RESEARCH PROPOSAL

THE DETERIORATING STANDARDS OF

EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN

Submitted by
Jawad Abbas

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Abstract

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Introduction.5
Statement of the problem8
Objective of the study.8
Hypothesis....8
Study design.8
Measurement procedure.9
Ethical consideration...9
Research question ...9
Research methodology....9

9.1. Population ....9

9.2. Sampling....9
10. Data analysis10
11. Work schedule.....10
12. Recommendations10
13. Conclusions..12
14. References...13

Introduction
At independence in 1947, Pakistan inherited an under-developed educational
infrastructure from the British. Education was unevenly distributed, with rural areas
almost deprived of access. Educational standards have been a big source of discussion
among educationists and educational reformers since partition. Every person of the
society views this concern for the standards of educational product. The educational
standard is a burning issue among the educationists and the people at large in
Pakistan. The government is trying its best to raise the standards of education at all
levels. In the broadest sense a standard is anything used to measure; for example a
standard of conduct, a standard of weight or length etc. A standard is that which has
been selected as a model to which objects or actions may be compared.
Standards may be devices or instruments. International Encyclopedia of
Education (1985) defines educational standards in the following words:

In the education context, then, standards should be regarded as objectives to be

achieved or expectations of desirable attitude or levels of performance.
The deteriorating standard of education in Pakistan is cause enough to make any
sensible countryman sweat with worry. They are deteriorating day by day at an extreme
level. The misplaced priorities of following governments have badly suffocated the
growth of education. Admittedly, the present day structure that includes both primary
and higher education is in a mess. Unfortunately, Pakistani education is not at that
standard currently as it should be.
To clarify the concept of the educational standards we have to answer many
questions. For example what are the aims of education? How are goals set? To what
extent the aims are being achieved? Is there any relationship between educational aims
and society? The answers of these questions describe the standards.
Hardly do we seem to realize the fact that providing cheap education to all is one
of the primary obligations of a state. In the developed world, education is the preserve
of the state. In USA for example, education till the 12th grade is free. These nations
indeed are aware of the role a sound education system can play in their overall
development and progress. While no Pakistani university is included in the 500 top
universities of the world, a parallel system of education at home has greatly deepened
class divisions (UNESCO, 2008)
The educational system's deteriorating infrastructure, falling educational
standards and distorted educational content impact mostly, if not entirely, on Pakistan's
poor, thus widening linguistic, social and economic divisions between the privileged and
underprivileged and increasing ethnic and religious alienation that has led to violent

protests. Far from restricting fanaticism, the public school system risks provoking a rise
in violence if its problems are not quickly and completely dealt with.
Problems faced by Educational Sector of Pakistan
The Educational sector of Pakistan has been facing problems since the Independence.
It has been failed yet to provide basic education to the majority of population of the
country and the rate of illiteracy is much greater as compared to that of developed
countries.
Education is important, above all, because it allows people to take control of their
lives. At a personal level, it provides people with self-confidence and assurance needed
to make their opinions heard. At a community level, it presents people the skills through
which people can protect their rights to territory, to school, or to contribution in public
life. At a national level, it creates a demand to be heard. Education is the basic right of
individual of the society. But unfortunately, educational standards in Pakistan are
deteriorating day by day. Pakistan has one of the highest numbers of illiterates in the
world and the current standards of education in Pakistan are really shocking. Pakistan
has dropped far behind several other developing countries in terms of education, and
immediate attention is required in this important sector. Pakistan is even behind the
other developing countries in education.
Pakistan is suffering from poor educational standards and also from illiteracy, and
this poor state of this country must be changed, otherwise illiterate masses can become
equipped recruits for all sorts of unhealthy and damaging activities. Qazi (2007) stated
that according to the survey of an international firm, educational standards in Pakistan

are lower than they are in Bhutan, and it is very important to introduce changes to the
countrys deteriorating educational standards.
Habib (1998) described that the spacious campuses of Punjab University,
Government College Lahore and Karachi University are no longer perceived as
institutions of high academic standards any more. At the core of this deterioration is the
public examination system. Malpractices in this system have made the Intermediate,
Bachelors and Master Degree unreliable measures of a students competence. Some
people think that lack of physical facilities in schools causes deterioration of educational
standards in Pakistan. Most of the schools are in of basic facilities; especially in rural
schools the situation is very bad. Ineffective teaching methods also cause deterioration
of

educational

standards

at

primary

and

secondary

level

and

educational

maladministration is also responsible for the deterioration of educational standards in

Pakistan.
One study observes:
The present education scenario is full of contradictions. On the one hand, there are
dynamic, fast moving educational institutions charging exorbitant fees, while on the
other there are almost free or very affordable government schools as well as religious
seminaries, which are entirely free. The students of these institutions live in different
worlds and operate in different languages (Rahman, 2003). Moreover, even at the
higher levels of education, there is no mechanism worth its name to help a student in
determining his or her potential or in deciding on a suitable academic career. Multiplicity
of educational systems is also a problem in our country. Therefore it is very much

necessary to improve the deteriorating system of education in our country for the
benefits of the students and public in general (Rahman, 2003).

2. Problem Statement
The problem statement for the given research proposal will be What are the various
causes of the deteriorating standards of education in Pakistan?

3. Objective of study
The objective of the study is to find out the reasons for deteriorating standards of
education in Pakistan, and providing suggestions, various ways and means for the
improvement of educational standards.

