Raya Journal of Science and Development
type: channel
description: The Raya Journal of Science and Development (RJSD) is a biannual, peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal established in June 2025 by Raya University, Ethiopia. It serves as a platform for the dissemination of original and impactful scientific research, with a strong emphasis on issues relevant to developing and underrepresented regions. As a multidisciplinary journal, RJSD fosters academic dialogue and knowledge sharing across diverse fields of science, engineering, technology, health, agriculture, education, social sciences, and development studies. RJSD is committed to publishing high-quality scholarly work, promoting evidence-based solutions, and supporting the growth of scientific knowledge that drives innovation and sustainable development. The journal publishes twice a year and welcomes submissions from global researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers. Have a Nice Reading https://doi.org/10.82489/rjsd-2025 1. Aims and Scope The aim of RJSD is to promote academic excellence and support sustainable development by publishing rigorous and original research that addresses pressing challenges across a wide range of disciplines. The journal seeks to bridge the gap between science, policy, and practice, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange for inclusive and context-driven development. Scope of the Journal includes, but is not limited to: · Sustainable agriculture, food security, and agroecology · Climate-smart farming, soil, and water conservation · Agricultural and bioengineering technologies · Public health, nutrition, and disease prevention · Maternal, reproductive, and mental health systems · Medical science and healthcare technologies · Artificial intelligence and machine learning · Fuzzy systems and intelligent control · Computer science and information systems · Data science and knowledge-based systems · Automation, robotics, and microcontroller applications · Communication and transportation engineering · Data communication and computer netw…
language: en
publication name: Raya Journal of Science and Development
items: Assessing the Alignment between Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Meteorological Data: Evidence from Agroforestry Systems in Gedeo Zone, Ethiopia
items: Characterization and Mechanical Properties Improvement of Termite Mound Clay for Sustainable Construction Materials
items: Design and Numerical Analysis of Single-Tank Thermal Energy Storage System with Thermocline for Solar Thermal Applications
items: Physico Chemical Quality Analysis of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Ecotypes Fruits under Different Management Practices in Harari Region, Ethiopia
items: Combined Effects of N, P, and Fe, Zn Fertilization on Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Yield and Grain Quality in Southeastern Tigray, Ethiopia
items: Indigenous Knowledge Systems as Drivers of Innovation and Development in Ethiopia
items: Development of a Hybrid AI-Based Tigrigna Grammar Checking and Error Correction System with an Interactive Graphical User Interface
items: The Image of Women in Tigrigna Oral Poetry: A Feminist Analysis of Raya Oral Poetry and Songs
items: DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF PEDAL OPERATED SESAME OIL EXTRACTION MACHINE
items: Design and Modeling of a Stand-Alone Hybrid Energy System, in the Case of Kelto, Raya Chercher Tigray, Ethiopia
items: Review on Major Biotic Threats to Crop Production and Food Security in Southern Ethiopia: Diseases, Pests and Parasitic Weeds
items: Students’ Attitude Toward Mathematics, their Academic Performance, and Factors Influencing Mathematics Learning : in Selected Secondary Schools , Southern Tigray
items: Abstractive Tigrigna Text Summarization using Deep Learning Approach
items: Factors Determining Internal Audit Effectiveness: Empirical Evidence from Large Manufacturing Companies in Tigray, Ethiopia
items: Design and development of electrical energy based liquor distillation unit

Assessing the Alignment between Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Meteorological Data: Evidence from Agroforestry Systems in Gedeo Zone, Ethiopia
type: item
description: The aim of this study is to address how smallholder farmers perceived climate change and the need to analyze the link between local perceptions and climatic data, which is very crucial to design context interventions and policies toward supporting adaptation measures. This study collected data from 384 randomly selected respondents in 18 kebeles over three districts, using focus group discussions, climate data analysis (Mann-Kendall tau test and Sen’s slope), descriptive statistics, and an order logit model. Most respondents reported that climate had changed notably with raised temperatures, declined rainfall, and a delayed rainy season as well as an increased intensity of drought and flood. Climatic patterns confirmed a significant increase in minimum and maximum temperatures during most seasons and years. While rainfall trends exhibited inter-seasonal variability, a significant increase was observed in long wet and autumn periods. Key findings reveal that the link between farmers’ perceptions and climatic patterns revealed strong correlations with temperature changes but some inconsistencies regarding rainfall trends. The order logit model results revealed that the respondents’ farm experience, educational level, livestock ownership, exposure to crop failure, total income, access to climate change information, and farmland fertility have significantly influenced their perceptions. Focusing interventions on these socio-demographic, institutional, and risk exposure variables will positively enhance farmers’ perceptions of climate change, which, in turn, can contribute to enhanced ecological resilience to climate change.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: climate change, small-holder farmers, home garden agroforestry, climate change perceptions, order probit model, Ethiopia
  topic: keywords
creator: Dr. Aberham Kebedom Darge
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Aberham Kebedom Darge (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-07-06
publication date: 2026-07-06
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2026.1.2.72

