Schools Of Punjab Research Articles

Students’ interpersonal skills and its association with their academic achievement in secondary school of Pakistan

<span>The educational productivity theory directed that students’ variables affect their performance. Therefore, this descriptive correlational study was designed to examine students’ interpersonal skills and its association with their achievement. There were 3,200 high school students participated in this study, selected from 80 high schools of Punjab through multistage random sampling technique. The Interpersonal Skills Scale (ISS) was adapted from DiPerna and Elliott’s Academic Competence Evaluation Scales-Student form (ACES-Student). ISS demonstrated a good internal consistency (coefficient alphas=0.819 and composite reliability=0.845). The results exhibited that students have a competent level of interpersonal skills. Moreover, a statistically significant difference was found in female and male students’ perceptions about interpersonal skills, while female have more interpersonal skills than male. Furthermore, ANOVA results concluded that administrative division (location) influences students’ perception of interpersonal skills. It is concluded from the correlational analysis that students’ interpersonal skills are indirectly associated with their achievement because a negative weak relationship was found in students’ interpersonal skills and their achievement as r=0.031, p=0.081. It is suggested that teachers may promote interpersonal skills by integrating cooperative and collaborative learning strategies into their classrooms.</span>

Comparative study of the prevalence of depression between the XI and XII class students of medical stream from urban schools of Punjab

Background: Adolescence is considered a stressful period due to physical, psychological, sexual changes and is also influenced by maturity. Purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of depression among XIth and XIIth class students of medical stream in urban schools of Ludhiana, Punjab.Methods: Present study was Cross-sectional study, conducted in in students, studying in urban schools of Jamalpur area of Ludhiana city. The investigator personally visited all the seven schools and went to both the class XI and XII and administered the study tool to each student of medical stream.Results: 253 students from medical stream of 11th and 12th class were considered for present study. Almost equal number of students in medical stream were studying in class XI and class XII, with slight over-representation (52.9%) of students in class XI. Majority (71.1%) of the students were females, and about half of the total students were of 16 years of age. Out of total students 84.6% students were suffering from depression with 17.8% having severe depression. Out of 134 students in Class XIth 81.3% had depression while 88.2% of 119 students in class XIIth were depressed, difference was not statistically significant. As the age increases the severity of depression in students also increases. At 15 years of age students suffering from moderate to severe depression is 31% whereas at 18 years of age 57% students were suffering from moderate to severe type of depression. There was a significant difference of prevalence of depression in between males and females, with females (89.4%) outnumbering males (72.6%).Conclusions: The overall prevalence of depression in our study was 84.6% and it is a prudent reminder of the extreme pressure the adolescent face in this particular age. Compared to other studies the percentage is alarmingly high.

Association of heavy bag lifting time with postural pain in secondary school students

To determine the association between heavy bag lifting with posture among secondary school students. METHODS: This study was a cross sectional survey. Based on sample of convenience, total 380 Students of both gendersbelonging to Beaconhouse School System, KIPS School System,Educators School and The Punjab School System were included with an age 14 to 17 years (school grade 9 to 12). The data was collected using the Reedco scale and Grimmer’s Questionnaire for assessment of posture and, use of heavy bags andits associated pain, respectively. RESULTS: The majority of participants in this consisted of young adults above 12 years (39%) and below 12years (34%) with male predominant (54%). 370 students out of 380 were carrying heavy bags. The types of bags they mostly carry were backpacks (51%), satchel (34%) and others (15%). 48% of these students never used lockers and 40% of them often use locker 55% of them never use waist belt to carry bag. Most of the students 48% spend 11 to 20 minutes for carrying bag per day.61% of them carry extra load (water bottles, lunch boxes, guide books) with them also. Out of 380 students 246 had pain in different body regions due to heavy bags 64% had neck pain and 53% had upper back pain while 19% had shoulder pain. Out of 184 students that carry bag from 11 to 20 minutes, 115 had poor neck posture, 133 had poor shoulder posture 25 had poor head posture and 5 had poor upper back pain and that carry from 21 to 30 minutes out of 167 students 122 had bad neck posture and 132 had poor shoulder posture 50 had poor head posture 105 had poor upper back posture. CONCLUSION: There was found significant association between heavy bag lifting and poor posture with related pain in regions of cervical followed by upper back in secondary school students.

