factors affecting the outcomes of healthcare and the use of health services. Therefore, we aimed to assess clients' satisfaction with PHC services in Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria. Methodology: A cross–sectional descriptive study was conducted in Kaduna State, Northwest, Nigeria which evaluate the satisfaction of clients and caregivers accessing healthcare in PHC centres. A sample size of 217 was determined using Fisher's formula, with a multi-stage sampling technique used to randomly select eligible respondents, who have accessed at least a PHC service in any of the PHCs in the State were included in the study, A semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered, and the data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Appropriate statistical tests were used to examine the association between dependent and independent variables, while predictor variables that showed significant association with the outcome variables were further subjected to logistic regression analysis, to determine factors that affect clients' satisfaction with PHC services. Statistical significance was determined at an alpha level set at 0.05 at a 95% confidence interval. Results: Thirty-one percent of the respondents were satisfied with PHC services in Kaduna State with a mean composite satisfaction score of 3.78 ± 0.67. Age, ethnicity, level of education, and occupational status were factors affecting clients' satisfaction with PHC services among the respondents. On multivariate analysis, age, ethnicity, educational status, and occupational status were significant factors affecting clients' satisfaction with PHC services. Clients of Hausa/Fulani extraction are one and a half times less likely to be satisfied with PHC services when compared to clients from other tribes [aOR = 1.5, 95% CI (1.21–4.67); p = 0.003]. In terms of educational status, clients with formal education are one and a one-third times more likely to be satisfied [aOR = 1.3, 95% CI (0.17–0.94)] with PHC service when compared with their counterparts with informal education (p = 0.034). Conclusion: Clients' satisfaction with PHC services in Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria was sub-optimal. Healthcare providers were recommended to improve their attitude bearing in mind clients' peculiarities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sheds light on a West African technological landscape of the early twentieth century that transcended the boundaries of various West African population groups and natural environments. The conceptual framework of technological landscape employed in this study serves to explore the everyday spaces and details of trade and transport activities of merchants from Northern Nigeria, as well as the engagement of forest dwellers in Côte d'Ivoire in the trade of gold and other natural resources they cultivated, harvested and produced in the forest. Building on archival materials from Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire, the paper considers various historical actors who have often been neglected in history of technology narratives but who are certainly relevant in West African (transport) history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the relationship between food and oil prices in Nigeria before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, using monthly data from January 2018 to December 2021. The ARDL and NARDL models are applied to estimate the symmetry and asymmetric relationship that exists in food price behavior. The NARDL confirms the presence of asymmetries, and the bound test affirms the co-integration and long-run relationship among the variables. In the long run, there is a significant positive relation between oil price increases and food prices, but the long-run impact of oil price reductions on food prices is not significant. In the short run, only increases in oil prices exert a significant influence on food prices, while decreases in oil prices do not. Furthermore, the COVID-19 period exerts a positive and significant impact on food prices, while COVID-19 cases do not influence food prices in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine the influence of prior knowledge questions on pupils' performance in reading comprehension in primary schools in Kaduna, Nigeria. Two schools were used for the study. Ungwar Dosa primary school was used as the experimental school while Ungwar Rimi primary school was used as the control school. Thirty (30) primary five pupils from each of the two schools were used for the study. A total of sixty pupils were used for the study. A pre-test was administered on both groups of pupils before the commencement of teaching. A post-test was administered after six weeks of teaching. Data was analysed using mean, standard deviation and t-test. The findings revealed significant difference in the performance of pupils taught reading comprehension using prior knowledge questions. Based on the findings, teachers are encouraged among others, to use prior knowledge questions to motivate and stimulate pupils to use their relevant background knowledge to interpret and understand new information in their reading comprehension texts. Curriculum planners and textbook writers are encouraged to include prior knowledge questions as part of the activities pupils should be exposed to during reading comprehension lessons.