Course name: Higher Education Level: MA / MED

Course Code: 828 Semester: Autumn 2022

Assignment: 2 Due Date: 10-04-2023
Total Assignment: 2 Late Date: 10-04-2023

Assignment no. 2
Q. No. 1 Evaluation system of higher education in Thailand. What are the impacts of
social structure of Thailand on their higher education.

Ans-

Understanding the factors affecting the policy process of quality assurance is

important for assessing the development of higher education. Here, we used a
qualitative research approach, along with an analysis of policies and a literature
review, to investigate the national policy process. The factors of quality assurance
relating to improving the quality of higher education and SDGs in Thailand since the
introduction and implementation of a national policy on quality assurance between
1999 and 2019 were also analyzed. Content area experts in Thailand were directly
interviewed, and the obtained data were analyzed in terms of the Act. Through the
analysis, we identified three main processes affecting education quality assurance
between 1999 and 2019; namely, policy formulation, policy implementation, and
policy evaluation. Our findings reveal that, although the policy was defined as an act
during the policy formulation process, its implementation and evaluation have been
limited by critical factors, such as the achievement of graduates, university ranking,
and the country’s competitiveness. We conclude that prioritizing the quality
assurance policy and facilitating relevant factors are essential to improving the
development of higher education in Thailand.
 Previous studies have suggested that a strong relationship between education
and poverty paves the way for the development of the population, households,
communities, and social orders. Additionally, low levels of education and poor
aptitude procurement hamper economic growth, thus preventing poverty reduction
(McNamara, P. et al., 2019) ]. Education adds to the development of equity and
reduction of destitution. Education provides individuals with knowledge and abilities,
which fosters the reduction of income inequalities, allowing individuals to learn and
develop aptitudes that improve their efficiency and make them less vulnerable to
risks. It has been calculated that one year of education increases wage income by 10%
(Montenegro, C.E. and Patrinos, H.A., 2014) . On the other side, impoverished
individuals are often powerless against adverse events occurring in adulthood. The
quantity of extreme climate events and other natural catastrophes—including storms,
floods, droughts, earthquakes, and landslides—is expected to rise in the near future
(Lutz et al., 2014) ]. However, equitable education expansion can decrease income
disparities (Abdullah et al., 2015) . Accordingly, “Education for All (EFA)” was
proclaimed by the World Education Forum (WEF) in Dakar, Senegal, at the 2000
follow-up to the emerging Sustainable Development Goals (proposed in May 2015).
The UN consented to have the full result of the WEF as Goal 4 for the agenda 2030,
which had been the broadest and most profound ever, with respect to education
policy. At the higher education level, universities have a unique position in society.
There are wide variations in the world, and the dissemination of universities has
served as a driving force in both global, national, and local innovation, economic
development, and social welfare aspects. As such, universities play a critical role in
the achievement of and engagement with the SDGs. Universities have a role in
educating about, innovating, and solving the problems of SDGs, creating current and
future SDGs, developing systems, and demonstrating how to support bringing the
SDGs to corporate governance and cross-sectoral cultures; overall, leading the way
towards answering the SDGs (UNESCO, 2017) [5]. The ability of a university to recruit
participants involved in future revenue and success in the labor market, provide
better quality training, and better network access has been well-documented
(Douglas, W., 2014) [6]. In addition, the SDG Index and Dashboards Report 2017
introduced the overall Sustainable Development Goals Score Index. The 17
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were ranked and divided into three key
indicators for each target: good, medium, or poor. The report found that, although
Thailand is ranked 55th out of 157 countries overall, when considering the sub-
metrics from a total of 83 data sets collected, the performance indicators can be
classified as consistent with the SDGs: The results were 34 good indicators, 29
moderate indicators, and 18 poor performance indicators, while two indicators were
not available. For the SDG Goal 4 “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education
and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”, the net primary enrollment rate
should be 98.1%, the lower secondary completion rate should be 78.4%, and the
literacy rate should be 98.1% (Sachs, J. and Schmidt-Traub et al., 2020) [7]. Expanding
tertiary education may promote faster technological catch-up and improve a
country’s ability to maximize its economic output (Bloom, D.E., Canning, D. and Chan,
K., 2006) [8] A one-year increase in education resulted in an
11% increase in income, and the private institutes average global is 9% a year
(George, P. and Harry A.P.). The return on investment for social rate is 16% in
lowincome countries (Pradhan et al., 2018) [9] (2018) [10]. However, the quality of
higher education has been shown to be a particularly vicious problem, involving
policymaking, and debate over the quality of higher education has led to efforts to
determine the effects of such a complex issue; in particular, relating to dealing with
the nefarious problems posed by external factors such as economic growth,
knowledge, rapidly changing academic work environments, diverse student groups
with changing needs and expectations, and governmental action agendas that define
institutional funding and reputation (Krause, 2012) [11].
 Regarding the importance of higher education, the growing demand for it, and
educational quality issues, a revolution in the quality of higher education, called the
quality revolution, has expanded over the last three decades (El-Khawas, 2013) [12].
Quality assurance is indispensable for developing higher education, providing a policy
tool for bringing insights (Neave, 1998) [13]. The quality of higher education increases
student learning outcomes and promotes economic development (El-Khawas, 2013)
[12]. Quality assurance policies also encourage students and parents to invest in the
quality of education (OECD and UNESCO, 2005) [14]. Quality assurance also promotes
responsible practice in the use of public and private funding (Stenstaker and Harvey,
2010) [15]. In addition, the impact of international standards has been increasing in
this era of globalization, as well as the need for transparency and public
accountability. This is a new challenge for higher education, which requires a strong
quality assurance system (Salmi, J. et al., 2002) [16]. For all of these reasons, models
of educational quality assurance have been posed, such as European models, the
United States model, and the British model. Since the end of the 20th century, every
country in the world has made efforts to comply with quality assurance processes and
standards, which form part of the field of basic quality assurance (Wells, 2014, p. 21)
[17]. Therefore, new public policies regarding quality development have been
integrated into the policy of many countries (Dill and Beerkens, 2010) [18]. Many of
these countries have formulated national policies to enhance the quality of
education. To guarantee the quality of education, the policies and procedures
involved must contribute to the development and continuous improvement of
quality. Quality assurance in higher education in Thailand started as a policy in 1999,
under the National Education Act, and has been updated thereafter through three
legislative acts. Before it was launched, internal quality assessment mechanisms were
created for the preparation of future quality assurance, using the index of Chiang Mai
University as a guideline, in 1996 (Working Group on Educational Quality Indicator
Development, 1998) [19], which were addressed in the National Education Act 1999.
Recently, after two decades under its enforcement, the results of the Act remained
below those expected. In particular, a low score was obtained for the quality
assurance system, while access and sustainability scores were very high (British
Council, 2016) [20]. Moreover, Thailand’s education system still remains at a junction.
As the nation intends to move past the middle-income trap, it must fabricate a highly
skilled workforce. The huge venture has broadened access to education, and Thailand
has been shown to perform moderately well in global assessments, in contrast to
similar countries. Be that as it may, the advantages have not been generally
circulated, and Thailand has not gotten the return on its investment in education that
it may have anticipated. Furthermore, an excessive number of factors, which are vital
to the achievement of the minimum standards needed for full participation in society,
have been neglected (OECD/UNESCO, 2016) [21]. While educational quality assurance
tools can be used effectively around the world, Thailand, which has used education
quality assurance policy for more than twenty years, requires an explanation of which
processes need to be improved, what factors are involved, and why only Thailand has
experienced this unsatisfactory result. Consequently, the discussion of reforming
higher education has led to it being considered as a high priority for the government
and universities, with a focus on the quality of instruction and learning (which do not
identify with the real situation), and the development of the country.

