The Inadequacy of academic environment contributes to inadequate teaching and learning phenomena

This study aims at the inadequacy of academic environment as an indicator contributing to the inadequate teaching and learning situation in Pakistan. The main focus is to look into the low proficiency of students in the subject of English at secondary school level. A comprehensive questionnaire was designed from the literature concerned and The National Education Policy of Pakistan 1998 data were collected from the sample population of one hundred students and forty teachers, selected randomly from twenty eight public and private secondary schools of Punjab, Pakistan. The data were analyzed statistically by using SPSS 13.0. The results showed a considerable deficiency of academic environment such as overcrowded classrooms, minimum use of English and absence of feedback mechanism. The provision of library facility and audio-visual aids remained the lowest. The overall situation of academic environment was found unsatisfactory in the secondary schools of public and private sectors. The study will provide a guideline to English teachers, policy makers, educationists and students.


INTRODUCTION
An attempt was made in this study to find out the provision of academic facilities such as the less crowded classrooms, the provision of library facilities, availability of audio visual aids, existence of a sound feedback mechanism, along with the use of English as a language of communication and the allocation of projects and assignments to the students.It was hypothesized that inadequate academic facilities adversely affect the teaching and learning phenomena in public and secondary schools of Pakistan.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study will identify the issues regarding inadequate academic facilities provided to students and teachers at secondary level in private and public schools, ways to improve the existing academic environment to facilitate the teaching and learning of English Language in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The Declining standard of teaching and learning situation of English Language has always been a challenging issue in Pakistani education.Substantial body of research studies have been carried out by different scholars to identify the causes of the low standard of *Corresponding author E-mail: shahlaqasim1@hotmail.com Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License teaching and learning situation of English Language in Pakistan.Warsi (2004) underscored multiple threatening concerns at institutional and administrative level and stated that the problematic issues such as inadequacy of pedagogic techniques, inappropriate text books, a wide disparity between the curriculum and needs of the learners and lack of a potentially strong monitory mechanism to check the efficacy of teaching methods pose significant hurdles in attaining the targeted goals.Teenvo (2011) identified the challenges faced by teachers and students in teaching and learning of English Language at district Naushahro Feroze Sindh, Pakistan and remarked that the main causes of the low performance of students might be attributed to the untrained teachers, lack of proper physical facilities, the absence of coordination between curriculum and requirements of learners, insufficient time allocation and improper inspection system.His findings strongly reinforced the idea that poor academic environment hinders the process of academic achievement Shahzada et al., (2012) enumerated the problematic issues confronted by the students at secondary school level of Bannu district and stated the hitches such as inexperienced and untrained English teachers, incompatibility of English language courses with the needs of present time, absence of teachers of linguistics and use of traditional outdated methods.
The present study is led by the assumption that favorable academic environment can play a decisive role in the development of teaching and learning situation of English Language at secondary level in Pakistani educational institutions.The area of academic environment is a highly established and researched area which holds more than one implication.The aspects explored in this study are related specifically with the academic facilities provided at the level of classroom to assist the process of teaching and learning of English.Appropriate number of students in the class makes it possible for teacher to pay individual attention to each student and to get them engaged in educative activities.This issue is further reinforced by Khan (2011) and Asikhia (2010) that overcrowded classes create a number of problems regarding maintenance of discipline and classroom management.
Most of the Pakistani schools do not envisage the great significance of well-equipped libraries to broaden the vision and understanding of the students.Inaccessibility of library facilities hampers the process of learning and leaves no possibility for students to enrich their knowledge by keeping themselves abreast with the changing environment.This regrettable negligence on the part of administrative body should be realized seriously.The related studies conducted by Teenvo (2011) and Amuseghan (2007) stated that the low proficiency of student may be attributed to the lack of accessory enrichment reading material in school which results in restraining their power of critical thinking and draining their level of motivation.Accessibility to knowledge and progress is conditioned on the use of English language because career possibilities and employment opportunities are readily available to the individual having good spoken power of English.This fact is not realized by most of the secondary schools in Pakistan.English is not used as a language of communication.So the deficient communicative skill of the students becomes a big hurdle in the pursuance of high education and career opportunities.An effective and constructive feedback system has paramount importance to measure the efficacy of teaching methodologies and to develop the professional competencies of teachers.Educational institutions in Pakistan are lacking in administering a sound and discreet feedback mechanism to supervise and assist the English teachers so that the desired goals may be accomplished Warsi (2004) and Faizi (2010) attributed the inadequacy of teaching and learning of English Language in Pakistan to the absence of feedback structures.
The use of audio-visual aids is pertinent to the concept formation and skill enhancement of the learners.Mukalel (1998), Brinton (2001) and Sokolik (2001) strongly advocated 'the use of audio-visual aids like charts, posters, pictures, models, computers, overhead projectors and multimedia in the English language classroom'.In most of the Pakistani secondary schools, the current practices are entirely reverse to the findings of the research studies.Teachers have no approach to the advanced material facilities, even the cheaper aids such as charts, pictures and models are not customary to be used in the class room.More attention is paid to the timely completion of the course books, overlooking the significance of the use of the accessory material.
The present study is designed to investigate the inadequacy of academic environment which is attributable to the low proficiency of students in English Language at secondary level with an intention to improve the existing deficiencies at public and private institutions of Pakistan.

