Basic education clusters in Cambodia: looking at the future while learning from the past

School clusters have been adopted as an education policy by most Asian countries since the 1960s. In Cambodia, primary schools have been organised in clusters since 1993. Clusters were considered a mechanism for quality improvements of education and a way to facilitate sharing and interaction between schools. Primary school clusters have been partially successful. Today there is a growing interest among Cambodian policymakers for integrating primary schools (Grades 1–6) and lower secondary schools (Grades 7–9). This article provides a policy suggestion by arguing for extending the cluster mechanism to these integrated basic education schools with all grades from 1 to 9.     

Increasing access to rural maternal health services in Zambia through demand-side interventions

This paper examines a demand-side intervention that significantly increased access to maternal health services in rural Zambia in a context where skilled birth attendance rates had been stagnant for over two decades. Aspects of the intervention design that were crucial to the programme's success were the participatory and adult learning-centred approach used to mobilise intervention communities, the use of a community volunteer model, and the design's sensitivity and responsiveness to underlying social factors and problems. The demand-side intervention is already being scaled up in six districts, and is highly suitable for national level scale-up.     

Practical lessons from gender audit of an education sector plan in Lao PDR

In 2013, the Laos Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) commissioned a mid-term review of the Education Sector Development Plan 2011–2015 (ESDP, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Ministry of Education and Sports 2010). Plan International, a United Nations Girls Education Initiative partner, worked with MoES to lead a gender audit for the mid-term review. The gender audit strengthened the mid-term review and contributed to the design of the new ESDP. A MoES gender and inclusion working group was established, providing an institutional structure to support focused policy dialogue and address recommendations. This note recommends the inclusion of gender audits within mid-term reviews and final evaluations of sectoral plans to ensure that investments adequately address gender equality.     

Strategic planning through a participatory learning and action framework: a Kenyan study

This paper reflects on the use of a participatory learning and action (PLA) framework in a strategic planning process (SPP) at a primary school in rural Kenya. Successes and challenges are discussed, focusing on the barriers to fully implementing the PLA framework. Additionally, lessons learnt and ways forward for participatory SPPs are outlined. The PLA framework allowed the project stakeholders to engage in a planning process that gave participants a voice in the process. Although PLA methodology faces shortcomings, the application of this model is a step towards making community development more sustainable.     

Community rehabilitation workers as catalysts for disability: inclusive youth development through service learning

This paper explores access to health and education for disabled youth in sites with and without community rehabilitation workers (CRWs). A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was undertaken in nine sites in South Africa, and a snowball sample of 523 disabled youths of both sexes, aged between 18 and 35 years, was selected. The survey found that a significantly larger proportion of disabled youth living in sites with CRWs were seen by health care workers at home, and that there was a large difference in educational access between sites with and without CRWs. CRWs are well positioned to promote equal citizenship for disabled youth through service learning with occupational therapy final year students to improve access to health and education, so that barriers to their participation in economic development are removed.     

Farmers,peanuts, and aflatoxins in Uganda: A gendered approach

This article describes a collaborative research for development project that used participatory methods to engage smallholder farmers in Uganda in post-harvest aflatoxin management. It is based primarily on qualitative research with peanut growers tracing ‘the path of the peanut’ through their hand-drawn maps and journal writing. By focusing on everyday life and including recipes and drawings, this research encouraged women's participation and emphasised women's roles. A unique partnership among universities, women's organisations, and farmers created an environment of mutual learning and produced a book documenting food preparation and other post-harvest practices as part of a study and capacity-building effort on peanuts and aflatoxins.     

刑事司法实践视角下的“人民团体”概念探析

人民团体在我国政治和法律中都是比较重要的概念,在刑事司法方面也多有体现.在97刑法中共有七个条文提及"人民团体"的概念,但令人遗憾的是,对人民团体的概念和具体含义至今都没有权威的解释和准确的阐述.因此,司法实践中如何界定现实生活中的"人民团体"的就成了困扰我们办案人员的一个问题.在文章中,作者从理论解读与司法实务分析两个层面,对人民团体的概念及相关问题作了探讨.     

社会法国——一种文化的考察

“社会法国”,即法国对社会价值的肯定、对社会理念和社会利益追求的一面,从文化上看,“社会法国”是法国基督教文明中的内在价值,是自由主义思潮中的法国“传统”因素,是启蒙思想发展的必然逻辑:社会主义的题中应有之义,社会法国文化对中国社会建设具有启示和借鉴意义。     

论马基雅维里的政治理论观

意大利人文主义思想家马基雅维里的政治理论,切断了国家、君权与上帝的联系,使国家学说与宗教神学相分离,使政治理论观点摆脱了道德的束缚,掀开了政治学说的新篇章。他既鼓吹君主制又讴歌共和制的二元化政体理论,是符合意大利现实的进步思想。马基雅维里的政治理论,奠定了近代资产国家学说和政治学说的基础。     

美国内幕交易归责理论研究

美国在证券法的发展演变过程中 ,结合证券法中公开、公平、公正、效率的基本原则以及秩序、正义、诚信的一般法律理念 ,提出了禁止、制裁内幕交易所必须遵循的依据 ,逐步形成了系统的内幕交易归责理论 ,包括平等享有信息理论、受托义务理论、信息泄露理论、非法盗用理论。现在 ,受托义务理论及盗用理论等已被世界上绝大多数国家的证券法采纳为内幕交易的归责理论 ,反映了全球性的主张公平、有效地传播信息的观点已取代了以市场为中心的内幕交易观点