DATE:28/03/2011
THEME: Mapping technical activities in Malakal
BACKGROUND:
Mapping technical practical activities in Malakal is designed to survey and locate the craft/trade activities being carried out in the area; finding the capacity of the activities and availability of acquiring the equipment, tools and materials used. The type and size of the facilities and the source of that knowledge and skills practice in the area.
The primary aim and objective for the mapping of these technical practical activities is a research practice. That will enable possible knowledge and skills be achieved during the exercise and also finding out achievements and constraints being encountered.
The targeted craft/trades include:
1. Building construction
2. Carpentry and joinery and
3. Plumbing and pipe fitting trades for the beginning and the other trades shall be dealt with during the other semesters and these trades comprised of:
1. Metal fabrication and welding
2. Auto-mechanic
3. Machine shop
4. Electrical installation
5. Pottery
6. Material sites
The survey methods shall includes: observation, conversation, listening, questioning, photos, videos and sound recorder when permitted to do so.
This is a research practice carried out by the pioneers of college of technical vocational education for teachers of upper Nile University currently running this program at the premises of Malakal vocational training centre.
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES:
This mapping of technical practical activity in Malakal has a purpose for students to know the research practice. Knowledge and skills of conducting the work and the objectives is to find the following data:
1. Identify technical practical activities in Malakal
2. Locate or map the facilities areas in Malakal
3. Find the types of craft/trade practice in Malakal
4. Find the standard/size of the facility
5. Find the equipment, machines, tools and materials use at the facility
6. Find the sources of the knowledge and skills use by the workers (in an institution or learning at a workplace)
7. Find out the production rate and wages
8. Technical practice carried in companies, organizations in Malakal
RESEARCH METHODS:
This current research method will be used only at its primary stage and it is use in the same time to meet the objectives of the mapping:
1.Observation:
Observation is defined as the act of watching somebody or something carefully for a period of time, especially to learn something. In this perspective; it is useful to this definition and regarded as field observation since some skills and values of qualities are search for.
The purpose for selecting this method is for:
1.Discovering of what are taking place in different field of crafts in local industries- reference: Perror (1982:1-2) indicates that an effective teacher is best identified through observing him/her teaching.
2.Identifying the different skill methods of applying in various local industries.
3.Identifying the machinery, equipment, tools, materials and facilities used.
4.Experiencing the environment of the situations of the technical industry and other unforeseen circumstances.
Therefore field observation makes one to be able to transcribe the challenges he/she has observed and it is easier to select from what being observed and relevant to research objectives for documenting as data.
The field observation method is relevant for the market technical activities in the situation of the language barrier and this method enable seeing and observation as witness to conversation and narration. So language is a barriers as the community used the classical Arabic and the researcher knows local Arabic; Halmarsdottir (2007).
2. Conversation method of Research
This is an informal conversational interview- discussion that is significant during the field work. These questions emerge from the immediate context and would be asked in the natural course of things. We apply this method during the visits to the technical local industries, the workshops and material yards and ware houses.
This informal interviews increase the most important and relevant questions as the interviews are build on what had happened and emerge from what is observed. Secondly different information are collected from different technicians and sellers using different questions.
Using informal conversation and written open questionnaire methods will contribute a lot towards obtaining relevant results due to the fact that the two methods are complementing to each other in the process of field work as our target group is concern. For example is the local industries who have both skill workers who acquired their skills in the work place and those who attended formal vocational training practices in the institutions (Mikkel sen (2005: 171-172).
3. Written Open questionnaire method:
This method is unstructured method although there below appeared some formal questions; it is questions that guides the interviewer to narrow the gap to the objectives of the research.these questions are interviews organized to any categories of personnel available at the site regardless of their employment responsibility; only considering their craft professions.
written or open questionnaire can make the client to answer things more freely, free to speak his mind and the interviewer gains general information from it; rather than limiting the scope of the findings to the structured questionnaire.
secondly three quarters of the community members here used Arabic as media of communication which our research can not matched up with. and considering the opened written questionnaire as the possible way for finding all the necessary narrative-contents.
4. Narrative Research Method:
It is the method designed to represent a connected succession of happenings; the data collected as a life story provided in an interview documented from observation and conversation methods.
This is to explore and understand the inner feelings of individuals. The best channels for learning about the inner world on life through verbal or oral accounts or discussions and telling stories presented by individual narrators about their lives their experienced reality.
The aim of the researcher is to get normal identity constructed it from narratives gathered in research interviews- MC Adams (1990).
According to this approach, stories imitate life and present an inner reality to the outside world and they shape and construct the narrator’s personality and reality- Polkinghorne and Rosenthal (1997).
This narrative material can be analyzed a long extremely large dimensions such as the content of the story, the structure of the content, the style of the speech, affective characteristics, the motives, the attitudes and the beliefs of the narrator; the data is influence by the interaction of the interviewer and the interviewee as well as other contextual factors.
The researcher in such a live conversation, gain a lot from the exchange of opinions, the examination of different ideas and comparison of view points on the same text.
RESEARCH TOOLS:
Considering the activities and availability responsive ways of approach to the sites or facilities; the following could be necessary to use, either simultaneously or single, it is necessary in this juncture to use cameras to produce photographs, videos to produce films, documentations to produce the narrative research report to clarify the actives observed . The choice of research here is in line with patoon (2002:40-41) who propagates for observations, interviews and documentary reviews as sensitive tools to attain qualitative findings.