For this need, policy initiatives of educational quality assurance can provide a
solution, as the role of government is not only to provide education but also to
consider its quality, which has become a major dimension of higher education
(Hazelkorn, E., 2016) [22]. Public policy is the governmental mechanism driving the
achievement of a country’s goals and its development. Regarding the main process—
policy formulation, policy implementation, and policy evaluation—governments can
formulate policies through analyzing problems, the related factors, the policy
windows, and design. The policy implementation process can facilitate decisions on
how to assign the related government bodies, as well as how to distribute and deploy
the supported resources through Acts and/or laws. The policy evaluation process can
provide the framework to monitor, conduct, and measure how much it has achieved.
For this reason, the development of a country depends on the quality of the
decisionmaking policy framework and the involved processes (Corkery and Bossuyt,
1995) [23]. In many cases, it has been found that policies designed to implement
educational change for improving quality have often failed, due to a lack of
understanding of the complexity of the context and the system. Analysis of the policy
process, including policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation, can
demonstrate the required administrative approaches, the expansion needed at each
level, the factors influencing the policy, and determine the appropriateness of the
policy process (OECD, 2015) [24]. While there has been a significant increase in
research on the quality of education, at the same time, there have been very few
studies considering the educational policy process in Thailand, although there is a
high public awareness of the development of educational quality, from which it is
recognized that this policy and legal framework can have a profound impact on the
quality of education at both national and local levels. Therefore, research inquiring
into the system and analyzing it pragmatically can be considered very useful in
bringing about the form of public policy process for quality assurance in Thai higher
education. The purpose of this article is to examine how the national policy process of
higher education quality assurance has driven the quality cycle and what the related
factors are. Furthermore, the objective of this article is to guide policy-makers and
stakeholders in making choices regarding educational reform. Although this study is
based on an in-depth study only at the national policy level in Thailand, the results
may raise some interesting variables and policy recommendations, which might be
useful for countries with similar conditions. In addition, this could be an interesting
case study, which could lead to the development of national higher education quality
assurance policies and international cooperation networks.
2. Overview of Higher Education in Thailand

In 2018, there were 155 higher education institutions under the Office of the
Higher Education Commission, with 24 autonomous universities; 10 public
universities; 38 Rajabhat universities (the institution of higher education that was
originally established for the production of teachers. Currently, there are
comprehensive universities in the group focusing on producing undergraduate
students); 9 Rajamangala universities (the institution of higher education that was
originally established for the production of engineers and technicians at the
vocational level and higher education. Currently, there are comprehensive
universities in the group focusing on producing undergraduate students); Technology
institutions, colleges, and universities; 1 community (20 campuses distributed
throughout Thailand); and 73 private institutions. There are also higher education and
academic institutions that are specialized in higher education under the Ministry and
other departments of the Commission on Higher Education (Office of the Education
Council, 2018) [25]. The number of students in higher education was 1,790,341 in the
academic year 2016. The graph below (see Figure 1) shows the ratio of the largest
student population, which has been the same for a decade in the fields of humanities
and arts, and social science and business; where law accounts for more than half
(57%) of the student population in Thailand and exceeds science and technology (incl.
engineering; almost 40%). The country’s goal is to develop in line with the Industry
4.0 paradigm.