Characterization and Mechanical Properties Improvement of Termite Mound Clay for Sustainable Construction Materials
type: item
description: In this work, the characteristics of termite mound clay are studied and enhanced with the addition of alumina. The clay was washed to remove the unwanted dust particles and then sun and oven-dried at 110℃ for 8 hours. For XRF analysis, samples were crushed and sieved to 90μm, and for other tests, to 150μm. The average chemical composition results of the samples showed that 55.89% SiO2, 14.19% Al2O3, 10.14% Cao, 6.58% Fe2O3, 1.01% MgO, 0.87% H2O, and other trace elements had a 9.08% LOI. The chemical composition results of the samples fall under the category of high silicate clays. This result leads us to add a percentage of alumina from market to reach at least the minimum requirement for refractory materials properties. The liquid limit test established the amount of water required for the best clay plasticity prior to sample preparation. Apparent porosity decreased from 29.79% to 20.3% as Al2O3 content increased from 10% to 20%. This is because Al2O3 closes the open spaces within the samples during moulding and it could not burn off during firing but increased the bulk density value from 1.46 to 1.769 g/c3. The compressive strength also increased from 7.11 to 12.52 MPa with the increased addition of Al2O3. Since there were less pore spaces, the compressive strength increased, and the load-bearing cross-sectional area increased. The percentage linear fired shrinkage of the samples at 900 ℃ along the length, width, and height was decreased from 2.42 to 1.02%, 5.16 to 1.02%, and 6.09 to 0.01% respectively, with increased addition of 10 to 20 wt. % of Al2O3.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Alumina, Characterization, Refractory Material, Silica, Termite Mound Clay
  topic: keywords
subject: Alumina, Characterization, Refractory Material, Silica, Termite Mound Clay
  topic: subjects
subject: Mechanical, Industrial Engineering
  topic: disciplines
creator: Elias Gebrekiros Abraha
creator: Bereket Gebrehawerya Kahsay Gebrehawerya Kahsay
creator: Ataklti Dawit Fisha
creator: Gebrekiros Gebreyesus Gebremariam
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Elias Gebrekiros Abraha, Bereket Gebrehawerya Kahsay, Ataklti Dawit Fisha, Gebrekiros Gebreyesus Gebremariam (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-07-06
publication date: 2026-07-06
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2026.1.2.55

Design and Numerical Analysis of Single-Tank Thermal Energy Storage System with Thermocline for Solar Thermal Applications
type: item
description: This study presents the design and numerical evaluation of a single-tank thermocline thermal energy storage (TES) system for solar thermal applications aimed at improving energy access in rural Ethiopia through small to medium-scale concentrated solar power (CSP) integration. A two-dimensional model using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and the Finite Element Method (FEM) simulated unsteady, incompressible laminar flow and heat transfer in a vertical cylindrical tank modelled as an isotropic porous medium. The system used water as the heat transfer fluid and operated between 55°C and 98°C, with a height-to-diameter ratio of 1.2. The computational mesh included 3,938 domain elements and 192 boundary elements, with a maximum element size of 0.01 m. During charging, hot water introduced at the top formed a thermocline that moved downward, reaching a thickness of 0.263 m after 7,200 seconds. The flow remained laminar, with a peak velocity of 0.02 m/s and a Reynolds number of about 1,078, while a pressure gradient of 2.49 kPa developed from top to bottom. The performance index was approximately 0.95, indicating strong stratification and minimal mixing. During discharging, reverse flow from the bottom reached a velocity of 0.002 m/s with a Reynolds number near 769, and the thermocline rose to 0.25 m by 7,200 seconds, maintaining separation of hot and cold zones. Enthalpy increased from 2.25 J/m³ to 2.55 J/m³ during charging and decreased from 4.0 J/m³ to 3.75 J/m³ during discharging, reflecting efficient energy storage and release. Overall, the results confirm stable thermal stratification, high energy efficiency, and the suitability of the proposed water-based thermocline TES for cost-effective, off-grid solar thermal energy applications.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Thermocline, Thermal Energy Storage, Concentrated Solar Power, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Thermal Stratification
  topic: keywords
subject: Renewable Energy Storage
  topic: subjects
subject:
  topic: disciplines
  value: Raya University invites high-quality scholarly manuscripts for its new academic journal. The journal publishes original research, reviews, and scholarly articles across diverse disciplines relevant to science, technology, social sciences, humanities, and professional studies.
creator: Amaha Kidanu Atsbeha
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Amaha Kidanu Atsbeha, Amaha Kidanu Atsbeha (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-07-06
publication date: 2026-07-06
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2026.1.2.61