Photographs and video films are regarded as a reality of action done and it drives to reflect theoretical actions of the time.
I am applying photographs to supplement the research tools during data collections as an evidence to the findings of the reality.
Therefore, the tools necessary for such research summarily includes the following:
1. Observations
2. Documentation
3. Photographs and videos
TIME-FRAME:
9:00 AM – 12:00 NOON
LOCATIONS TARGETED
4 Zones (north-south-east-west)
DATA ANALYSIS
To come out with clear analysis of what had been uncovered in the exercise and what criteria can be done to improve the skills in the industrial sector and this analysis includes:
1. Findings –
The size of the workshop, building site or organization and its organ-graph
The location where it's situated in Malakal -northern zone, southern zone, western zone or eastern zone
The trade title is the craft or type of skills being practice
The knowledge and skills practice is the activities found going during the time of visit
The equipment, tools and materials used and the safety rules and regulations applied
2. Reflection – explain about your passed professional vocational practice that you have done and observed others doing, the success and the constraints experience
3. Data analysis table 1:
Findings – set an analytic format for finding out information in responds, practice and experiences in the skills mentioned:
TRADES: The trades means craft disciplines acquired for examples;-
1. Building construction- in the trades several skills are learned and the skills have different methodology of doing it and also the principles of achieving positive results.
Some of these skills for example are:
Brick production- the site for production of clay bricks need the soil is surveyed to find out the suitable site for this purpose.
The elements suitable in the clay include silica and alumina when mix in their required proportions brings a good quality of bricks.
When alumina is more than 75% of the mix; the brick may wrap and form very many cracks; so more silica need to be added; the proportion of silica should not be less than 25% of the mix.
Bricklaying- this is assembling of bricks to form walls that will independent stand firm on its' own. The knowledge and skills of doing the job needs identification of the types of bonds and the principles of bonding.
The tools used in this process of bonding and the knowledge used in handling the tools to bring accurate walls.
The geometrical concepts of setting the wall design. Taking measurements' reading scales, units etc.
Setting openings with use of reveals and jambs methods.
Concreting- functional requirements of concrete, materials used for the concrete, types of concrete, advantages and disadvantages and qualities in concrete, curing.
Plaster work- principles of plaster work; types of plaster, preparation of the background, materials suitable for plaster, advantages and disadvantages.
Pointing – functional requirement of pointing/jointing, types of pointing and jointing merits of pointing to jointing, materials and preparation of the background.
Drainage – functions of drainage system, design of a system, materials used for the construction, advantages and disadvantages of drainage system in sanitation.
Attitudes of the community towards acquiring the skills:
Through observing the community in responding to your skill explanations and encouragement; you will summarized if they have interest or not.
The practice experience:
Those skills mentioned above need daily practice and this comes about when you like doing enough in your professional practice and this is what will develop experience in long run in practice.
Experience always comes when you constantly continue to practice skills that can improve more professional practice
Carpentry and joinery
Bench work:
-Safety rules and regulations
-tools and materials used
- Measuring system
- Designs
Joinery:
- Types of joints and applications
- Types of furniture produced
Types of roofs:
- Gable ends
-Hipped roof
- Lean roof
Use of roof
Wood seasoning:
Methods of seasoning timbers
-natural seasoning
-artificial seasoning
Advantages and disadvantages
Preservation
-Types of preservative
- Application
-precautions
Plumbing and pipe fitting:
Plumbing and pipe fitting is a trade that deals with construction of water supply system, drainage system, and disposal to treatment plant:
1/ Waste water system is that pipe line which drains used water from kitchen, showers, laundry and disposed it to the final treatment
2/ Soil water system is that pipe system which conveys the solid waste from toilets, urine from urinal and rainwater from the roofs and the ground water from the pavement to the last disposal treatment (septic tank)
3/ the drainage system is the underground foul water system that conveys liquids by gravity through the reposed gradient. Or the pipe line from the buildings to the point of treatment including the inspection chambers and the manholes
4/ plumbing general mean dealing with the supply of water from the source to the clients.
This system includes the vertical and horizontal pipe systems and the system can use water pressure for pumping the water for supply.
4. Data analysis table 2: categorical-form analysis
Questions for builders, carpenters and plumbers to evaluate their responds in professional vocational skills:
1/ Are there needs for attending basic knowledge and skills training?
Why, if there is no needs?
2/ If acceptable, what do you expect to learn from the course?
3/ Are the training centres rewarding in terms of improving or learning basic knowledge and skills?
Have you improved your skills?
4/ Are your products earning huge money?
5/ should new knowledge and skills be added to improve the current curriculum in the vocational centre or improve the quality of the out put in the industrial market?
Which are current skills that need improvement?
6/ Have you transfer what you have learned from the curriculum and put them into practice?
7/ which knowledge and skill do you want to learn?
8/Do the semi-skill workers have an interest in learning in the formal skill learning centres or consider getting skills in workplaces?
9/Why do you prefer learning in vocational centres than learning in workplace?