There were 95,527 Thai academic faculties in higher education throughout the
country, of which 35,742 were autonomous universities, 17,491 in public universities,
1438 in autonomous universities, 7423 in Rajamangala University of Technology, 578
in community colleges, 12,660 in private universities, and 1011 in private institutions
(OHEC, 2017) [26]. Of all these faculty members, only 1% were full professors (see
Figure 2). In this regard, this may be an important factor in promoting the quality of
education at the higher education level.

The education budget increased by 50.35% in 2018, compared to 2009 (when it

was 72,058.6 THB). The average rate of increase in the education budget was 5% per
year over the 8 years. However, an investigation of the composition of the
expenditure in the higher education budget revealed the operational budget
expenditure was 91%, while 9% was the investment budget. Although it seems that
the budget for higher education has continued to increase (see Figure 3), the budget
has almost all been allocated to manage the operations, which cannot push the
higher education sector to keep up with changes in the global market.

3. Materials and Methods

The study of policy processes is generally divided into policy studies and policy
analysis. Policy studies are studies regarding knowledge of the policy process.
Descriptive approaches are mainly used when considering the policy process, policy
outcome, and policy evaluation, while policy analyses focus on knowledge in the
policy process for policy evaluation, data analysis for decision making, policy
recommendations, and assessment of policy adoption (Peters, B.G. and Hogwood,
B.W., 1984) [27]. The policy process is becoming increasingly complex, as driven by
the increasing number and diversity of relevant policy-makers who are linked
together in the policy network (Rhodes 1997) [28]. Lasswell (1956, 1971) [29]
described that “cycles” and “stages” have been embedded in policy analysis studies.
The seven-stage policy process model includes intelligence-gathering, promotion,
prescription, invocation, application, termination, and appraisal, which should be a
cycle to complete when implementing any public policy. In addition, Brewer (1974)
[30] presented a five- or six-stage model (invention/initiation, estimation, selection,
implementation, evaluation, and termination). In addition, three scholars with
different focus have considered policy processes in depth: First, Howlett, M., Ramesh,
M. and Perl, A. (2009) [31] focused on the methodology at each stage of the policy
process; while E.S. Quads (1984) [32] focused on comparing, evaluating, and
forecasting policy alternatives that will impact the future; and, finally, Simon
discussed policy analysis methods. However, in this paper, the concept of Howlett,
M.; Ramesh, M.; and Perl, A. was applied, for reasons of consistency with the
purposes of the research. Furthermore, the methodology used in this study is based
on the concept of Christopher, A.S. [33], who used the method of studying public
policy in historical analysis by studying the processes related to solving past policy
problems. We used interview methods for each policy section, as well as document
analysis, to discuss issues that may be behind the scenes, yet result in the policy being
successful or failing.

There are also scholars in Thailand who have studied the public policy process. S.
Yawapraphat and P. Wangmahaporn (2009) [34] have divided the public policy
process into three sub-processes: policy formulation, policy implementation, and
policy evaluation. This is in line with the findings of international scholars, and in
accordance with the context for the analysis. However, it is clear that no frameworks
exist. In theory, the policy process is self-explanatory. Indeed, a multi-framed
approach is better, where different perspectives can be layered to form a broader
explanation (Cairney and Heikkila, 2018) [35]. In the concept of Kingdon’s
ThreeStream Model (1984) [36], policy change occurs when three streams—
problems, political issues, and policy issues—are connected. Kingdon’s model
suggests that, while the three streams may operate independently, all three need to
come together to formulate a policy. The “Formation of Problems” and “Policy Flows”
can be defined in terms of the following: (1) Problem streams refer to policy issues in
society that may be a problem; (2) Policy flows involve many potential policy
solutions emerging from the community of policymakers, experts, and lobby groups,
referring to factors such as changes in government. Laws and the volatility of public
opinion lead to a mixture of “Problems” and “Politics”, creating open opportunities
for policy operators to seek appropriate policy changes. Public policy-making is part
of the pre-decisionmaking process in the policy setting, including targeting, priority,
and assessment of the cost and benefit options for each of the external options. This
involves identifying a set of policy options and public policy tools to address the
problem at hand. This model seems to fit well with the issue of coverage of
educational policy, as included in the streams. In line with this area of focus, three
theorists have jointly contributed to our key framework for analyzing the three stages
of the public policy process: the concepts of Anderson (2011) [37] and Kingdon
(1995), regarding the public policy process and policy windows, are applied for
reasons of consistency with the aim of this paper, while the methodology of Simon
(2017), using historical and literature analyses, as well as an interviewing approach, is
utilized to determine any underlying issues that have led to policy success or failure.

