The higher education system is facing hard challenges, for example inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, quality and standards, lack of autonomy and academic freedom, increasing societal expectations and a growth in demand for higher education.
3. The higher education system is facing
hard challenges, for example
inadequate funding, poor
infrastructure, quality and standards,
lack of autonomy and academic
freedom, increasing societal
expectations and a growth in demand
for higher education.
Higher education has great
importance in the development of a
country. But unfortunately, its
importance is yet to be realized in
SouthAsian developing countries. For
over a decade, countries have been
working to uplift their educational
standard by providing quality higher
education to their citizens but there
are many obstacles and hurdles that
are emerging.These challenges
(quantity, equity, quality, etc) are very
common in nature but require proper
procedure to address in the best
manner.
4.
5. Student Unrest
• Among the challenges of higher education is the vital role of
addressing students unrest. Bayli (1987) studied that “The condition
of higher education in universities and colleges is not satisfactory in
the eyes of students. Lack of physical and educational facilities is
bringing much hindrance in the way of development”. Iqbal (1981)
states “Teachers are less motivated to do certain research work. Most
teachers are not competent, and they are teaching in higher
education institutions.” They have limited knowledge about subject
matter they taught and many of them have no clear idea about the
subject. “Even in Pakistani universities, the teacher at M.Phil. and
Ph.D. level, are not competent”. “They feel it difficult to indulge in
research work due to lack of knowledge about research
methodologies”.
6. Administrative Reform
• n the last fifteen years or so, Pakistan and countries in South Asia have been
giving increasing attention to the problems of university administration.
Abdullah (1992) observed “They have noticed that despite the resources
available for university expansion, they have not been able to obtain the
best possible results.” “Further they have also begun to realize that much of
this is due to lack of proper administration and what the outcome is on the
development of higher education”.
• Social and cultural factors, which are often ignored, are as significant as any
of the purely technical factors in the formulation and implementation of
administration policy. Barnet (1990) states that “The linkages between the
policy and these factors are neither casual nor limited to the contemporary
period so the university administration clearly demonstrates that the
success or failure of university administrative reforms hinges on the
presence and absence of certain variables.”
7.
8. A changing population
• Not only do higher education institutions need to be able to
effectively educate more students of color, more students of modest
financial means, and first-generation students in response to
changing demographics, they also need to be able to educate
students at different stages of their careers.This presents a variety of
challenges at every stage of the education process, from admission
through awarding a degree and on to meeting the needs of those
who have to return periodically for additional education throughout
the course of a career.
9. Educational technologies
• Developments in technology point to the possibility of new forms of
learning relying on machines as “tutors” that use data tracking
student progress to recursively improve the quality of the knowledge
and assistance provided to students.There is evidence that new
teaching techniques facilitated by these technologies, such as flipped
classrooms and engaged learning, offer promise, but demand that
the roles of students and faculty in the learning process change in
fundamental ways. Such change is very difficult to enable and
support.
10.
11. Unbalanced curriculum
• The courses and curricula are not designed in accordance with the standard
of higher education of the present day. Iqbal (1981) observed that “There is
no continuity of some of the important courses: there is also no relationship
between the related courses of common or similar knowledge.” “So many
important and modern courses required for higher education are not taught
at all.” “The curricula are not written in detail and are left to the professors
personal likes, dislikes, interests or experience”.
• Quddus (1990) observed that “The basic science courses are not designed
well to fit the need of the students, and they are not well organized, or
correctly supervised by the department.” “Generally speaking, there are not
enough well equipped faculty and administration offices, classrooms, or
engineering, science, and other laboratories for the growing student body
and faculty members” .
12. 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.
13.
14. 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.
15. Cost of education
• he 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.
• Many families also can afford the expenses hence ends on drawing
his child out of school due to all cost of education.
16.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19.
20. Suggestions to meet the
Challenges
• Stress is laid on the need for improving the quality of education at every stage so that a proper foundation can
be laid for advanced study in science, engineering, agriculture, and those other areas which are most closely
allied to the national economic development and reconstruction of the nation as a whole.
• To begin from the top without reforming the lower stages is against the law of nature; it is against the law of
evolutionary progress. Before any restrictions are imposed on the higher education, the earlier stages should
be improved so as to produce better students for the higher stage
• A critical point to be considered by educational planner is the adaptation of a multidimensional, flexible, and
dynamic education system, which serves people according to their ability and aptitude and is responsive to
their economic, social political and cultural needs.
• The new system of higher education should be flexible enough to offer a variety of courses, formal and non
formal, full time and part time, correspondence and media based to fit every individual as well as the economic
needs of the country
• Economic conditions of the people cannot be ignored in all matters in which the question of equal
opportunities to all is involved. In an atmosphere of economic depression as it is today in Pakistan how could
one expect from our youth to be able to develop their potential qualities in desired way.
• There is great question of availability of qualified university teachers, suitably equipped libraries, and fully
developed plants and laboratories. It is a matter of common knowledge that our resources in all these areas are
very merger.