Reference:
The analysis of cognitive functioning reflecting capacity built up skills- experiential (Gottschelle- 1994)
Mapping Guide:
Stages:
1/ Mapping identified industrials areas and introduction
Prioritizing the sites for future revisits
2/ Revisiting for observation and conversation
To find exactly the technical abilities and share with them your experience as a professional
3/ Revisiting for finding skills applied and sharing oral questions
Title: STAGE 2.INTRODUCTORY and ACQUAINTENANCE familiarization).
DATE:08/04/2011
1.Introduction of the team members by elected team leader and vice versa
Explanation of the objectives for familiarization of the task and the goals to achieve.
Observe and get the expectations during the conversation.
Appointment for next stage of visit.
2.Priority and strategies
In the Construction sites, there are two types of building construction sites .
1)Renovation buildings:-This is rectification of faults is craftsmanship maintenance after realizing damages or either extension of building.
2) New building:- These are buildings that are newly plan as a developing plan for the government and individual within the town.
Proposal
On Thursday 11 April 2011. Renovation and maintenance of building.
1.Start with a spotted location ''A'' renovation of building in the Government quarters opposite
St. Joseph cathedral.
2.The spotted location ''B'' extension of building at Malakal teaching Hospital pharmacy.
3.Spotted location ''I'' general maintenance of offices at the compound of ICRC
On 14 th April 2011.
1.Spotted location ''C''. new construction of new story building at north of the Hospital.
2.Spotted location ''F''. new construction of story building with three floors in the market centre.
3.Spotted location ''G''. new construction opposite UNICF in the market center still on the stage of foundation.
On Thursday 18th April 2011: Visit material yard.
1.Spotted location ''D''. Material yard for fine and course aggregate and bricks behind the mosque.
2.Spotted location ''E''. Material shop for timbers, cement and fine aggregate at commercial center.
3.Spotted location ''H''. Material yard for fine and course aggregate and bricks at Friday option market.
On Monday 21th April 2011 – Locations spotted in the second trip.
1.spotted location ''J'' extension of a building construction at Hai Sousa.
2.Spotted location ''K'' New construction of a building at Hai Sousa.
3.Spotted location ''L'' new construction of a building opposite the house of Director MVTC.
4.Spotted location''M'' New building construction opposite to site ''L''.
On Thursday 25th April 2011 – Visiting material stores and work shop.
1.Spotted location ''N''. Material store for timbers, cement,and corrugated iron sheets in the main market.
2.Spotted location ''O''. Material store for timbers, cement iron monger y around the main market.
3.Spotted location ''P''. Carpentry workshop in Malakal main market.
The time which we shall use shall begin from 10:30 am and ends at 12:30 pm .our reasons for fixing this time schedule is to allow us conduct our morning daily data log and access our emails.
Secondly to enable us also have our break fast meal and move satisfied.
As our spotted sites are not very far from each other; the two hours visit shall enable us to pay this familiarization visit in the three sites; but our time frame may change if we take the next stage which will require conversation and exchange of open questions.
The stage shall kick up from Monday 11th April 2011 and ends on Thursday 28th April 2011. during this research days, we shall document our findings daily after arrival from the assignment and that is to say, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm shall be the time for this documentation.
The whole research document shall be compiled from 2nd May 2011 and 5th May 2011, these two days proposed for compilation shall be enough to enable us document, Edith and print for submission to our facilitator.
Research methods
1.Familiarization method; -This methods is to allow us interact with the client and pave way to cooperate and co-ordinate our activities and this is by making full introduction to each other about our familiarity.
2.Observation method :-This is a practical method that will convince our eyes to document what have been seen in the way of doing it and how it is working and what is the out come of doing it.
3.Open questionnaire method ;- The type of questionnaire is a form of question that will remain us to ask what is exactly meaningful and get a realistic expected answer.
The type of questionnaire are not to be distributed to the clients to answer by their own; but they get oral questions from us.
The questions are for finding our expectations and they are as follows:
1.What are your aim/ objectives for initiating this technical practice?
The question is to find out from the client if the workshop or site he own is his,or be inherited from his parents; this is when asking the owner of the workshop or building site. But in case of the technician; It may request to find out if he practice this skills for the aim of earning money or it is an interest of the3 skills that attract him.
EXPECTED ANSWER:
I am expecting interviewee to give an answer that; he owned the workshop, and through using little personal skills that he got from the local market.
2.How did you begin to practice this professional practice?
After knowing from the client that, it was the attraction of the skills to drive him to the technical practice, then; find from him whether; he had been coached by somebody before becoming as professional or just learned on his own.
EXPECTED ANSWER:
I am expecting the answer from the client, that he practice by making flour sieve, making small tables and through observation of other skills from competent technicians from the market and also seeing the pictures.
3. What have you achieved in this professional practice?
The expectation was to find, if his choice of the craf5t had rewarded him both the professional knowledge, skills and sustainable living for his livelihood and demand nothing more than that.
EXPECTED ANSWER:
i am expecting the interviewee to tell me that, the skills he acquired was able to earn him a good living, but now with the emerging technological innovation; he needs to improves his skills to meet the challenges.
4. Where did you get the materials and skills?
The group wanted to find from the client the possibility of getting the materials; so that the group locate the sites of the materials for future research in the querying or material production sites; This shall enable the group to check the composition of the material mixture in case of sand soil for brick making,,gravel or murram and coarse aggregate
For tools; there is need for knowing, if their tools are the modern suitable types or they have some traditional tools that are used in their crafts. In the case of mining or querying the underground materials.
