National Education Policy 2009.| Higher Education

 QUESTION:

Describe the provision of higher education in National Policy 2009.

Course: Higher Education
Course code 8625
Level: B.Ed Solved Assignment

ANSWER:

National Education Policy 2009

Islamabad, Aug 20: The National Education Policy (NEP) 2009 prepared by the federal government seeks the transformation of society along the lines of Islamic teachings and to revitalize the existing education system to cater to the social, political, and spiritual needs of individuals and society.

The NEP has nine chapters and describes overarching challenges, articulates the ways of filling the commitment-implementation gap, puts forward the provisions of Islamic education and transformation of the society on Islamic and human values, outlines reforms and policy actions to be taken at the sub-sector level, and broadly suggests a framework for implementation of the policy.

 

According to the policy's draft, teaching Islamiyat to Muslim students is meant to provide them with opportunities to learn understand, and apply the fundamental principles of Islam in their lives. This, it says, will reform and develop society on the principles of the Holy Quran and Sunnah. The policy declares Islamic education as the duty of society and the state. It says the ideology of Islam forms the genesis of the State of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its fundamental principles were defined in the Objectives Resolution, 1949, which is part of the Constitution.

Titled Islamic Education, the NEP's Chapter Four gives out the vision for teaching Islamic Studies. It says as provided in the Constitution, that all steps will be taken to enable Muslims of Pakistan, individually and collectively, to order their lives according to the fundamental principles and basic concepts of Islam, and to provide facilities whereby they may be enabled to understand the meaning of life according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah.

According to the NEP, Islamiyat will be taught as a compulsory subject from Grade I to Grade XII, extending up to graduation level in all general and professional institutions, and advanced Islamic Studies will be offered as an elective subject in grades IX-X and XI-XII.

The policy divides the Islamiyat curriculum into five main parts – Al-Quran Al Kareem; Imaniyaat and Ibaadat; Seerat-e-Tayyiba; Ethics and Good Behaviour, and Prominent Personalities of Islam. The first part includes the reading of the Holy Quran (Nazira), the memorizing of selected small Suras of the Holy Quran (Hifz), the memorization and translation of selected small Suras, and the Quranic supplications, and selected Hadith.

According to it, the Islamic teachings will be made part of teacher training curricula and the curricula of other training institutions. It says Arabic teachers, preferably having the qualification of Qaris, will be appointed to such institutions. The policy promises to ensure that textual and other learning materials don't contain anything repugnant to Islamic injunctions and controversial material against any sect or religious or ethnic minorities.

The policy recommends teaching Ethics and Moral Education instead of Islamiyat to non-Muslim children and the appointment of subject-specific teachers for the purpose.

 

DOVETAILING GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

Recently many new initiatives have been taken by the government aiming at providing missing facilities. The traditional approach of improving infrastructure and providing brick-and-mortar is no doubt necessary, but not sufficient for quality education delivery and sustainable economic development in the existing burgeoning global competitive milieu. Some initiatives also focus/target on improving teaching quality and learning environment, building the capacity of education managers and administrators, etc. Apart from the Ministry of Education, many other initiatives have been launched in the recent past by different Ministries, organizations, and departments like the National Commission for Humans.

Related Topics 

 Quality and Access in Higher Education and Life long Learning 

The Future of Higher Education and the Role of Technology in Distance Education

Scope and Significance of Assessment in Higher Education and Used Different Kinds of Assessment  Techniques 

Concept and Nature of Financing in Education

Comparison Between German and Pakistan Higher Education

Need and Scope of Research in Higher Education 

 National Education Policy 2009

Different Organizations in the Development of Higher Education in Pakistan

Status of Higher Education in Pakistan and Planning of Higher Education in Pakistan

Higher Education in Socio-Economic Development and Importance of Education in Economic Development 

Different Organizations in the Development of Higher Education in Pakistan

QUESTION

Critically discusses the role of different organizations in the development of higher education in Pakistan.

