Role of Distance Education in Promotion of Women Education in Pakistan

Abstract

Education plays a significant role in growth of mind and individual income as it helps an individual in contributing to society in a positive way. It positively affects the attitude of an individual in adjusting to the society and adds in economic and societal growth. The main objective of education is to reshape the personalities and attitudes of people to build a better society and grow the economy. In this way, women education becomes more important. There is a common saying, “If a man is educated, an individual is educated, and if a women is educated, the entire family is educated”. The distance learning mode of education has been recognized as a great resource to give equal access to education to the women from remote areas of developing countries including Pakistan. However, proper quality assurance systems are to be placed for distance and open education in order to avoid its misuse and to ensure uncompromised education. With this backdrop, the main objective of the present study was to assess the role of distance education in extending and promoting women education. The nature of the study was quantitative and survey type. The masters students {MA (Education)/MEd level} of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) enrolled for spring semester-2018 to spring-2019, all the tutors of postgraduate Teacher Education Programs of AIOU, academicians relating to distance education and formal education programs were the population of this study. Due to lack of resources, and constraints of time and scope of the study, it was limited to four regions that were randomly sampled. A total number of 300 students from relevant programs were randomly selected i.e., 75 students from each region. 100 tutors of relevant programs were randomly sampled by selecting 25 tutors from each region. Questionnaires were used as research instruments. SPSS was used for data analysis. The data were analyzed and interpreted by applying statistical method of percentage and mean scores. The results show that the distance education has positively contributed towards women education. It has also improved their social, social skills, communication skills and the skills required for employment and entrepreneurship. The results further show that distance education has benefited the remotely located women in the country. However, the quality aspects of distance education need to be addressed to enhance further benefits to women who opt for distance education.

Agency, aspirations and citizenship: Non‐formal education from the perspective of children in street situations in Pakistan

“…This is despite the fact that in 2010, the government introduced Article 25‐A in the Pakistani Constitution, which declares that the State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children aged between 5 and 16 years old (Pakistan, 1982). A study conducted by Jumani et al (2011) attributed children being out of school in Pakistan to a shortage of formal schools and the high costs of formal education. They further advocated the need for more non‐formal systems of education to cater to the rising demand for education currently not being met by the formal education system.…”

Time Management and Written Assignments in Distance Education: A Set of Communicating Vessels. A Case Study in Hellenic Open University

“…, the research byKoustourakis, Panagiotakopoulou & Lionarakis (2003), whose title is: "Investigation of Obstacles to the Implementation of Open and Distance Education and Proposals to Overcome Them",Vassala's (2013) research, entitled: "The 'Laboratory for the Future' educational technique as a tool to overcome inhibiting factors in the preparation of written assignments in distance education", the research ofVassala & Andreadou (2009), the research ofJumani, Rahman, Iqbal, & Chisht (2011), which is entitled "Factors to improve Written Assignments in Pakistan", as well asPatton's (2000) empirical research, entitled: "The Importance of Being Flexible with Assignment".…”

Community Radio, Family and Psychological Support for Sexual Harassment Issues: A Study of Yoruba Usage

“…Radio, as a medium of mass communication therefore, plays an active role in both the transmission and preservation of culture from one generation to another. Unlike the printed words and other media of communication, radio enjoys the unique advantages of reaching the far flung areas and message can be easily understood by everyone as it requires no prior standard of education and knowledge (Hasan & Khurshid, 1994 p. 225;Jumani, 2009).…”

“…In Africa, community radio is one of the fastest, powerful, inexpensive and in many countries the only way of communication with rural people. It reaches people of all cultural, social, educational and economic levels very quickly (Teer-Tomaselli, 2001;Mhagama, 2004;Jumani, 2009;. Wanyeki (2000, p. 30) reasoned that community radios are about "both access to and dissemination of information.…”