EXPECTED ANSWER:
My expectations was to get the positive direction from the interviewee to show the areas where the materials are found so that I could personally visited the areas to identify the types of the materials and write a document about the materials and I will carry interviews with those at the query.
5. What are your future plans?
This question is very important in so many aspects; The group may need to know from the client if the skills acquired is limited and be demands to pursue farther skill learning, also determining the client in case he has failed to managed the skill and he wanted to shift to another craft that may earn him money and process in his livelihood.
EXPECTED REPLY:
I am expecting the client to suggest more skills learning in the vocational training facilities or in the workplaces to enable him sustain his life in the future, because a lot of challenges are a head of the coming events.
6.Do you think the skills you practice can earn you a profitable money?
This is a convincing way for dragging the client to accept upgrading skill; but finding his opinion first and suggest to him to get more skills whether in workplace or in vocational training facility.
EXPECTED REPLY:
I am expecting both negative and positive,but for sure negative answer to enable us to revise and improve the current curriculum and shall be our learning model in developing curriculum.
7. As a professional craft technician; how do you look at the quality of performance in malakal?
The researcher here wants to find the competition of skill in Malakal and find out those crafts that are not so popularly practice; This is in order to research on getting the full reasons why they are no popular.
Secondly to find out the constraints in the quality performance whether related to learning process or management of the skill in the workplace.
ANSWER EXPECTED:
I am expecting to be answered that, the skills in Malakal are not up the standard expected; this is because of the following reasons;
1. lack of improvement of the skills in the vocational technical practices
2. the technical practices are limited and seasonal
3. materials are very expensive to buy that cause the technical activities to deteriorate.
8. Do professional practice have access to employment or entrepreneur opportunity?
This is to evaluate the curriculum of the current vocational training practice; whether the content of learning curriculum is injecting life skills or dead skills; by dead skill; we mean the skills that are not marketable and life skills are those their market is booming.
In case the answer is “No” then there shall be need to suggest in the finding a review of the curriculum in the vocational training facilities.
ANSWER EXPECTED:
The professional practitioners have no access to employment for many reasons:
1.technical activities are few in the town and competition of employment is very high
2.the cost of materials is too high that not person could buy and begin self sustainable work of his own.
3.the government have very little technical activities that may need a big manpower.
4. technical activities are seasonal that can not attract contractor to employ permanent technicians
9.How shall you compare your craft with others?
This is to enable the curriculum of the current vocational training practice; whether the content of learning curriculum is injecting life skills or dead skills; by dead skills; we mean the skills that are not marketable and life skills are those skills their market is booming.
In case the answer is ''No'' then there shall be need to suggest in the finding for review of the curriculum in the vocational training facilities.
ANSWER EXPECTED:
The reply expected may be vise versa, that; depending on the availability of the materials; e.g a welder may say his craft is more sensitive than other, but the fact is that;his materials may be less expensive than that of a carpenter.
10.shall you accept us to interact jointly to find and share the reflections of our skills to improve the technical activities for better productivity
Interaction with the partners is a good sign of cooperation and coordinating affairs and it improves the understanding among the two sides. The group for better results of the objectives outcome expects to build up a strong relationship between the themselves; the researchers and the technical vocational practitioner who are the clients.
The clients includes the workshop technicians, building construction site technicians, materials yard workers and the material production site workers.
In getting positive comment shall be able to achieve the objective and goal of the research. In case the response is not conducive, another window of opportunity shall be device for the success of the market technical activities research in Malakal.
ANSWER EXPECTED:
I am expecting positive answer to enable successful interaction in order to cultivate a condition that may enable me to research what can be done to improve the vocational training curriculum in the region and standardize and certify the curriculum by the government.
EXPECTATION:
1.The Technical vocational practice to raise up there critics in the craft activities
this will enable our research observation, see, hear and listen from them the critical problem that we shall put across as our finding.
2. We are optimistic that research process shall yield a fruitful results and lead to develop a unified curriculum in the South Sudan.
3. We also expect to produced a curriculum which shall be the demand and to requested standard need by the industrial sector and the communities in conformity with the environment conditions gearing towards available training resources in form of material.
4. We have the expectation of implementing the developed curriculum to the extend of getting a successful evaluation and later consider it for running our vocational training program in this nation
STAGE TWO REPORT FOR MARKET TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES RESEARCH:
DATE: 11/04/2011
We as a group went to begin the stage two research which is an introductory and acquaint ency (familiarization)stage by visiting our spotted sites according to the scheduled.
We visited located site (A) opposite st.Joseph cathedral. At the site we met two workers who were trying to open a hole area around a very big trunk of a tree. When we approached and greeted them; they replied us in Arabic language and we introduced ourselves to them and also they do the same and told us that ; they are instructed to open that hole so that fire is lited to burn down the trunk of the tree.
Since the trunk is near the walls; fire may affect the walls ; it is because those bricks were not fire resistance materials; Therefore it wise for them to dig the hole deep so that the fire burns the roots and the trunk later feels or fire come slowly and burn down the remaining part.