Course: Higher Education
Course Code 8625
Level: B.Ed Solved Assignment

    

ANSWER:

The functions of PHEC, defined per the Punjab Higher Education Commission Act 2014, are the following:

· Coordinate with the Higher Education Commission in a result-oriented manner

· Formulate guidelines and recommend policies in line with national standards

prepared by the Higher Education Commission under which public and private
institutions may be opened and operated in the province

· Prescribe guidelines and conditions under which institutions, other than
universities and degree-awarding institutions may offer qualifications in the
higher education sector

· Cause monitoring and evaluation of the performance of the institutions and carry out accreditation of institutions including their sub-campuses, outposts, faculties, departments, and disciplines through the Accreditation Committee

· Provide guidelines to ensure good governance and management of institutions to maintain bewildering standards of higher education in Punjab

· Assist and advise the Government in quality enhancement and quality assurance of colleges

· Cause third-party performance audit of higher education institutions and furnish a copy of results to the concerned body for corrective measures and follow-ups
· Cause ranking of the higher education institutions of Punjab

· Submit precise grant-in-aid requirements of the institutions to the Government

· Allocate funds to public sector institutions out of the bulk financial provision
received from the Government and other sources for such purposes on performance and need basis

· Advise Institutions in raising funds from sources other than the Government

· Support in creating linkages between institutions and industry as well as national and international organizations that support research and development in higher education

· Facilitate the introduction of educational and training programs that meet the
needs of the market and promote the study in every field of national and
international importance in the institutions

· Ensure imparting marketable education and skills in the institutions and promote self-employment through entrepreneurship and small & medium enterprises

· Advise institutions to ensure a proper balance between teaching and research

· Undertake various faculty development programs to improve the quality of
teaching and research in the institutions

· Develop guidelines and facilitate the implementation of a system of quality
assurance of institutions, based on the standards developed by the Higher
Education Commission

· Encourage, support, and facilitate training programs, workshops and symposia at
provincial and regional levels in public and private sector institutions

· Prepare, in consultation with the institutions, plans for the development of higher education

· Promote formal links between institutions to make the most effective use of
expertise and specialized equipment and promote provincial, national and
International linkages concerning knowledge sharing, collaborative research,
personnel exchange and cost-sharing

· Take measures, including allocation of funds, for the award of fellowships,
scholarships, travel, and research grants

· Establish endowment funds for higher education with contributions from the
Government as well as non-governmental national and international sources

· Collect such information and statistics on higher education and institutions as it
may deem fit

· Set up various committees consisting of provincial, national, and international
experts to advise the Commission on its affairs

· Advise the institutions on the framing of subordinate legislation; and

· Perform such other functions as may be prescribed or as may be incidental to the discharging of the above functions or as may be assigned to it by the Government

· To resolve trust as well as support issues within the organization, i.e., to make sure there is an inherent level of trust among the members and that they support each other when needed.

· To encourage employees to avoid procrastination of problems and find effective
solutions, pronto.

· To manage the regularly arising conflicts at the workplace.

· To employ new methods to improve the current operations of the firm.

· To improve the satisfaction level among the employees, i.e., periodic appreciation, fair delegation of responsibility, etc.

· To establish camaraderie among the employees by helping them cooperate and collaborate better amongst themselves.

· To increase the overall problem-solving capability of the organization for successful results.

Related Topics 

 Quality and Access in Higher Education and Life long Learning 

The Future of Higher Education and the Role of Technology in Distance Education

Scope and Significance of Assessment in Higher Education and Used Different Kinds of Assessment  Techniques 

Concept and Nature of Financing in Education

Comparison Between German and Pakistan Higher Education

Need and Scope of Research in Higher Education 

 National Education Policy 2009

Different Organizations in the Development of Higher Education in Pakistan

Status of Higher Education in Pakistan and Planning of Higher Education in Pakistan

Higher Education in Socio-Economic Development and Importance of Education in Economic Development 

Status of Higher Education in Pakistan | Planning of Higher Education in Pakistan

QUESTION

Explains the status of higher education in Pakistan and critically discusses the planning of higher education in Pakistan.

