Saher Aslam, Roll No.

CF503410 2022

AIOU Submitted by:

Assignment No.1 Allama Iqbal Open Saher Aslam
Course Code: 0828 University, Islamabad 16PMB02247
Masters of Education

Assignment No. 1

Question No.1
Socio-economic development of a country depends upon higher education. Comment
on the statement and provide relevant examples to support your views.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & HIGHER EDUCATION

Introduction
The twentieth century witnessed a major growth in the provision of educational opportunity across the globe,
which is a good thing. Landmark multinational agreements such as the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights and
the more recent United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) put forward a right for all children to
be educated

There are many reasons to believe that increased educational opportunity and achievement lead to social
progress. The aim of this chapter is to examine how education can promote social progress.

Answering this question is not straightforward. Education has multiple aims, and the way in which education is
provided – educational governance, educational institutions and educators, curriculum, and pedagogy – all
matter a great deal. We will cover each of this topic looking at trends across the globe and seeking ascertain
what scholars know about better and worse forms of educational provision.

To understand the connection between education and social progress, we must first distinguish among four
distinct aims of education: economic, civic, humanistic, and equity promotion

Current conditions and challenge

In this section, we present a broad view of education in the

world today, showing how formal education has expanded in
the last decades, and emphasizing how it relates to
citizenship, growing opportunities for social mobility,
economic development and equity.

We take stock of what has been achieved and is still to be

done to improve access to quality education in the poorer
parts of the word, through the Sustainable Developed Goals
fostered by global community, which is mostly concerned
with initial and mandatory education; and take a closer look
at the special roles played by vocational and tertiary
education.
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022

Each of these dimensions are subject to controversies, which we try to take into account, while emphasis the
overall positive effects of education for social progress.

Education and social progress

Culture, “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other
capabilities and habits” (Tylor 1870) is the most distinctive element of human societies, and in its broadest
sense education is the process of facilitating learning or the acquisition of culture. Education takes place
informally, starting with the interaction of children with their parents and relatives, but becomes to a large
extent formal in complex societies, as it is codified (in primers, manuals, catechisms, handbooks) and provided
by specialized institutions (churches, schools, universities, professional guilds, academies) according to specific
methods (lecturing, memorization, demonstration, interpretation, collaboration, practice, experimentation).

Expansion and increased access

In the last century, and especially after World War II, access to formal education expanded dramatically. In the
same period, governments shifted their priorities from education for citizenship to education for productivity,
with great consequence.

National examples
There is the interesting and promising Navrongo Community Health and Family Planning Project, a field
experiment conducted between 1994 and 2003 in the isolated and impoverished northern region of Ghana.

As the Matlab experiment in Bangladesh showed a decade earlier, the Navrongo study showed that even under
conditions of extreme poverty and depressed living standards, a demand for fertility limitation could be
identified and satisfied by appropriately designed services (Phillips et al. 2006). Fertility was reduced by 15 per
cent in the programme areas, whereas it remained essentially unchanged in the control areas.

Kenya, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Rwanda, and the Navrongo project, have all demonstrated that population
policies and reproductive health programmes can work in Africa. What is needed now is for African leaders to
understand this and also to believe that effective fertility control programmes need to become essential elements
of the economic development strategies they design and implement in their countries. Effective family
planning is as essential to the future success of Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire and Mozambique as it was for Korea,
Thailand and Indonesia.
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022

Question No.2
Explain different models of higher education. Which model do you think is better
for Pakistani system of higher education and why?

MODELS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Higher education in Pakistan is analyzed here within the context of the country’s historical and political
development. Critical for understanding the present is a description of the state of education of Muslims well
before the partition of India. From 1947 onwards, growth periods in higher education are identified and their
impact evaluated. The benefits of increased access are weighed against the problems created by the post-2002
rapid expansion of the university system. Academic freedom and campus culture are examined together with
the role universities have played in fostering terrorism. The most vexing issue is to define quality of education,
without which comparisons are meaningless. It is argued that at least for the hard sciences, and probably social
sciences and humanities as well, the present international ranking system is inadequate and education specialists
need to come up with a general framework that takes into account ground realities specific to countries like
Pakistan.

Formal Education System in Pakistan

According to Shah, (2003) and Saleem, (1999) the formal education system in Pakistan is consisting of the
following units;
Pre Primary Schooling: Pre-primary education is functional and managed in schools throughout country.
Public schools provide pre-primary education as part of socialization process. The students attending pre-
primary class are called Kachi.

