Purpose: State civil servants have the right to vote in elections, but they are required to be neutral and professional in carrying out their duties and repetition, namely implementing public policies and providing public services to the community without being involved in practical political processes on the election agenda. Research/methodology: : The method used was a normative legal research method. This research method is carried out in several ways, namely, conducting studies, describing, interpreting, systematizing, and assessing and analyzing positive law. Results: The results of this research are regulations regarding the neutrality of the State Civil Apparatus as regulated by Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections, PP No. 42/2004 concerning the Development of Corps Spirit and the Code of Ethics for Civil Servants, PP No. 42/2004 concerning the Development of Corps Spirit and the Code of Ethics for Civil Servants,  PP No. 53/2010 concerning Civil Servant Discipline, Law No. 5/2014 concerning State Civil Apparatus, and a circular letter from the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform No. 1 of 2023 concerning the Guidance and Supervision of Neutrality of Non-Civil Servants in the Implementation of General Elections and Elections. Conclusions: This study increases knowledge about the neutrality of state civil apparatuses in general elections based on Laws and Government Regulations. This study also provides information for policymakers to understand the neutrality of the State Civil Service in General Elections, so that democracy in Indonesia will improve. Limitations: This study only covers the neutrality of State Civil Apparatus in General Elections; Therefore, expanding the research to the Indonesian National Army and the Republic of Indonesia Police could produce comprehensive findings. Contribution: This study provides legal insights and policy recommendations to strengthen the neutrality of civil servants and support fair and democratic elections in Indonesia.

Purpose: This study investigates the representation of women’s education in Africa within the postcolonial context. The research aims to assess the portrayal of women’s education as a tool for empowerment and social change, focusing on the socio-political implications of post-colonialism and its impact on women’s educational experiences, considering the ongoing legacies of colonialism. Research methodology: In terms of Methodology, a comparative literary analysis was employed, to analyze thematic and narrative elements of women's education. A purposive sampling method was used to select five significant African novels. Data was further scrutinized through secondary literature that relates to themes of post-colonialism and women's education in African contexts. This analysis will deploy close reading and qualitative literary analysis and most of the data obtained were analyzed thematically. Results: The findings reveal that themes such as the tension between modern education and traditional expectations were recurrent in the five novels. Conclusions: , this study affirms that African post-colonial novels do not only serve as literary expressions but are critical sites for investigating gender roles, education and colonial legacies reinforcing the idea that education as portrayed in the selected novels is a key avenue for women empowerment and societal transformation Limitations: The research was limited by focusing on few authors, which may not fully capture the experiences of other authors in another culture or locality. Contribution: This article illustrates how education empowers women, to challenge oppressive systems and redefine their identities and offers insights into the impact of women’s education, focusing on its portrayal in post-colonial novels.

Purpose: This study investigates digital silence as a pragmatic strategy in online group chats during crisis situations, focusing on its cross-cultural functions and interpretations. Research methodology: Using a qualitative discourse-pragmatic framework, data were collected from 30 online group chats across Arabic-speaking, Western, and East Asian groups, and analyzed for patterns of silence. Results: Findings reveal that digital silence is universally used but culturally interpreted. In Arabic-speaking groups, silence often conveys politeness or emotional overwhelm; in Western contexts, it may suggest avoidance; and in East Asian cultures, it can indicate deference or restraint. Conclusions: Digital silence operates as a strategic communicative act shaped by cultural expectations. This study addressed three research questions. First, digital silence is used pragmatically in online group chats during crises to convey politeness, emotional regulation, resistance, and ambiguity. Second, it serves functions such as mourning, face-saving, strategic withdrawal, and deference. Third, these functions vary culturally: in Arabic-speaking contexts, silence often reflects solidarity and emotion; in Western groups, it can imply resistance or discomfort; and in East Asian settings, it demonstrates restraint and hierarchy. Limitations: The research is limited to group chats during specific types of crises, and findings may not generalize to all online interactions. Contribution: This study contributes to digital pragmatics and intercultural communication by illuminating the nuanced role of silence in crisis discourse.

Purpose: This study explored factors affecting students’ enrolment in young universities, focusing particularly on one young university in Zimbabwe. Young universities are experiencing enrolment challenges, which involve investigating the causal factors for sustainable development and operations of the universities. Research methodology: The study adopted the interpretivist paradigm and used a combination of qualitative approaches for data collection and analysis within a case study design. The study’s sample comprised ten heads of department, one admissions registrar and forty-eight students purposively selected from a young university. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used to generate the data. The data were analyzed using a directed content analysis approach. Results: The study revealed that students’ university enrolment is affected mainly by students’ experiences, career orientations, changes in high school graduate preferences, admissions process, transport, accommodation, programmes offered, competition in university education, social capital variables, government policy, cost of education, and disasters. Conclusions: The revealed key stakeholders influencing students’ enrolment in young universities reflected strategies that can be used to increase students’ enrolment, chiefly public awareness, academic support, and student support services. Limitations: While this study adopted a qualitative methodology, which can be a limiting factor in terms of inference, for further research, the study recommends the adoption of a quantitative method. Contribution: This study recommends that universities strategically plan for student enrolment using a multi-stakeholder approach. The study also recommends that the government adequately fund university development and ensure that university education is affordable to everyone.

Purpose: This study assessed the level of implementation of the National Drug Education Program (NDEP) and the extent of stakeholder engagement in the Barkada Kontra Droga (BKD) initiatives in Region XII. It also examined the relationship between these two components to support the development of continuity programs in school-based drug prevention. Methodology/approach: A descriptive-correlational design was employed using a validated, researcher-made questionnaire administered to 388 school heads and NDEP coordinators across eight divisions in Region XII. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Spearman’s rank correlation. Results/findings: The NDEP was highly implemented across curriculum and instruction, co-curricular activities, teacher and staff involvement, parent education, and research evaluation. Stakeholder engagement in BKD was also reported to a great extent, particularly in implementation and campaign initiatives. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.68, p = 0.000) was found between NDEP implementation and stakeholder engagement. Conclutions: Greater NDEP implementation appears to support stronger stakeholder involvement in BKD initiatives. School-community collaboration remains central to sustaining preventive education. Limitations: The study was limited to school heads and NDEP coordinators and relied on self-reported data from a single time point. Future studies should include broader stakeholders and track long-term outcomes. Contribution: The study affirms the importance of strengthening implementation strategies to encourage broader participation in drug prevention efforts across schools and communities.