Journal of Educational Sciences and Research ISSN 2310-7901 (Print), 2409-7756 (Online)

Psychological Well-Being of Early Graders: A Cross-Sectional Study from Kech, Balochistan

Shereen Manzoor, Dr. Rukhsana Durrani — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines the psychological well-being of early grade children in Kech, Balochistan. The primary objective was to assess the levels of psychological well-being among students in grades one to three enrolled in public schools. The Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale was used as the measurement instrument to collect data from the selected respondents. A convenience sampling technique was employed, and data were gathered through a crosssectional survey design. The findings were categorized into three levels: low, average, and high psychological well-being. Overall, the results indicate that early grade children exhibit a generally healthy level of psychological well-being. In particular, they demonstrate positive self-acceptance, confidence, satisfaction, and emotional stability, which are key indicators of psychological well-being according to the Ryff model. However, the results of this study revealed that the early graders having healthy level of self-acceptance, personal growth, positive relations with others, having purpose in life, exhibit a good environmental mastery and autonomy.

Evaluating the Leadership Gap: A Comparative Study of Public and Private Secondary Schools in District Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Dr. Muhammad Naqeeb Ul Khalil Shaheen — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The gap in leadership in secondary schools was the focus of this comparative study which looked at the teacher's role in the growth of 21st century leadership skills in students of public and private schools in District Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir as the main theme. Through a descriptive comparative survey design 450 secondary school teachers (225 public, 225 private) were selected through disproportionate stratified random sampling technique from a total population of 5, 235 teachers (2, 615 public, 2, 620 private) all over District Kotli. A well-tested five-point Likert scale questionnaire consisting of 25 items distributed in five segments was given out. The Statistics used to analyze the data were percentages, mean scores, standard deviations, and independent samples t-tests. Results indicated that teachers from private schools follow 21st-century leadership development practices significantly more than teachers in public schools (private M = 4.41, SD = 0.48; public M = 3.82, SD = 0.52; t = 12.34, p = 0.000). Moreover, private schools had better resources (private M = 4.48, SD = 0.52; public M = 3.20, SD = 0.58; t = 15.67, p = 0.000), more support from the administration (private M = 4.45, SD = 0.50; public M = 3.65, SD = 0.55; t = 11.23, p = 0.000) and superior student leadership outcome (private M = 4.36, SD = 0.51; public M = 3.58, SD = 0.54; t = 13.45, p = 0.000). In contrast, public school teachers indicated that they encounter more barriers (public M = 4.53, SD = 0.60; private M = 3.75, SD = 0.55; t = -9.87, p = 0.000). According to the study, there is a considerable leadership gap between public and private secondary schools in District Kotli, with private schools being the ones that have the ability to develop 21st century leadership skills. Besides, the AJK Department of Education is advised to set aside a budget specifically for leadership resources in public schools and to develop a formal 21st century leadership curriculum as is the case in private schools, public-private partnership programs to be set up and class-size reduction to be prioritized so as to enable effective leadership teaching.

Determinants of AI Literacy among University Students: An Examination of Demographic Variations

Javed Iqbal, Muhammad Asif Naveed — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The present study was conducted to determine the level of Artificial Intelligence literacy (AIL) skills among the university students in Pakistan by using cross-sectional survey research design. Data were gathered through a questionnaire comprised of numerous statements related to artificial intelligence literacy (AIL) skills. The results revealed that university students have moderate levels of AI literacy; their skills are mostly operational and not analytical or discipline-specific. Also, there seems to be minimal impact from demographic and educational factors, suggesting that AI literacy is a universal skill. The findings highlight the need for well-structured AI literacy programs, concentrating on skills like critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and discipline-specific applications to trained future ready students for effective engagement with AI in academic and professional contexts. The findings demonstrated pragmatic insights for all stakeholders, which can be used as a roadmap in evolving useful guidelines for a need-based Artificial Intelligence literacy (AIL) integration in curricula.

Post-COVID Social Isolation and Its Effect on GPA, Retention, and Mental Health Among Undergraduate Students

Zil e Husnain Zil e Husnain — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

COVID-19 caused significant social disruption in higher education institutions around the world and undergraduate students are still being impacted by isolation long after the initial outbreak. Public universities play a crucial role in the promotion of societal mobility in Pakistan and the understanding of the persisting psychosocial impacts of social isolation during the post-COVID era is imperative to protect student academic achievement and wellbeing. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to define the impact of social isolation after COVID on grade point averages (GPA), intention of staying, anxiety and depression levels of undergraduate students. The subjects completed validated self-report instruments: UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), a Retention Intention Scale, and self-reported cumulative GPA in a stratified random sample of 540 undergraduate students from six departments. Data was analysed by using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, multiple regression and one-way ANOVA in SPSS Version 26. Social isolation demonstrated a significant negative prediction of GPA (? = -.38, p < .001, R² = .15), a significant negative prediction of retention intention (? = -.34, p < .001, R² = .12), a significant positive prediction of anxiety (? = .48, p < .001, R² = .24), and a significant positive prediction of depression (? = .52, p < .001, R² = .27). A one-way ANOVA specified that there were significant variances in social isolation by department, F (5, 534) = 4.72, p < .001. Social isolation after COVID is a major factor that affects the academic performance, retention, and anxiety and depression of Pakistani college students. Now is the time for targeted institutional interventions to restore social integration and a sense of wellbeing to students in the post-pandemic world.

Relationship Between Screen Use Patterns and Literacy Outcomes among Hearing-Impaired Adolescents in Special Education Schools of Punjab: A Correlational Study

Mehtab Hussain — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigated the relationship between the screen use patterns and literacy outcomes of the Hearing-Impaired adolescents who are enrolled in special education schools in Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 126 students from seven clusters participated in the study and data collection was conducted through the use of three instruments. (a) A self-report Screen Use Questionnaire (b) Teacher-Rated Literacy Questionnaire (c) Parental Questionnaire. Descriptive analysis indicated that the majority of students used screens for 1-3 hours per day and there was more engagement for social and entertainment purposes than for educational purposes. Pearson correlation outcomes showed a significant negative correlation between overall screen time and literacy scores (r = ?.27, p = .003) but that educational screen use was positively correlated to literacy result (r = .41, p < .001). Multiple regression analysis showed that educational screen use ((? = .31, p < .001), father's literacy (? = .22, p = .007), mother's literacy (? = .17, p = .023) and household income (? = .26, p = .004) were significant predictors of literacy outcome but that communication mode did not significantly affect literacy outcome (? = .04, p = .442). The model accounted for 37% of the variance in literacy scores R² = .37). These results underscore the differentiated effect of purpose of screen use and importance of parental and socioeconomics on shaping literacy development of HI adolescents.