Mathematical modeling plays a central role in infectious disease epidemiology, shaping outbreak response strategies and informing public health policy. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the value of these models but also exposed persistent limitations related to data fragility, lack of transparency, limited stakeholder engagement, and insufficient consideration of social and political contexts. Rather than critiquing modeling as a discipline, this perspective argues for a reorientation of infectious disease modeling toward a more responsive, equity-centered, and participatory paradigm. We propose a conceptual framework built on three interrelated principles: adaptability through real-time data integration, transparency via open-source and reproducible practices, and relevance through interdisciplinary and co-produced model design. Drawing on illustrative examples from COVID-19 and dengue control efforts, we highlight how integrating behavioral dynamics, local knowledge, and policy feedback can improve model usefulness and public trust. Reconceptualizing models as dynamic systems of inquiry rather than static forecasting tools can enhance decision-making and promote more equitable and effective responses to future public health emergencies.

This study aimed to examine students' perceptions of the usefulness of formative feedback in mathematics lessons at Sagnerigu Municipality in the Northern Region of Ghana. Quantitatively, this study employed a descriptive non-experimental survey design. The population comprises all pupils of public Junior High Schools in the Sagnerigu Municipality. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the Junior High School students for the study. The criterion purposive sampling technique was used to select 518 final-year students for the 2022 Basic education certificate examination from 14 schools in Sagnerigu Municipality. The chosen schools comprised 291 students from high-performing schools and 227 students from low-performing schools. The primary tool for the study was the Student Feedback Perception Questionnaire (SFPQ), administered to the student participants. The Descriptive statistical tool was used to analyse the mean and standard deviation of the data. The study's examination of students' perceptions of feedback revealed a moderate level of perceived usefulness. This emphasises the importance of feedback as a tool for student growth and development. However, the findings also suggest the need for further support and guidance to optimise the impact of feedback on student learning outcomes. The findings also suggest that students value feedback that helps them improve their skills and strategies in Mathematics and keeps them on track to succeed. It also highlights the importance of providing different types of feedback to cater to the diverse learning needs of students. Educators can create a conducive environment that promotes student engagement and achievement by equipping teachers with effective feedback techniques, emphasising constructive comments and avoiding grades.

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are important hospital-acquired infections that are related to increased mortality in cardiac intensive care units (CICUs). To determine the risk factors for CLABSIs, a case-control study was conducted in the CICU of our hospital. Emergency surgery (odds ratio: 9.6, 95% confidence interval: 1.633-56.926) was the strongest risk factor comparing the case group (n=11) to the control group (n=22). In addition, the indwelling period was significantly longer in the case group than in the control group (median 9 days versus 7 days, p=0.004). An intervention for the insertion of central lines was then started, with 1) thorough use of chlorhexidine-impregnated dressings (also known as chlorhexidine patches, CHG patches) in the insertion of central lines before emergency surgery, and 2) exchange of the central line 7 days after emergency surgery. After the intervention, the CLABSI incidence rate decreased from 6.8 to 0.8/1,000 device-days. These data suggest the usefulness of CHG patches and the importance of the early exchange of central lines in the CICU in patients following emergency surgery.

The primary role of indigenous moral education is to inculcate positive attitudes, moral norms, ideals and virtues such as honesty, kindness, compassion, respect for others, and a sense of a common good. In a Ghanaian traditional society’s perspective, the morality of a person is judged according to his or her character. This position paper discusses the relevance of indigenous moral education and its relevance in contemporary Akwamu Traditional society in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The sources of indigenous moral education among the people of Akwamu society are proverbs, taboos, naming, puberty and marriage rites. The indigenous moral education provides moral values such as respect for authority, truthfulness, loyalty, obedience, tolerance, chastity and godliness to members of the Akwamu community. Besides the foregoing, the indigenous moral education systems, such as proverbs and puberty rites have outlived their usefulness in recent times among the Akwamus as a result of modernity which has introduced an alternative means of initiating young girls into adulthood. It is also important to note that even though some of the indigenous moral education systems have outlived their usefulness in contemporary times, the surviving ones should be incorporated into the modern moral education system so that the cultural identity of the people is preserved.

