GENDER BASED COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SUBJECT SPECIALISTS IN SOUTHERN DISTRICTS OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Abstract

Title: “GENDER BASED COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SUBJECT SPECIALISTS IN SOUTHERN DISTRICTS OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA”. Researcher: Malik Amer Atta Supervisor: Dr. Asif Jamil University: Gomal University D.I.Khan Institute: Institute of Education and Research Gomal University D.I.Khan. University: Gomal University D.I.Khan Pages: 264 Words: 60,858 Year: 2012 Degree: PhD Education According to National Educational Policy (1998-2010) Secondary education (ix-xii) is a vital and central sub-sector of the whole education system in the country. On one hand secondary education provides middle level workers for the country and on the other secondary education provides suitable input for the higher level of education. The quality of higher education which is necessary for the development of nation and produce high quality professionals in different fields depends upon the quality of secondary education. So secondary education need to be organized in such a way that it should prepare the individual for the pursuit of higher education and also make them able to adjust with their practical and daily lives meaningfully, successfully and productively. The secondary education is a stage where a student enters adolescence, this is the most crucial, essential and significant stage of life. Four year of secondary education, therefore, provide an excellent opportunity for the educators and educationists to conceive and launch programmes which initiate the learners into proper form of behavior and attitudes, which lead to decent productive and peaceful life in future. For intermediate (F.A and F.Sc) level two kinds of education systems are working simultaneously in Pakistan. One system is working in the colleges whereas the xviiiother system is working in the higher secondary schools. According to National Educational Policy (2009) it has been decided that education for the Grades 11 and 12 shall not be part of the college education, instead, only the higher secondary school be specified to impart education at intermediate level. In this perspective it was necessary to conduct a study on the performance of subject specialists working in higher secondary schools. The purpose of this study was to highlight and improve the job performance of subject specialists at higher secondary schools level. Main objectives of the study were to measure the gender based performance of promoted and directly appointed subject specialists and to compare the performance of directly appointed with promoted subject specialists regarding eight different variables (teaching effectiveness, instructional planning and strategies, motivation of the students, providing guidance to the students, classroom management, personal attitude towards teaching profession, character building of the students and assessment of the students). In-service Promoted and direct selected subject specialists are being posted in the higher secondary schools of the country. Direct selected subject specialists are those who are posted directly (through Public Service Commission) to the posts of higher secondary schools. Promoted subject specialists are those who are given departmental promotion after taking the master degree and after completing a specific period on the post of secondary school teacher (SST). The Basic qualification of SSTs is B.A/B.Sc and B.Ed with basic pay scale (BPS-16). After taking master degree they are promoted and they become subject specialists. Most of them acquire their requisite qualification as private candidates prior to their promotions as higher secondary school teachers. The in-service promotion and direct selection provide equal chance to serve as subject specialist to both categories of teacher. This study was basically of descriptive nature. Eight null hypotheses along with alternative hypotheses were formulated and tested. Three Districts i.e. Bannu, D.I.Khan, and Lakki were selected randomly and from each District eight higher secondary schools (four male and four female) were selected randomly, but in District Lakki there was only one female higher secondary school so total twenty one higher secondary schools were selected. The Heads xix(Principals), Subject specialists and students of higher secondary schools were the participants in this study. Regarding this study the selection of sample given below: From each higher secondary school two subject specialists (one promoted and one commission selected) were selected through stratified and simple random sampling technique, so total 42 subject specialists were selected as a sample teacher in which 24 were male (12 promoted and 12 direct selected) and 18 were female (9 promoted and 9 direct selected) subject specialists. Four colleague subject specialists working with each promoted and direct selected subject specialists (sample teachers) since last three years were selected by simple random sampling technique, so total 84 colleague teachers (subject specialists) were selected in which 48 were male and 36 were female subject specialists. Ten students studying with each in-service promoted and commission selected subject specialists (sample teachers) since last one year, were selected by simple random sampling technique, so total 210 students were selected in which 120 were male and 90 were female. All twenty one Principals (Head teachers) of the concerned schools were also included in the sample to get their opinion about the performance of promoted and direct selected subject specialists (sample teachers). From twenty one higher secondary schools 21 Principals (12 male and 09 female) were selected by simple random sampling technique. In this way sampling was done in case of selection of students, sample teachers (promoted and commission selected subject specialists), colleague teachers and Principals of higher secondary schools. Performance indicators (items) were identified with the help of literature, administration personnel of the education department and experts of different department. A five points Likert type rating scale was developed, validated and pilot tested. To check the content validity of instrument the rating scale was sent to thirty eight experts. To check the reliability of the instrument Cronbach’s alpha (α) and split xxhalf reliability as a statistical technique were used. This instrument was used to collect the data regarding performance of promoted and directly selected subject specialists. The five point rating scale consisted of 54 items in eight parts. This scale was filled by forty students, sixteen subject specialists (SS) and four head teachers (Principals) of four different higher secondary schools (Two male and two female) for tryout purposes (Pilot testing). The main objective of pilot study was pre-testing of instrument (Rating scale) on a small sample. The rating scale was improved in the light of feedback, difficulties and ambiguities pointed out by the students, subject specialists, head teachers and in consultation with the experts of relevant field. Data were collected in person; arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t-test and Co-efficient of variation (C.V) were applied to analyze the data at 0.05 level of significance. It was concluded that the performance of promoted subject specialists was better than the commission selected subject specialists regarding provision of guidance to the students, classroom management, and character building of the students, where as the performance of commission selected subject specialists was better than the in- service promoted subject specialist regarding teaching effectiveness, instructional planning and strategies, motivation of students, personal attitude towards teaching profession and assessment of the students. It is recommended that In-service training may be provided to all promoted and direct selected subject specialists. All direct selected SS may be provided training and refresher courses on Students’ guidance, classroom management and character building of the students’ aspects. M.A/B.Ed and M.Sc/B.Ed subject specialists may be provided opportunities to improve their academic qualification during service in the area of education like M.Ed. A proper system of continuous evaluation may be made in all higher secondary schools. The weak aspect of the SS may be diagnosed by the head teachers and senior staff and necessary measures may be taken for the improvement of subject specialists.