Course: Higher Education
Course code 8625
Level: B.Ed Solved Assignment

ANSWER:

Status of higher education in Pakistan:

Education is the basic right of every citizen living in any country and this right is provided amicably by all developed countries on a priority basis. But in Pakistan, consumers of educational services – parents and students – have been left with little choice or idea when it comes to seeking higher education. Higher education is a powerful and essential tool for building a modern, knowledgeable, cultured, and peaceful society. It imparts in-depth knowledge related to different spheres of life. By giving a wider perspective of the world.

Higher education is no longer a luxury, it is essential for survival. The core mission of higher education is to educate, train, undertake research, and provide service to the community. In the context of globalization, the scope and demand for higher education are increasing day by day and this demand can only be fulfilled by quality higher education. Improving the quality of higher education is the need of the hour.  

Pakistan’s higher education is not ranked anywhere among the world's higher education systems in terms of quality. The quality of higher education depends on various factors such as a favorable environment for teaching and learning, infrastructure, teachers, curriculum, effective feedback, research opportunities, and monitoring systems. 

The problems plaguing the educational system of Pakistan are multi-dimensional. They include the population explosion, lack of resources, scarcity of qualified manpower, inconsistency in the policies of various regimes, political instability, inefficient educational management system, wastage of resources, poor quality of intake, managerial inefficiency, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate student services, inadequate material resources, non- accountability of institutions, inefficiency in teaching, poor research and lack of research opportunities and poor implementation of policies and programs. 

The institutions have not only been multiplied, but the student enrolments at colleges and universities have also registered an exceptionally high rate of growth. The demands for higher education have thus increased by leaps and bounds. Despite quality control and consolidation, these problems will continue to grow constantly for a long time to come. 

The primary structural issues in the higher education system of Pakistan are leading to poor governance of the educational institutions and questionable quality of education. Governance differences are present both in public and private sector universities. The private sector board portrays a more efficient system compared to the public sector board lacks autonomy and is under strong political influence. In most of the private and public sector universities in Pakistan, the board of governors is a combination of alumni, donors, appointees, public figures, government nominees, etc.

 

 It is very rare to find a member on the board being appointed because they possess knowledge of how universities need to perform, or they have outstanding academic contributions. Private sector universities in Pakistan have grown by a large number in the last two decades. However, on one end, the growth of such institutions provides more variety to students; some universities have questionable status.   

 

Organizational structure issues are the main cause of the inefficiency of higher education institutions. Institutional autonomy should be advanced in a context that seeks greater accountability from institutions and a more systematic approach to the structure of higher education institutions. The board of governors of universities seems unaware of these structural issues of universities.

 

This leads to universities being unable to cope with the challenges. These challenges include the evolution of new markets and the creation of new professions and vocations. Governance issues at the structural, academic, and organizational levels are hindrances to quality education. Universities remain so overly centralized that decision-making remains distorted. There is a need for decentralization in terms of decision-making.

The higher education system in Pakistan is far from developed. The issue of governance and the role of a board of governors in both the public and the private sectors are critical and there is a need for better management to ensure quality assurance. Higher education in Pakistan is not at par with international standards leaving a dearth of qualified graduates who can help with the rebuilding of the higher education institutions.

 

 On an academic level, there must be the right balance between research and teaching, since research is essential for the development of faculty and the improvement of education. Unfortunately, in the majority of the universities in Pakistan, emphasis is only placed on teaching leading to large class sizes and high teaching loads leaving no room for proper research. 

Pakistan cannot progress until its higher education system is qualitatively strong enough because this poor quality is resulting in low employability, the low performance of specialized individuals, and a lack of innovative and creative ideas. These are the key elements of success and progress in the present time. All in all, there is a need to enlarge the adaptive capacity and quality of the higher education system so that it is more responsive to the changing world and meets the diversified needs of the economy — both domestic and global.  

 

For this purpose, diversification of the Pakistani higher education system must be pursued as a goal. This can be achieved by having a proper mix of public and private, formal and non-formal institutions. Special initiatives are required to enhance employability. Curriculum and content must be continually renewed through authorities and skill development networks may be set up. Collection of data on job market trends, its analysis, and dissemination are important.

 

The drawbacks mentioned above need to be transformed into the strength of Pakistan's higher education system, but this can only be done with strong willpower, determination, and willingness to change.