4. Hypothesis
The problems that our education sector face are vast and of a serious kind. Low literacy
level, low standard of education and the curricula are usually inappropriate or at least
inadequate for the set goals in many disciplines. Furthermore, there is no included
system in which one step leads to the next to facilitate a student to develop a truly
sound base for the discipline he or she is interested in.

5. Study design
This study will require both Quantitative as well as Qualitative methods of research and
analysis. For qualitative research, interviews with the population will be done and for
quantitative one, a survey will be held which will include planned questions and then
their results will be generated thoroughly.

6. Measurement procedure
Quantitative research will be held with the help of questionnaires distributed among the
population set for sampling.

7. Ethical consideration
All the stages of the research will be given due ethical considerations. The study would
be conducted in an unbiased way with full honesty and integrity. Privacy and
confidentiality would be applied whenever possible.

8. Research questions
The following are the questions for this research:
1. How can we determine the deteriorating standards of education in Pakistan?
2. What are the recommendations to reduce these low standards of education in our
country?

9. Research methodology
9.1. Population
The population under research belongs to educational institutions, comprising of
40 adults, in which 20 members of population are students and 20 are the faculty
members of various educational institutions.

9.2. Sampling
The population included as a sample for this study belongs to adults with ages
ranging from 18 years to 50 years, all belonging to the educational sector.

Data analysis
All the data collected through this research is grouped together and generated in
numerical and graphical form.

Work schedule

The research is being held over the time schedule of a month, i.e. 30 days, which
includes the data collection, its analysis and then putting it into a form to produce
results.

10. Recommendations for Improving Standards of Education in

Pakistan
According to The Task Force on Improvement of Higher Education in Pakistan (2002he
present government should declare a national educational emergency and involve the
whole nation, including the army, in waging a war against illiteracy. Some steps that the
government might consider taking in this regard are:

They should declare education as the highest priority of the government. Explain
that unless the barriers of illiteracy and lack of education are removed, the road
to democracy will remain burdened with the danger of exploitation of the masses
by the select few, and that in the absence of political will in the ruling classes to
do something tangible in this arena, it seems that it is up to the army to defend
the country against illiteracy and lack of education, for there is no factor more
important to the well-being of a nation than human resource and no inattention
worse than ignoring its development.

It should be made a compulsory requirement for various degree programs that

the candidates, after taking their exams, shall spend a specified period of time in
teaching at assigned institutions.

The government can ask for volunteers with specified qualifications to contribute
their services in their areas of work or residence under organized bodies that can
be formed for this purpose by the government.

Ask the public to contribute financially for this purpose. Modern marketing and
fund raising techniques can be adopted for this task.

Many government school buildings can be converted into commercial schools of

good level. The government can consider offering many of these schools to
private sector organizations in the field of education on the condition that a
specified percentage of bright students from the lower and middle classes will be
granted admission and scholarships.

Offer tax benefits and other such motivations to private sector groups to invest in
education in rural and less developed areas.

Make it compulsory for each industrial unit/agricultural estate of an area above a

specified limit to provide for a school within the area. Alternatively, the owner can
be asked to share costs with the government for setting up such school. Another
option is giving various financial/tax incentives.

Introduce standardization of curricula and licensing and certification of teachers

to improve standards of education.

Introduce high quality selection procedure for higher level teachers and offer the
candidates better incentives.

Use electronic media more extensively for educational purposes. A channel could
be devoted to just education. In this regard, teachers of high caliber can take
classes for different subjects at various levels, these lecturers can be telecast as
well as recorded and in this way more students can be taught.

Provide people with incentives to educate their children. This can be done in
various ways. For instance even lower level government jobs as for clerks,

peons, constables can be linked to a minimal level of education and entrance

tests and various loans (e.g. agricultural loans) can be linked to whether an
applicant has educated or is educating his children.

A uniform system of education should be introduced gradually to eradicate the

problems multiplicity of systems creates by introducing one medium of
instruction.

Though much of the problem is due to poor teaching, yet curricula, texts and
examination techniques also have a lot to do with the current situation. Thus the
government should improve, update and form curricula, texts, and examination
and evaluation techniques in order to make better the deteriorating system of
education in Pakistan.

11. Conclusion
Keeping in view the results of the research it is concluded that maladministration and
ineffective curriculum are the main causes of deterioration of educational standards.
Ineffective evaluation and inappropriate methods of teaching contribute to some
extent in the deterioration of educational standards. Lack of physical facilities,
poverty, political interference in educational institutions and illiterate parents are also
some of the factors which cause deterioration of educational standards. By
observing the given suggestions and measurements to improve the quality of
education in Pakistan, the government can help in making better the standards of
education and reduce the rate of illiteracy in Pakistan.

12. References
Habib, M. (1998). Education in Pakistan, all demand and little supply. Retrieved April 16,
2007 from http://www.chowk.com.htm
Qazi, JA. (2007, March 18th). Pakistan even behind Bhutan. Daily Times.
Rahman, T. (2003). Education in Pakistan: A Survey. Strengthening Participatory
Organization, Islamabad.
The Task Force on Improvement of Higher Education in Pakistan (2002). Higher
Education in developing countries, peril and promise. Retrieved May 5. 2007
from http://www.tfhe.net.
UNESCO. (2008). Background paper prepared for the Education for All Global
Monitoring Report