The global environmental crisis is fundamentally an ethical and philosophical problem rooted in a Western anthropocentric worldview. This paper argues that prevailing Western-centric models of environmental education (EE) are insufficient for fostering the deep ecological ethic required for sustainability. In response, it proposes a radical reimagining of EE grounded in the African philosophical frameworks of Ubuntu and Maat. Through a dialectical analysis, the paper establishes the transformative potential of the philosophies of Ubuntu and Maat, with their tenets of interconnectedness and communal responsibility. Also Maat fosters principles of cosmic balance and justice to provide an ethical foundation that repositions humans as part of an ecological community. However, significant barriers to integration exist, including epistemic injustice, institutional neglect, and methodological tensions between knowledge systems. We concluded by proposing a decolonial path forward, advocating for epistemic liberation, institutional reformation, and transdisciplinary dialogue to create a hybrid, and a culturally-grounded approach to EE. This synthesis contends that anchoring sustainability education in Ubuntu and Maat is imperative for cultivating the values and relationships necessary to create a more just and flourishing world.

The article examines connotation and its role in metaphorization in the Altai and Mongolian languages. The relevance of the topic lies in the lack of study of connotation in both the Altai and Mongolian languages from a comparative perspective. The methods used include surveys of informants, descriptive method, synchronic method, and comparative method. The novelty of the research consists in the introduction of new lexical material in comparison with the Mongolian language and in determining the national-cultural specifics of the analyzed units within the framework of the Altai and Mongolian languages. The study has shown that the figurative component, which is a generalized, sensory-visual image of an object denoted by a sign, is closely related to connotation. In the Altai and Mongolian languages, depending on the dominant connotation, four main groups of expressive words are distinguished: 1) purely expressive words, e.g., Alt. jaltanbas/korkybas, Mong. zürkhteĭ/aimshiggüi/erelkheg – 'daredevil' – with an emotion of admiration and a positive assessment of a very brave person; 2) words carrying emotional-expressive coloring, e.g., Alt. kӧӧrkiĭek/jalakai, Mong. zürkhnii/khairtai – 'sweetheart'; 3) stylistically expressive words, e.g., Alt. keber/ser/yes, Mong. niguur/tsarai – 'face'; 4) 'depictive' words, devoid of the original nominative basis, e.g., Alt. soksoo, Mong. munag khün – 'blockhead'. The researchers conclude that besides the four already identified groups of expressive words in the Altai and Mongolian languages, there is another, most extensive group consisting of figurative-expressive words, also known as metaphorical nominations, and it is these that become the subject of our study. The studied material can be applied in compiling dialectal, phraseological, and linguocultural dictionaries of the Altai and Mongolian languages, which determines the practical value of this article.

For some years now, the failure of formal education to provide adequate training to students is paving the way to new alternatives (Brenton, 2012:3). This situation has opened the door to ‘classes’ after classes better known here as extracurricular classes, henceforth ECCs. Nowadays, extracurricular classes seem to play a significant role in students’ performances particularly at the secondary level of education in Cameroon. “Up to secondary level, there are many Cameroonian pupils who are unable to count, read properly, or write intelligible sentences” (Safotso: 2022: 49). Therefore, this study investigates the effect of extracurricular classes on the academic performance of some secondary school students of the examination classes. The purpose is to analyze students' motivations when engaging into those classes, and their effect on their performances. The population of study was made up of 57 Terminale students from various centres/groups offering extracurricular classes in the city of Dschang (West-Cameroon). Data were collected mainly through questionnaires. Findings revealed that students' enrollment in extracurricular classes is motivated by factors including overcrowded formal classes, regular strikes by teachers’ unions, poor teachers’ training and the desire to achieve the best performances by learners. The study also revealed that extracurricular classes dedicate more hours and more tutorials to specialty courses according to the student’s field of study. Given that not all students have enough means and time for extracurricular classes, the study suggests that particular attention should be given to students in examination classes through the quantity and quality of teaching workloads and classes, the limitation of striking periods and the improvement of teachers’ working conditions in the formal school system.

Over the past fifty years (1973–2023), Vietnam–Australia relations have evolved from an era of ideological confrontation into a comprehensive strategic partnership, reflecting profound transformations in both countries’ philosophical and ethical approaches to international cooperation. This paper examines the relationship from the philosophical perspective of cooperation and development, exploring the cognitive, moral, and humanistic foundations that have shaped the Vietnam–Australia trajectory. Grounded in Ho Chi Minh’s thought on peace and friendship and Australia’s philosophy of pragmatism in politics, the study argues that Vietnam–Australia cooperation is not merely a product of strategic interests but an expression of national moral consciousness—one that prioritizes humanity, autonomy, and sustainable peace. The analysis identifies three philosophical foundations underpinning the “philosophy of cooperative development” between Vietnam and Australia: 1.A dialectical mindset transforming conflict into cooperation; 2.A humanistic worldview grounded in respect for national sovereignty; and 3.Pragmatism for humanity, a distinctive feature of modern cultural–political dialogue. The paper concludes that Vietnam–Australia relations represent a model of East–West philosophical convergence in the 21st century and provide a theoretical foundation for the expansion of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between 2025 and 2035.

Over the past three decades, English Language Teaching (ELT) has undergone an extensive paradigm shift from teacher-centered, grammar-oriented instruction toward learner-centered, communicative, and technology-mediated pedagogies. This study presents a mixed theoretical-empirical analysis exploring how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) drives pedagogical change, drawing on a class observation and personal interviews with 10 English teachers across Albanian primary and secondary schools. The article introduces a new conceptual model, the Tri-Layered Digital Mediation Framework (TDMF)to explain how cognitive, pedagogical, and socio-digital dimensions of technology shape the ELT paradigm shift. Findings reveal that although Albanian teachers demonstrate strong awareness of ICT’s pedagogical value, they face barriers related to digital infrastructure, uneven digital competences, and institutional inertia. The article contributes a novel perspective and proposes forward-looking implications for curriculum reform, teacher training, and digital policy. It positions technology not merely as a tool but as a transformative mediator that reconstructs the nature of language learning, teacher identity, and communicative competence in the 21st century.

The ornamental art of the Altai Mountains is an epic encrypted in lines, spirals, and horns, narrating cosmology, faith, and the harmony between humans and nature. It is a code that can only be deciphered by one who touches the spirit of this ancient land. The Altai ornament is fundamentally triune. This triad reflects the foundation of the universe in the worldview of the indigenous peoples: the upper world (sky, deities) – often denoted by solar signs and celestial bodies; the middle world (earth, people, nature) – symbolized by motifs of plants, animals, and mountains; the lower world (subterranean, ancestors) – depicted more geometrically, sometimes with wavy lines. Ornamentation initially served as a talisman; by applying it to clothing, utensils, or dwellings, a person erected a magical boundary between themselves and hostile forces, attracting luck and well-being.

The article is devoted to the study of traditional women's jewelry in Altai literature and its symbols as a crucial part of the people's material culture within the evolutionary process. This examination is carried out in close connection with the socio-economic structure, natural and climatic conditions, and religious-mythological beliefs. In this regard, women's jewelry possesses the essential properties of the world and contains all the most important symbols functions. To revive the ethnic self-awareness of the younger generation, Altai poets turn to national images of objects (jylamash, jinji, cheedek, shikshirge, tana, sakusin) in their works.