METHODOLOGY
This study investigated the inadequacy of academic environment leading to low proficiency of students in the subject of English Language at secondary level.Various factors such as overcrowded classrooms, having unfavorable atmosphere, non-availability of library facilities, absence of audio visual aids, non-application of English as language of interaction leads to the low proficiency of students in the subject of English.

Population
Data were collected from the students and the teachers of the secondary schools of Punjab, Pakistan.Detail of sample population is given below.i) 50 male and female students were randomly selected from 10 public secondary schools.ii) 50 male and female students were randomly selected from 10 private secondary schools.iii) 20 English teachers were randomly selected from 4 public secondary schools.iv) 20 English teachers were randomly selected from 4 private secondary schools.The overall population consisted of 100 students from 20 public and private secondary school and 40 teachers from 8 public and private secondary schools.

QUESTIONNAIRE
The instrument used to achieve the target was the development of a questionnaire filled by the sample population.The criteria for a comprehensive questionnaire were determined after consulting the literature and National Curriculum for English Language 2006.
Research questions addressed the problems of overcrowded classrooms, lack of library facility, absence of audio-visual aids and minimum exposure to English language.The questionnaires were personally distributed among the sample population.

Treatment of data
Results were analyzed using SPSS 13.0.Frequency with percentage was calculated.Chi-square test was applied to examine the significant relationship between dependent variables (academic facilities) and independent variables (students and teachers) at 0.05% level of significance.

RESULTS
The collected data were tabulated in percentage and frequency for analysis as given in Table 1, 2, 3 and 4. Data collected in table 1 show that 85% male and 75% female students of public secondary school verified the statement that overcrowded classes hindered the process of teaching and learning which results to low proficiency of students.About 90% male and 60 % female students of private schools showed affirmative response as indicated in Table 2. Up to 95 % and 85% teachers of public and private schools respectively verified the statement (Table 3).The different opinion about the adverse impact of heavy strength on teaching learning activity was non-significant, indicated in table 4. Table 1 presents that only 35% male and 30% female secondary school students of public sector showed positive response about the use of English as language of communication between teacher and students.The affirmative response of private school male and female students remained 35% and 50% respectively.The percentage of negative response holders was far greater as shown in Table 2. Secondary school teachers of public and private sector also indicated the minimum exposure to English language, recorded in Table 3. Table 4 shows the different response of the whole population about the non-application of English as a language of interaction was non-significant.Results exhibited in tables 1 show that only 25% male and 10% female secondary school students of public sector vindicated the availability of library facility.In private secondary schools 35% male and 15% female students indicated positive response as shown in Table 3.The teachers of both public and private secondary schools showed complete dis-satisfaction with the existing insufficient library facilities.Table 4 reveals that the opinion difference between teacher and student about provision of library facility was non-significant at 0.05p.Table 2 presents that up to 40% male and 30% female students of public secondary schools responded affirmatively about the provision of feedback system.Table 2 reveals that the positive response of male and female students of private schools remained 80% and 50% respectively in this regard.According to Table 3, up to 50% secondary school teachers of public and private sector claimed the provision of feedback mechanism.Table 4 shows that the difference of opinion among all the sample population was non-significant.Tables 1 and  Table 2 exhibit that all male and female students of public and private secondary schools indicated an exceedingly hopeless situation about the facilities of audio-visual aids.Likewise, Table 3 indicates that 95%of the teaching community from public and private sector denied the use of audio visual aids during teaching practices.Table 4 shows that the teachers' response was significantly similar, however the minor difference of students' opinion was non -significant.About allocation of projects, Table 1 reveals that only 30% male and 40% female students of public school showed positive response.Table 2 and Table 3 indicate that the students and teachers of private school specified a slightly increased level of the insertion of projects implying the novelty of teaching method employed in secondary schools of private sector.Table 4 exhibits that the whole sample population differs nonsignificantly at 0.05p about the allocation of projects and assignment in the existing teaching practices.
Table1 shows the satisfaction level of male and female students of public school regarding their academic environment.About 45% male and 50% female responded in the favor of their existing academic environment.Up to 60% male and 75% female students of private school expressed satisfaction to their educational atmosphere as shown in Table 2.Only 60% teachers of both public and private school favored the statement (Table 3).Accumulatively 40% of the whole sample population expressed its discontentment and demanded immediate remedy to improve the academic and work conditions.Table 4 shows the minor difference in the opinion of students which was non-significant.

