This study aimed to explore academic achievements of students in biology at secondary level across schools systems and gender. A newly developed, field tested and validated tool Biology Achievement Test (BAT) was used to collect the data. A total of 289 students of grade ten were recruited through a cross sectional survey from public (n=5) and private (n=5) schools of district Chitral. Of the total students (n=289) 164 (56%) boys and 125 (43%) girls participated in the research study. Biology Achievement Test (BAT) was administered to explore students' academic achievements across school system and gender. Results demonstrated that students scored only 31% of the total score, exhibiting a weak conceptual understanding in selected concepts of biology. Overall results across school systems indicated that private schools have performed slightly better than their Public counterparts; however, the difference was not significant (p>0.05). Moreover, comparison of MCQs and CRQs across school system demonstrated that private schools have scored significantly higher in MCQs and public schools have shown significantly better performance in CRQs (p> 0.001 for both). Furthermore, public schools have performed significantly better in study of life ecology and biodiversity with a small effect size (r=-0.18).Similarly, private schools have performed significantly better in cell biology (p< 0.01), with a medium effect size (r=0.27). Students' performance in cognitive domains revealed that private schools students have shown better performance in knowledge and reasoning level while public schools have performed better in application level. However, the differences were too small to be significant. Furthermore, overall academic achievement across gender revealed that girls have performed significantly better as compared to boys (p<0.001). Students' performance across gender demonstrated that girls have outperformed boys in both MCQs and CRQs, with a significant difference (p<0.001). Performance in content domains across gender showed that girls have performed significantly better in life process as compared to boys. In cognitive domains, girls have performed significantly better in knowledge and reasoning levels (p<0.001) as compared to boys.
اسرار احمد آزاد افسوس ہے پچھلے دنوں ہمارے ادارۂ ندوۃ المصنفین کے دو پرانے ساتھی داعیٔ اجل کولبیک کہہ کر اس دنیا سے رخصت ہوگئے۔جناب اسراراحمد آزاد اردو زبان کے ادیب اورنامور اخبار نویس تھے یوں انھوں نے غالباً کسی یونیورسٹی سے باقاعدہ کوئی سند نہیں لی تھی لیکن محض اپنی ذاتی محنت اور شوق سے اردو اورہندی کے علاوہ انگریزی میں اتنی استعداد بہم پہنچا لی تھی کہ اس زبان کے اخبارات و رسائل اورکتابیں بے تکلف پڑھ اورسمجھ لیتے تھے۔سیاسیات پران کا مطالعہ بہت وسیع تھا۔ ادارہ کے ابتدائی زمانہ میں مکتبۂ برہان کی طرف سے ان کی کتاب ’’بین الاقوامی سیاسی معلومات‘‘شایع ہوکر بڑی مقبول ہوئی تھی۔مرحوم نظر ثانی کرکے اس پر برابر اضافہ کرتے رہے چنانچہ اس کتاب کاآخری ایڈیشن جو شایع ہوا ہے وہ تین نہایت ضخیم جلدوں پرمشتمل ہے اور بے شبہ یہ کتاب اردوزبان کے پورے لٹریچر میں اپنی نوعیت کی ایک ہی ہے۔اس کے علاوہ مرحوم بہت جلد اور بہت اچھا لکھتے تھے۔ ان کی ساری زندگی جرنلزم کے نذر ہوگئی ورنہ اگر ان کو معاشی اطمینان حاصل ہوتا اورتصنیف وتالیف میں لگے رہتے تواردوزبان کے ذخیرہ میں بہت کچھ قابل قدراضافہ کرسکتے تھے۔اخلاقی اعتبار سے ان کی زندگی سراپا ایثار تھی۔خودمجرد رہے،محنت مزدوری کی اورایک بھائی کے بچوں کی تعلیم و تربیت پرہمیشہ اپنی توجہ مرکوز رکھی۔سری نگر میں روزنامہ ’’چنار‘‘ کے ایڈیٹر تھے، دھرادول میں انتقال ہوا۔اﷲ تعالیٰ مغفرت عطا فرمائے۔ [فروری۱۹۷۱ء]
The present study investigates how English language learning interacts with the gender identities and roles of female learners at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan. Who learns what and how, is influenced by the learners’ gendered and sexualized identities (Pavlenko, 2004). Language learners have to navigate power relations within the classroom and their specific communities and develop understanding of their limitations and opportunities within these communities. Institutional practices and gender ideologies inhibit their access to networks which in turn affect their linguistic output and interactional opportunities. Within Interpretive epistemological framework eight female learners of final year (fourth year) Linguistics studying at IELL were interviewed and observed twice during one year to gather data for the present study. From the data it appeared that Pakistani females’ access to linguistic resources is mediated by cultural norms and societal expectations. Throughout their academic journeys the learners’ agency remained active due to which they were able to invest in their ESL learning and challenge socially imposed identities on them.
Islam has produced great scholars, philosophers and mystics, who were / are the custodians and promoters of the Islamic culture and its values in the world. The teachings of all these legends are capable of pulling our own and our succeeding generations from the inferiority complexes and put them on the path to God. Rahman Baba is one amongst them and the reason for my selection of the Mysticism of Rahman Baba and Its Educational Implications for my Ph. D research study is that I have studied this mystic poet of Pashto literature and can say that his poetry is an introduction to the fundamentals of human nature. He addresses to man irrespective of his origin. He makes an irresistible appeal to all, irrespective of their caste, colour and creed. His ideas are ever fresh and new and are a guiding light for seekers of the truth. Baba is a Mystic who leads life according to Islamic Shariah. To study him is helpful in understanding the aim of life and the true meanings of Islam. God made man superior to the entire creature but he does not know his true self and behaves like animals. Man should have tolerance in his self; should be kind and compassionate to others as this is the best way to get nearness to God. Man is naturally the lover of God. To love God means to obey His commands and serve the humanity without expecting any financial reward. Real richness is the richness of heart, which comes through the remembrance of God. Man is a humble slave of God and by stretching hand before the slaves; man becomes slave of the slaves, which is quite astonishing and Baba dislikes it. He is of the opinion that man should have the knowledge of his own self, his Creator, the universe that surrounds him and the aim for which he has been created. He advises the ulama (the scholars) to become practical because the scholar (A''alim) is not scholar until he is practical. Knowledge turned into practice opens the eyes of man and introduces him to God and man starts to obey His commands without any hesitation. Baba lays stress on the character building of the individuals in order to make them capable of facing the hardships that may come in his way while following the injunctions of God and His Prophet (S A W). The teachings of Rahman Baba can purify man''s heart from the evils & can bring him closer to God and when man gets closer to God, he gets courage to fight against the evils both inside him and outside him i.e. in the society. There will be justice everywhere iv and this will bring peace in the surroundings and the society will become a truly human society. Baba addresses to men and wants them to be true human beings, something that is becoming a rarity in modern days. Baba''s teachings are about all the aspects of human life and are based on "To enjoin Good and forbid Evil and eventually work for the establishment of a just socio - moral order in the world." He strongly advocates justice and considers it necessary for peace and unity. His courage and conviction and his humanity are exemplary. He is God fearing and knows the art of living on the earth as a true human being. In short, the researcher, after studying Rahman Baba, is of the opinion that the teachings of Baba can help us to build an exemplary society and if we apply his teachings in our education, we can prepare morally and religiously strong & well-rounded individuals, which is an urgent need of our society.