Association of heavy bag lifting time with postural pain in secondary school students

To determine the association between heavy bag lifting with posture among secondary school students. METHODS: This study was a cross sectional survey. Based on sample of convenience, total 380 Students of both gendersbelonging to Beaconhouse School System, KIPS School System,Educators School and The Punjab School System were included with an age 14 to 17 years (school grade 9 to 12). The data was collected using the Reedco scale and Grimmer’s Questionnaire for assessment of posture and, use of heavy bags andits associated pain, respectively. RESULTS: The majority of participants in this consisted of young adults above 12 years (39%) and below 12years (34%) with male predominant (54%). 370 students out of 380 were carrying heavy bags. The types of bags they mostly carry were backpacks (51%), satchel (34%) and others (15%). 48% of these students never used lockers and 40% of them often use locker 55% of them never use waist belt to carry bag. Most of the students 48% spend 11 to 20 minutes for carrying bag per day.61% of them carry extra load (water bottles, lunch boxes, guide books) with them also. Out of 380 students 246 had pain in different body regions due to heavy bags 64% had neck pain and 53% had upper back pain while 19% had shoulder pain. Out of 184 students that carry bag from 11 to 20 minutes, 115 had poor neck posture, 133 had poor shoulder posture 25 had poor head posture and 5 had poor upper back pain and that carry from 21 to 30 minutes out of 167 students 122 had bad neck posture and 132 had poor shoulder posture 50 had poor head posture 105 had poor upper back posture. CONCLUSION: There was found significant association between heavy bag lifting and poor posture with related pain in regions of cervical followed by upper back in secondary school students.

Research protocol for a before-after comparison of the Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity, sedentary and dietary behaviour of School-going Adolescents in Punjab, India (ICPASA study)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already existing pandemic of physical inactivity. In adolescents, the effect of COVID-19 related governmental measures may be even more pronounced, as they experience school closures, home confinement, social distancing and possible mental health issues as a result. The current study uses the COVID-19 pandemic and associated governmental measures as a natural experiment to understand the impact on the lifestyle of adolescents with relation to physical activity, sedentary and dietary behaviour. We also aim to describe the determinants of change in lifestyle behaviours. Methods/Design: A before-after experimental study design will be followed in which baseline measurements have been undertaken in 2018-19 before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the follow-up measurements will be repeated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty schools of Punjab, India form the primary unit of participation from which 1086 adolescents participated in the study. Validated questionnaires are used to measure physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and dietary behaviour. Additionally, objective measures of physical activity will be performed using accelerometer over a 7-day period on a sub-sample. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference will be assessed objectively as a measure of central obesity. Qualitative interviews and focus group discussions will be conducted to have a better understanding for reasons of change in physical activity, sedentary and dietary behaviour or any possible differences between groups. Discussion: The study aims to reveal the impact of COVID-19 related governmental measures on physical activity, sedentary and dietary behaviour of adolescents. It is one of the first studies to show both subjective and objective measures of physical activity levels and sedentary time of school-going adolescents during COVID-19. Due to the mixed method approach we will be able to identify reasons for changes in lifestyle behaviours and possibly find innovative ways of staying physically active during the era of physical distancing.

DeepClassRooms: a deep learning based digital twin framework for on-campus class rooms.

A lot of different methods are being opted for improving the educational standards through monitoring of the classrooms. The developed world uses Smart classrooms to enhance faculty efficiency based on accumulated learning outcomes and interests. Smart classroom boards, audio-visual aids, and multimedia are directly related to the Smart classroom environment. Along with these facilities, more effort is required to monitor and analyze students’ outcomes, teachers’ performance, attendance records, and contents delivery in on-campus classrooms. One can achieve more improvement in quality teaching and learning outcomes by developing digital twins in on-campus classrooms. In this article, we have proposed DeepClass-Rooms, a digital twin framework for attendance and course contents monitoring for the public sector schools of Punjab, Pakistan. DeepClassRooms is cost-effective and requires RFID readers and high-edge computing devices at the Fog layer for attendance monitoring and content matching, using convolution neural network for on-campus and online classes.

