European Scientific Journal, ESJ

Assessment of Counselling Interventions for Enhancing Effective Participation of Young Adults in Adult Literacy Programmes

2026-01-22T14:39:28+00:00

Low engagement of young adults in adult literacy initiatives continues to hinder efforts to improve foundational skills and promote sustainable human development in Nigeria. Despite the presence of literacy centres across communities, many young adults exhibit irregular attendance, low involvement, and high dropout rates, largely due to socio-economic constraints, psychological challenges, and limited structured learner support. This study examined how motivational, psychosocial, and career-focused counselling interventions influence the participation of young adults in adult literacy programmes within the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and a structured questionnaire was administered to 300 young adults, with 285 completing it satisfactorily. The instrument demonstrated strong internal reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.78 to 0.86. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed high levels of counselling support associated with increased learner participation. Motivational counselling showed the strongest positive correlation with participation (r = 0.62, p < 0.01), followed by psychosocial counselling (r = 0.58, p < 0.01) and career counselling (r = 0.55, p < 0.01). Multiple regression results indicated that the three counselling components jointly explained 53% of the variance in participation (R = 0.73, R² = 0.53, p < 0.001). Each counselling dimension made significant independent contributions, indicating that counselling interventions enhance attendance, engagement, and retention among young adult learners. The study concludes that counselling interventions are vital for strengthening participation in adult literacy programmes. It recommends the integration of structured counselling services, training of facilitators in counselling skills, and the provision of psychosocial and career support to address learners’ holistic needs and improve programme outcomes.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Sensitization to Food Allergens in Congolese Children with Atopic Dermatitis

2026-01-22T14:36:29+00:00

Background: Research on the role of diet in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis remains a relatively underexplored field, particularly on the African continent and more specifically in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of sensitization to food allergens among Congolese children with atopic dermatitis. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study was conducted between June and September 2025. The study included 101 patients aged between six months and fourteen years, all diagnosed with atopic dermatitis and subjected to skin prick tests to detect food-related allergic reactions. Data collected were recorded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27. Results: The study participation rate was 29.5%. Sensitization to at least one food allergen was observed in 35.6% of the subjects. The most common sensitizations were to peanuts (20.8%) and African eggplant (16.8%). Data analysis showed that food sensitization was significantly associated with several clinical and demographic variables, including age under one year (p = 0.002), male sex (p = 0.000), residence in an urban area (p = 0.004), late introduction of solid foods (weaning at ≥ 6 months) (p = 0.008), severe atopic dermatitis (p = 0.004), and early onset of dermatitis (≤ 3 months) (p = 0.001). Conclusion: A high prevalence of sensitization to food allergens, particularly peanuts and African eggplant, was found among Congolese children with atopic dermatitis. A significant association was also observed between this sensitization and several sociodemographic and clinical variables

Intégration des contextes locaux dans le programme scientifique des sciences de la vie et de la terre (SVT) au cycle qualifiant : Cas des contextes du Haut Ziz, Sud-est marocain

2026-01-22T14:31:13+00:00

L'intégration des contextes locaux dans le programme des sciences de la vie et de la terre (SVT) au sein du tronc commun scientifique (TCS) du cycle qualifiant est désormais cruciale pour relever les défis contemporains liés à la diffusion des connaissances scientifiques, ainsi qu'au développement de la pensée critique et de la conscience environnementale chez les élèves. L'inclusion de contextes locaux dans le curriculum des SVT vise à aider les apprenants à surmonter ces enjeux. Dans cette optique, notre recherche se concentre sur l'intégration des contextes géoenvironnementaux locaux dans le cursus des SVT. L'objectif est d'analyser et de comparer cette intégration ainsi que son impact sur le niveau d'apprentissage des élèves du TCS. À cette fin, deux analyses ont été menées. La première examine le programme scientifique des SVT du TCS afin d'évaluer les contextes actuellement utilisés. La seconde se concentre sur l'identification des contextes locaux pertinents pour proposer leur intégration dans le curriculum des SVT. Les résultats révèlent la possibilité de proposer 30 contextes locaux. Selon les indicateurs retenus, cette intégration semble favoriser l'amélioration du processus d'apprentissage des concepts en SVT.

The integration of local contexts into the curriculum of Life and Earth Sciences (LES) within the Common Scientific Curriculum (CSC) of the qualifying cycle has become crucial for addressing contemporary challenges related to the dissemination of scientific knowledge, as well as to the development of critical thinking and environmental awareness among students. The inclusion of local contexts in the LES curriculum aims to assist learners in overcoming these issues. In this regard, our research focuses on the integration of local geo-environmental contexts into the LES curriculum. The objective is to analyze and compare this integration and its impact on the learning outcomes of CSC students. To this end, two analyses have been conducted. The first examines the scientific curriculum of LES in the CSC to evaluate the contexts currently used. The second focuses on identifying relevant local contexts to propose their integration into the LES curriculum. The results indicate the potential to introduce 30 local contexts. According to the selected indicators, this integration appears to enhance the learning process of concepts in LES.