This process of burning the roots of the trees around the walls is to avoid plant germination and growth around the wall any more.
It's advantage is that tree roots shall never affect the walls.
But it's disadvantage is that, it would have been first to carry out the site clearance before setting the foundation for building up the wall; this is avoid the undue settlement of the ground at the late date.
When we asked them where their site manager or responsible is? They replied us that the boost had gone somewhere and will come back late.
In our plan of action to approached the site workers; it is advisable to first get the site manager or the responsible person, and this shall enable us get to introduced ourselves and also getting being introduced to the people at the site. Secondly it is an official way to familiarization for future follow-up. Third point is as we observed the engineers have several sites and this will enable us to visit some of his sites easily.
We proposed to them to come and meet their boost later but unfortunately we later failed to get him back from where he had gone.
Observations:
the technicians digging the hole around that trunk of the tree where using pick axe, an axe, shovel and they were not wearing overall, gloves nor gum boot.
The two technicians used skills in determining the depth of the hole around the trunk of the tree and that was to avoid the flame of the fire affecting the walls, avoiding the walls becoming weak when fire burns the walls since the bricks are not fire resistant.
As we observed that the activities remaining at the site where plastering, putting roof coverings, painting, installation of water system, ceiling and domestic electrical installation work.
We would not go further in discussions since we were targeting to meet the site manager and he was not present and we finally told the two workers to convey on message to the boost that we shall come there again.
The second step was to visit the site located (B) extension of the pharmacy building block in Malakal teaching hospital opposite the hospital main gate.
We were able to get three builders busy inside with plaster work and when we approached them with warm greetings for easy interactions.
We introduced ourselves to them and try to find out from them whether among them, the responsible person at the site is available. They told us that the site engineer has gone somewhere, but if we need casual work, then they had welcomed us and they may call for the person responsible to bargain to work.
As we were still talking with the builder; The owner of the building who is the client came in emotionally introgating us to find out if we were being sent by an authorized state office to go and find out standards and certifications of those workers doing work at his building block.
Our observation to the mood of the client and the circle of his confrontation was not friendly and he had the intention of sending us away; if we were not to use diplomacy in responding to him; as we consider such events as normal situations that shall not hinder our process of the research. Always there negative and positive elements moving together; that is to say good points are selected out of general points.
We introduced ourselves and gave him our document for him to read and after reading through the document he introduced himself to be called Hashim;
We suspected him to might have come the northern part of Sudan because he used that English language practiced by the northerners. He later welcomed us and gave his personal suggestions that:
we shall before do something, get the details of the engineers and building sites operating in the ministry of infrastructure and public utility of the state; to enable us locate where the activities are operating.
We should meet with the engineers before going to visit their sites; otherwise the engineers may not allow us to interrupt their activities at the site.
it may not be easy for us to obtain fruitful informations at the sites because our approach would not be accepted even by the workers at the site.
Other engineers may not consider us to enter their building sites without proper document from the government before knowing what we want from their sites and what will be their benefit from our research .
We appreciated the client for his elaborate comments to our visit and his ideas. We told him that we shall come and organized ourselves again as at moment our visit was a preliminary visit; only for introduction and acquaint ency with the concern authorities at the sites.
Secondly our research will take very long period and such research practice will not affect or interrupt the workers at their respective work and we are optimistic that the engineers may not even feel interrupted.
Observations:
we have observed that , the client might have thought that , we are government employees delegated to find out the standards and certifications of the technicians involved in the building of his pharmacy block.
we have observed also that the sites where technicians are operating may have the skills workers are foreigners or technicians coming from the northern part of Sudan ; they were feeling afraid that; they are targeted to be expelled from working in the industrial sector in South Sudan . The suspect situation of people visiting new places can not be avoided; only that they get the reasons for the visit from us and eventually they may know us and we may also know them and that will be the solution. So suspects are very common things as strangers and can not be avoided. And since our research has coincided with the coming in of the declaration of the independence of the south Sudan on July 9th 2011.
We have observed that those renovation sites we visited have very many small branches and the engineers or senior foremen were not station in one site only; but traveling supervising very many sites. So we shall easily interact constantly when we exchange our communication telephone numbers after meeting with them.
We also observed that some of the building sites have not employed permanent contract workers; they defend on daily pay workers, the proved was that; at site(B) we found that the technicians working plastering work were just new comers who even do not know the name of their engineer and we were told that the previous technicians were not present.
We have also seen that the tools used for plastering includes; brick trowels, straight edges, mortar trays, hawks made of soft wood with dimension 450mmx 450mm square.
The plaster work they started was at the inside part at the upper areas of the background towards the eaves and we have observed that they did not applied water at the surface before applying the mortar; this water is suppose applied to wash away the dust and dirts at the surface of the wall or the background.
The third site we went to; is the location (I) the renovation in the office of the international committee of the red cross (ICRC).
When we reached this site; we found that workers were not available and gate of the office was locked .
It was not possible for us to enter since the technical activities were not operating.
Observations:
we have observed that, the renovation in ICRC building is about getting finished because the painting is completed up to the walls of the outside gate.
We have observed that the door is locked and before that, their door used to be opened during the period of the renovations.
We have also observed that yet they are organizing some new work, because they have consigned some materials such as coarse aggregate, cement blocks, reinforcement rods and fine aggregate heaped around the fence of the office.
