MSUIR Community:

The efficacy of community-led monitoring: successes, lessons learnt and opportunities for improvement from the Zimbabwean context

Chinoona, Morgen — 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The efficacy of community-led monitoring: successes, lessons learnt and opportunities for improvement from the Zimbabwean context Authors: Chinoona, Morgen; Matunhu, Jephias; Donald Denis Tobaiwa; Kudzaishe Mutungamiri; Melody Musendo; Tinashe Marange; Tinashe Chidede Abstract: Community-led monitoring (CLM) is vital in the global HIV response as it enables community participation and evidence-based advocacy for improved health service delivery. CLM is “an accountability mechanism for HIV responses at different levels, led and implemented by community-led organizations of people living with HIV (PLHIV), networks of key populations (KP), other affected groups” [1]. It is a form of social accountability, where citizens hold duty bearers accountable for the services they provide. Evidence highlights its effectiveness in bridging gaps between healthcare providers and communities, addressing systemic inequities and strengthening accountability [2]. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GF) supported CLM coordinated by Family AIDS Caring Trust (FACT) commenced in 2021, driving community-led action to improve services at 246 health facilities in 21 districts of Zimbabwe. It was initiated by civil society organizations in collaboration with PLHIV and KP communities, who determined its scope and priorities. Districts were consultatively selected with consideration of epidemiological burden and CLM coverage. CLM targets PLHIV, adolescent girls and young women and KP, including sex workers, men who have sex with men and sexual minorities. It involves 718 community health monitors (CHMs) selected by communities based on representation and levels of their literacy and commitment. CHMs utilize Kobo Collect surveys and community score cards to monitor availability, accessibility, acceptability, appropriateness and quality of HIV-health services. Data are collected and synchronized from various tools, drawing insights that are disseminated and actioned on a quarterly basis at the facility and district levels.

Interrogating multi-level government power dynamics and cooperation in Zimbabwe: Evidence from Harare City Council

Marumahoko, Sylvester — 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Interrogating multi-level government power dynamics and cooperation in Zimbabwe: Evidence from Harare City Council Authors: Marumahoko, Sylvester; Nhede, T. Norman; Mapuva, Jephias Abstract: This article examines the relationship between Zimbabwe's national government and the Harare City Council (HCC) in managing the city's public affairs. It explores how this interaction influences governance in Harare, drawing on the theory of intergovernmental relations. Through document analysis, the study dissects the structure and nature of the system between the two spheres of government. The findings reveal a strained relationship, largely due to power imbalances, with instances where the national government has encroached on local government responsibilities. Despite these challenges, the paper concludes with an optimistic outlook, suggesting that both levels of government can achieve their shared goals by fostering trust, cooperation, and collaboration, and by nurturing a more effective intergovernmental framework.

Influence of overflooding ratios on fruit damage and population growth of Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick): implications for the sterile insect technique program

Githae, Michael M. — 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Influence of overflooding ratios on fruit damage and population growth of Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick): implications for the sterile insect technique program Authors: Githae, Michael M.; Candice A. Coombes; Reyard Mutamiswa; Sean D. Moore; Martin P. Hill Abstract: BACKGROUND Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a significant pest of citrus in South Africa. A key management strategy to control this pest is the sterile insect technique, which relies on releasing high numbers of sterile T. leucotreta in citrus orchards. The study investigated different release ratios of newly emerged sterile to fertile T. leucotreta adults (0:1, 10:1, 20:1, 40:1, 60:1), which were placed in insect-rearing cages and allowed to mate. After 4 weeks, the number of damaged fruit and larval entries per fruit were recorded. Infested fruits were incubated until all emerging F1 progeny were collected. RESULTS The cages with sterile T. leucotreta had significantly fewer infested fruits, larval entries, and F1 adults compared to the control. There was a negative correlation between the number of infested fruits, larval entries, and F1 adults with increasing ratios of sterile T. leucotreta. Control cages exhibited higher fecundity and fertility compared to treatment cages. The 40:1 and 60:1 treatment ratios showed the lowest per generation rate of increase (<1× from the parental to the F1 generation). CONCLUSION The study demonstrated that the 40:1 and 60:1 ratios were particularly effective, indicating that maintaining this ratio could significantly reduce the growth of the T. leucotreta fertile population, relative to lower ratios, albeit still effective. © 2025 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Re-visiting teaching practice assessment in teacher education: towards quality education for sustainable development

Matsa, Winniefridah — 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Re-visiting teaching practice assessment in teacher education: towards quality education for sustainable development Authors: Matsa, Winniefridah; Chikunda, Plaxedes Abstract: To attain quality education, teacher education has to undergo transformational teacher practices commensurate with the new trends in education. This paper seeks to assess whether the current teaching practice models and assessment instruments achieved desired skills that are in line with global and national priorities of Competency Based Education, Education for Sustainable Development and 21st century skills for Quality Education. The research design employs a qualitative case study, focusing on two university institutions in Zimbabwe that were purposively sampled. The total sample was 20 with 5 chairpersons coming from applied teaching departments of the two from universities, 3 teaching practice programme co-coordinators and 12 lecturers randomly selected from applied education departments which assess students on teaching practice. The instruments utilized were interview schedules for teaching practice programme coordinators and chairpersons, a questionnaire for lecturers and an analysis of teaching practice policy documents along with teaching practice assessment instruments. The results revealed that teaching practice policy documents and assessment instruments remained misaligned with global and national priorities of competence based education, education for sustainable development and 21st century competences. The respondents confirmed that the current teaching practice assessments failed to provide the aspiring teacher and their learners with lifelong skills and context-specific heritage-based abilities. TP has remained traditional confining student teachers and their learners to the classroom. The TP assessment instruments tested classroom instruction prowess. The study recommends a re-visit to traditional models of teaching practice assessment in-order to transform them to address the 21st century challenges by equipping teacher educators, student teachers and learners with sustainable life skills for present and future use.