اسلامی تعلیمات کی روشنی میں خواتین کی مثبت سرگرمیاں کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ

The status, empowerment and dignity of woman in Islam is the crucial topic in the modern times. According to Islamic point of view, men and women have been created from a one soul. The main difference between them lies in the physical structure. A woman has to bring up, train and look after kids, which is the complicated task to civilize a nation. The issue of woman`s activities in Islam, is misunderstood and distorted due to misreporting of western media and misbehavior of some Muslim families. There is a large number of women scholars in Islamic history, Dr. Akram Nadwi has compiled the biographies of ten thousand female scholars in his commendable book of forty volumes. In educational system of Islam, a woman is completely free to perform educational activities for development of her nation. In social system of Islam, a woman is honored as mother, as daughter, as sister and as wife. The first converter to Islam was a woman, “Hazrat Khadijah (R.A)”. Hazrat Ayesha (R.A) was great scholar who reported many traditions from Holy Prophet( SAW). Many female Companions of Holy prophet( SAW) have performed great deeds even in the field of battlefield. There is a strong basis in Islamic history for women`s participation in positiveand constructive activities in every walk of life. Muslim women are allowed to perform research, educational, national,  religious, social, and financial and other constructive activities. In this research paper, Islamic overview has been described upon positive and constructive activities of women in the light of Islamic teachings.

Factors Affecting General Group Students’ Performance in Mathematics at Grade Ix and X – an Exploratory Study in a Private School of Karachi

Schools in Pakistan which follow the National Curriculum designed by Ministry of Education, register their secondary level students (grade IX and X) with certain examining bodies that assess these students through standardized tests. Aga Khan University Examination board (AKU-EB) is one of those examining bodies that enrol and assess secondary level students under either ‘Science’ or ‘General’ group. My academic and professional experiences reveal that teachers and school management of private schools are concerned about low academic performance of general group students in mathematics examinations. As a result, they put in efforts to improve students’ performance through arranging tests and remedial classes; however, most of these students do not take interest in mathematics and are unable to cope well in mathematics tests and examinations. This study is aimed to explore how various factors (such as familial, teaching learning processes at school and teachers’ beliefs about students’ ability) affect general group students’ performance in mathematics at secondary level. In order to achieve this purpose, a qualitative approach was adopted and data was collected through focused group discussions, classroom observations, semi structured interviews and analysis of documentary evidences (National Curriculum of Mathematics, AKU-EB final examination papers etc). Research participants included a school principal, two mathematics teachers, twelve general group students of a private school and two mathematics subject specialists of AKU-EB. The study revealed that mathematics teaching and learning practices in the school are inconsistent with the assessment criteria designed by AKU-EB which hinder students to prepare according to the expectation of AKU-EB. The study also revealed that teachers’ teaching practices are influenced primarily by certain beliefs which teachers possess about mathematics, its teaching and learning and students’ ability in mathematics. Moreover, teachers’ beliefs about students’ ability seem to have generated mainly from a placement criterion levied in the school for secondary level students. The study also explored other key factors affecting students’ performance that include students’ beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning, linguistic issues with mathematics teachers and parental involvement. This study opens a ground for more in-depth research studies about teachers’ and school management’s beliefs and practices related to general group context in Pakistan.