Primary Schooling: This stage consists of five classes’ I-V and enrolls children of age 5-9 years.

Middle Schooling: The middle schooling is of three years duration and comprised of class VI, VII and VIII.
The age group is 10-12 years.

High Schooling: The high school children stay for two years in classes IX and X. The Board of Intermediate
and Secondary Education conducts the examination. The higher secondary stage is also called the “intermediate
stage” and is considered a part of college education. Higher Secondary Education consists of classes XI to XII.

Higher Education: To obtain a degree, 4 years of higher education after 10 years of primary and secondary
schooling is required. Students who pass their first-degree stage are awarded a Bachelor’s degree in arts or
science, typically at the age of 19 years.

Professional and Technical Education: The duration of post secondary education varies in technical and
professional fields. The polytechnic diploma is a three-year course. A bachelor’s degree in medicine (MBBS)
requires 5 years of study after intermediate stage (12 years of schooling).
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022
Madrassah Education: Side by side with modern education system there is also religious education system,
which provides Islamic education. These institutions have their own management system without interference
from either the provincial or federal governments. Efforts have been made by the present government to bring
the Madrassah in the mainstream under Education Sector Reforms. The main purpose of mainstreaming
Madrassah is to enlarge employment opportunities for their graduates. Pakistan Madrassah Education Boards
are established to regulate the Madaris activities.

Non-formal Education: There are millions of people in Pakistan who have no access to formal education
system. Non-formal Basic Education School scheme has been introduced for those who have no access to
formal education. This scheme is very cost-effective.

Examination: Examinations are usually held annually, which are the main criterion to promote the students to
higher classes or to retain them in the same class. In some schools students are promoted without exam at pre-
primary level. At class five and eight level public exam is conducted for promotion to next grade. Teachers’
Training

Private Education Sector: Private sector involvement in education is encouraging. The Federal Bureau of
Statistics survey (1999-2000) indicates that there are 36,096 private educational institutions in Pakistan. About
61 percent of the institutions are in urban areas and 39 percent in rural areas. The percentage share of private
sector in enrollment is 18 percent at primary school level, 16 percent at middle school level and 14 percent at
high school level (Shah, 2003).

EDUCATION may be the constitutional right of every individual between the ages of five and 16, but actually
getting children to school has proven to be a consistent challenge for the state. Millions of children never see
the inside of a classroom or are forced to drop out early for a host of reasons. These include: the sheer scarcity
of public schools in the country, particularly secondary and tertiary-level institutions; having to travel long
distances to reach their destination; inadequate infrastructure within the schools such as bathrooms and running
water; the lingering problem of ‘ghost teachers’ who do not show up to perform their duties but still collect
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022
their salaries; corporal punishment, bullying and the abuse of power that those in authority abet or turn a blind
eye to; and an array of added expenses ranging from uniforms to stationery and transport which can prove to be
a burden for many parents, especially those with several children. Given all these issues, a less frequently asked
question is, once at school, what are the children learning?

ADVERSELY impacting the poor, Pakistan’s state of public education is nothing short of a national crisis. The
results of decades of neglect towards education investment are aptly illustrated in Alif Ailaan’s report Pakistan
District Education Rankings, 2016. For its fourth edition, the advocacy group tracked the performance of 151
districts in the country, only to find a decrease in overall education quality and infrastructure. Alarmingly, 81pc
of all government schools operate as primary schools (that is 124,070 primary schools) and the remaining as
middle, higher or higher secondary schools. These figures indicate that the state can provide only one in five
children with an opportunity to continue his or her schooling. This is a violation of constitutional rights —
under Article 24-A, the state is responsible for educating each child up to the age of 16.This crisis will cause
Pakistan to miss the SDG of inclusive and equitable education, just as the country failed to meet the MDGs.

Meanwhile, politicians have made negligible efforts to

improve education in their respective constituencies. Why
have there been no enrolment drives? Why is there no
evidence of efforts to improve school infrastructure and the
quality of teaching? What is being done to increase the
number of secondary schools? These are key questions the
politicians must be made to answer. While there are some
signs of hope, eg the KP report card shows that the province
is doing better since 2015 on enrolment and gender parity,
despite a drop-out rate of 35pc, there is vast ground to be covered before schools in the country can truly
function as institutes of learning. For starters, the state can address the infrastructure problem: the report
indicates that around 48pc of schools have no toilets, boundary walls, electricity or drinking water; hence, the
use of school management funds must be probed. This is necessary as matters will not improve unless it is
ascertained how effectively and transparently education budgets are spent. And as long as the government does
not fulfil pledges of spending at least 4pc of GDP on education, an unschooled, disillusioned young generation
will have dire implications for the future.