The first of the two approaches considered herein is a review of the existing
literature and policies. We draw on previous and current studies, formal and informal
policy documents, and texts published in the written press. The second approach
follows a qualitative data collection method, through the use of oral interviews with
the content area experts (CAEs) who possess inside knowledge and, so, could analyze
and interpret issues in the related field (Gøtzsche, P.C. and Ioannidis, J.P.A., 2012)
[38]. The researchers designed the study while respecting the standard procedures
and approval processes of the committee of the Department of Development and
Sustainability, Asian Institute of Technology. The interviewees included three groups
involved in the policy process cycle, whose expertise was considered outstanding and
who had lengthy experience in the field, including policy-makers, agencies, specialists,
and lecturers. Overall, 25 CAEs were consulted and interviewed for this study. Their
selection was made according to four characteristics: (1) having a national position;
(2) involved in a wide national policy on quality assurance; (3) belonging to an
organization related to the effects resulting from the policy; and (4) having knowledge
of the existence of actions resulting from the policy. Qualitative structured interviews
were conducted with the 25 CAEs. The interviewees involved in three stages of the
policy process included government officials, experts in the field, and lecturers, (see
Figure 4) as detailed in the following.

• Group I: Policy-makers

This research is a national policy study. Policy-makers involved in Thai national

quality assurance policy-making were considered to possess key knowledge for
answering our research objectives relating to the three public policy processes (i.e.,
policy formulation, policy implementation, and policy evaluation). Besides, the factors
that lead to the success or failure of the higher education quality assurance policy are
related to those policy steps and, finally, the recommendations for the development
of educational quality assurance policy for Thailand.

• Group II: Agencies/Specialists

Agencies are directly responsible for quality assurance policies in higher

education. For this group of contributors, a very important group of agreements has
been studied by UNESCO. This unit will be able to address the issue of quality
assurance in higher education. In this research, three important issues are identified:
accreditation, external quality assurance, and internal quality assurance. This group of
experts was considered to be one of the most important groups in the research, who
can answer the objectives of the research in its entirety. As experienced performers
in all three parts, being policy-makers or politicians, policy leaders, and practitioners
(e.g., as representatives or personnel in higher education institutions), they may also
be involved in assessing and implementing quality assurance policies at the national
or international level. This can be used to analyze the processes that drive the quality
assurance policy, further leading to an analysis of the link to the factors that affect
the success or failure of the development of higher education in both countries.

• Group III: Lecturers

Lecturers form the group who are directly involved in the quality assurance of
higher education. This group becomes involved by being part of the agency boards,
which are responsible for formulating the quality assurance policy and the associated
criteria, where the implemented criteria should be consistent with the guidelines and
the developed framework. Therefore, this group is directly involved, and was
considered to be able to answer the research question very well.

Q. No. 2 Highlight the reasons of wastage in higher education. What are different
ways of financing higher education in Pakistan?

Ans-

It is mandated in the Constitution of Pakistan to provide free and compulsory

education to all children between the ages of 5-16 years and enhance adult literacy.
With the 18th constitutional amendment the concurrent list which comprised of 47
subjects was abolished and these subjects, including education, were transferred to
federating units as a move towards provincial autonomy.

The year 2015 is important in the context that it marks the deadline for the
participants of Dakar declaration (Education For All [EFA] commitment) including
Pakistan. Education related statistics coupled with Pakistan’s progress regarding
education targets set in Vision 2030 and Pakistan’s lagging behind in achieving EFA
targets and its Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) for education call for an
analysis of the education system of Pakistan and to look into the issues and problems
it is facing so that workable solutions could be recommended.
What is Education System?

The system of education includes all institutions that are involved in delivering formal
education (public and private, for-profit and nonprofit, onsite or virtual instruction)
and their faculties, students, physical infrastructure, resources and rules. In a broader
definition the system also includes the institutions that are directly involved in
financing, managing, operating or regulating such institutions (like government
ministries and regulatory bodies, central testing organizations, textbook boards and
accreditation boards). The rules and regulations that guide the individual and
institutional interactions within the set up are also part of the education system.

Education system of Pakistan:

The education system of Pakistan is comprised of 260,903 institutions and is

facilitating 41,018,384 students with the help of 1,535,461 teachers. The system
includes 180,846 public institutions and 80,057 private institutions. Hence 31%
educational institutes are run by private sector while 69% are public institutes.

Analysis of education system in Pakistan

Pakistan has expressed its commitment to promote education and literacy in the
country by education policies at domestic level and getting involved into international
commitments on education. In this regard national education policies are the visions
which suggest strategies to increase literacy rate, capacity building, and enhance
facilities in the schools and educational institutes. MDGs and EFA programmes are
global commitments of Pakistan for the promotion of literacy.