Physico Chemical Quality Analysis of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Ecotypes Fruits under Different Management Practices in Harari Region, Ethiopia
type: item
description: Physico Chemical Quality Analysis of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Ecotypes Fruits under Different Management Practices in Harari Region, Ethiopia Mekonnen Tensaw1*, Tigist Taddese2, Kebede WoldeTsadik2 ,and Chala Lemma1 1 . Oda Bultum University, College of Agriculture, Department of Horticulture,Chiro ,Ethiopia.P.O.BOX.226. 2. Haramaya University, College of Agriculture and environmental science, School of plant science,Dire Dawa.P.O.BOX.138. Corresponding Author: mekotensaw35@gmail.com mob:0904884570 Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the most popular, widely cultivated and commonly consumed fruits in Ethiopia; particularly in Harari regional state, eastern Ethiopia where farmer’s livelihood is highly supplemented by the income from their mango trees. However, identified mango fruits ecotypes with better quality both for growers and consumers are not available as consumers’ preferences vary for the different mango ecotypes being grown in Harari region. The available mango fruits ecotypes may also differ in their response to the farmers’ management practices. Therefore, to investigate consumer preference to help the growers to produce according to preferred quality that meet consumers’ value in the market, this study was initiated with the objective of evaluating the physicochemical and sensory quality of four mango ecotypes fruits under four farmers management practices in Harari regional state, eastern Ethiopia. The experiment consisted of a factorial combination of 4 mango ecotypes and 4 farmers’ management practices with 3 replications in CRD design. Data on physicochemical and sensory attributes: titratable acidity, pH, total soluble solid, sugar to acid ratio, ascorbic acid, total phenol content, physiological loss in weight, taste, texture, aroma, flavor and overall fruits acceptability of local mango ecotypes harvested from four farmers were evaluated at four days interval during a storage period of 15 days at an ambient temperature of 25ºC and relative h…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: ecotypes
  topic: keywords
subject: farmers’ management practices
  topic: keywords
subject: physicochemical and sensory quality.
  topic: keywords
subject: physicochemical and sensory quality.
  topic: subjects
creator: Mekonnen Tensaw
creator: Chala Lemma
creator: Muluken Endale
creator: Wassu Mohammed
creator: Tigist Taddese
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Mr. Mekonnen T., Mr. Chala L. (Author); Mr. Muluken E, Prof. Wassu Mohammed, Dr. Tigist Taddese (Translator) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-07-06
publication date: 2026-07-06
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2026.1.2.73