Analyzing The Performance Appraisal System For Government Secondary School Teachers In Punjab

Since our Punjab school education department employs personnel in thousands, the monitoring of an individual’s output is essential. Output determination is the function of performance appraisal which is carried out periodically to assess the contribution of each person under evaluation. It is naturally recognized that a man does complete his assignment when he is too much interested to get it done or he finds himself under observation by a controlling authority.  The study was intended to measure the role of the existing performance appraisal system towards the professional excellence of secondary school teachers. One hundred and eighty six secondary school teachers were found available as a sample to mark the questionnaire. The researcher himself developed a questionnaire for the teachers to seek their opinions on the present performance appraisal system. The data collected were analyzed with descriptive statistics and linear regressions. The 64.51 % of the respondents (Secondary Schools Teachers) affirm that their appraisal system does encourage nepotism and favoritism and 90 % of the respondents from Secondary schools believe that staff is promoted/rewarded/punished or dismissed based on properly laid down criteria while 10 % of the respondents are of the contrary opinion. In secondary schools, 92% of the respondents think that the appraiser encounters difficulties in the appraisal of subordinates. 56.4 % of the respondents believe that the effects of inefficient appraisal on their establishment would be lack of adequate motivation, while 6.9 % of respondents held the view that inefficient appraisal would result in sabotage and conflicts. It is evident that 100 percent of respondents under study agree that the only way to eradicate the problem of inefficient appraisal and lapse in the performance appraisal of employees in their different organizations is to entrench equity, justice, and fair play by objectively appraising performance without bias, nepotism, and favoritism. The performance appraisal system contributed 45% to the professional excellence of the teachers. Some strong recommendations were also written based on findings to see the performance appraisal system more effective. The appraisal system must be clear and transparent. No personal prejudices, likes/dislikes and social disputes are to be valued while writing the performance appraisal report of a teacher.

Gender Representation in Education: Critical Discourse Analysis of Urdu Textbooks used in Primary Government Schools in Punjab

AbstractThis research aims to explore the gender equality or lack thereof in the Urdu textbooks taught in Punjab, Pakistan. Gender bias in textbooks is an important but almost invisible and overlooked problem. Five Urdu textbooks taught in primary government schools in Punjab were selected for critical discourse analysis. Both qualitative as well quantitative research methods were adopted. The number of female and male characters, portrayal of domestic and professional roles by both genders, and cosmetic bias was taken into account. In all five books analyzed, 28% characters were women whereas remaining were male characters. Female characters were mostly found in domestic situations with insignificant roles in the stories who did not have a name or an identity except being mothers. The text was highly biased towards the male characters associating valor and strength with men only. Since textbooks play a crucial role in the development of the children, it is important to remove the concealed gender bias in textbooks and acknowledge the changing roles of women in the Pakistani society in order to create a society that treats men and women equally.

Educating Students With Hearing Impairment During Covid-19 Pandemic : A Case of Inclusive and Special Schools

Observation of protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult for students with special needs particularly for students with hearing impairment (SWHI). The challenges of educating students with hearing impairment have increased after the adoption of the online education system. The purpose behind this study was to highlight the steps taken for the continuation of education in the inclusive and special schools of Punjab during a pandemic. A mixed-method approach was used to conduct this study. Two different groups of the population were taken from 9 divisions of Punjab to derive a suitable sample of this study; teachers of students with hearing impairment (SWHI) and executive members of government related to both special and inclusive schools in Punjab. The teachers from both settings were selected using random sampling. The in-depth interviews of the executive members dealing with special and inclusive schools in Punjab were conducted. The tool of the research was an interview protocol and a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed by applying both qualitative and quantitative methods. This research has highlighted rare practices of online teaching, lack of technological resources, teachers' and students' lack of competency in online teaching, both in the special inclusive schools of the Punjab. A significant difference (p=.000?.05)was found between the special and inclusive schools' efforts made for the continuation of education during a pandemic.