The purpose of the study was to examine the objectives and contents of Social Studies and its related challenges facing the Colleges of Education in Ghana The study adopted a quantitative research approach. The population comprises tutors and students of Social Studies in the three (3) Colleges of Education in the Central Region of Ghana. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the three Colleges of Education and twenty (20) Social Studies tutors. Krejcie and Morgan’s table was used to determine sample size two and forty-eight (248) students out of seven hundred (700) students. The main instrument for data collection was a questionnaire. The quantitative data entry and analysis were done using IBM SPSS Statistics software, version 22. Frequencies and percentages were used as statistical tools to analyse responses to all the research questions. The study revealed that students in the Colleges of Education of Ghana had had an understanding of the Social Studies programme in terms of objectives, content, and scope as well as the integrated nature of the subject and its usefulness in the resolution of social problems. . The study also indicated teachers who may not be well versed in specific topics in the subject and may either skip it or teach it anyhow. It is recommended that regular workshops and conferences be organised for Social Studies teachers of the Colleges of Education in order to update their knowledge on some topics especially current issues on the subject. It is also recommended that Social Studies teachers should be encouraged to engage the services of resource persons to support them teach unfamiliar or challenging topics to avoid polluting the pre-service teachers.

The Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) currently has been using a discrete field sampling technique for water quality monitoring that is expensive, time consuming and may not adequately represent the spatial variability of water quality relative to the entire water body. A pilot project was executed to assess the effectiveness of using earth observation data, supported by archived field-based observations for quantitative estimation of Water Quality Parameters (WQP) and detection of algal blooms in the River Murray. The selected pilot study area includes a 100km stretch of the River Murray between the Hume Dam and Yarrawonga Weir. The time frame for the archived field samples was between November 2008 and March 2011, when major algal blooms were occurring in this stretch of the Murray River.Analysis of the 2009 data shows that waters in sites in the Murray River downstream of the Hume Dam to the Yarrawonga Weir show more temporal than spatial variability in Chl-a and PC levels. The Chl-a concentration is relatively less in the Yarrawonga Weir than in the Murray River. The scatter plot of PC vs. Turbidity suggests that PC is a more significant parameter for the detection of Cyanobacteria than Chl-a. The field data represents the temporal bio-optical variability across the 2009 algal bloom events by successfully capturing the co-variations among Chlorophyll-a, Chycocyanin and turbidity at pre, during and post bloom conditions. The methodology has proved that the usefulness of an integrated earth observation and field based WQP technique to accurately map algal bloom events. The long term MDBA RMWQMP data for the 2009 bloom event is found partially compatible to the NOW Pilot study data in that only the data for the Heywood site that was used together for testing the WQP monitoring technique. The incompatibility of the RMWQMP data downstream of Yarrawonga Weir may be due to differing techniques used for determining Chlorophyll. The 2010 data was suitable for testing the technique for complex spatial bio-optical variability during the peak of the bloom in a large water storage. Lack of Chlorophyll measurements in 2010 data poses challenges in interpreting the relationship of bio-optical variability with the spatial distributions of bio-optical parameters. As relational parameters are absent, local information and expert advice will be required to develop plausible assumptions between the Chlorophyll - Phycocyanin relationship. The field sampled data for the 2010 bloom event acquired from the Hume Dam was used for comparative investigation of both moderate resolution sensors (MODIS and MERIS) and high resolution sensors (TM/TM+). The 2009 bloom event field samples of sites in the Yarrawonga Weir was used as an input with MODIS and MERIS and the data from all the sites was applied with TM/TM+. This paper will present an integrated earth observation and field based WQP technique to accurately map algal bloom events, and discuss challenges for real time earth observation data initiatives and future collaborative projects.