Combined Effects of N, P, and Fe, Zn Fertilization on Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Yield and Grain Quality in Southeastern Tigray, Ethiopia
type: item
description: Barley is a vital crop for smallholder farmers in Ethiopia’s highlands, but productivity is constrained by poor soil fertility and inadequate fertilizer management. A field experiment was conducted in Southeastern Tigray during the 2017/18 Ethiopian cropping rainy season to evaluate the effects of macronutrients (N and P) and micronutrients (Fe and Zn) on barley yield, yield components, and grain quality. A split-plot design with three replications was used, with three N and P treatments (MA1 = control, MA2 = 100 kg Urea ha⁻¹ + 100 kg DAP ha⁻¹, MA3 = 50 kg DAP ha⁻¹ + 50 kg Urea ha⁻¹) as main plots and four Zn and Fe foliar treatments (P1 = control, P2 = 25 kg Zn ha⁻¹, P3 = 25 kg Fe ha⁻¹, P4 = 12.5 kg Zn ha⁻¹ + 12.5 kg Fe ha⁻¹) as subplots. Results showed that combining macronutrients and micronutrients produced better responses than either alone. The combination of 100 kg Urea ha⁻¹ + 100 kg DAP ha⁻¹ with 12.5 kg Zn ha⁻¹ + 12.5 kg Fe ha⁻¹ gave the highest grain yield (2.62 t/ha and 2.17 t/ha), Fe content (374.8 mg kg-1 and 155.3 mg kg-1), and protein content (15.6% and 12.4%) at Dejen and Kedamay-weyane, respectively. This nutrient combination is recommended to improve barley yield, grain Fe, and protein content in the study area.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Keywords: Barley, Interaction effect, Macronutrient, Micronutrient
  topic: keywords
creator: Berhe Hagos
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-07-06
publication date: 2026-07-06
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2026.1.2.69

Indigenous Knowledge Systems as Drivers of Innovation and Development in Ethiopia
type: item
description: Despite growing recognition of the importance of indigenous knowledge, its potential as a driver of innovation and development remains largely untapped. While there is increasing rhetoric about the need to integrate indigenous knowledge into development initiatives and innovation policies, genuine inclusion remains elusive. This study explored the role of indigenous knowledge to drive innovation and development in Ethiopia. Employing a qualitative research approach with a case study orientation, this study used primary and secondary data sources that were collected using interviews, focus group discussions, and desk review. Study participants were selected using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. This study reveals that indigenous knowledge, encompassing accumulated wisdom, skills, and philosophies developed by indigenous people over generations, is increasingly recognized as a vital resource for impactful innovation and development. This study indicates multifaceted ways in which indigenous knowledge contributes to environmental conservation, food security, healthcare, disaster resilience, traditional governance, cultural preservation, conflict resolution and societal transformation. Despite its immense potential, indigenous knowledge systems in Ethiopia have been marginalized and gradually pushed to the periphery by modernity and contemporary governance, reducing their relevance and impact in innovation and development. The findings imply that, although indigenous knowledge in Ethiopia constitutes a largely untapped asset for promoting community well-being, environmental sustainability, and socioeconomic resilience, its potential has been constrained by its marginalization in favor of Western-oriented approaches. Ethiopia needs to empower communities by integrating indigenous knowledge into innovation, education, and development policies through strong legal support, funding, and local participation.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Development, Driver, Ethiopia, Indigenous Knowledge, Innovation
  topic: keywords
subject: Development, Indigenous Knowledge, innovation
  topic: subjects
subject: Peace and development
  topic: disciplines
creator: Alexander Haymanot (PhD)
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Alexander Haymanot (PhD) (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-07-06
publication date: 2026-07-06
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2026.1.2.81

Development of a Hybrid AI-Based Tigrigna Grammar Checking and Error Correction System with an Interactive Graphical User Interface
type: item
description: Tigrigna is one of the morphologically and syntactically rich but low-resource languages with limited annotated datasets, linguistic resources, and computational resources. Due to these challenges, developing an automated grammar analysis and correction is hindered. Therefore, this research presents the development of an automated Tgrigna grammar analyzer and correction system using a combination of rule-based, machine learning, and hybrid approaches using the Python programming language. The model is trained with a total of 2000 sentences, including 500 correct sentences and 500 incorrect sentences per class of agreement fault, gender biased fault, and tense fault sourced from books, online articles, and academic materials. In addition to this, the model was trained with word tokens of 625 nouns, 545 verbs, 440 adjectives, 14 pronouns, and 90 noun-prepositions and evaluated with 80% for training and 20% for testing. Experimental results indicate that the hybrid approach achieves an accuracy of 94%, significantly outperforming the pure machine learning model with an accuracy of 92% for random forest and naive Bayes, 91% for logistic regression, and 90% for linear svm and the rule-based model with an accuracy of 81%. The model also integrated features of a graphical user interface (GUI) that enable it to identify errors and provide automated grammatical suggestions and corrections.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Tigrigna language, grammar checking, natural language processing, machine learning, rule-based systems,hybrid-based,GUI
  topic: keywords
subject: NLP
  topic: subjects
subject: Tigrigna Language
  topic: subjects
subject: Grammar Checking
  topic: subjects
subject: Rule-Based System
  topic: subjects
subject: Machine Learning
  topic: subjects
subject: Hybrid model
  topic: subjects
subject: Low-Resource Languages
  topic: subjects
subject: Computer Science
  topic: disciplines
subject: Artificial Intelligence
  topic: disciplines
subject: Natural Language Processing
  topic: disciplines
creator: Gebrhans weldegebriel weldergs
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Gebrhans weldegebriel weldergs (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-07-06
publication date: 2026-07-06
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2026.1.2.75

