A comparative study of public and working folks grammar schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan in light of the national professional standards for teachers at secondary level

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to review and compare the awareness and teaching practices of Public and Working Folks Grammar School (later WFGS) teachers in the light of National Professional Standards (later NPST). The study population consisted of all female Secondary School Teachers (later SST) of Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, and Mardan districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This is a quantitative research study. A sample size was limited to 200 SST by using the random sampling technique. The study is delimited to three standards, i.e., subject matter knowledge, planning, instructional strategies, and assessment. The percentages, frequencies, and sample t-tests are used for data analysis. The findings reveal that more than 50% of the SSTs in both types of schools are aware of NPST, but the number is higher in WFGS compared to public schools. The teachers perceived that these standards have a significant role in developing professionalism. Based on the evaluation of data and the existing teaching practices, raising awareness among the teachers about the importance and practical implementation of NPST is obligatory. It is highly recommended that proper training programs and workshops should be conducted to train the teachers according to NPST.