Monitoring and Evaluation System in Education: An Overview of Elementary Schools

This research study aims to discuss and analyse the current monitoring and evaluation practices at elementary schools in Punjab. The main objective of this study was to know the usefulness of monitoring and evaluation system and to investigate how the teachers and administrators perceive school effectiveness through monitoring and evaluation system. This study is helpful for the educational leaders to know the advantages and disadvantages of monitoring system. Elementary school teachers (4013) of district Bahawalnagar were the population of this study. The sample of the study was selected by using multistage sampling technique. A thorough review of literature was carried out to develop relevant data collection tools. A questionnaire with five-point Likert scale was developed to record the responses of the participants of the study. The questionnaire was constructed with the statements about determinants for monitoring and evaluation in system of education at elementary school level. Quantitative data was collected and analysed using descriptive statistics e.g., mean, and standard deviation through computer software SPSS-21. A questionnaire comprised of 19 statements including two objectives was devised as a research tool. The findings and conclusion of the study related to effectiveness found that monitoring system for the evaluation of the schools is working partly. The analysis of the data revealed that the monitoring and evaluation system is helpful in enhancing total school performance. However, still there are some gaps in the system which needs to be plugged in. The participants proposed to revise the mechanism of monitoring.

INVESTIGATING THE GROUND REALITIES OF LITERACY AND NUMERACY DRIVE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM IN GOVERNMENT SECTOR SCHOOLS

The impact of the Literacy and Numeracy Drive (LND) on three-class students' learning in public schools in District Lodhran was examined in this study. It assists in determining the validity and reliability of Monitoring & Evaluation Assistant (MEAs), monthly indicators for LND assessment to assess Primary School Teachers (PST) performance, attitude, and behaviour, as well as the appropriateness of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in the subject of English. This study utilized a quantitative research design in which 07 students from three class were selected from 168 representative schools. Two MCQs type English papers were developed based on MEA's Tablet Base Criterion for assessing students' performance. In these papers, 8 MCQs based on SLOs were provided in November and December. These papers were given to 07 students selected randomly from each class, and the results were subsequently sorted markaz-wise. These markaz-wise collected results were analyzed by comparing actual markazwise results and the results displayed on PITB Website. The findings revealed that the LND application was not effective due to issues with SLOs in English content, MEAs monthly indicators, learners' mother tongue, nonsupportive parental behaviour, Punjab School Education Departments’ high expectations for SLO achievement, and assessment procedure.

A Phenomenological Exploration of School Leadership Development Programme: Improved Practices of School Leaders a Breakthrough Triumph in the Province of Punjab

The major driver of the phenomenology research was to explore the lived experiences of school heads about the School Leadership Development Programme (SLDP) in improved practices of leadership in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes in public sector schools of Punjab. The sample of the study was based on the geographical distribution of the province of Punjab i.e., central, southern and northern. The seven districts were taken, and 14 SHs were selected through purposive sampling. The in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted after the prior consent of the participants. The instruments were self-developed and validated from five experts along with Mock interview practice. The researcher collected the data personally, and thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that SLDP is inseparable in the development of improved practices of SHs. It was strongly recommended to continue the SLDP encased with certain paraphernalia to get better results in the future.

Examining Gender Differences in the Factors Affecting Ethical Leadership

This paper examines the gender differences in the statements measuring ethical leadership and to explore the factors affecting ethical leadership. The questionnaire has been distributed among the various government senior secondary schools of Punjab, India. Independent t-test is applied to know the perception of males and females. The result reveals that females have higher perception in many of the statements in the ethical leadership scale as compared to male staff members. On the other hand, there are three factors that are affecting the ethical leadership showing the important correlation among them.