We have noted that the office personnel of ICRC are not allowing other people to enter their premises unless with full appointment and also when construction work is taking place inside there.
Our group concluded the site visit of the market technical activities research at 12:15 pm and decided to come back to MVTC premises and reached the center at 12: 45pm.
THE SECOND DAY FOR STAGE TWO MARKET TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES REPORT
DATE: 14/04/2011
we started the journey of this day research for our market technical activities from malakal vocational training centre after taking our breakfast meal.
It was 10:15 am, when we went for the research and the areas to be visited we started with location spotted C, F and G.
Reference to our time scheduled in our plan of action for stage two market technical activities researched dated: 08/04/2011.
The location spotted (C) New construction of new storey building, north of the hospital; We found the activities had stopped and there were on people whom we shall asked from the site. Then we decided to proceed to the next site.
Therefore we went to check location spotted (F) New construction of a storey building which is already raised up to the third upper floor level; built just at the centre of the main market.
When we reached near the building, we saw up there at the third floor, some people standing; then we begin to noticed that, those people may be the workers. I saw one of them with a chisel in his hands and I told my colleagues Joseph and Clara that I saw the other man up there holding a chisel in his hands; he may be trying to do something with chisel.
Joseph asked me; What do you expect him to do?
I replied him that, perhaps he wants to drill some holes for mounting the scaffolding for the continuation of their work.
We were almost proceeding to the side of the next location spotted (G) the new construction site of a storey building still at a foundation level.
Clara asked us ,Why should we not try to find out the door for entering to meet those people up there?
I have not understood the question from Clara and I have to asked Joseph who was near me to tell me what was the question of Clara?
Joseph replied me that Clara wanted us to find the entrance to the storey building so that we shall meet those people standing up at the third floor.
We accepted the decision of our colleague and started to find out the direction leading us to the entrance; We got the entrance door and entered to the ground floor and begin to climb the stairs heading to the second floor and as we reached the second floor; we saw the people whom we have seen them before at the third floor were coming to meet us in the second floor and as soon we met them, they cordially greeted us and say a word of welcoming us.
Clara who was at my right hand side began introducing herself to them.
' My name is Night Clara John, student of technical vocational education for teachers in the college at Upper Nile University; conducting the lectures at Malakal vocational training centre (Agro) premises. Therefore it may be good to know each other;
Can you tell us your names? She asked
one of the people whom we saw before holding chisel began introducing himself to us; that' I am called Michael Hassen; cheerfully said code; I am the person in-charged of this work and any information you need from us we shall give you and we shall share our knowledge of the skills that we are implementing together.
He told us that the activities stopped due to lack of materials that are not available at the site. But he had already secured the materials and work will immediately start to-morrow Friday 15/04/2011.
He told us that to-morrow's work shall be cleaning the rubbish blown by the wind and rubbing the wall background to remove the dirts and dust.
After we have heard enough from him; I also introduced my name; code, My name is called Samuel Imma Romano, together with Clara we are students in the same college and a citizen from Central equatoria state/Juba.
Joseph also introduced himself that; code, I am called Joseph Amule Eliyuda studying together with this colleagues and I am a citizen of Yei County.
After listening to our introduction also Michael told us that he is a citizen of Malakal, he comes from a place called Wau-malakal; a village at the northern zone of malakal.
He asked us , if we would remember that there were many ladies learning skills last year in Malakal vocational training centre.?
I replied him that 'Yes that is true, but our program is different from that one they came for last year. Ours is studies for teacher education.
At the time of all this discussions; the other three members were silent listening to our familiarization conversation that took us at least thirty five minutes.
We reached an agreement that we shall continue to visit them any time we scheduled from next week instance.
Again as traditional sign of happiness, we greeted each other once more and say good - bye.
We went to the third and last site for to day's visit which is location spotted (G) New construction of storey building opposite the UNICEF Guest house, this site is at the edge of the market; yet construction is at the foundation level.
We were highly welcomed by the engineer Ben Goligoli Modi who we have known him briefly before and now this is our official visit today to his site.
He introduced himself to Clara because, it was his first time to meet her .
Clara also introduced herself to him that; code I am called Night Clara John a student in Upper Nile university, college of technical vocational education for teachers; currently getting lectures at Malakal vocational training centre campus.
She asked him , code; when did you begin your work in Malakal town?
The engineer replied' I am still only two months here in malakal
I asked the engineer code; How did you managed this big working site?
He replied me' I am running two sites and here I have my senior foreman who assist me in looking after the workers skill performance.
Another competence man here is Mr. Madeni, a senior technician who qualified in plastering, he is doing work less supervision.
I asked him again, code where did you get your manpower?
He replied that earlier there were few technicians here before the peace era, I was being told; but now in the peace era and with the emerging of the new nation, he realized a flock of technicians have started coming to Malakal from the northern part of the Sudan. Three quarters of the technicians are citizens of this area and the other quarter from the neighboring states of Jongulei and Unity states and others.
Joseph asked him when we shall have time that is free to discuss ?
He urged us to carry our research at his sites without fear and in case we get him not at the site; his senior foreman will help us; but sometimes his foreman may not allow that will be due to much work during his absences; this is what he had noticed from him, so we should not give up; we re-organize another day.