The Image of Women in Tigrigna Oral Poetry: A Feminist Analysis of Raya Oral Poetry and Songs
type: item
description: The main object this article was to describe and analyze the image of Raya woman in Tigrigna oral poetry and songs. The study was conducted based on field research in rural areas of Raya Azebo and Raya Alamata Woredas in the Sothern Zone. The data was collected through observation, interview, and focus group discussion. For documentary evidence, twelve informants were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The research method employed was ethnographic qualitative description. The data was collected in Tigrigna language and then texts were translated into English using free translation. After that, the data were analyzed using functional and feminist approaches. Then, the selected oral pomes were grouped under seven (7) thematic classification. The result revealed that there is an occurrence of both negative and positive portrayal such as fulfilling, dependent on men, women’s voice against forced marriage, women’s image as housewives and the beauty of women.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Kahasay Chekole
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Kahasay Chekole (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-11-10
publication date: 2025-11-10
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2025.1.01.41

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF PEDAL OPERATED SESAME OIL EXTRACTION MACHINE
type: item
description: Sesame seed oil is an essential edible oil in Ethiopia, but small-scale extraction is constrained by inefficient manual and animal-powered methods or expensive motorized machines that require electricity. This study aimed to design, fabricate, and evaluate a pedal operated sesame oil extraction machine (POSOEM) suitable for rural and semi-urban communities. The research followed a structured methodology including customer needs identification, conceptual and detailed design, component analysis using ANSYS stress simulation, and prototype manufacturing. Experimental testing was carried out using Taguchi’s orthogonal array with three control parameters: particle size, roasting time, and moisture content. Results showed that the machine achieved an average oil yield of 62%, capacity of 19.25 kg/hr, extraction rate of 7.74 l/hr, and extraction efficiency of 31%. The POSOEM demonstrated higher throughput, low energy requirements, and social benefits. The study concludes that a pedal operated solution provides an affordable, sustainable, and energy-independent alternative for smallholder farmers and local processors.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Sesame oil; Pedal operated machine; Prototype design; Oil extraction; Taguchi method; Rural technology
  topic: keywords
creator: Goitom Kahsay Wekelle
creator: Elsa Gebregergs Kahsay
creator: Haftamu Beyene
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Goitom Kahsay, Elsa Gebregergs, haftamu beyene (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-11-10
publication date: 2025-11-10
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2025.1.01.42

Design and Modeling of a Stand-Alone Hybrid Energy System, in the Case of Kelto, Raya Chercher Tigray, Ethiopia
type: item
description: Combining solar, wind, and diesel power offers a proven, reliable, and sustainable rural electrification solution for Ethiopia. Despite abundant renewable resources, Tigray suffers from severe electricity shortages and environmental degradation due to an unreliable grid and reliance on costly, polluting fuels. Transitioning to sustainable hybrid energy systems faces hurdles, including high upfront costs, technical expertise gaps, and complex policy frameworks. This study investigates the design of a stand-alone hybrid energy system for KELTO (ቁልጥቦ) village, Southern Tigray, Ethiopia, integrating solar photovoltaic (PV) generators, wind turbines, and a diesel generator as a backup. The research aims to establish a reliable electricity supply for 350 households, addressing the availability of renewable resources and reducing diesel consumption. Based on collected monthly energy demand data, a load profile was developed, revealing a daily electric demand of 165.44 kWh/d and a peak load of 20.46 kW. The optimized hybrid system achieved a renewable fraction of 65.6%, demonstrating a significant reliance on sustainable energy sources. Economic analysis yielded an internal rate of return (IRR) of 28% and a Levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of $0.3594/kWh, with a nominal discount rate of 8% and fuel price of $1.41/L. Comparing this optimized system to a base case system ($0.769/kWh), the study highlights the cost-effectiveness of the hybrid approach. The results indicate that hybrid systems offer a viable solution for rural electrification in Ethiopia, mitigating environmental impacts, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and decreasing reliance on fossil fuel imports and potential of hybrid renewable energy technologies to provide sustainable and affordable electricity in off-grid communities.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Hybrid System, HOMER Pro, Peak Load, Levelized Cost of Energy
  topic: keywords
creator: Hiluf Alemu Adihena
creator: zinabu mehari
creator: Abrha Ftsum
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Hiluf Alemu Adihena, zinabu mehari, Abrha Ftsum (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-11-03
publication date: 2025-11-03
starting page: 72
ending page: 85
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2025.1.01.39