Education is one of the basic factors which play a vital role in the development of a country. Education also
combats unemployment, confirms sound foundation of social equity, awareness, tolerance, self esteem and
spread of political socialisation and cultural vitality. Like many other developing countries, the situation of
Pakistan’s education sector has not been very encouraging due to poverty, unemployment, over-population and
slow pace of economic development in the country.

It has been 64 years since Pakistan got freedom but still we are far behind in development. According to latest
Pakistan Labour Force Survey 2009-10, the overall literacy rate is 57.7 percent which is quite unsatisfactory to
meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The state of education in Pakistan is in shambles. Pakistan is the second country in the world with the highest
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022
number of children who do not go to school. A large number of students who make it to schools, however, drop
out by class five. According to NEP, about 72 percent make it to grade five which means a dropout rate of 28
percent. This significant figure further brings down the chunk of the population that makes it to school. Such a
large number of students outside school mean that they are deprived of the opportunity to learn and acquire
skills for playing a meaningful role in society.

The emphasis in education is still on a general and liberal type of BA or MA degree. The change towards
scientific and technical education has still not taken place. The quality of education is low; the teachers are
under-paid, under-trained and dispirited. The students are apathetic as they see no relationship between
education and higher earnings or status in the society.

Pakistan’s planners continued to allocate insufficient resources for education, especially for primary education.
Moreover, the money allocated was not effectively spent. The hostility of the feudal and the indifference of the
educated elite are primarily responsible for the neglect of education in Pakistan.

There is a need to find a plausible

explanation for Pakistan’s very poor
performance in the field of
education as compared to other East
Asian countries and even amongst
SAARC countries with the possible
exception of Nepal. Pakistan was
created in the name of Islam and the
emphasis which Holy Quran places
on education is not found in the
holy books of other religions.

The elite of Pakistan have no interest in primary education. The children of the elite go to English medium
schools and they do not bother at all whether children of their subordinates receive any education and even if
they receive education in some form, its quality is very poor.

Today corruption at each level has increased, judiciary and education departments have suffered too. Through
constructive education we can prepare our students according to our golden norms and values, and remove
various faults found in the education system. Education system of Pakistan is facing strong criticism both at
national and international level. Good and positive education builds nations and makes it strong. Our
educational policies have been criticised because of lack of implementation at each level.

Now the people are openly talking about the failure of democracy and curse of corruption because of lack of
education. Corrupt leaders are only power seekers and do not take keen interest in education and welfare of
common man. When our top leadership protects the corrupt and fake degree holders, the result is obvious to all.
We all need honest, competent, devoted leadership, who knows the fruits of positive, constructive education.
Only an intellectual, competent and faithful leadership knows the price of constructive education and will be
able to do some good things for the Pakistani nation.
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022

Question No.3
Critically discuss the provisions of Higher Education in the National Education Policy
1998-2010.

HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 1998-2010

Critically examining the significant aspects of perspective planning of higher education in Pakistan with
specific reference to important developments proposed to take place during 1998-2010.

The twentieth century witnessed a major growth in the provision of

educational opportunity across the globe, which is a good thing.
Multinational agreements such as the 1948 Declaration of Human
Rights and the more recent United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) put forward a right for all children to
get be educated.
There are many reasons to believe that increased educational opportunity
and achievement lead to social progress. The aim is to examine how
education can promote social progress.
Answering this question is not straightforward. Education has multiple aims, and the way in which education is
provided educational governance, educational institutions and educators, curriculum, and pedagogy — all
matter a great deal. We will cover each of these topics in this chapter; fooling at trends across the globe and
seeking ascertain what scholars know about better and worse for educational provisions.
To understand the connection between education and social progress, we must first distinguish among
four distinct aims of education: economic, COVID, humanistic, mid equity promotion.
Current Conditions and Challenge
ln this Section, we present a broad view of education in the world today, showing how formal
education has expanded. ln the last decades, and emphasizing how it relates to citizenship, growing
opportunities for social mobility, economic development and equity. We take stock of what has been
achieved and is still to be done to improve access to quality education in the poorer parts of the word,
through the Sustainable Developed Goals fostered by global community, which is mostly concerned with
initial and mandatory education; and take a closer look at the special roles played by vocational and
compulsory education. Each of these dimensions are subject to controversies, which we try to take into
account, while emphasis the overall positive effects of education for social progress.
Education and social progress
Culture, "that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and
any other capabilities and habits" (Tyler 1870) is the most distinctive element of human societies,
and in its broadest sense education is the process of facilitating learning or the acquisition of culture.
Education takes place informally, starting with the interaction of children with their parents and relatives,
but becomes to a large extent formal in complex societies, as it is codified (in primers, manuals, catechisms,
handbooks) and provided by specialized institutions (churches, schools, universities, professional guilds,
academies) according to specific methods (lecturing, memorization, demonstration, interpretation,
collaboration, practice, experimentation).
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022