Framing the Inclusion of Students with Visual Impairment in the Regular Schools of Punjab: Efforts and Challenges

The main objective of this study was to frame the inclusion for students with visual (SWVI) in the public schools of Punjab. For this purpose, researchers took the opinions of principals and teaching staff of the regular schools where SWVI are enrolled. Researchers used the survey method to conduct the study. A descriptive type of research was used. The study population compromised of all principals and teaching staff teaching in general inclusive schools of Punjab. The total ratio of the sample is 151(N=38). Principals and teachers teaching in inclusive schools (N=113) were taken as a sample of the study. The two-structured questionnaire was used, encompassing a dichotomous scale (Yes / No). The reliability of the instruments was estimated respectively 0.77 and 0.86. In contrast, the content validity of the instruments was assessed through experts who had experience in the field of special and inclusive education. The IBM version 20 was used for the analysis of the results. Results of the responses were calculated through frequency distribution with their percentage. Most of the principals who were administrators in regular inclusive schools emphasized that they have a zero rejection policy for admission in schools and make possible the friendly environment for students, positive feedback from the community, and an open-door policy for teachers, students, and parents to solve problems related to students. The majority of the school heads highlighted that school infrastructure is not according to the needs of students. Many teachers said that they lack training, have less knowledge to modify the syllabus and assessment procedures, do not have a proper source to adapt teaching material.

Inclusive Practices in the Existing School Environment: Parental Perceptions and Concerns

Purpose: This qualitative research paper explores the factors affecting parental perceptions and concerns about inclusive education. It also investigates the factors influencing the access and participation of children with disabilities in mainstream schools.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: Ten parents (n=10) of children with and without disabilities were selected through purposive sampling from inclusive primary schools of Punjab. Semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis were employed for data collection and analysis.
 Findings: Findings revealed that parents of children with disabilities are more inclined towards inclusive education. Reactions of parents, quality of instruction and institutional support have created a feeling of un-certainty and dissatisfaction amongst the parents of children with disabilities about inclusion. Large class sizes and time constraints have been established as barriers to inclusion.
 Implications/Originality/Value: The study would be beneficial for the school department to consider the factors adversely affecting the process of inclusion. Parents’ guidance and counselling may be made mandatory to make inclusive education successful.

Explore Areas of Needed Support, Competencies, Attitudes, and Concerns of Elementary School Teachers for Inclusion of CWDS in Elementary Schools of Punjab

Punjab has 310 special education centers with 7 Percent CWPDs. CWPDs are primarily considered for inclusion. In Punjab, 3549 Male Elementary schools have 12 44,137 students in SED. The study aimed to explore areas of needed support, competencies, attitudes, and concerns of ESTs for inclusion in elementary schools. A qualitative approach with exploratory research was used. 36 ESTs teaching CWPDs in the mainstream from 12 districts of Punjab selected by purposive sampling, interviewed with semi-structured interview protocol. Through thematic analysis, it found that teachers teaching CWPDs in the mainstream have a concept of IE. They believe inclusion will be successful while parties are involved; otherwise, inclusion will be just an unrealistic idea because few teachers can't change the whole setup. Govt. should take action to make it possible as this is an international voice. This study will be helpful in developing teacher support programs for successful inclusion and explore visions of universities for up-gradation of the content of professional degrees.

Inclusive Education Opportunities in Punjab Pakistan: A Locale Based Comparison

Purpose: The constitution of Pakistan firmly stated that no discrimination of opportunities will be tolerated among the citizens of Pakistan on behalf of color, creed, language, disability etc. But unfortunately, the dream of equality could not become reality. Inclusive education has been taking significant importance for the education of persons with disabilities (PWD’s) for a few decades. But, without equal opportunities, the seed of inclusion can never be fertiled. This study is an effort to depict the difference of existing inclusive education opportunities between rural and urban secondary schools of Punjab Pakistan.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: Survey method was used to collect data from 196 male and female teachers serving in rural and urban secondary schools of conveniently selected five districts viz Okara, Lahore, Pakpattan, Sahiwal, and, kasur with a self-reporting questionnaire named Research Questionnaire on the Condition of Available Inclusive Education Opportunities in Secondary Schools of Punjab. For cross-validation, an interview schedule was made to take data from 17 students with disabilities. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used.
 Findings: The study found that there was no significant difference of inclusive education opportunities in rural and urban secondary schools of Punjab.
 Implications/Originality/Value: However special students denied various opportunities claimed by the inclusive education teachers.