Review on Major Biotic Threats to Crop Production and Food Security in Southern Ethiopia: Diseases, Pests and Parasitic Weeds
type: item
description: In southern Ethiopia's Ari, South Omo, and Konso, agriculture is gravely limited by a suite of biotic stresses augmented by climatic variability. These stresses pose a significant threat to regional food security and poor smallholder farmer livelihoods. Among the key diseases, Trichometasphaeria turcica infects up to 70% of maize in Ari and Fusarium graminearum infects approximately 45% of maize in Konso. Enset farming is also highly prone to different pathogenic infections. Insect pests like the African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) and cutworms inflict massive damage on cereals and legumes throughout the zones. Post-harvest losses are immense, with grains within traditional bamboo granaries in Kena (Konso) not being safeguarded against infestation. Parasitic weeds like Striga and Cuscuta also cause complete crop failure in heavily infested fields with cereals and legumes. These issues bring out the imperative need for a comprehensive management approach that addresses weeds, diseases, and pests. Implementation of these approaches depends on the enhancement of farmers' knowledge and having adequate management inputs.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: - Biotic stress, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), food security
  topic: keywords
creator: Daniel Abebe
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Daniel Abebe (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-11-03
publication date: 2025-11-03
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2025.1.01.32

Students’ Attitude Toward Mathematics, their Academic Performance, and Factors Influencing Mathematics Learning : in Selected Secondary Schools , Southern Tigray
type: item
description: The purpose of this study was to examine students’ attitude toward Mathematics, their academic performance, and the factors influencing mathematics learning in selected secondary schools (Maichew, Korem, and Alamata), Southern Zone, Tigray region, Ethiopia. The study had done on 365 sampled students (male=179, and female=186) from these schools. The Sample size of the students was determined using proportional rule, whereas the schools were selected by employing stratified random sampling technique. The mainly used research instrument for data collection was primary data (questionnaires) and secondary data (academic achievement test for both grades 9 and 10 students collected from teachers’ roster). We analyzed the collected data with the help of a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20. The findings reveal that the students have positive attitudes towards mathematics, and the students’ attitudes towards mathematics also shown that insignificant impact in their academic achievement. In addition no significant difference was observed between male and female students on their attitude towards mathematics. However, there was a statistical difference in mathematics achievement between male and female students, in both grades 9 and 10. Moreover, our results revealed that students’ motivation and readiness were the most influencing factor in learning mathematics.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Students attitude. Academic achievement. Mathematics
  topic: keywords
creator: Abadi Abay Gebremeskel
creator: Elias Tafere
creator: Woliyu Salo
creator: Fatuma Zeyinu
creator: Oluma Ararso
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Abadi Abay Gebremeskel, Elias Tafere, Woliyu Salo, Fatuma Zeyinu, Oluma Ararso (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-11-10
publication date: 2025-11-10
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2025.1.01.31