Expansion and increased access

In the last century, and especially after World War II, access to formal education expanded dramatically. In
the same period, governments shifted their rights from education for citizenship to education for
productivity, with great consequences.
Prime Minister, with the decision to split the Department for Education and Skills in 2007. We will first
focus on New Labors education policy from 1997 to 2010, particularly on the continuity in its tenets and on
government funding. We will then analyze specific elements such as standards, the intervention of the
private sector, social mobility and efforts to improve the employability of English youths.

New Labors Education Policies from 1998 to 201s0

Everyone will remember the famous New Labor slogan “Education, education, education.” When he became
Prime Minister, Gordon Brown carried this commitment further, by splitting the education department. The
remit of the Department for Children, Schools and Families was broadened beyond its traditional role but
such institutional reform attained its limits in June 2009, when the Department for Innovation, Universities and
Skills was merged into a bigger department under Lord Mandelson who became Secretary of State for Business,
Innovation and Skills.

Standards

One of the key policies was the constant focus on standards with test and exam results as expressed in
league tables Of stead is also pan and parcel of such a policy with its assessment of teaching standards. The
Standards Task Force and Standards and Effectiveness Unit were set up in 1997 and a website wholly
dedicated to standards shows how central this issue has remained6. This has meant an avalanche of targets and
some more were in fact added to the Public Service Agreements (PSAs)
released in October 2007, for example “narrowing the gap in educational
achievement between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their
peers” by 2017.

Conclusions

Irrespective of the way the child is brought up in various civilizations, the

aim of education is to create the social change; produce citizens for the civil
society and provide opportunity to all social classes for the growth of individuals and communities. Pakistan
is a Republic but the aim of education is not clear. Ironically, developing a national aim of education is not the
agenda of our law makers; not even the reform oriented political parties have declared any concrete policy
on education.
The surveys of schools conducted in rural Sind and Punjab in 1990s revealed that 60 percent of our schools in
our rural areas are not functioning. The people who can write their names are only 52 percent in Pakistan; the
unofficial literacy level is much lower. lf we have a national debate on the question does nature or nurture is
responsible for our underdevelopment the majority will favor the concept of Fatalism(a
philosophical doctrine emphasizing the subjugation of all events or actions to fate). Under these
circumstances we cannot discuss the Philosophy of Kant or Hegel in Pakistan. It is no surprise that Pakistan
became the breeding ground of fanatic religious ideologies supported by brotherly countries since 1979.
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022

Question No.4
Critically analyze the functions of universities in Pakistan.

University Education System

Pakistan has a large higher education system with over 190
recognized private and public sector universities. Unfortunately,
no Pakistani university is among the top 600 universities in The
Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019.

This is an indication that there is a definite need to improve

Pakistan’s higher education system. The need is exacerbated by
the fact that the majority of the over 200 million people in the
country are young.

Functions of universities in Pakistan

According to official figures, 64 percent of Pakistanis are below the age of 30. Any higher educational reform
must be designed to take this significant age cohort into account.

With the new government of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) in Islamabad which placed a great emphasis on
human development in its election manifesto, the country appears to be poised to address the higher education
challenge. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s PTI has promised to put in place “the most ambitious education agenda
in Pakistan’s history, spanning reform of primary, secondary, tertiary, vocational, and special education.”

It remains to be determined whether his government will be able to walk the talk. That’s because there are many
areas that must be addressed in order to develop Pakistan’s higher educational system. Three are at the top of
the list.