A review of the education system of Pakistan suggests that there has been little
change in Pakistan’s schools since 2010, when the 18th Amendment enshrined
education as a fundamental human right in the constitution. Problems of access,
quality, infrastructure and inequality of opportunity, remain endemic.
Issues

A) MDGs and Pakistan

Due to the problems in education system of Pakistan, the country is lagging behind in
achieving its MDGs of education. The MDGs have laid down two goals for education
sector:

Goal 2: The goal 2 of MDGs is to achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) and by
2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course
of primary schooling. By the year 2014 the enrolment statistics show an increase in
the enrolment of students of the age of 3-16 year while dropout rate decreased. But
the need for increasing enrolment of students remains high to achieve MDGs target.
Punjab is leading province wise in net primary enrolment rate with 62% enrolment.
The enrolment rate in Sindh province is 52%, in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KPK) 54% and
primary enrolment rate in Balochistan is 45%.

Goal 3: The goal 3 of MDGs is Promoting Gender Equality and Women

Empowerment. It is aimed at eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary
education by 2005 and in all levels of education not later than 2015. There is a stark
disparity between male and female literacy rates. The national literacy rate of male
was 71% while that of female was 48% in 2012-13. Provinces reported the same
gender disparity. Punjab literacy rate in male was 71% and for females it was 54%. In
Sindh literacy rate in male was 72% and female 47%, in KPK male 70% and females
35%, while in Balochistan male 62% and female 23%.

B) Education for All (EFA) Commitment

The EFA goals focus on early childhood care and education including pre-schooling,
universal primary education and secondary education to youth, adult literacy with
gender parity and quality of education as crosscutting thematic and programme
priorities.

EFA Review Report October 2014 outlines that despite repeated policy commitments,
primary education in Pakistan is lagging behind in achieving its target of universal
primary education. Currently the primary gross enrolment rate stands at 85.9% while
Pakistan requires increasing it up to 100% by 2015-16 to fulfil EFA goals. Of the
estimated total primary school going 21.4 million children of ages 5-9 years, 68.5%
are enrolled in schools, of which 8.2 million or 56% are boys and 6.5 million or 44%
are girls. Economic Survey of Pakistan confirms that during the year 2013-14 literacy
remained much higher in urban areas than in rural areas and higher among males.

C) Vision 2030

Vision 2030 of Planning Commission of Pakistan looks for an academic environment

which promotes the thinking mind. The goal under Vision 2030 is one curriculum and
one national examination system under state responsibility. The strategies charted
out to achieve the goal included:

(i) Increasing public expenditure on education and skills generation from 2.7% of
GDP to 5% by 2010 and 7% by 2015.

(ii) Re-introduce the technical and vocational stream in the last two years of
secondary schools.

(iii) Gradually increase vocational and technical education numbers to 25-30% of all
secondary enrolment by 2015 and 50 per cent by 2030.

(iv) Enhance the scale and quality of education in general and the scale and quality
of scientific/technical education in Pakistan in particular.
Problems: The issues lead to the comprehension of the problems which are faced in
the development of education system and promotion of literacy. The study outlines
seven major problems such as:

1) Lack of Proper Planning: Pakistan is a signatory to MDGs and EFA goals.

However it seems that it will not be able to achieve these international
commitments because of financial management issues and constraints to
achieve the MDGs and EFA goals.
2) Social constraints: It is important to realize that the problems which hinder the
provision of education are not just due to issues of management by government
but some of them are deeply rooted in the social and cultural orientation of the
people. Overcoming the latter is difficult and would require a change in attitude
of the people, until then universal primary education is difficult to achieve.
3) Gender gap: Major factors that hinder enrolment rates of girls include poverty,
cultural constraints, illiteracy of parents and parental concerns about safety and
mobility of their daughters. Society’s emphasis on girl’s modesty, protection
and early marriages may limit family’s willingness to send them to school.
Enrolment of rural girls is 45% lower than that of urban girls; while for boys the
difference is 10% only, showing that gender gap is an important factor.
4) Cost of education: The economic cost is higher in private schools, but these are
located in richer settlements only. The paradox is that private schools are better
but not everywhere and government schools ensure equitable access but do
not provide quality education.
5) War on Terror: Pakistan’s engagement in war against terrorism also affected the
promotion of literacy campaign. The militants targeted schools and students;
several educational institutions were blown up, teachers and students were
killed in Balochistan, KPK and FATA. This may have to contribute not as much as
other factors, but this remains an important factor.
6) Funds for Education: Pakistan spends 2.4% GDP on education. At national level,
89% education expenditure comprises of current expenses such as teachers’ salaries,
while only 11% comprises of development expenditure which is not sufficient to raise
quality of education.
7) Technical Education: Sufficient attention has not been paid to the technical and
vocational education in Pakistan. The number of technical and vocational
training institutes is not sufficient and many are deprived of infrastructure,
teachers and tools for training. The population of a state is one of the main
elements of its national power. It can become an asset once it is skilled.
Unskilled population means more jobless people in the country, which affects
the national development negatively. Therefore, technical education needs
priority handling by the government.
Poverty, law and order situation, natural disasters, budgetary constraints, lack of
access, poor quality, equity, and governance have also contributed in less
enrolments.

An analysis of the issues and problems suggest that:

The official data shows the allocation of funds for educational projects but there is no
mechanism which ensures the proper expenditure of those funds on education.

• The existing infrastructure is not being properly utilized in several parts of the
country.

