A linear programming model for an optimum admissions policy in education

Abstract

This work is a kind of feasibility study mixed with optimization techniques to decide upon the possibility of achieving a certain manpower structure together with a complete removal of illiteracy after a certain planning period. Changing the manpower structure is achieved by controlling the proportions of students who enter the different channels of formal education. The removal of illeteracy is achieved by accepting more and more students into the compulsory stage. It will be found that there is more than one option for achieving these objectives through the many control paths available. It is not easy to fulfil these two aims; the obstacles are the non-availability of teachers as well as the universal budget constraint. This will result in a limited number of feasible opportunity paths to choose from. In this paper the solution to the above problem is given. First the feasibility problem is dealt with by examining the possibility of changing the manpower structure after a certain planning period and subject to the above constraints. Once this is found possible, the optimal path regarding the admission of the students to the compulsory stage is given for the quickest removal of illiteracy.