The Mediating Relationship of Political Skills between Political Personality Traits and Career Success of Educators in Punjab, Pakistan

Purpose of the Study: The study explored a unique framework developed from social cognitive career theory by hypothesizing the mediating relationships to test.
 Design/methodology/approach: The statistical model measured mediating relationship by using SPSS version 23 and Process version 4.0 to summarize the findings. Total 400 questionnaires were distributed in different secondary schools of Punjab, Pakistan from which 317 were returned and 289 were found fit for analysis. The study is cross sectional in nature and data were collected physically and online as well through self-administrative questionnaire.
 Findings: The results can be generalized as all the secondary schools follow the same rules and regulations. As for the results are concerned the mediating relationship of political skills between political personality traits and career success is significant.

Teacher Mobility in Punjab, Pakistan: Stayers and Movers within the Public and Private Schools

Understanding the determinants of teacher mobility is important in order to implement effective policies for the recruitment, retention, and fair allocation of teachers. The teacher transfer policy implemented in Punjab, Pakistan, is intended to address corruption and a fair allocation of teachers in public schools. However, the policy has implications for teacher mobility. This paper presents survey findings on teacher mobility patterns in public schools in Punjab, Pakistan, examining the extent and determinants of mobility in comparison with teachers in private schools. In the survey, 1002 in-service teachers participated, and 46% reported changing school at least once during their teaching career. The findings show that teachers who changed schools in their early career, with an average of two years of teaching experience, gained higher salary benefits by changing schools compared to experienced teachers, with an average of 14 years of teaching experience, who never changed schools. In comparison with early career teachers, experienced teachers who never changed school had lower salaries but higher satisfaction with life in general and with the school as their workplace. The most common reasons for changing school were lack of teaching resources, difficulty in commuting to school, unmanageable student–teacher ratio, and no chance of promotion in their teaching career. Teacher mobility was slightly higher in public schools compared to private schools, despite implementation of a merit-based transfer policy. A binary logistic regression model was constructed with the outcome of teacher mobility (or not), with a base figure of 54%. By adding gender, marital status, school type, length of teaching experience, and teachers’ satisfaction, the model increased correct predictions to 62%. Teacher salary and teaching workload did not explain any variation in the model. These findings have implications for teacher transfer policy in public schools and lessons for private schools to retain teachers by offering longer contracts and reliable pension schemes. Policymakers must consider facilitating teachers’ satisfaction with their workplace, particularly by making public schools in rural areas attractive places for the retention of teachers in early career phases.

The Effectiveness of Early Childhood Education Program in Public Schools of Punjab

Purpose: The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the current Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program regarding the facilities provided in Public Schools of Punjab. The study was quantitative in nature.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was quantitative in nature. Eleven districts out of fourteen districts of central Punjab were selected randomly. A self-developed checklist was deployed to collect data from public ECE schools of Punjab through a convenient sampling technique. The reliability of the checklist was measured through the pilot study with the Cronbach alpha value of 0.78. Quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistical techniques.
 Findings: Results of this study indicated that there was a shortage of separate allocated ECE rooms, trained ECE teachers, Care-giver, ECE kits, learning corners, teacher-made toys, portfolios, and furnished playgrounds. The results of this study further revealed that on average the enrollment and retention rate of katchi in the year 2018 is higher than the enrollment and retention rate in katchi of the year 2013.
 Implications/Originality/Value: This study was a comprehensive report about the ECE program in Punjab which will be very useful and informative for policymakers, administration of the Quaid-Azam academy for education development, Punjab to modify the program according to the need for achieving goals as well as researchers.