We asked him whether he can accomplish that work before the rainy season?
He told us that since he had divided the task among two groups; he is optimistic that construction work may get built to the end of the wall levels before the rainy season comes, unless other unforeseen situation interrupted his tentative program scheduled.
He suggested us to use camera in our research for the photographs or video films and we told him that we shall bring it next visit. He told us about the team of Denis-Majok and Majubu who promised to come around take photographs.
We concluded our conversation here with suggestion that we shall go again next week and promised him to take along a camera and he told us that he even have a camera, let us only take the memory if possible.
OBSERVATION:
1.I have observed that our location spotted (C) site had no materials and it may be either financial constraints, but nobody had known the reason why activities are not running at the site.
2.In the location spotted (F) activities shall resume definitely to-morrow because Mr. Michael was speaking optimistic and we have also seen the heaps of the materials around the building and this has convinced our eyes to believed that their work will resume to-morrow.
3.I have observed also that our next visit shall gain momentum and we shall use camera for photos and films which is a self-explanatory research tool and later make us to enter into our third research tool' the Open questionnaire'.
4.I have observed that the technicians at the last site were engaged actively in their work, we saw those casting the ground beam, carpenters building up the form work, steel benders tying stirrups, the machine operator busy mixing concrete mortar using revolving drum machine and assistant technicians sieving the fine aggregates to remove the big particles and other an wanted mineral in the aggregate. And it is a signal to us that they are properly motivated.( by motivation here we meant that their wages are encouraging).
REFLECTIONS:
1.I reflected the altitude of those people at the sites we visited first research and compared with the one we visited today, that the interaction of today's research activities was convincing and assured us that our research documentation shall successfully get a positive results.
2.I have also reflected and rubbed out those rumor that Malakal have no technical personnel, because those sites we visited; we have seen the skills they used from their minds convinced us that, these technicians are able to do skill work with less supervision. The problem is only that work here is seasonal and this seasonal work tends to wash out skills that are easily forgotten.
3.With the irregularities of the skills activities in Malakal; these technicians might easily lost the site techniques of applying the skills and the most thing is that their rate of the speed practice at the site shall deteriorate.
THIRD DAY FOR STAGE TWO MARKET TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES RESEARCH REPORT:
DATE: 19/04/2011
We started our journey to the malakal main market at 10; 00am from the vocational training centre campus.
When we reached the materials yard location spotted (D) at eastern side of the big mosque at the market; we got very many people busy filling sand, coarse aggregates in bags of 50 kg capacity, and customers coming to buy materials from them.
My colleague Joseph after seeing me going to see the clay pots; he asked why are you going there?
I replied that; code I am attracted by those pots over there and I would like to see them just near there.
Clara who was some meters behind us said to Joseph that; the pots are not of the good quality like those in Yei.
Soon when I approached the area where the pots are filled; I watched on the pots and went to the materials sellers. We met two gentlemen who were busy filling sand into bags and greeted them.
They highly welcomed us with joy asking us what we are looking for.
Joseph also greeted them and asked them; code, how are you selling your materials?
One of the gentlemen replied him, code; that bag of the sand is fifteen Sudanese pounds.
We begin to interact with them and began making introduction of ourselves.
I introduced myself; code I am called Samuel Imma; a student of Upper Nile University here in the college of technical vocational education for teachers. And the other gentleman introducing saying; 'I am called Paul, a Shilluk by tribe and this is my materials yard'; code.
The second man also told his name code; I am Juma working together with my friend Paul.
I asked them, what about the bricks, how are you selling the bricks?
Juma replied me, code the bricks are put in heaps and one heap is costing four hundred fifty Sudanese pounds.
Clara asked him, code; why did you get the bricks?
Juma replied us that the bricks and the other materials are brought from sinnar.
She continued to ask him; code 'why you don’t mould the bricks here in malakal?'.
Juma said, code, our soil here is lacking some elements that when they are mould; they can not dry solidly; they break into pieces; so this soil needs cow-dung to be added like that of the bricks moulded in Khartoum and when these mixture is mould, will bring a strong bricks.
But our problem here is that the cattle keepers are not stable; they move from an area to another area and secondly this cow-dung is burn frequently in the herds to avoid flies disturbs the calves and ticks from the cattle.
I asked them if we would take some photographs with them.
Paul replied that; Code; we have no objection for the photo we shall take.
Again before I took the photos; I asked them, code; why don't you sell these materials in heaps rather than in bags?
Juma answered that; code We are retail sellers; those selling in big capacity are the car owners who brought these materials from sinnar and sell to us in big capacity where by then as retailers we filled in bags and sell to customers are here.
After this discussions; we gave them our heartfelt gratitude’s for the lengthy talks and urge them to expect us once more in other days.
Observations:
1.I have observed that, these two gentleman have highly welcome us thinking that we are customers who have come to buy some materials and expecting us to buy in big quantity.
2.I have observed that they are not the materials yard owner because some customers wanted to buy and they directed these customers to go and bargain with somebody who was sat very far away under the shade.
3.I have also observed that the materials yard had no shelter and the two gentlemen were standing on the hot heat.
4.I have been told by these two gentlemen that, they are selling as retail because they only get profit when they filled bags otherwise the profit can be realize if again the sell to customers in that capacity they buy with.
