Journal of Asian Development Studies

Every day many people are killed and injured on our roads. Men, women, children, biking or riding to school or work, playing in the streets or setting out on long trips, will never return home, leaving behind shattered families and communities. Road traffic injuries are a growing public health issue, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups of road users, specially the poor. Main causes which are found behind these road accidents are lack of training institutes, unskilled drivers, poor road conditions, use of cell phone during driving, use of intoxicants, over loading and poor performance of government in this regard. If these issues are tackled in a manner way then it can positively affect the social and economic conditions of the residents of developing countries.

This study explored the impact of teacher training and professional development on the integration of AI-based educational tools in classrooms. A survey of 200 teachers from primary, secondary, and higher education institutions was conducted to assess their familiarity, confidence, and experiences with AI tools. Results revealed that while 40% of teachers were somewhat familiar with AI tools, only 5% expressed high confidence in their ability to use these technologies. Moreover, 70% of teachers had not received any professional development for AI, and a statistically significant correlation (χ² = 16.54, p = 0.002) was found between professional development participation and increased confidence. The most significant barriers to AI integration were a lack of training (60%) and insufficient resources (40%). These findings underscore the necessity for targeted, continuous professional development to improve educators' readiness and ability to effectively utilize AI tools in their teaching practices.

AI can boost education's efficiency and effectiveness in teaching and learning. In the first step, provide a summary of AI in the multipronged service to education, show the capacity of AI to tailor instruction to the interactive learning environments that it makes possible, and thereby urge its application in this area. Next, this paper uses the literature review, examples, and fictitious data commentaries to show how artificial intelligence tools and programming A and B above (including intelligent tutoring systems, adaptive learning platforms, automatic grading, and VR AR technology) reshape school outcomes and redefines student engagement. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach to investigate the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on academic outcomes and engagement. By combining qualitative and quantitative research methods, this paper aims to comprehensively analyze AI's role in modern educational settings. The methodology is designed to gather data from various sources, including case studies, surveys, and experimental data, to offer a holistic view of AI's educational implications. Sampling was done from the 100 teachers and students about the public and private schools and universities of Central Karachi. The analysis highlights positive recognition of AI's value in lifelong learning and increased engagement. It also underscores the need to address existing challenges to ensure AI effectively delivers its potential benefits. Future enhancements should prioritize design aspects such as user experience, adaptability, and accuracy to optimize AI's impact on engagement and learning quality.

In the era of globalization and knowledge, critical thinking development is a necessary skill. The research focuses on analyzing the Chemistry curriculum for grades IX-X to explore its emphasis on fostering critical thinking skills among students being an essential skill for the twenty-first century. It aims to develop problem-solvers, independent thinkers, and decision makers capable of applying their knowledge to real-life challenges. The curriculum advocates for interactive, learner-centered, participative, inquiry-based, practical, problem-solving, and analytical skills. It prioritizes the measurement of students' capacity for critical judgment, focusing on analysis and synthesis. NVivo 12 software was used with a qualitative content analysis approach to analyze the document. The findings of the study revealed a significant focus on the development of critical thinking to make them problem solvers, independent thinkers, and decision-makers to apply to the challenges of real life. As regards the standards and benchmarks, the curriculum is designed accordingly for the promotion of in-depth knowledge and higher-order thinking skills. Furthermore, the curriculum advocates for interactive, learner-centered, participative, inquiry-based, practical, problem-solving, and analytical skills. The assessment guidelines prioritize the measurement of student's capacity for critical judgment, focusing on analysis and synthesis. The study concludes by providing recommendations for teacher training, resource allocation, collaboration among stakeholders, regular curriculum updates, further research, and fostering a culture of critical thinking within educational institutions.

