This document discusses the approaches to educational management and administration. It begins by defining educational administration and management. It then outlines four types of educational management: centralized vs decentralized, external vs internal, autocratic vs democratic, and creative. It discusses the historical evolution of management approaches from ancient China to the modern concepts developed by Taylor, Fayol, Weber, and Follett. It notes the shift from classical bureaucratic views to perspectives recognizing human and behavioral factors. Finally, it outlines the classification of school systems and importance of research revealing behavioral perspectives in educational administration.
This document discusses the approaches to educational management and administration. It begins by defining educational administration and management. It then outlines four types of educational management: centralized vs decentralized, external vs internal, autocratic vs democratic, and creative. It discusses the historical evolution of management approaches from ancient China to the modern concepts developed by Taylor, Fayol, Weber, and Follett. It notes the shift from classical bureaucratic views to perspectives recognizing human and behavioral factors. Finally, it outlines the classification of school systems and importance of research revealing behavioral perspectives in educational administration.
This document discusses the approaches to educational management and administration. It begins by defining educational administration and management. It then outlines four types of educational management: centralized vs decentralized, external vs internal, autocratic vs democratic, and creative. It discusses the historical evolution of management approaches from ancient China to the modern concepts developed by Taylor, Fayol, Weber, and Follett. It notes the shift from classical bureaucratic views to perspectives recognizing human and behavioral factors. Finally, it outlines the classification of school systems and importance of research revealing behavioral perspectives in educational administration.
Units: 1-4 Submitted to: Khalid Mahmood Submitted by: Namra Fatima Level: MA/M. Ed. Department: Secondary Teacher Education Department Semester: Spring Session: 2021 Roll no: CA548568 Registration no: 17PNL05172 Question no #1 Discuss the different approaches of educational management and administration? Educational Administration Administration means overall determination of policies, setting of major objectives, the identification of general purposes and laying down of programmes and projects. Administration means guidance, leadership & control of the efforts of the groups towards some common goals. It refers to the activities of higher level. It lays down basic principles of the enterprise. Educational Management According to Henri Fayor, “to manage is to forecast and plan, to coordinate, and control”. Van Fleet and Peterson define Management is “a set of activities directed at the efficient utilization of resources in pursuit of one or more goal”. It is an art of getting things done through & with the people in formally organized groups. The types are: (1) Centralized and Decentralized Education Management (2) External and Internal Education Management (3) Autocratic and Democratic Educational Management (4) Creative Educational Management Education management and administration refer to both a field of study to pursue and a type of career a professional can work within. Professionals in this field not only have a passion for education, but they also want to be decision-makers for matters of policy, curriculum, and personnel. Approaches to Educational Management and Administration The Chinese are known to have had highly systematic, large-scale systems at about same time as the pyramids were built, which used many of the management concepts, which are still i use today. Nearer to us in time and better known to most of us are the ideas and concepts that underlay the establishment of the reputed civil services of Europe and Great Britain in the nineteenth century. Two key notions provided the essential rationale for civil services. 1. The idea that administration is an activity that can be studied and taught separately from the content of what is being administered. 2. The belief that decisions about the policies and purposes of government belong to the realm of political action but that these decisions are best implemented by civil servants whose jobs are not dependent on the whims of politicians and who are free to develop good administrative procedures. In the United States in the nineteenth century, the term administration was used in the context of the government and the idea it represented gave rise to the growth of public administration, although civil service in America tended to connote a system which is designed to ensure honesty and fairness rather than the expertise associated with the European and British systems. Industrial revolution brought about a change in the concept of general administration, which in turn, reflected in educational management and administration. Fredrick W. Taylor developed what later became known as his four principles of scientific management. They were: 1. Eliminate the guesswork of rule of thumb. Try to find out the approaches in deciding how each worker has to do a job by adopting scientific measurements, to break the job into a series of small, related tasks. 2. Use more scientific, systematic methods for selection of workers and training them for specific jobs. 3. Establish the concept that there is a clear division of, responsibility between management and workers, as management has to do the goal setting, planning and supervision and workers executing the required tasks. 4. Establish the discipline in which management sets the objectives and the workers co - operate in achieving them. These became enormously popular not only in industry, but also in the management of all kinds of organizations, including the family. Fayol believed that a trained administrative group was essential for improving the operations of organizations, which were becoming increasingly complex. He defined administration in terms of five functions: ➢ Planning ➢ Organizing ➢ Commanding ➢ Coordinating ➢ controlling A German sociologist, Max Weber. produced some of the most useful. durable and brilliant works on administrative system: it seemed promising at that time and since from that time has proved indispensable: bureaucracy. As the study of problems of organization, management and administration became established more and more firm, the principle of scientific management received increased attention, also faced challenges from scholars and practitioners. The work of May Parker Foilett was unique in the development of management thought. Her ideas were rooted in the classical traditions of organizational theory but matured in such a way that she, in effect. Bridged the gap between scientific management and the early industrial psychologists. ➢ First, viewed management as a social process ➢ Second, saw it inextricably enmeshed in the particular situation. She did not see authority as flowing from top of the organization's hierarchy to be parceled out among those in lower levels. ➢ The third was coordinated as the reciprocal relating of all the factors in the situation and finally, coordination as a continuing process which recognized that management is an ever- changing dynamic process in response to emergency situations, sharp contrast to traditional, static, classic views that sought to codify universal principles of action. Leadership was of great interest for those concerned with organizations and social scientists didn't take too long in realizing that, unlike the classical view, leadership is not something that " greet people " or individuals with formal legal authority due to their subordinates, but rather, is a processor which involves dynamic interaction with subordinates. Classical or bureaucratic concepts of organizations are sometimes said to focusing on organizations without people. There is such great emphasis on formal organizational structure and high rational logic control that people are often viewed as those who can fit into the structure on the organization's terms. A new concept of acceptance developed among students of educational administration, which recognized the dynamic interrelationships between the structural characteristics of the organization and the personal characteristics of the individual Unlike informal human social systems, the school systems and schools may be classified as follows: a) They are specifically goal - oriented. b) The work to be done so as to achieve goals is divided into subtasks and assigned as official duties to established positions in the organizations. c) These positions are arranged hierarchically in the formal organization and authority relationships are clearly established. d) General and impersonal organizational rules govern, to a large extent. what people do in their official capacity and also, to a large extent shape and deli nit the interpersonal interactions of people in the organizations. Research in the field of educational administration revealed the importance of behavioral perspectives, that is, the Human Resources Management (HRM). Here the educational organizations are characterized not by their order, rationality and system inheritance in classical thinking. Question No # 2 What are aims and objectives of education management according to education policy 1979 in Pakistan? Education management Educational Management is a field which is concerned with the operation of educational organizations. It is the process of planning, organizing and directing activities in a school, effectively utilizing human and material resources, in order to accomplish the school's objectives. It helps the members of the organization to know the aims & objectives of organization and also directs them to achieve those goals. Objectives Of Education Management 1. To develop an understanding of the concept of educational management. 2. To develop an understanding of the roles and functions of an educational manager. 3. To develop an understanding of the essential components of democratic classroom management. 4. To develop an awareness of the characteristics of quality institutions. 5. Achievement of the institutions’ objectives. 6. To improve the planning, organizing and implementation of the institution’s activities and processes. 7. To manage interpersonal conflicts, manage stress and use time effectively. Educational management helps in the achievement institution’s objectives i.e. It ensures school and college effectiveness. It improves planning, organizing and implementing and institution’s activities and process. It helps in appropriate utilization of its human resources i.e., teaching staff, non –teaching staff and students. It enhances efficiency of the institution i.e.; it helps in attaining the goals with minimum cost and time. Aim Of Education Management The overall aim of educational management is to effectively and efficiently create and maintain environments within educational institutions that promote, support, and sustain effective teaching and learning, but how those key objectives are set and the means by which they are attained may differ significantly. 1)Educational Management is necessary to develop the inter relationship among different human resources and physical resources and with the organization. 2)Educational management is essential for proper planning of any educational institution. It gives the practical shape of the planning. 3)It is necessary in this sense that it stresses on the decentralization of facilities and delegation of powers. 4)It is necessary for the proper evaluation and future course of action. 5)It demands on the educational institution that makes its curriculum more relevant to the life and needs of the changing society in effective and efficient manner. Aims and objectives of education management according to education policy 1979 in Pakistan In the light of the commitment of the Government of Pakistan to the achievement of universal literacy and for the provision of free and compulsory elementary primary education as prescribed in the Constitution of Pakistan and as outlined under Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ratified by the United Nations, the country has introduced some twenty-two policies and action plans since 1947. After 60 years and at the stage of electing political leadership for the next 5 years, it is time to reflect on the progress made, lessons learnt and critically examine the setbacks which we might have suffered on the way, and chart a way forward with a new vigor. The New National Education Policy, (NEP) 2009 comes in a series of education policies dating back to the very inception of the country in 1947. ➢ The first National Educational Conference produced a strong philosophy of as well as a number of ambitious recommendations indicating the future goals of education in Pakistan Nevertheless, many of its recommendations remained in documentary form only for the lack of institutional or economic resources to pursue them. ➢ In 1959 Notational Commission on was established which recommended that education should be made compulsory up to primary level by the year 1969 and up to middle level by the year 1974. ➢ In 1969, the New Education policy emphasized adult literacy. The Education Policy, 1972 anticipated universal primary education for boys and girls by the years 1979 and 1984 respectively, with its extension up to middle level in the next three years. ➢ The New Education, Policy 1970 recommended a shift to scientific, technical and vocational education for middle level skilled worker. It also emphasized a 50: 50 ratio between science and humanities subjects enrollment. ➢ National Education Policy 1979 emphasized the universal primary education, by 1986-87 utilizing non-formal sources, open ‘Mosque Schools’ and, ‘Mohalla Schools’ for girls on a large scale. ➢ Since 1979 no further expansion is seen in the field of education planning in Pakistan except some new policy-decisions in certain areas such as primary education, teacher training and higher education and research. Nevertheless, more emphasis is given to universalize the primary education and quite a number of international projects have been launched in this field. ➢ The Educational Policy 1992 was announced by the Federal Minister of Education in Islamabad in June, 1992. The following characteristics were the most important features of this policy: 1. An emphasis on Privatization. 2. Encouraging the private sector in education. ➢ The recommendations of the education policies were highlighted in the next five-year plans of the country and the targets were set accordingly, however, meager resources were generally allocated to education and the education sector could not get a lion’s share in any of the budget proposal. Recently, the review process for the National Education Policy 1998-2010 was initiated in 2005 and the first document, the white paper was finalized in March 2007. The White Paper became the basis for development of the Policy document. Two main reasons prompted the MOE to launch the review in 2005 well before the time horizon of the existing policy framework (1998 – 2010) had approached. Firstly, the policy framework has not served as a satisfactory guide, as the policies pursued under that framework had not produced the desired educational results. Performance of the education sector has been deficient in several key aspects, most notably in access rates, and in quality and equity of educational opportunities. Secondly, new international challenges like Millennium Development and Dakar Education for All (EFA) goals, have gained greater momentum in the intervening years and demanded fresh consideration. These challenges are triggered by globalization and nation’s quest for becoming a “knowledge society”. Besides, some compelling domestic pressures such as devolution of powers, economic development and demographic transformations have necessitated a renewed commitment to proliferation of quality education for all. According to the White Paper, the purpose of education is: ‘The education system should raise highly knowledgeable, skillful, productive, creative and confident individuals who have advanced reasoning and perception of problem solving skills; are committed to democratic values and human rights; are open to new ideas; have a sense of personal responsibility; are committed to moral values; have assimilated the national cultures; are able to tolerate differences in opinion, faith and culture; have empathy towards all of humanity; and can participate in the productive activities in society for the common good using Social and Physical Sciences and Technology.’ Despite the constitutional guarantee of free and compulsory secondary education as stipulated in 1973 Constitution, Pakistan has been unable to achieve targets of universal primary enrollment objectives in over three decades. In Pakistan, net enrollment rate at the primary level is indicated as 68% in 2005, as per the, based on the data provided by the Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan. As per findings of the actual figure of Net Enrollment Rate (NER) for the same year is, however, as much lower as 53%. In 2005, of the 67% children enrolled in primary schools nearly 30% dropped out before completing 5 years of formal education. Net primary enrollment of Pakistan remains the lowest in South Asia and the same is true for the annual primary completion rates. The responsibility for setting the priorities, formulating policies and initiating measures to address various issues relating to basic education lies primarily on the shoulders of the political leadership of the country. Fortunately, there appears to be a broad consensus on the fundamental goals, including eradication of illiteracy, increase in access to primary education and improvement in the quality of education standards etc. among the political leadership of the country. Question No # 3 Explain concept, nature and characteristics of supervision? Meaning of supervision The dictionary of education defines supervision as all efforts of designated school officials towards providing leadership to teachers and other educational workers in the improvement of instruction. involves the stimulation of professional growth and development of teachers, the selection and revision of educational objectives. materials of instruction and methods of teaching, and the evaluation of instruction. Concept of Supervision The concept of inspection has to be transformed to one of a healthy supervision and guidance. Inspection days are looked upon sometimes with a degree of anxiety, tension, fear and apprehension. The academic side is not stressed. Supervision means establishing one’s wider vision, above vision, supreme vision and seeing other’s work carefully. From a management point of view, supervision means overseeing the subordinates or workers or members at work to ensure that work is being performed as required, directed and assigned based upon work plan. Virtually, it refers to the guidance and control of subordinates. The subordinates are supervised by the manager just to know whether they have performed the job according to plan, policy, program, instruction and scheduled time or not. This supervision is a continuing activity and it is performed at every level of management. The task of supervision is taken by the respective manager the manager while performing this task is known as a supervisor. Thus, a supervisor is one who is in charge of a group of workers. He plans, organizes, directs and regulates the activities of his group members. He allocates tasks among the subordinates, provides necessary material and inputs, guides, trains and then gets performance from them. Nature of the supervision The nature of educational supervision is very vast and dynamic. ➢ Supervision is a democratic and co - operative in sprit and Organization. The main purpose of the supervision should merely be to provide the effective leadership and dev clop co - operative working relationship. ➢ Supervision is a comprehensive in scope and it should embrace the total school programme and proper articulation which is necessary through all the supervisory agencies. Today supervision should be directed at improving all factors involved in teaching learning process. ➢ Supervision is a creative in nature. Teaching is an art: Supervision is a creative work. So, the purpose of supervision should be to draw out the best in teachers to ignite, their latent talents, to stimulate the initiative, to encourage their originality and self - expression. ➢ Supervision is a emphasize their success and strength make their weakness and failure as a side issue. The supervisors should always have new ideas resourcefulness and original thinking. ➢ Supervision is a scientific in nature. The supervisor should make use of scientific methods to effect improvement in instruction. Through surveys, experiments, action researches he should make his performance more scientific and effective. He will encourage constructive and critical thinking among teachers and discourage flattering and biased opinion. ➢ Supervision is an experimental and auto - critical in nature. In contrast to autocratic and authoritarian type, the emerging concept of supervision stimulates experimentalism and self - criticism. Characteristics of Supervision • Element of Directing: Supervision is one of the four important elements of directing. The other three being – motivation, communication and leadership. • Universal activity: Supervision is a very common activity, which is required at different levels of management. • Continuous Process: Constant and frequent supervision is required by the employees to perform various tasks as well as to resolve issues related to the work or job which occur abruptly. • Direct Contact: The two parties involved in the process of supervision are – Supervisor and Subordinate. Hence, there is a direct and one to one contact between the two. • Overseeing work: Supervision is done with an aim of guiding as well as keeping an eye on the work performed by the employees, to ensure that they are working in an appropriate manner. Also, there are no deviations from the plans, policies and objectives of the concern. • Utilization of Resources: It facilitates optimum utilization of resources, which leads to the elimination of wastage and achieving maximum output at minimum cost. Supervision aims to ensure that the employees work in an efficient and effective way, to accomplish the tasks satisfactorily, which is assigned to them, by their supervisor. The supervisor is concerned with communication within a group as leadership depends on better social interaction - communication, which should be a two-way process from the supervisor. Because exchange of information always helps in planning and implementation of the policies or projects. Supervision should be comprehensive in scope and it should embrace the total school programme and proper articulation which is necessary through all the supervisory agencies. Today supervision should be directed at improving all factors involved in teaching learning process. Teaching is an art: Supervision is a creative work. So, the purpose of supervision should be to draw out the best in teachers to ignite, their latent talents, to stimulate the initiative, to encourage their originality and self - expression. So any aspect of the learning situation found to be ineffective or detrimental to the achievement of better situation should be dropped or modified by supervisor through leading and guiding the teachers to do their job in effective ways. Question No # 4 Explain the aims and objectives of education system. Also discuss approaches of educational planning? Education system The term education system generally refers to public schooling, not private schooling, and more commonly to kindergarten through high school programs. Schools or school districts are typically the smallest recognized form of “education system” and countries are the largest. The most important role of our education system is to build a brighter future for our nation's students as professionals and as citizens, which hinges on its ability to providing students with the skills to obtain well-paying, valued careers. Aims of education system The aims of education are determined by national political, social, economic, psychological and pedagogical needs. Many of the fundamental concerns of education have persisted throughout the centuries, but in the course of time different aspects have been stressed. Three main aims of education are, however, embodied in every list in one form or another. They are (a) the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical development of the individual and his adjustment to society (b) the economic viability of the individual (c) the maintenance of the cultural identity of the society to which the individual belongs Objectives of education system One may classify these objectives of education into such groups as the following: - (a) Political objectives of education National integration and internationalizing Equality of educational opportunity and the creation of trained manpower. (b) Economic objectives of education National development and improvement of the quality of life (c) Social objectives of education Establishing a social welfare state providing security, full employment and social justice Creating a dynamic and constantly moving society (d) Pedagogical objectives of education Harmonious development of the individual’s personality and capacity of his intellect, his emotions and his will better occupation of leisure The Education Policy Commission of the National Education Association of the United States has examined the purposes of education and developed four set of objectives: - a) Objectives of self-realization b) Objectives of human relationships c) Objectives of economic efficiency d) Objectives of civic responsibility Approaches of educational planning Educational planning is concerned with the problems of how to make the best use of limited resources allocated to education in view of the priorities given to different stages of education or different sector of education and the need of the economy. According to Adesina (1982), there are three approaches to educational planning. The three rival approaches are: 1. The social demand approach 2. The manpower requirement approach 3. The cost benefit analysis Some others are: Intra-educational extrapolation model ➢ Planning based on data available. ➢ Concentration on one aspect / program. ➢ Size of target, time, money. ➢ One of the options in the Educational Planning for Primary Education ➢ It analyzes the time and funding required in light of the needs for the specific program, and promotes workshops to involve members of the institution in decision-making activities. Demographic projection model ➢ Demographic development has become a source of planning. ➢ Estimating the population that future educational system is to serve. ➢ Useful to take decision on new school/college permission School mapping. ➢ Micro planning. ➢ Geographical location of school is considered. ➢ From national frame to regional and local conditions and constraints ➢ School mapping is a set of techniques and procedures used to estimate future education requirements at local level and work out what needs to be done to meet them. ➢ Do not confuse school mapping with a simple “atlas” merely showing the location of schools. ➢ Unlike an ordinary map that by its very nature is static, school mapping gives a dynamic and prospective vision of how the education service should look in the future, showing its buildings, teachers, and facilities, to enable the implementation of education policies. Manpower or human resource development approach or model ➢ Planning should consider of human resource in all fields required for country. ➢ Education planning should be skill based, expected man power. ➢ Based on demand supply principle. Social demand approach or model. ➢ Educational planning should be given according to the demand from society. ➢ It should be able to fulfill to need of all level education ➢ It focuses on quantitative planning Rate of return approach or model ➢ Economics approach ➢ Capitalist approach. ➢ Cost – effectiveness/ cost-benefits ➢ More benefits – more investment. ➢ Education as an investment. Social justice approach or model ➢ Planning for social development. ➢ Constitutional goals. ➢ Education for Deprived groups of society like Dalits, women, minority. Question No # 5 Elaborate the process of project planning. Also discuss is salient features and flaws in project planning at school level in Pakistan? Project planning Project planning is the process of defining your objectives and scope, your goals and milestones (deliverables), and assigning tasks and budgetary resources for each step. A good plan is easily shareable with everyone involved, and it's most useful when it's revisited regularly. The process of project planning ➢ Think of your plan as a roadmap for stakeholders Every project needs a roadmap with clearly defined goals that should not change after the first phase of the project has been completed. All stakeholders benefiting from the outcome or involved in executing the project should be named and their needs stated during the initial project planning process. These stakeholders might include: • The project manager or the person ultimately responsible for completion • The “customer” who receives the deliverables—this can be someone on your team (internal) or an actual paying customer. • The team, or the people responsible for any tactic that’s part of the plan. ➢ Break the project into a list of deliverables Develop a list of all deliverables. This list should break down the larger project into smaller tasks that can be assigned to specific team members, and you should include estimated deadlines associated with each deliverable or task. Make sure that you understand and document the approval process for each deliverable. If your project is for an external customer, make sure you are clear on their internal approval process, so that you’re not surprised by delays or slowed down with wading through competing opinions. ➢ Talk to your team Identify by name all individuals and/or organizations involved in each deliverable or task, and describe their responsibilities in detail. Otherwise, miscommunication can lead to delays and situations where team members may have to redo their work. Hold a kickoff meeting to talk to your team about your intended plan of attack. Ask them to help you think about the best way to get the work done. Not only will this help you be more efficient, it will help you get their buy-in because they’ll feel more ownership over the process. Using a project management tool like Basecamp can be helpful keeping everyone on track and storing documents and conversations all in one place. ➢ Identify risks Determine the risks involved in your project. You don’t have to have a specific course of action identified for every possible negative outcome, but you should spend some time with your team, thinking through what could go wrong. Then, you can do as much as you can to mitigate those risks from the outset, rather than being caught off guard later. Risk factors can also have some influence on how you budget. ➢ Create a budget Attached to your list of milestones and deliverables should be information about the project cost and estimated budget. Resist the urge to assign large dollar amounts to big projects without identifying exactly how the money is intended to be spent. This will help your team understand the resources they have to work with to get the job done. For certain items, you might need to get quotes from a few different vendors. It can be helpful to document the agreed upon project scope briefly in your budget documentation. ➢ Add milestones Use your list of deliverables as a framework for adding milestones and tasks that will need to be completed to accomplish the larger goal. Establish reasonable deadlines, taking into account project team members’ productivity, availability, and efficiency. Our goals should be: Specific: Clear, concise, and written in language anyone could understand. Measurable: Use numbers or quantitative language when appropriate. Avoid vague descriptions that leave success up to personal, subjective interpretation. Acceptable: Get buy-in from stakeholders on your goals, milestones, and deliverables. Realistic: Stretch goals are one thing, but don’t set goals that are impossible to achieve. ➢ Set progress reporting guidelines These can be monthly, weekly, or daily reports. Ideally, a collaborative workspace should be set up for your project online or offline where all parties can monitor the progress. Make sure you have a communication plan—document how often you’ll update stakeholders on progress and how you’ll share information—like at a weekly meeting or daily email. The secret to effective project planning and management is staying organized and communicating well with your team and stakeholders. In the United States, more than $250 billion is spent each year on information technology (IT) application development in approximately 175,000 projects. The Standish Group (a Boston based leader in project and value performance research) released the summary version of their 2009 CHAOS Report that tracks project failure rates across a broad range of companies and industries. Salient features and flaws in project planning at school level in Pakistan In 2016–2017, the education system of Pakistan from preprimary to university levels, including both public and private institutions, consisted of 33.2 million students taught in more than 237,000 institutions, excluding technical and vocational institutions (footnote 8). Primary schools go from Katchi (preprimary) or grade 1 to grade 5. There are some stand-alone middle schools (grades 6–8). Elementary schools combine the primary and middle grades ending with grade 8. Lower secondary schools are those where grade 10 is the highest, whereas higher secondary schools are those where grade 12 is the highest. These schools may or may not include primary and middle grades. There are four types of schools in Pakistan: • Public schools • Private schools with the medium of instruction in Urdu or English • Religious schools • Non-formal schools In 2016–2017, the major role in imparting education in Pakistan was played by the public sector with more than 164,000 institutions serving 21.6 million students. Private education in Pakistan does have a sizable share even at the school education level (preprimary to higher secondary) with a 31% share in the number of educational institutions and a 35% share in enrollments across Pakistan (footnote 8). The share of enrollments in private schools is much higher in urban areas at about 60%. The private sector ranges from low-cost private schools to high-cost elite schools, and includes stand-alone private schools, franchise schools, schools funded by government subsidies by provincial education foundations, and no-fee schools run by philanthropists and nongovernment organizations (NGOs). The private sector, however, is not regulated in a structured way. There is also a lack of systemized information available about the private sector to determine enrollments and the quality of education provided. Here are estimates based on the last private school census which, in some provinces, took place as far back as 2005. Pakistan has a very high number of children aged 5–16 years who are out of school. There are an estimated 121 million children out of school all over the world and an estimated 22.8 million of them are in Pakistan.15 There are substantial numbers of out-of-school children of all ages, with as many as 11.3 million teenagers (ages 13–16 years). The number of out-of-school children represents 44% of those at ages 5–16 years, with some variations across provinces. For example, 40% of children in the age group are out of school in Punjab, whereas as many as 52% are out of school in Sindh. Slightly more than half of these are girls. Mehdi and Rizvi (2001) conducted a study focusing on engineering education in Pakistan and found that the engineering education receives less attention from the government. Their study highlighted different engineering disciplines being offered in the engineering universities of Pakistan such as civil, mechanical, electrical communications engineering etc. Though the discipline of project management is central to the successful implementation of the engineering projects, it was evident from their study that the discipline of project management is largely ignored by the engineering universities in Pakistan. Raouf (1998) pointed out that the Pakistani universities are more focused on business education but not catering to the needs of operations management field. He particularly mentioned that the discipline of industrial/systems engineering is largely ignored by the universities in Pakistan. He further gave the example of the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan where the courses in operations management and management sciences are offered in the department of mechanical engineering. At the aforementioned institute, there was also an option of short courses in the field of operations management. ……………………………………………….