Planning of higher education in Pakistan:

The planning and Development (P&D) directorate of PHEC provides guidance on
integrated planning and development processes to establish expectations for project scope, budget, and schedule to the PHEC and to participate in strategic policy matters of public sector universities of Punjab province.

Project inception and preliminary planning require the thoughtful definition of goals and needs, master planning to accommodate anticipated future needs, funding
requirements, budget cycles and/or financial impacts, and project phasing. The P&D
directorate facilitates Higher Education Institutions in this regard. The main
objectives of all the activities are to establish and strengthen higher education
institutions, improve access to education, and develop research facilities. The
responsibilities of P&D include;

· Coordination with other ministries & directorates
· Planning and designing short and long-term plans.
· Developing and writing projects.
· Assessment/Evaluation of PC-Is submitted by the Universities.
· Conduct a feasibility study for the establishment of the new institution in Punjab.
· Preparation of draft ACT, PC-1s, and other documents required for the development of new institutions. 

The role of the P&D directorate is also to oversee the development projects funded through the Annual Development Program (ADP), the Government of Punjab for higher education at the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC), universities, and at Degree Awarding Institutions. The P&D directorate is also maintaining the key statistics of public HEIs in Punjab province. 

The P&D directorate is additionally engaged with the establishment of new universities / HEIs in the Punjab province and for this purpose, the P&D directorate has also developed policy guidelines for the establishment of new universities and sub-campuses of Universities / HEIs in the Punjab province.

Related Topics 

 Quality and Access in Higher Education and Life long Learning 

The Future of Higher Education and the Role of Technology in Distance Education

Scope and Significance of Assessment in Higher Education and Used Different Kinds of Assessment  Techniques 

Concept and Nature of Financing in Education

Comparison Between German and Pakistan Higher Education

Need and Scope of Research in Higher Education 

 National Education Policy 2009

Different Organizations in the Development of Higher Education in Pakistan

Status of Higher Education in Pakistan and Planning of Higher Education in Pakistan

Higher Education in Socio-Economic Development and Importance of Education in Economic Development 

Higher Education in Socio-Economic Development | Importance of Education in Economic Development

Q1 Elaborate on the role of higher education in socio-economic development. also, discuss the major function a university plays in society.

Course: Higher Education
Course code 8625
Level: B.Ed (1.5 Years)
Solved Assignment

Role of higher education in socio-economic development:

The Importance of Education in Economic Development

(A)Various government initiatives are being adopted to boost the growth of the distance education market, besides focusing on new education techniques, such as Learning and M-learning.

(B) The Education sector has seen a host of reforms and improved financial outlays in recent years that could possibly transform the country into a knowledge haven. With human resources increasingly gaining significance in the overall development of the country, the development of education infrastructure is expected to remain the key focus in the current decade. In this scenario, infrastructure investment in the education sector is likely to see a considerable increase in the current decade Moreover, the availability of English-speaking tech-educated talent, democratic governance, and a strong legal and intellectual property protection framework are enablers for world-class product development, as per Mr. Amity Pandas, President-Engineering and Site Leader for Cisco (India).

(C) The Government of India has taken several steps including the opening of IITs and IIMs in new locations as well as allocating educational grants for research scholars in most government institutions. Furthermore, with online modes of education being used by several educational organizations, the higher education sector in India is set for some major changes and developments in the years to come.

(D) Before the nineteenth century, systematic investment in human capital was not considered especially important in any country. Expenditures on schooling, on-the-job training, and other similar forms of investment were quite small. This began to change radically during this century with the application of science to the development of new goods and more efficient methods of production, first in Great Britain, and then gradually in other countries.

(E) Many countries are now on the brink of a further increase in access to secondary and higher education and in effecting spectacular improvements in the quality of education offered at all levels. As increasing numbers of students complete their basic education, their demand for education at higher levels is similarly increasing. Educating girls and women is probably the single most effective investment a developing country can make, whether or not women work outside the home. It creates a multitude of positive remunerations for families including better family health and nutrition, improved birth spacing, lower infant and child mortality, and enhanced educational attainment of children.

The major function a university plays in society.

