Phow Students' Forum

In a rare interview, BBC focus on Africa caught with Peace Canal staff in Pibor on the issue of the abduction of children.

Listen

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02nrtyw/episodes/downloads

"Emotional Blackmail" by Susan Forward explores the manipulative tactics used by emotional blackmailers and provides strategies for breaking free from their control.

Here are ten lessons from the book:

1. Understanding Emotional Blackmail: Emotional blackmail occurs when someone uses fear, obligation, and guilt (FOG) to manipulate you into doing what they want. Recognizing these tactics is the first step in addressing the issue.

2. Identify the Signs: Blackmailers often use threats, punishment, and coercion to get their way. Being aware of these signs helps you recognize when you are being manipulated.

3. Establish Clear Boundaries: Setting and maintaining clear boundaries is crucial to protecting yourself from emotional blackmail. Clearly communicate your limits and stick to them.

4. Stay Calm and Collected: Emotional blackmailers thrive on your emotional reactions. Staying calm and composed helps you think clearly and respond rationally instead of reacting impulsively.

5. Use Assertive Communication: Express your feelings and needs assertively without aggression or passivity. Assertive communication empowers you to stand up for yourself while maintaining respect for others.

6. Develop Self-Awareness: Understanding your own vulnerabilities and triggers can help you avoid falling into the trap of emotional blackmail. Self-awareness allows you to recognize when you are being manipulated.

7. Seek Support: Emotional blackmail can be isolating. Seeking support from friends, family, or a therapist can provide you with the strength and perspective needed to deal with the blackmailer effectively.

8. Don’t Give In to Demands: Giving in to a blackmailer’s demands only reinforces their behavior. Resist the urge to comply with unreasonable requests and focus on what is best for your well-being.

9. Reframe Negative Thoughts: Emotional blackmailers often make you feel guilty or obligated. Reframing these negative thoughts into positive affirmations helps you maintain your self-esteem and resist manipulation.

10. Plan for Change: Breaking free from emotional blackmail may require significant changes in your relationship or lifestyle. Make a concrete plan for how you will implement these changes and take small, manageable steps toward achieving your goals.

These lessons emphasize the importance of recognizing emotional blackmail, setting boundaries, and maintaining self-respect to regain control over your life and relationships.

"Poem about democratic and political pluralism"

In the realm where ideas weave and soar,
Democracy's pulse beats evermore.
A tapestry diverse, colors bright,
Political pluralism, a guiding light.

In this grand arena where voices contend,
Ideas clash, harmonize, and mend.
Programs and policies, visions in flight,
Competing to shape the common plight.

Through the crucible of debate they wade,
In the marketplace where thoughts are laid.
Each proposal a brushstroke, bold and true,
Painting a portrait, a collective view.

Eloquent speeches that stir the soul,
Crafted plans that seek to make us whole.
Leaders emerge with dreams so vast,
Guiding the ship as waters are passed.

Champions of justice, equality's call,
Stewards of freedom for one and for all.
Through the fires of discourse, solutions are born,
For a nation united, not tattered and torn.

So let the dialogue flourish and bloom,
In the garden of democracy's room.
May the best ideas rise to govern with might,
In this symphony of progress and light.

Jickok, Jr

Difference between GPA and CGPA: Explained.