Abstractive Tigrigna Text Summarization using Deep Learning Approach
type: item
description: Text summarization has become essential due to the vast amounts of text data shared online. It is the task of condensing long sequences of text into short, concise, and expressive summaries. Two basic methods exist: extractive and abstractive. In Tigrigna, some studies used extractive methods, focusing on selecting portions of text without addressing underlying meaning. We proposed abstractive text summarization for Tigrigna to generate semantics-based summaries. Abstractive summarization rephrases or reorganizes long text to produce semantically equivalent summaries, possibly with new words or phrases. Tigrigna has not been researched in this way, and the task is difficult since there is no structured dataset, pre-trained word embedding, or summarization model prepared for it. To address these challenges, we applied deep learning models. A dataset of 1,167 structured input paragraphs and reference summaries was prepared for training and evaluation. Different embedding methods, including FastText and Byte Pair Encoding, were trained on about 320 MB of data. To reduce the effect of noisy stopwords dominating embeddings, FastText was trained with stopword removal and down-sampling of frequent words. For Tigrigna abstractive summarization, two models (Seq2Seq LSTM and Transformer) were evaluated. The Seq2Seq works sequentially, whereas the Transformer operates in parallel. An attention mechanism was added to Seq2Seq, while Transformer uses self-attention. Among tested model–embedding matches, Seq2Seq with attention and FastText with down-sampling showed superior performance, achieving accuracy of 0.72 and ROUGE scores of R-1=0.20, R-2=0.183, and R-N=0.17. This work pioneers Tigrigna abstractive summarization, marking a foundational step for future research.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Seq2Seq, LSTM, abstractive, FastText embedding, attention mechanism
  topic: keywords
creator: Yemane Gebrekidan
creator: Gebrekiros Gebreyesus
creator: Tewelde Hailay
creator: Yemane Hailay
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Yemane Gebrekidan Gebretekle, Dr. Gebrekiros Gebreyesus, Tewelde Hailay Gebreegziabher, Yemane Hailay Nega (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-11-10
publication date: 2025-11-10
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2025.1.01.29

Factors Determining Internal Audit Effectiveness: Empirical Evidence from Large Manufacturing Companies in Tigray, Ethiopia
type: item
description: This study explores factors determining internal audit effectiveness within large manufacturing companies in Tigray, Ethiopia. The topic has received limited scholarly attention, particularly in the context of developing countries. Recognizing the absence of universally accepted assessment frameworks, the research employs mixed methods approach, drawing on data from questionnaires and focus group discussions conducted across 34 large manufacturing firms. Quantitative analysis was performed using an ordered logit regression model complemented by qualitative content analysis to capture deeper organizational insights. The study has examined the influence of several factors, including internal auditors' independence, management support, internal auditors' competency, internal auditors' experience, internal audit department's size, existence of an approved internal audit charter, and presence of an audit committee on internal audit effectiveness. The study's findings reveal that independence, management support, and competency have a positive and statistically significant result on internal audit effectiveness. These insights hold critical implications for policy makers, regulators and corporate leaders aiming to strengthen internal audit standards and practices, enhance operational efficiency, and improve internal control systems within the manufacturing sector.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Internal audit effectiveness; manufacturing companies; mixed approach; ordered logit model; content analysis.
  topic: keywords
creator: Fantay Alemayoh
creator: Azenaw Gebrekidan
creator: Birhane Tsegay
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Raya Journal of Science and Development https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-11-03
publication date: 2025-11-03
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2025.1.01.17

Design and development of electrical energy based liquor distillation unit
type: item
description: In Ethiopia, many people make their living by producing and selling Areki, a locally prepared liquor obtained through a distillation process. Traditionally, Areki distillation uses clay-based units heated by burning firewood, which results in poor thermal efficiency, non-uniform heat distribution, and significant environmental impacts. This study aims to develop an electrical energy-based stove and distillation apparatus for local liquor production to achieve uniform heat transfer and reduce environmental impact. Mathematical modeling and finite difference formulations were employed to design and analyze the prototype distillation apparatus. The system was developed based on both geometrical and thermal design analyses. Experimental results show that the 860W model distillation unit achieves higher efficiency, produces better-quality liquor, and reduces distillation time compared to conventional methods and the 750W model. The study concludes that the proposed system offers significant improvements in energy utilization, cost efficiency, and environmental sustainability.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Electrical energy, Distillation unit
  topic: keywords
creator: Mogos alemu Hiluf
creator: Mesele hayelom Hailu
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Mogos Alemu, Dr. Mesele Hayelom Hailu (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-11-03
publication date: 2025-11-03
doi: 10.82489/rjsd.2025.1.01.7