This research explores the analysis of the National Curriculum for Mathematics (2006) in Pakistan to promote critical thinking among students from grades I to XII. The qualitative content analysis was used to systematically scrutinize the curriculum document to determine significant aspects that contribute to developing critical thinking skills. The analysis focused on developing conceptual understanding and skill development while addressing real-life problem-solving and logical reasoning. It is based on a spiral approach where concepts are revisited and deepened across grades, promoting interactive, student-centered teaching methods. Finally, it highly underscores the use of technology, especially at higher levels, that can enhance mathematical exploration. The curriculum also demonstrates its commitment to reasoning and logical thinking by dedicating a separate standard and incorporating activities encouraging pattern recognition, argumentation, and justification. However, how successful this can be in classrooms will depend primarily on how well it is executed. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of the mathematics curriculum in Pakistan to develop student's critical thinking abilities and offers recommendations for further improvement. The findings imply that designing curricular materials is essential in realizing 21st-century skills; remarkably, the National Curriculum for Mathematics (2006), Pakistan, is well-grounded in assisting students' development regarding critical thinking.

Agriculture plays a crucial role in the economy of developing countries, and it is the main source of food, income and employment for the rural population. So developing countries like Pakistan need to sustain growth of agriculture sector. But in past few decades huge variations occurred in agriculture production. Stability is an important objective for any economy because development requires sustain growth of different sectors. So this study is an attempt to view the nature of volatility of the agriculture sector in Pakistan and trying to find out that to what extant do volatility, production and employment in agriculture sector associated with the economic growth. In first step, Auto Regressive Conditional Heteroscadesticity (ARCH) family models applied to detect volatility of agriculture sector in Pakistan. In second step, augmented dickey fuller is applied for unit root and shows that all the variables are integrated of order one. In third step, Co-integration: Trace Statistics and Eigen Values Tests are used to capture the long term effect of these variables on economic performance.The Empirical results of co-integrating equation show that agriculture productivity and employment in agriculture sector and positively and significantly associated with economic growth. While agricultural volatility is negatively contributing in economic growth in case of Pakistan. On the basis of empirical findings of this study, it is suggested for long term and sustain economic growth is that Government should take widespread transparent programs for agriculture sector and rural development, so that agriculture volatility can be controlled.

Investment decision-making is a complex and multifaceted process influenced by many factors, from individual cognitive biases to global economic conditions. This research explores the intricate interplay between decision-making and investment outcomes, delving into the key factors, styles, external influences, challenges, and best practices that shape the financial landscape. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis with qualitative insights from surveys, interviews, and case studies, the study aims to understand comprehensively how decisions impact investment performance. From the efficient market hypothesis to behavioural finance, the review synthesizes diverse perspectives, highlighting the psychological, behavioural, and cognitive dimensions of decision-making. Building on this foundation, the research identifies and analyzes the factors influencing investment decisions. From risk tolerance and behavioural biases to information asymmetry and decision-making styles, the study scrutinizes the intricacies that investors grapple with in their pursuit of sound financial choices. External factors, including economic conditions, regulatory changes, technological advancements, and geopolitical risks, are explored for their impact on decision-making processes. Challenges in decision-making, such as cognitive biases, adaptive strategy development, uncertainty management, and information overload, are identified and examined in depth. The research emphasizes the need for investors to navigate these challenges effectively to achieve long-term success.

This research explores the scope of AI use in journalism education from different perspectives. The results of the survey showed that there was widespread optimism among respondents about what AI could do for journalism. Some people had to express dissent or at least a neutral position on these points. AI in journalism has become a big topic within the media world today. Concerning AI, the study aims to find out about future students' prospects for careers in media. Literature explored that cross-industry skills and techno-genic aptitude are essential to allow future journalists to meet these challenges successfully. One of the findings from this data analysis was a broad consensus that Artificial Intelligence (AI) influences seven work aspects related to journalism: data management, trend observance and identification, interactive enrichment, fact checking, and targeted advertisement. Despite this, there was a broad division of opinion over how far and to what end AI can go in these areas. It warranted further examination.

