The Need of Efficient Water Management in Pakistan

Water is a sign of life, all living beings need it to remain alive. It is natural commodity and three fourth of this planet is water. Still not all is suitable for human consumption and sufficient to meet the ever increasing demands. Availability and supply of water is getting scarce with increasing population of states especially the developing societies. If we look at the history of life on this planet, we find that the humanity has suffered disasters on acquisition and possession of natural resources which are vital for survival of one group, may be at the cost of others. Water falls in that category where if not properly managed its scarcity and stress would lead to unending conflicts and wars till demands equals the supply with the destruction of extra consumptions. Solution to the disastrous situation is in efficient management of water. The efficient and effective management combines awareness and justified storage and distribution of water by the states within their domains. Modern technology and management provides solutions for this efficient management of water by the states. ______

Exploring the Current Classroom Assessment Practices of English Language at Secondary Level in a Private Secondary School of District Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan

There is scant literature available on the classroom-based English language assessment practices (APs) in Pakistan, particularly in Gilgit-Baltistan. Therefore, this study explored the current classroom-based English language APs for grade 9 and 10 level in a private secondary school in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The focus of the study was to gain an understanding of the interplay of English language APs and English language learning at the secondary level by exploring the phenomenon and to gather data on the APs being used by grade 9 and 10 teachers in the research site.The study sought to explore a phenomenon contextually and in-depth. This required adopting a qualitative case study design. Interviews, classroom observations, focus group discussions and document analysis were the methods used for the study. The generated data was analyzed using qualitative data analysis approach Yin, (2009). The primary research participants were 2 English language teachers and 12 students served as secondary participants: 6 students were from grade 9 and 6 were from grade 10. In the School of Shining Education (pseudonym), English language APs at grade 9 and 10 level seem to be shaped by different factors. These include: the pattern of the annual board examination, teachers’ perceptions and experiences, the textbooks of grade 9 an10, teachers performance appraisal, the availability of teaching resources and the expectations from students’ parents. The study also explored teachers’ perceptions about the English language assessment practices at the secondary level because perceptions affect practice. In view of this, the study explored teachers’ claim about teaching and assessing English as a language not as a subject. However, the study findings suggest that their teaching pedagogy is likely inclined towards teaching and assessing English as a subject owing to the contextual challenges and limitations. In conclusion, the findings of the study suggest that better language learning might be achieved through the use of a dynamic approach (using alternative assessment strategies) to classroom assessment. One practical way forward as regards enhancing the assessment practices would be to make the English language teaching more practical and skills-based. In this way, English can be taught and assessed as a language not as a subject. In doing so, It will align with the aims of the National Curriculum for English Language Grades I-XII, NC (2006) which stipulates the same.