Academic gaps appear in capital's schools

The Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE) has published an evaluation report on the academic performance of Grade 4 students in both public and private schools in Islamabad. The findings indicate that students in public schools showed improved performance, with 44 per cent of them scoring above 41 per cent.

In contrast, private school students outperformed their public school counterparts in English, with an average score of 46 per cent. The report also highlighted gender-based performance differences. Public school boys performed better overall, while private school girls showed stronger academic results.

The PIE's findings were presented during a policy dialogue held on Thursday, which focused on improving educational standards.

Sohail Akhtar, Senior Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, attended as the special guest. He emphasised the need for a comprehensive strategy to enhance educational quality.

Akhtar pointed out that the government had undertaken various initiatives, including teacher training, providing modern teaching materials, and improving infrastructure in schools.

Akhtar further stressed the importance of reducing class sizes and increasing the number of teachers in public schools to ensure a better learning environment for all students.

He also called for the development of a standardised framework to monitor the quality of education across both public and private institutions in the country.

Dr Mohammad Shahid Soroya, Director-General of PIE, explained that the report evaluated the academic performance of Grade 4 students in Islamabad using data from the National Assessment Test, as well as insights from surveys conducted with students, parents, and teachers.

The findings revealed that public school students in rural areas performed better than their private school peers, while private school students in urban areas outperformed public school students.

Dr Soroya also provided a comparative analysis of class sizes and teacher qualifications.

Public schools have an average class size of 41 students, compared to 19 students in private schools, which can affect the level of individual attention students receive.

Public school teachers were found to be more qualified, with 65 per cent holding a Master's degree, compared to just 23 per cent of private school teachers.

Additionally, 73 per cent of public school teachers have more than 11 years of teaching experience, while only 17 per cent of private school teachers have the same level of experience. On the other hand, 33 per cent of private school teachers teach multiple classes daily, compared to just 4 per cent in public schools. Regarding proximity, around 70 per cent of students reported that their school was located within 2 kilometers of their home, with no significant difference between public and private schools in this regard.

Parents of public school students raised concerns about teacher absenteeism, limited teaching materials, and large class sizes, while private school parents reported greater satisfaction with teacher attendance and curriculum completion.

The report makes several recommendations, including strengthening quality monitoring in schools, enhancing teacher training, increasing the number of teachers in public schools, and reducing class sizes.

It also advocates for the development of a standard framework for private schools to ensure they meet basic educational standards.

In the discussion that followed the report's presentation, PIE Director of Research Dr Mohammad Zigham Qadeer, Allama Iqbal Open University Assistant Professor Dr Tobi Salem, Federal Education Directorate Director of Academic Affairs Dr Rafat Jabeen, and others emphasised the importance of standardised teacher training programmes in public schools.