HYDERABAD, March 17 A research scholar has identified availability, usefulness, problems, emerging trends and status of technology for the promotion of secondary education in the NWFP province.

Research scholar Sajjad Akhtar presented his paper during the PhD seminar on “A critical study of the use of educational technology at secondary school level in Pakistan A case study of the province of NWFP” at the Faculty of Education, University of Sindh on Tuesday.

He said that the main focus of study was on the utilization and availability of educational technology and data was collected for the research through survey and questioners with the main emphasis on determining the availability of modern facilities.

It revealed majority of teachers neither use educational technology nor computer-mediated communication for counselling as in rural schools computer was not being used in science practical and overhead projectors, he revealed.

Lack of computer and Internet facility and guidance and counselling were non-existent in the NWFP schools, he said and recommended provision of educational technology which were radio, television, Internet, computer, audio/video recorder, overhead projector and online lectures along with the ensured availability of trained teachers.

He recommended continuous system of curriculum revision at secondary level in accordance with national needs, market requirements and capabilities of students should be introduced along with sufficient budget allocations.

Vice Chancellor, Sindh University, Mazharul Haq Siddiqui in his presidential address said that information technology was an important tool for educational development. He appreciated research efforts of the scholar and hoped that he would help in policy making for education development.

He said Pakistan`s literacy rate was the lowest among Saarc countries for which collective efforts were needed as advanced technology played a key role in the advancement of all sectors, including education.

He underlined the importance of the Education Faculty with hopes of continued efforts.

Dean, Faculty of Education and Supervisor of Research Scholar, Dr Parveen Munshi said that this was the century of science and technology with research becoming an integral part of advance level activities.

Dr Munshi said that presently 40 scholars were engaged in MPhil and PhD research work at the Faculty of Education and in two years it produced two PhD scholars.