It is commonly perceived that education is the most powerful weapon in alleviating poverty, elevating economic growth, producing skilled human resources, creating a healthy and enlightened social environment, and making self-sufficient nations. Poverty and education are paradoxically related to each other: if one is improved, the other is decreased.

In a socially, economically, religiously, and culturally diverse state like Pakistan, higher education institutions and universities, imparting education, and conducting cutting-edge research, are the central mechanisms that can raise the declining social and economic infrastructure of the country. Since the 2000s, there has been rapid growth in these institutions and universities across Pakistan as is evident from the sharp rise in their numbers from just 32 in 2001 to 160 at present.

Pakistan, despite rapid growth in the education sector during the past decade, suffers from severe challenges in its educational development. These challenges include a lack of access to higher education for the majority of its youth, results-oriented standards of pedagogical techniques, a brain drain of qualified human resources, and a lack of adaptability to changing paradigms of academic research. Out of a population of 190 million, only five percent of them have access to university-level education. It is worth mentioning that, by the end of 2022, Pakistan needs 36 million new jobs if the economy grows up to six percent annually.

Therefore, it is the premier duty of all national universities to produce graduates who fulfill the criteria of the national, social, and economic needs of the country. In this regard, the role of career counseling and placement offices at the university level becomes very important.

In the 21st century, the paradigm of universities has shifted from traditional aspects of teaching and learning toward building communities, economies, and patterns of leadership.

Education, either basic or higher, plays a key role in the development of human capital that subsequently brings about the establishment of sound economies and harmonious communities. There is an immediate need to initiate radical educational reforms so that these challenges can be addressed proactively. The following is an exercise in this regard.

To begin with, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Planning Commission, standing Committee on Basic and Technical Education, and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan should assist these universities, both public and private, in establishing on-campus university-community partnership centers. These centers should work on the pattern of think tanks and should devise mechanisms to address dominant social problems, prepare modules
and schemes for the outreach of educational facilities, and bridge linkages with
communities for sharing of knowledge. Secondly, since Pakistan is a traditional society with different demographical characteristics, whereby more than 30 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and more than 600,000 young graduates are adding to unemployment every year, these higher learning institutions and universities should develop terms of reference (Torso) to provide financial assistance to talented individuals who otherwise cannot afford a university education.

Thirdly, to streamline and ensure effective utilization of public funds allocated for
development of higher education in Pakistan by the concerned commissions and universities, the concerned ministries, and planning commissions should primarily focus on building grassroots-level education in primary schools, especially in Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Fourth, universities should focus on creating an entrepreneurial culture among their graduates. They should produce job creators rather than producing job seekers. This can be attained through the establishment of effective business incubation centers, encouraging partnerships between industry and academia, and placing career counseling offices that should work on the intellectual and professional development of the graduates during their studies
to prepare them today for the challenges of tomorrow.

Fifth, education never means to earn; it means to spend. The best way to spend is spending on education and research that later on addresses the social, political, environmental, and economic problems of Pakistan. Universities can play a vital role in this regard by fostering reciprocal partnerships with other educational organizations and community development centers to identify real-life problems. Community development participation should be made mandatory for teachers and students at the university level. If the prestigious Australian Endeavour Award can assign 35 percent of its total evaluation marks towards the contribution of individual applicants towards community services then why can students at our universities in Pakistan not be prepared on similar lines? Moreover, since Pakistan has always been a victim of natural calamities such as floods and earthquakes, it will be beneficial if various emergency training programs and courses related to disaster management are incorporated into the curriculum.

Related Topics 

 Quality and Access in Higher Education and Life long Learning 

The Future of Higher Education and the Role of Technology in Distance Education

Scope and Significance of Assessment in Higher Education and Used Different Kinds of Assessment  Techniques 

Concept and Nature of Financing in Education

Comparison Between German and Pakistan Higher Education

Need and Scope of Research in Higher Education 

 National Education Policy 2009

Different Organizations in the Development of Higher Education in Pakistan

Status of Higher Education in Pakistan and Planning of Higher Education in Pakistan

Higher Education in Socio-Economic Development and Importance of Education in Economic Development