3. Objectives of this Unit
After successful completion, students will be able to know
about:
• Analyze the pros and cons of various educational
problems and issues identified in this unit.
• Identify major problems of Higher Education in Pakistan.
• Elaborate significant problems of Higher Education and
indicate possible measures to solve these problems.
• Indicate important issues and innovations in Higher
Education.
4. Introduction
• 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, to train, to
undertake research and to provide service to the community.
• In the context of globalization, the scope and demand for higher
education is 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.
5. After survey in the literature on education,
we reach at the following conclusion
6. • Pakistan’s higher education is not ranked anywhere
among the world higher education systems in terms of
quality.
• The quality of higher education depends on various
factors such as favorable environment for
1. Teaching and learning
2. infrastructure
3. teachers
4. curriculum
5. effective feedback
6. research opportunities and monitoring systems.
7. Problems & Issues In Higher
Education
• 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
8. Problems & Issues In Higher
Education
• 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.
9. • Pakistan cannot progress until its higher education system is
qualitatively strong enough because this poor quality is resulting in
low employability, low performance of the specialized individuals,
and lack of innovative and creative ideas.
• These are the key elements of success and progress in 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 economy —
both domestic and global.
10. • 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 network may be set up.
11. • Collection of data on job market trends, its analysis
and dissemination are important.
• Drawbacks mentioned above need to be transformed
into the strength of the Pakistan higher education
system, but this can only be done with strong
willpower, determination and willingness to change.
12. Recommendations
• There should be sufficient budgetary allocation for education
in the national GDP. This will provide the system with
resources to take fresh breath of life.
• There should be quality institutions for the professional
development of teachers form primary to higher levels. For
this purpose the existing system of teacher education
institutions must be provided with funds qualified human
resources to run programs of training for teachers on
periodical basis.
13. • The system of accountability must be strengthened and all the
professionals associated with the system of education should
be educated to own their responsibilities on individual and
collective basis. This help in creating a sense of ownership of
the system and its functions.
• Curriculum should be evaluated on annual basis. In this regard
a vast survey could be conducted to seek opinions of teachers,
parents and community regarding their expectations and
observations. In this light of this and the expert
recommendations of the educations researchers the
curriculum goals should be redefined and the such curriculum
should be prepared which caters to the psyche and needs of
the society and the country without any discrimination of cast,
color and creed.
14. • Polices should be implemented without any delay of time and
resources. There should be a strong political will on the part of
the government to implement polices without any delay. Poor
policy implementation has led to creation of gaps and trust
deficit on the part of the public and government agencies.
• Examination system should be made free form the mafia of
unfair means, corruption and illegal gratifications. For this
purpose the system of supervision and inspection could be
improved both physically and theoretically. The government
should enhance the salaries and the education professionals so
that their tendencies are not diverted towards evil means of
getting favors and support.
15. • The culture of research should be promoted within
educational institutions. For this purpose the pace of
research oriented programs in teaching and learning should
be accelerated in educational institutions around the country
especially at higher levels. Government should increase the
volume of funding to higher education commission for this
purpose.
