No abstract

Background Household water storage remains a necessity in many communities worldwide, especially in the developing countries. Water storage often using tanks/vessels is envisaged to be a source of water contamination, along with related user practices. Several studies have investigated this phenomenon, albeit in isolation. This study aimed at developing a systematic review, focusing on the impacts of water storage tank/vessel features and user practices on water quality. Methods Database searches for relevant peer-reviewed papers and grey literature were done. A systematic criterion was set for the selection of publications and after scrutinizing 1106 records, 24 were selected. These were further subjected to a quality appraisal, and data was extracted from them to complete the review. Results and discussion Microbiological and physicochemical parameters were the basis for measuring water quality in storage tanks or vessels. Water storage tank/vessel material and retention time had the highest effect on stored water quality along with age, colour, design, and location. Water storage tank/vessel cleaning and hygiene practices like tank/vessel covering were the user practices most investigated by researchers in the literature reviewed and they were seen to have an impact on stored water quality. Conclusions There is evidence in the literature that storage tanks/vessels, and user practices affect water quality. Little is known about the optimal tank/vessel cleaning frequency to ensure safe drinking water quality. More research is required to conclusively determine the best matrix of tank/vessel features and user practices to ensure good water quality.

No abstract

This paper provides an overview of the challenges of management of facilities at public universities in Africa. Results reveal that: poor condition and the overcrowding of facilities, limited skills and capabilities of facility management departments, and lack of financial resources are the main challenges which the management of facilities at public universities in Africa faces. In worse situations, these problems have adversely affected the quality of the learning and teaching environment at the institutions and also threatened their existence. Prioritization of funding for the provision and improvement of quality facilities at public universities by governments, employment of well qualified and trained staff in the facility management departments at the public universities, and creation of innovative and smarter public-private partnerships aimed at the improvement of existing facilities and provision of new ones were identified as the key solutions that can be implemented to address the challenges that public universities in Africa are facing in relation to facilities. Findings will support public universities in Africa to address challenges of management of their facilities so that they can continue to achieve their intended objectives of offering high quality higher education, research and community engagement in order to accelerate socio-economic development of their countries on the continent in the future.

The overarching vision of Higher Learning Institutions that are concerned with construction education, is to nurture graduates that will be prepared to not only deal with the current needs of the Construction Industry, but also be able to immerse themselves confidently in a future full of complexity. However, the transition from University to work is often a daunting experience for graduates, and employers often complain that graduates are usually ill prepared for work. It is therefore important to understand the students’ perspective regarding level of work preparedness so that solutions can be sought, both from Universities and Industry, to make the transition from University to the world of work a truly empowering experience. This study investigated the level of preparedness to start work for final-year students (2019/20) pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Quantity Surveying (QSg) at University of Rwanda. An online questionnaire was designed and administered to 59 students to solicit their perceptions. Most students (42%) asserted that they were very prepared to start working as Quantity Surveyors, with some (12%) extremely prepared. Industrial Training stood out as the largest contributor in preparing students to start work, whereas University laboratory resources did not contribute much.  Students exhibited most knowledge in core QSg competences, such as Estimating Costs of construction works. Although students were most confident in topics on Measurement of Finishes, students that had a Technical and Vocational Education and Training background exhibited greater confidence. The findings of this study provide important feedback for similar construction programs to evaluate and revise their curricula to better prepare QSg students for professional success in the Construction Industry.