First is quality improvement. As noted, Pakistan higher

educational institutions were not ranked in the top 600 on
Times Higher Education Ranking. Only three Pakistani
universities — COMSATS Institute of Information
Technology University of Agriculture, Faisalabad and
National University of Sciences and Technology ranked
in the top 1000 universities in the world. In comparison,
five universities in neighboring India made it to top 500
and 33 made it to top 1000 global institutions in the
Times ranking. Pakistan’s poor performance comes in
spite of the fact that successive governments launched a
variety of measures to improve higher education two decades since the inception of Pakistan’s Higher
Education Commission (HEC) in 2002.
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022
Second is access. The number of Pakistani universities has increased to 192but the ratio of higher education
institutions to the eligible population is still significantly lower than that of other neighboring countries. The
ratio of PhD members of the total faculty is below 30 per cent. Poor Pakistanis are unable to afford to private
sector universities. Thus, there is need to increase public sector universities. The higher education allocation in
the budget is woefully insufficient at only 0.26 percent of GDP.

The enrollment in higher education is approximately nine percent of the eligible Pakistan population

Third, is Pakistan’s regulatory body the Higher Education Commission (HEC). Last month, the second most
senior official of the body, the Executive Director had to resign over plagiarism charges. A former HEC
Chairman is facing similar charges. Merit-based appointment in the HEC and all the universities has been a
major challenge over the past several years. Under the 18th constitutional amendment, the provincial
governments were supposed to establish their own higher education commissions (HECs). Until now, only the
Punjab and Sindh provinces have set up their own HECs, while Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-
Baltistan and Azad Kashmir have failed to make any substantial progress on this front.

Given the foregoing conditions, all eyes are on the

newly elected government to address the key
challenges and problems faced by the higher
education sector. In his first speech after being
elected as the Prime Minister Imran Khan highlighted
the importance of a knowledge economy, youth
empowerment and strengthening higher education.
While chairing a high-level meeting attended by
senior educationists, he said every possible effort
would be made to provide required resources to the
universities for promotion of higher education.

This commitment represents a good beginning and a sound vision. For Pakistan to excel on the world stage, it
needs to use that framework to reach high. It needs to have the end goal of making Pakistan’s higher education
system world class.

Imran Khan was one of the greatest cricket players in the history of the sport. He achieved that status through
grit and determination and a commitment to becoming world class. Pakistan needs to make a similar
commitment to higher education for its citizens.

Over time, and it will take decades, Pakistan needs to develop a world class higher education system. Such a
system would be student or customer-centered rather than institution-centered. It would be comprised of
certified and caring institutions that have the resources required and the core mission of ensuring that
students/customers acquire the knowledge/skills/abilities and dispositions that they need to achieve their
individual goals and to maximize their contribution to society.
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022
There are many steps that must be taken to make Pakistan’s higher education system world class:

• The federal and provincial governments currently provide limited funding for higher education. Public
sector financing could be used to support existing public institutions and to establish new ones in
regions in which there are limited higher educational opportunities.

• Colleges and universities throughout Pakistan have inadequate physical settings, lack equipment, and
suffer from a shortage of competent teachers. Ensuring that each higher educational institution is
infrastructural sound, establishes the proper environment for learning and growth.

• The enrollment in higher education is approximately 9% of the eligible Pakistan population. This
percentage needs to be much higher for the country to be considered and to become a developed or
developing country. It also needs to be representative of the entire population of Pakistan including
females, those from the weaker sectors, and rural areas.

• The functioning of the HEC must be markedly improved. The higher education bodies should be set up
in all provinces as per the constitution. This regulatory body should collect data and use it to monitor
performance and ensure accountability for each institution in the higher education system.

• The higher education system must meet the needs of potential employers and prospective employees.
Currently, there is a mismatch. The higher educational system must equip itself to be the provider of
first resort to provide Pakistan with a skilled workforce.

Conclusion
There are many other steps that must be taken — such as ensuring effective collaboration between the Centre
and provinces to improve the standards of universities and other higher education institutions, – in order to
make Pakistan’s higher education system world class. With this new administration, the vision is there and the
journey has begun. It should not conclude until the destination of being world class is reached.
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022

Question No.5
Discuss the higher education system in Australia. Highlight the implications of this system of
improvement of higher education system of Pakistan.

Understanding the Australian Education System The Educational Structure

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL

Prior to higher education, Australian students attend primary and

secondary school for a combined total of 12 years. These years are
referred to as the first through twelfth grades.