(Grade points Average and Cumulative Grade Points Average)
......................................................
Yesterday, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Juba, Prof. Robert Mayom, issued an Administrative Order canceling the promotion of students using CGPA as adopted in 2022.
Many readers/students got confused about the difference between GPA and CGPA. Some people already gave misleading interpretations, causing panic among students. The purpose of this piece is to clearly explain it using simple Hai Thoura English and examples. VC has not introduced something harmful so long as you know why you are at the University.
I also heard some students wanted to abandon the University, pack their luggage, and go back to the village to join local politics based on clan representation as tough academics lie ahead. I know you will go, but first, lend me your ears.
This explanation is also important to the current first-year students across all Universities, who have never heard about GPA and CGPA since God created heaven and earth.
Note: GPA and CGPA are universal University grading. It is not only the University of Juba.
For the context of UoJ, note that these letters represent a range of marks and their numerical values before we go deep.
A=4
B+=3.5
B=3.0
C+=2.5
C=2.0
D=1.0
F=0
Let's take the example of the First student with the
below scores or take your transcript and follow from there.
SEMESTER ONE
Course name. CH. Grade
English I 2. A
Maths I. 4. C+
Pathology. 3. B
Arabic I 2. A
Philosophy 2. F
Chemistry I. 4. C
Physics I. 3. A
Computer. 3. B+
To get grade points (GP),
multiply the value of each letter by its corresponding Credit Hours (CH)
GP=[ (2×4)+(4×2.5)+(3×3)+(2×4)
+(2×0)+(4×2)+(3×4)+(3×3.5)]
GP=8+10+9+8+0+8+12+10.5
GP= 65.5
CH=2+4+3+2+2+4+3+3
CH=23
GPA= GP÷CH
=65.5÷23
GPA=2.85 ( first semester results)
SECOND SEMESTER [still first year]
Course name. CH. Grade
Nat. Res. 2. A
English II. 2. B
Arabic II. 2. B+
Chemistry II. 4. F
Physics II. 3. D
Public health. 3. C+
GP=8+6+7+0+3+7.5 ( follow cal. above)
=31.5
CH=2+2+2+4+3+3
=16
GPA=31.5÷16
=1.97
To calculate GPA for 2 semesters (first year)= sum of gp ÷ sum of CH
=[ 65.5 (sem one)+31.5 (sem two)÷(23+16)
=97÷39
=2.49 (GPA) (promoted)
Note: GPA and CGPA are the same in the First Year.
SECOND YEAR( where the problem lies):
(Sem one)
Course name. CH. Grade
Gudelle. 3. F
Lologgo. 3. B+
Shirkat. 2. B
Amaraat. 3. F
H. Thoura. 3. D
Amanjam. 3. C
GP= [(3×0)+(3×3.5)+(2×3)
+(3×0)+(3×1)+(3×2)]
=0+10.5+6+0+3+6
=25.5
CH=17
GPA=25.5÷17
=1.50
(Sem two)
Course name. CH. Grade
Lion. 3. D
Elephant. 3. F
Cat. 3. D
Dog. 3. B
Fox. 3. F
Deer. 2. C+
GP= 3+0+3+9+0+5
=20
CH=17
GPA= 20÷17
=1.18
GPA for two Semesters
=(25.5+20)÷(17+17)
=45.5÷34
=1.34 ( this is the GPA previously used for promotion)
Note: there is a GPA for a Semester and a GPA for 2 semesters of the same class.
Explanation:
Based on the above student, he/she performed well in the first year by obtaining a GPA of 2.49 and poorly performed while in the second year by obtaining a 1.34 GPA. If the benchmark for promotion is a 1.50 (GPA), this student will not be promoted to the Third Year. He will repeat the second year or discontinue. This system existed since 1977, when the University was opened for lectures, but was changed in 2022 to CGPA.
CGPA.
It is obtained by adding the GP in the first year to the GP of the second year and dividing by the sum of the CH of the first year and second year.
Based on the above student, it will be
CGPA= 65.5 (first year)+ 45.5 (second year)÷[39+34]
CGPA = 111÷73
=1.52
With the above CGPA, this student is qualified to be promoted to Third Year for obtaining 1.52.
This means that the performance of the First Year can add value to the performance of the second year, pushing the student to the Third Year and leaving almost all the Courses of the Second Year as Supplementary.
The New VC reverted the promotion grade back to GPA ( Grades of a particular class, not Cumulative) as it is all over the world. Before, a student with a good CGPA from the class he or she left behind could relax, hoping his CGPA would help in the current class. It is now a gone case. Better pull up the socks properly.
Note: Names of those places and Animals, including akuut ke joh, are assumed to be Courses.

Yenekan

Copied from Ustaz Pesuech Arok Deng

:

During a normal day, you walk into a hotel, a Dinka waiter serves you, a Madi cashier charges you, you are comfortable with that, and you leave for work.

You catch a Bongo bus to town; the driver is an Acholi, and the conductor is a Zande. You pay comfortably, enjoy the ride and get to town on time.

In office, your colleagues are a mixture of almost all 64 tribes of South Sudan. You chat all day, laugh all day and even catch a communal meal during lunch.

When leaving work, you all wish each other a lovely night and leave the office joyfully but tired. You catch a Noah to get home early enough to see your Toposa wife. The Driver is a Jur'Chol. Before you get to the house, you buy meat from your Murle Friend's butchery. You sit for a cup of tea you call a Baka lady to bring for your tea. Sitting near you is guy from Balanda, you chat while taking you tea.
The watchman, a Moro, opens the gate for you and warmly ushers you in.
Remember, at workstation, you have Nuer as your C.E.O., a Chollo is the accountant in the finance department, and your line manager is an Anyuak. Your Secretary is a Jie, while your office manager is a Jur'bel from Wulu. The HR is a bari, while the head of Logistics is a Bongo.
Why why why????? Guys, let's wake up from worshiping these divisions. Let's remain as peaceful as we have been for centuries.

May God have mercy on us. God bless us...God bless South Sudan🇸🇸.


Via Maal Makeer Thiong

There is nothing as important as an idea whose time has come.