• There are various challenges that include expertise, institutional and capacity
issues, forging national cohesion, uniform standards for textbook development,
and quality assurance.

• The faculty hiring process is historically known to be politicized. It is because of

this that the quality of teaching suffers and even more so when low investments
 are made in teachers’ training. As a result teachers are not regular and their time
at school is not as productive as it would be with a well-trained teacher.

• Inside schools there are challenges which include shortage of teachers, teacher
absenteeism, missing basic facilities and lack of friendly environment.

• Out of school challenges include shortage of schools, distance – especially for

females, insecurity, poverty, cultural norms, parents are reluctant or parents lack
awareness.

Solutions

There is a need for implementation of national education policy and vision 2030
education goals. An analysis of education policy suggests that at the policy level there
are several admirable ideas, but practically there are some shortcomings also.

It may not be possible for the government at the moment to implement uniform
education system in the country, but a uniform curriculum can be introduced in
educational institutes of the country. This will provide equal opportunity to the
students of rural areas to compete with students of urban areas in the job market.

Since majority of Pakistani population resides in rural areas and the access to
education is a major problem for them, it seems feasible that a balanced approach for
formal and informal education be adopted. Government as well as non-government
sector should work together to promote education in rural areas.

The government should take measures to get school buildings vacated which are
occupied by feudal lords of Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab. Efforts should be made to
ensure that proper education is provided in those schools.
The federal government is paying attention to the vocational and technical training,
but it is important to make the already existing vocational and technical training
centres more efficient so that skilled youth could be produced.

Since education is a provincial subject, the provincial education secretariats need to

be strengthened. Special policy planning units should be established in provinces’
education departments for implementation of educational policies and formulation of
new policies whenever needed. The provincial education departments need to work
out financial resources required for realising the compliance of Article 25-A.

Q. No. 3 Analyze the examination system in Pakistan and point out some of the major
unresolved controversies with the system confronted in Pakistan.

Ans-

Teacher: the mason of nation

A teacher is called “the mason of nation” because he has the role in building the
nation. A teacher makes the mind of students and can make them responsible
citizens. These students are to become teachers, doctors, engineers, bureaucrats, and
politicians. He can set high moral values in the minds of students.

The teaching community, of which I am also a part, can play a vital role in reshaping
our society and making better individuals out of good students. Unfortunately,
though, a majority of us pay less heed towards this prophetic profession. We have
become more materialistic and greedy. Here is, how we destroy our future
generations at various stages of their studies. I will focus on the role of a teacher in
examinations at various levels and stages. The story starts with:

Paper-setting
In KP, everyone is aware of the recent mathematics paper of class 9 th which was full
of errors. This shows how a teacher pays less attention to the make-up of a paper. He
fails to realize that paper-setting is the soul of all examinations. It goes a long way in
discouraging the “ratta” system and cheating. It can encourage a student to think and
study critically. But there is a big negligence in this regard on behalf of a teacher and
the concerned boards as well. Why do the boards assign such a hectic task to an
incompetent teacher?

As supervisory staff: The superintendent and invigilator

One becomes frustrated and heartbroken to see the halls in examination days. The
supervisory staff, being teachers, just collect the cheating material and throw it into a
dustbin. It is really disappointing that they remain silent spectators and don’t perform
their supervision honestly. One can see the cheating materials scattered all over the
hall. They just come to fill their documents and claim a bill. A majority of them either
come for big brunches to eat, or to make the politicians happy, who run their private
schools.

We need strict inspectors

An inspector is usually a teacher or a board official. He has the duty to supervise the
staff and students in the examination hall. The inspectors were once signs of terror
for the cheating environment. Sorry to say, I found them coming late or just to fill
their days. In their very presence, the students could be seen tearing pages from
pocket guides as well as supplying the same to those sitting in the rows.

Paper marking

The papers are sent to various centers in thousands. But here again, the teacher is
assigned the task of checking the papers. He pays scant attention to checking and
instead carelessly and randomly put some marks and blots on the papers. In a bird’s
eye view, he checks the paper, gives marks in figures that come out of his pen, and
throws it to a heap. They check in thousands and claim a bill for themselves. Proper
checking and future of the student are not their priority. They do not think for a while
that some of the students might have burnt midnight oil and an undue checking
might cost him a heavy loss.

Unfair means committee, the last encounter

Last but not the least, the student being caught while cheating, has to face a teacher
in the UFM committee, consisting of teachers. Mason of the nation is approached
here again. He is contacted by various stakeholders, parents, and friends by various
offers. He takes the law into his hands and starts to fine the students by a small
amount, neglecting the system of punishment and reward. Here again one can see
the discrepancy between private and government students: there is every possible
support for the private students, while none to speak for the poor government lot.

Excuses of teacher in the examination duty

When I advised a teacher to perform the examination duty honestly, he came up with
some ridiculous excuses and explanations: “I cannot correct the system alone, the
whole system is corrupt.” If I alone do the duty honestly, students of this hall will be
failed and those of the other halls would enjoy cheating and good marks.” The whole
country is corrupt, only duty in the exam can’t make a difference.