Around age six, children begin primary school, which is most

commonly called “elementary school.” They attend five or six years
and then go onto secondary school.

Secondary school consists of two programs: the first is “middle

school” or “junior high school” and the second program is “high
school.” A diploma or certificate is awarded upon graduation from
high school. After graduating high school (12th grade), students may
go on to college or university. College or university study is known as
“higher education.”

GRADING SYSTEM

Just like Australian students, you will have to submit your academic transcripts as part of your application for
admission to university or college. Academic transcripts are official copies of your academic work. In the
Australia, this includes your “grades” and “grade point average” (GPA), which are measurements of your
academic achievement. Courses are commonly graded using percentages, which are converted into letter
grades.

Therefore, there are some crucial things to keep in mind:

• You should find out the Australia equivalent of the last level of education you completed in your home
country.
• Pay close attention to the admission requirements of each university and college, as well as individual
degree programs, which may have different requirements than the university.
• Regularly meet with an educational advisor or guidance counselor to make sure you are meeting the
requirements.
• Your educational advisor or guidance counselor will be able to advise you on whether or not you must
spend an extra year or two preparing for Australian university admission. If an international student entered
a Australian university or college prior to being eligible to attend university in their own country, some
countries’ governments and employers may not recognize the students’ Australian education.
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022

ACADEMIC YEAR

The school calendar usually begins in August or September and continues through May or June. The majority
of new students begin in autumn, so it is a good idea for international students to also begin their Australian
university studies at this time. There is a lot of excitement at the beginning of the school year and students form
many great friendships during this time, as they are all adjusting to a new phase of academic life. Additionally,
many courses are designed for students to take them in sequence, starting in autumn and continuing through the
year.

• First Level: Undergraduate

“The Australian system is much more open. In Hong Kong you just learn what the teacher writes on the board.
In Australia, you discuss the issues and focus more on ideas.”

A student, who is attending a college or university and has not earned a bachelor’s degree, is studying at the
undergraduate level. It typically takes about four years to earn a bachelor’s degree. You can either begin your
studies in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree at community college or a four-year university or college.

• Second Level: Graduate in Pursuit of a Master’s Degree

Presently, a college or university graduate with a bachelor’s degree may want to seriously think about graduate
study in order to enter certain professions or advance their career. This degree is usually mandatory for higher-
level positions in library science, engineering, behavioral health and education.

• Third Level: Graduate in Pursuit of a Doctorate Degree

Many graduate schools consider the attainment of a master’s degree the first step towards earning a PhD
(doctorate). But at other schools, students may prepare directly for a doctorate without also earning a master’s
degree. It may take three years or more to earn a PhD degree. For international students, it may take as long as
five or six years.
 Saher Aslam, Roll No.CF503410 2022

Classroom Environment

Classes range from large lectures with several hundred students to smaller classes and seminars (discussion
classes) with only a few students. The Australian university classroom atmosphere is very dynamic. You will be
expected to share your opinion, argue your point, participate in class discussions and give presentations.
International students find this one of the most surprising aspects of the Australian education system.

Major Selection:

As far as major selection is considered, it is very flexible; you can change your major at any stage of your
Undergraduate Degree. It is also common here to have two or more than two majors in a degree. You have
choice to study whatever you want, no matter in which subject or major you were enrolled for the first time.
There are no hard and fast rules to switch your major.

Class Rooms:

It would not be wrong if we say that class room culture in

Australian Universities is almost totally different from that
in Pakistan in aspects, Behaviors of Students/Teachers and
resources availability. An Australian teacher has more
resources available in class room than that are available to
Pakistani teacher. Almost class rooms of every university
are smart class rooms, Teachers can record their lectures
that are easily available to students later.
Lecture recording is not common in Pakistan but still class
rooms in Pakistani universities are equipped with
multimedia systems.

Behavior of teachers with their students is friendlier than in Pakistan.

Financial Situation of An Australian Student:

When I compare the Financial situations of Australian and Pakistani university students. It is found it very
worse for Australian students and realized that our country is blessed in this regard. A Pakistani student who
has never traveled to Australia, it’s hard for him/her to even imagine how expensive education in Australia is.
Most of the students have thousands of dollars loan when they complete their education. During their student
life they also have to work hard to manage their finances. In Pakistan, more option of financial assistance is
available to students. And best part is that students have not to return this money after completing their
education.

THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERATION!