Download Action Research - University of Leeds

Influences of Leadership Practices in
Pakistan: Tensions and Dilemmas
By
Nadeem Ahmad Khan & Professor Christopher Day
Teacher and Leadership Research Center, School of Education,
The University of Nottingham
Background and context:
- Pakistan –a country facing several challenges
(Geo-political facts)
- Education: What numbers say: Over-all literacy
54% (2006-7 Pakistan Economic Survey)
- Male 65% Female 42%
- Public Spending on Education 2.1% GDP
(2006-7 Pakistan
Economic Survey)
- Types of Schools in Pakistan (Public, Private,
Madressas, Franchise, Elite International,
NGOs/Charity sponsored, Small Schools in
urban areas and schools in residential homes
Key Issues and Questions Posed:
• Head teachers Role: 2nd most important in improving
learning outcomes of students. (Leithwood and Day 2007)
• Government of Pakistan is keen to raise standards and
pledges to raise quality education for all.
• What are the contexts (social, biographical, ecological etc.)
that help/hinder headtechers of Pakistan in improving the
standards?
• What leadership practices are prevalent in Pakistani
schools? Are these similar/different to those in available
through literature?
• What factors influence school leaders’ practices in the
schools?
Research Strategy:
Selection of Sample: Schools of Lahore (Provincial Capital of the
largest populated province of Pakistan)
Multi Method Approach: Interviews, field notes, observations
Phase 1
-Interviews with 12 head teachers ( 1 Head teacher from each of
the Zones allocated by the City District Government)
-Field observations in 12 schools as above
Phase 2
-Identification of Four Case Study Schools
- Case Studies lasted three weeks in each of the four schools
-Interviews with head teacher, 5 teachers, 5 students and 2
parents in each school
-Overt Observations of school routine processes
Case Study Schools
Type of
School
Number of
Pupils
Number of
Teachers
Teacher:
Student
Min
Qualifications
Public School
2207
60
1: 37
B.A/B Ed
Private School
(Community)
904
45
1:20
Majority
Students
Private School
(Franchise)
202
15
1:13
Majority
Students
Private School
(Elite)
321
20
1:16
Foreign
Qualified
Issues During the fieldwork
• Access to Schools:
• Security
• Ethics
Comparison: Public Vs Private Schools
Public School Case Study
Physical Conditions
Classroom Conditions: Continued
View from Outside
Case 2: Another world: Private
School
Private School… Continued
Case 2: Conditions in School: Two
different worlds
Case 3
Case 3
Case 3
Case 4
Case 4
01 July 2008
For further information please contact
[email protected]
19
More Findings
• Examples of unique practices from case
studies:
- Dealing with malpractices in examinations
- The visit of inspector in public school
- Political pressures
01 July 2008
For further information please contact at
[email protected]
20
Continued….
• Distributed Leadership model seems not
working in the context of schools under
study.
• Leadership is a value-laden concept.
• It should be unwise to try out policies in the
western countries without locally testing
them.
Thank you
Questions?
For further clarification please contact at
[email protected]