In short, a teacher is responsible for the majority of the mess as we see and pass
through in exams. Well, he forgets to realize that society and nations are made of an
individual. If an individual gets corrected and realizes his potentials, he can make
societies and nations. And when that individual is a teacher, he can bring revolution.
As Iqbal says “Har fard hai millat k muqaddar ka sitara.”

The parents
In addition to the spiritual parents, the true parents are also involved in this
destruction of the nation. Ironically, cheating in the examination has got a legal status
in the society. If someone prevents the children from cheating, he is attacked
physically and morally. I, myself, have been the victim of such incidents. In a certain
hall, I snatched the cheating material from some children, and in the process, was
attacked by the parents, thrice.

Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE): the hub of politics

Besides teachers and parents, it would be an injustice if I don’t mention the role of
BISEs in this regard. The autonomous bodies, the BISEs, are meant to conduct the
examinations in a peaceful and fair environment, but they fail to do so. Boards have
been heavily politicized and patronized. Big chairs in the BISEs are left to the
discretion of ministers and high ups.

A majority of the private schools and colleges get the duties of their choice due to the
patronage of ministers. Due to this, an inspector thinks several times before visiting a
private institution, as he would be transferred soon if he stops cheating there. From
ministers to bureaucrats and even teachers approach the BISEs to take the duty of
their choice. Inefficiency, favoritism, and nepotism are the salient features of these
institutions.

In this regard, the steps taken by the setting chairman BISE Malakand, Professor
Shaukat Ali, are commendable, but it will take time. He is working hard on the papers.
He has changed the pattern of paper up to some extent to make it conceptual. A
marked improvement has been observed since his arrival.

Things can be corrected

After performing the duty as member vigilance committee, I submitted some

suggestions to the chairman BISE Malakand which are as follows:
1. There should be proper training for teachers to perform examination duties, or if
the teaching staff is unwilling, a separate staff may be hired for this purpose.
2. There must be some rewards and punishments for the supervisory staff. The
honest staff may be rewarded and the culprits be punished by deducting their
remuneration or disqualifying them. The competent and honest supervisory staff
may be incentivized, as the current remuneration and TA/DA can’t attract their
interest.
3. As cheating is deep rooted in the society, students and parents can harm the
honest supervisory staff; therefore, they may be provided with proper security to
prevent untoward incidents.
4. Political interference may be discouraged to let the teachers do their duty.
5. As papers are made in such a way to encourage cramming and the use of pocket
guides, therefore, Patterns of the papers may be changed. These may be designed
in such a way to minimize the role of supervisory staff and to discourage cheating
materials.
6. Pocket guides are openly sold in the market despite some laws. These Pocket
guides should be banned across the province/country.

7. The teachers and parents should start a campaign to create awareness and hatred
in the minds of students against this menace of unfair means.
8. BISEs should be streamlined. Key posts may be filled by a commission or any other
credible testing services.
We cannot rectify our education system unless we take political interference and a
sense of business-mindedness out of it. The education boards should be allowed to
work in a smooth and independent manner, and it should always be kept in mind that
the primary focus of this entire system is not to make money but to create a better
future for the country.
Q. No. 4 Critically analyze the important innovations in Higher Education. How these
innovations are affecting higher education sector in Pakistan.

Ans-

Discussion of innovation in higher education in Pakistan has become stale and

myopic. It is focused on just a handful of areas, with little emphasis on out-of-the-box
thinking. Unfortunately, it has also been limited only to research and development
with not even lip service being paid to teaching. Yet, the very definition of education
in any form requires an act of transmission of knowledge, usually through an active
teaching and learning process. The value of education and educational endeavours in
Pakistan has never been particularly high. The discussion on good practices in
teaching has unfortunately remained focused on primary, secondary and occasionally
postsecondary education. The political rhetoric on improving Pakistan’s capacity in
science and technology has lacked a fundamental discussion on improving the quality
of teaching at our higher education institutions. This, of course, has a feedback effect.
We do not emphasise innovation in teaching in our higher education and as a result,
few professors take the time out to learn innovative strategies in conveying their
message and creating a sense of wonder, inquiry and pursuit of knowledge among
our students. Recently, I had the opportunity to spend some time with faculty from a
reputable
Pakistani engineering university. The discussion, first over coffee and then over
dinner, turned to curriculum innovation and then teaching. Both the faculty
members, despite being involved in teaching at this institution for over half a decade,
had no input in setting the curriculum or had even thought about bringing innovative
tools to their classrooms. Their target, set by their department head, was to give a
certain number of quizzes on certain days, a fixed number of exams and in the end
they had to finish all the chapters in the assigned book. There was little or no
innovation in teaching, curriculum or pedagogy and little was done in terms of
teaching quality assessment. Perhaps, as junior or mid-career faculty, they were still
in the learning phase of teaching. Yet, what was problematic was that there was no
incentive to be innovative in the delivery of the material in the classroom. Any
discussion of innovation in teaching, as I found out, was met with scepticism from
senior faculty and department administrators. Out-of-the-box styles were
aggressively discouraged. While I can understand the necessity of conforming to
certain guidelines, I am baffled and disappointed by active pressures to conform to
teaching practices that are neither conducive to learning, nor are they creating
innovative scholars.
Unfortunately, the experience of these two colleagues is neither unique nor limited
to engineering institutions alone. In the higher education sector, we do not engage in
innovative tools of pedagogy. For us, teaching a class is synonymous to finishing the
curriculum, irrespective of how many students fully understand and appreciate the
teaching and the material. Ongoing evaluations and assessments are rare and
students, even in their written comments, are reluctant to criticise poor teaching. I
am not advocating unnecessary or unfair criticism of teaching. I am simply arguing
that we need to emphasise mechanisms that maximise student learning.
In the absence of a clear policy on teaching innovation, I recommend a four-pronged
strategy for improving the quality of teaching at our higher education institutions.
The first one being to simply celebrate good teaching through awards and recognition
at the department, university, regional and national level. We need to give incentives
to teachers to improve their quality and create a sense of wonder, inquiry and pursuit
of knowledge in our students. Secondly, we need to give small grants to departments
to create tutorials and mechanisms for teachers to learn new approaches, to
incorporate best practices and implement innovative strategies in the
classroom.