We went to the next location spotted (E) material shop.
When we reached there; we meet three people standing by the door of their shop; we greeted them and they replied and welcome to enter in to the shop.
Before we would draw nearer already we have noticed that our materials we wanted to ask the prices were there in the shelves. We saw timber, corrugated iron sheets, reinforcement rods, iron pipes, paints, cement etc.
I began to introduce myself, code; I am called Samuel Imma, a student of technical vocational education for teachers in upper Nile University.
But when I was introducing myself; he was smiling to us and we would not know why was doing so; so at last; he asked me; code are coming from Juba?
I replied him yes.
I began to learn from that smiling that; My Arabic language is so poor and I would understand me well.
Joseph also introduced himself, code; I am Joseph Amule of the same colleague with Samuel and this Lady.
Clara introduced her name; code I am called night Clara coming from Yei county.
He introduced himself; code, I am a civil engineer and my name is Ibrahim, I came from the northern Sudan.
Joseph asked him, code, where did you get the timber?
These timbers are imported from abroad replied Ibrahim; he said code, the timber plantation in the country is very small that can not supply the entire country and secondly the timber is only in Equatoria and those timber can go to the market which meets the requirement of the people.
This is why their prices are very high and the taxes are also heavily imposed by the government.
He told us one example of the price of 2x4 timbers that a piece is costing forty five Sudanese pounds.
I asked him of the other type of the timber code; how did you sell that poor quality timber?
He said, code; those are not poor quality; there are the same timber but those timber were returned from a site to be sold out once again; You see; technicians here doesn't know how to calculate materials and for this reason very many materials are left an finished at the site and brought back for us to buy. We would pay them now very little money compared to how they buy before from us.
The shape and quality of the timber is changed from the previous outlook.
The second problem here is that the technicians who learned from the workplace are having better skills than those who cam the vocational training institutions.
Joseph asked him, code why do the technicians here prefer steel frames or roof member more than the timber which looks to be sound and matured?
He said; code, steel frames and steel roof members are more durable than the wood; although we sell steel pipes very expensive.
Two reasons are being considered; one is steel pipes are better than wood roof members because terminates can not destroy the steels.
The second reason is that the steel pipes can resist strong winds and also they can not twist and warped.
Therefore for roofing, we use 2x6 inches for trusses and 2x4 inches for purlins and the angle bars are used fencing as poles and American iron sheet or our ordinary corrugated iron sheet.
I asked him if he would allow us to take some photographs at his shop.
He said; code, you are free to take your photos here.
I asked my colleagues, Clara and Joseph to take position for the photo taking.
I took the photos and also Joseph to get the camera and take my photo.
After taking the photographs, we told Mr. Ibrahim that already we are friends and we shall continue to come to him to get more information from that will help us in our studies.
He told us to come and share discussions with him next time.
Observations:
1.I have observed that Mr. Ibrahim has the capacity of knowledge in business because he had explained to us very many challenges in business; challenges such the import policy, imposition of high taxes, internal infrastructure difficulties etc.
2.I have learned that the technicians here did not know how to calculate materials for constructions that is why very many materials are left during construction.
3.I have also learned that the technicians who have competence skills are those who learned their skills at the site; but those who learned in the vocational training institutions only know paper work.
From there we went to the eastern side of the market; the market called the Friday option day market. And the location is spotted (H).
When we reached there, the heat was very hot because already it was eleven o'clock. The materials sellers were already under shades. And when they saw us. They came to meet us at there materials yard.
We introduced ourselves to them, they were two.
I started the introduction myself. Code; My name is Samuel Imma, a student of upper Nile university college of technical vocational education fro teachers.
One to the two youths also introduced himself, code; I am called Jacob and this material yard belong to my brother who is in Khartoum and he brings the materials from there and handed it for me to sell and report the money for him.
The other guy also introduces himself, code I am called Younis, Jacob is my friend and we worked together here in this materials yard.
Clara asked them; how is the business of selling the materials?
Jacob replied that, the market is going on well except that soon come a season which work will stop due to rain and also their materials will not have the market.
I asked him if he would accept us to take some photographs with them from his materials yard.
He replied me that it is acceptable but he declined to join us in the photo snap.
He told us to sit down and have a rest; because of the hot heat.
We told him that there is some thing to done so for that reason we are hurrying to do it.
We gave our good-bye and we came through the market and back to the campus.
Observations:
1.I have observed that the youth wanted to learned more from us and expecting window opportunity for training.
2.I also learned that their business is not so booming because that area is only sensitive for Friday market
3.I have observed that those youth have not acquired a formal school, because the way they responded shown to us that they can read or write even Arabic.
4.Generally our research method had been only opened questionnaire and I have realized that there are important information that shall be left with getting into it; for this reason we have to include the observation and conversation methods to meet the challenges.
Conversation method includes that question that shall have no limits and it can be document after the conversation had been accomplished. This can be used especially to those who can not read or write like Jacob and Younis who we found in the material yard and they are not able to read and write.
Of course the overall aim for any research is to gain knowledge. So it is necessary to apply more than two or more research method for acquiring more information in the research rather than limiting access to the real knowledge to acquire.
So we have decided to apply the observation method, opened questionnaire and the conversation method. This will deal with challenges.