CONCLUSION
This study revealed that in most of the public and private secondary schools of Pakistan, students are deprived of the facilities of reading magazines and newspapers in school libraries.They are not given access to multiple sources of knowledge and it becomes a reason of their low motivation level and disinterestedness in studies which finally results in low proficiency.The results coincide with the findings of the studies conducted by Teenvo (2011), Amuseghan (2007), and Memon (2007).
Results further verified that students are not provided with any facility of utilizing audiovisual aids for their conceptual development at both public and private sector secondary schools.The results correspond to the findings of Agam andUplane (2013) andShazada et al., (2011) who concluded that the non-availability of audio visual aids hampers the process of learners' acquisition of linguistic skill which consequently affects the overall output of students at secondary level.
Another important inadequacy of academic environment observed was over crowdedness of classrooms which exercised an adverse impact on the overall performance of the students.Similar findings were also reported by Khan (2011) and Asikhia (2010).
This study also investigated that the use of motivational strategies such as allocation of projects and assignments to the students was not satisfactory especially in the public schools.Feedback structure was also found ineffective.Results coincide with the findings reported by Warsi (2004) that the absence of feedback structures leads to the inadequacy of teaching and learning of English in Pakistan.However a comparatively better situation is found at secondary schools of private sector in this regard.The study also identified lesser use of English language as medium of communication between students and teachers.Consequently the students can never shed off their shyness in attaining oral proficiency.The results are supported by Shamim (2011) and Finocchiaro (1982) who suggested that the limited exposure to English language poses a big hindrance in attaining good results.
A high level of dissatisfaction with the existing academic environment is recorded among the students and teachers of public and private secondary schools.The overall situation of academic environment is neither satisfactory at private secondary schools nor at public secondary schools.The results clearly accepted the hypothesis that the inadequacy of academic environment contributes to inadequate teaching and learning condition in Pakistan.

DISCUSSION
Accessibility to library facilities and audio-visual aids along with the appropriate strength of class can exert significant positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning English Language.Unfortunately, as revealed in this study, the administrative bodies of public and private secondary schools in Pakistan pay scant attention to these significant issues.This regrettable negligence results in dissatisfactory performance of students in secondary school examination.Teachers may take Qasim and Arif 145 initiative in this regard.They should strive to update their teaching pedagogies by employing audiovisual aids and by allocating assignments and projects to the students.Audiovisual aids lend diversity and novelty to the teaching material and raise the level of students' motivation and interest.English teachers may create an environment in their classes where English is used as a language of interaction between students and teachers.
In this way the students could avail a native like situation through plentiful exposure to language in use resulting in the development of their oral proficiency and securing a bright career.
It is recommended that proper arrangements should be made to address the problematic issues confronted by teachers and students in both public and private sector so that the proficiency level of the students in the subject of English Language could be raised.Systematized and well planned efforts to improve the academic environment will definitely raise the level of satisfaction among the students and teachers and also help in attaining determined goals.

Table 1 .
The views of public secondary school male and female students about existing academic facilities at secondary level in Rawalpindi division.

Table 2 .
The views of private secondary school male and female students about existing academic facilities at secondary level in Rawalpindi division.

Table 3 .
The views of public and private secondary school teachers about existing academic facilities at secondary level in Rawalpindi division.

Table 4 .
Chi-square test indicating the level of significance. **