Third, the HEC and other national bodies need to create courses, seminars and
national symposia on higher education teaching and teacher training workshops.
While there is some activity at the primary and secondary level, little is being done at
the higher education level. Finally, universities and departments need to take a
serious look at their course evaluation forms and need to tailor them to get maximum
amount of data that can give insights into student learning and teaching
performance. This, along with other means, should give the departments a sense of
the quality of teaching and necessary steps to improve them.

Q. No. 5 What is meant by environmental education? Write down the implications of

environment based system of learning

Ans-

Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore

environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the
environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of
environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions.

The components of environmental education are:

• Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges

• Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges
• Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain
environmental quality
• Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges
• Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges
Environmental education does not advocate a particular viewpoint or course of
action. Rather, environmental education teaches individuals how to weigh various
sides of an issue through critical thinking and it enhances their own problem-solving
and decision-making skills.
Environmental education (EE) connects us to the world around us, teaching us about
both natural and built environments. EE raises awareness of issues impacting the
environment upon which we all depend, as well as actions we can take to improve
and sustain it.

Whether we bring nature into the classroom, take students outside to learn, or find
impromptu teachable moments on a nature walk with our families, EE has many
benefits for youth, educators, schools, and communities.

As a long time supporter of environmental education and as an Adjunct Professor of

EE at University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, it is my passion to inspire future
educators in this field. Over the years, I have asked each of my classes to share the
reasons they teach EE, what it means to them, and how it can benefit learners of all
ages. Here are our top ten benefits of EE.

Top 10 Benefits of Environmental Education

1. Imagination and enthusiasm are heightened

EEis hands-on, interactive learning that sparks the imagination and unlocks
creativity. When EE is integrated into the curriculum, students are more
enthusiastic and engaged in learning, which raises student achievement in core
academic areas.
2. Learning transcends the classroom
Not only does EE offer opportunities for experiential learning outside of the
classroom, it enables students to make connections and apply their learning in the
real world. EE helps learners see the interconnectedness of social, ecological,
economic, cultural, and political issues.
3. Critical and creative thinking skills are enhanced
 EEencourages students to research, investigate how and why things happen, and
make their own decisions about complex environmental issues. By developing and
enhancing critical and creative thinking skills, EE helps foster a new generation of
informed consumers, workers, as well as policy or decision makers.

4. Tolerance and understanding are supported

EEencourages students to investigate varying sides of issues to understand the full
picture. It promotes tolerance of different points of view and different cultures.
5. State and national learning standards are met for multiple subjects
By incorporating EE practices into the curriculum, teachers can integrate science,
math, language arts, history, and more into one rich lesson or activity, and still
satisfy numerous state and national academic standards in all subject areas. Taking
a class outside or bringing nature indoors provides an excellent backdrop or
context for interdisciplinary learning.
6. Biophobia and nature deficit disorder decline
By exposing students to nature and allowing them to learn and play outside, EE
fosters sensitivity, appreciation, and respect for the environment. It combats
“nature deficit disorder” … and it’s FUN!
7. Healthy lifestyles are encouraged
EEgets students outside and active, and helps address some of the health issues
we are seeing in children today, such as obesity, attention deficit disorders, and
depression. Good nutrition is often emphasized through EE and stress is reduced
due to increased time spent in nature.
8. Communities are strengthened
EEpromotes a sense of place and connection through community involvement.
When students decide to learn more or take action to improve their environment,
they reach out to community experts, donors, volunteers, and local facilities to
 help bring the community together to understand and address environmental
issues impacting their neighborhood.
9. Responsible action is taken to better the environment
EEhelps students understand how their decisions and actions affect the
environment, builds knowledge and skills necessary to address complex
environmental issues, as well as ways we can take action to keep our environment
healthy and sustainable for the future. Service-learning programs offered by PLT
and other EE organizations provide students and teachers with support through
grants and other resources for action projects.
10. Students and teachers are empowered
EEpromotes active learning, citizenship, and student leadership. It empowers
youth to share their voice and make a difference at their school and in their
communities. EE helps teachers build their own environmental knowledge and
teaching skills. I hope these “top ten” benefits will give you the confidence and
commitment to incorporate EE into your curriculum!