Browsing by Author "Hussain, Irshad"

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    Distance Education as a Strategy for Eliminating Gender Disparity in Pakistan
    (2008-09) Hussain, Irshad; Adeeb, Muhammad Aslam; Safdar, Muhammad; Rahmanai, Sabiha Hameed
    PCF5 Sub-theme: Governance and social justice // This paper examines the role of distance education in addressing the issue of gender disparity in Pakistan. The study aimed to (a). analyze the present situation of gender disparity in education sector at different levels in Pakistan. (b). examine the role of distance education in eliminating gender discrimination in Pakistan. (c). evaluate the impact of distance education on gender empowerment. (d) identify the problems in addressing gender issues through distance education in Pakistan. (e). suggest an appropriate strategy for eliminating gender disparity through distance education in Pakistan. This study was conducted in Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan Regions. The study consisted on three populations: (i). B.A level female students, (ii). their parents and (iii). academicians of Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad. Researchers adopted stratified sampling technique for collecting data from students & their parents and administrators/tutors. The researchers used questionnaires (for 600 students, 60 parents and 60 administrators/tutors) developed on five point rating (likert) scale and semi-structured interview schedules as research tools to collect data. Researchers interviewed 60 students, 15 parents and 15 administrators/tutors (20 students, five parents and five administrators/tutors from each region respectively). The data collected was analyzed through quantitative (mean score) as well as qualitative approaches. The data supported by the interviews were analyzed and included in the tables. The study concluded that distance education is being extensively used in Pakistan. It provides equal opportunities to all individuals of the society to “Education for All”. It is feasible for female population catering their academic needs particularly those of the culturally restricted areas. It is an appropriate strategy to address the issue of gender discrimination in Pakistan. // Paper ID 609
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    Evaluating the Role of Universities in Promoting Life skills among Young Students
    (2022-09) Hussain, Irshad
    PCF10 Sub-theme: Fostering Lifelong Learning // The present study was conducted to examine the role of universities in promoting life skills among the youth to live and work in 21st century. It was a descriptive study and adopted survey approach of the social sciences. The population of the study consisted of the students and faculty (of bachelor studies programs) of the final semester in general universities of Pakistan. Multistage sampling technique was used. Five universities were selected randomly one from each province and one from capital territory –Islamabad; one faculty was taken as cluster; and then finally ten (10) faculty members and Eighty (80) students were contacted purposive-conveniently from each of the faculty of the sampled universities. The total samples thus comprised of 50 university teachers and 400 students. The researcher after the literature review prepared two questionnaires on five-point-likert-scale: one for university teachers and one for the students. After piloting the tools were administered with the help of two data collectors who were trained for the purpose. Out of 50 and 400 questionnaires; forty four and 382 questionnaires of the university teachers and students respectively complete in all respect were received back. As the study was of descriptive nature and explored the role universities in promoting life skills among the youth/ students in Pakistan; hence, descriptive statistics i.e. percentage and mean score(s) was used to analyze the data and demonstrate the situation. On the basis of the data analysis the study concluded that universities have prime responsibility in promoting life skills among youth/ students by offering properly designed co-curricular activities. The universities are promoting life skills among the youth including IT skills, communication skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity & innovation through co-curricular activities. // Paper ID 4135
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    Open Access
    Role of Allama Iqbal Open University in Promoting Access and Demoting Gender Disparity in Higher Education in Pakistan
    (2010-11) Safdar, Muhammad; Hussain, Irshad; Hafeez, Amtul
    Higher education has emerged as a key factor for socio-economic development in the recent decades. Amazingly, more persons are attending colleges and universities in this century than in all of the human history (Goodman, 1999) and it is rightly argued by Manuel Castells, if knowledge and information are electricity of the new world economy, universities are one of the power sources on which the development process of 21st century has to rely. (Altbach, 1999) About 64 years ago Quaid-i-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Father of the Nation) has expressed the importance of higher education in these words, “Of all the economic growth initiatives available to the Government of Pakistan, perhaps none holds more promise and the possibility of large scale and sustainable returns than the effectiveness and expansion of the Higher Education infrastructure in Pakistan”. (GoP, 2009) Unfortunately, despite of these golden words of our hero at the advent of this millennium the total number of students in higher education was about 2.6% for the age group of 17-23 which was very low and Pakistan ranked amongst the worst in the world in higher education enrolment ratios, as compared to China (13%), Malaysia (26%), Thailand (39%) and Korea (83%). (HEC MTDF, 2005-2010) // Before the inception of Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, the total number of students in Pakistan’s higher education system was approximately 475,000. Of these students, only 139,000 have attended universities-representing a less than 0.8% enrollment ratio for higher education, i.e. fewer than 8 of every 1000 Pakistanis between the ages of 17 and 23 have attended university. Enhancing accessibility and participation in higher education is an important goal of Higher Education Commission. (HEC, 2008) Soon after the establishment of HEC this ratio increased drastically and it approached to 5%. HEC aimed to continue this progress to 10% by 2015 and subsequently to 15% by 2020. (HEC MTDF, 2005-2010)