With rising expectations on teacher workload due to grading and providing feedback, the innovative use of automated grading is a possible solution. Such systems are designed to make grading systems more efficient in the same regard as increasing students' interest. In this research, the effect of automated grading and feedback on the reduction of teacher burden and enhancement of students' performance is critically analyzed, and recommendations, based on the findings of this study, for educators, as well as policymakers, implementing the technologies will be provided. An exploratory technique was followed for the study, and quantitative data were collected through classroom observation before and after the post-integration of automated grading systems. For instance, the teacher grading hours and the percentage of the students completing the assignments were included as main measures besides the classroom participation rate. The results clearly show that grading time was reduced, and it was found to have decreased from 15 hours per week to 9.75 hours per week – a reduction of 35%. Also, there was a significant enhancement in student interaction; assignment submission rates went up from 70% to 88%, and class contribution from 65% to 81%. The use of automated grading and feedback systems is the utilization of the best strategies because it relieves the teacher of so much work and makes the students more focused and interested in their work. These studies should be seen as an opportunity for the development and implementation of such technologies because of the demonstrated ability of the given technologies to change the practices of education and enhance learning achievement.

Health status has been given wide spread weight age across many Sustainable Development Goals. This study would reinforce its significance by quantifying the impact of health status on workers’ productivity in Pakistan. The current study attempts to examine the role of health status on workers’ productivity by employing Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach by Pesaran and Shin (1999) and Pesaran et al. (2001) using data from 1980 to 2010 for Pakistan. It has been found that 1% improvement in health status would result in around 13.39% rise in worker productivity. The coefficient of education is positively related to worker productivity at 1% level of significance and indicates that worker productivity will increase by 0.18% due 1% increase in education. Inflation has negative relationship with worker productivity whereas the association between worker productivity and Foreign Direct Investment, being proxy of technology transfer, is positive but statistically insignificant which shows that technology transfer has no effect on productivity in case of Pakistan. Education and experience have often been observed as determinants of worker productivity in empirical analysis of Pakistan. However, this study is a first endeavor to quantify the impact of health status upon worker’s productivity for Pakistan.

Information transmission among the researchers, extension worker and farmers is of great importance for agricultural development. Proper dissemination and adoption of modern technologies can increase agricultural productivity and solve farming problems. Poor contact with information sources results in poor transfer of information among farming community. The study examines the role of different information sources in solving farmers’ problems. A well-structured and pre-tested interview schedule was administered to a total of 240 sample farmers from 4 randomly selected districts of KPK namely, Bannu, Mansehra, Mardan and Swat during June-July 2011. Data was analyzed through SPSS using percentages, graph and Chi-square test. The results showed significant association between extension contact and farmers awareness about modern technologies. The major source of information was the pesticide dealers followed by fellow farmers. The role of extension worker as information source remained far behind their expected role as reported by only 33% of the sample farmers. Farmers were confronted with numerous problems and seek the solution of problems through different sources. Again, pesticide dealers/staff of Pesticide Company (80%) provided the solution of problems, followed by fellow farmers (27%) and extension worker (22%). This showed the poor and negligible role of extension agent in solving farmers’ problems. There is a need for strong linkages for effective and efficient flow of information through extension services to the end-users.

Food security is a menace and sinister to socio-economic development however it has close connection to public policies in order to transform a mild state of nausea into pander the food requirements of the people. A great deal of existing studies focuses on partially analyzing food security dimension with respect to particularly food availability and connections to household food security. Public policies have unceasing enticement on food security that has been remained limited priority of the policy makers. This study has examined the impacts of closely related public policies especially on all dimension of food security in a Pakistan’s selected area. Primary data has collected from 140 respondents of the six union councils of the area in Punjab Pakistan. In Logit Regression, results illustrate that public policies regarding water irrigation, improved seed and fertilizers policy, price support and health policies have significant and positive impacts on the food security of the targeted area while climate change has significantly been adverse impact particularly on food availability of the area from 2015 to 2017. Food inflation colligation with inflation have negative impacts on food security that shows people’s purchasing power has been impaired in one hand while average yield has been decreased due to configuration of input and output prices distortion. There summarized the results which shows government interventions concentrate more on food availability while other dimensions of food security are neglected in priority benchmark in the implementation and regulative authorities. Findings of this study propose that public policies need coordination and priority-based realization both from the government administrations and public sides.

The ready-made garments (RMG) sector of Bangladesh has got a greater facet than any other sector in terms of growth and foreign exchange earnings. It makes a significant contribution to the national economy by creating generous employment opportunities and reducing poverty through socioeconomic development. Despite unquestionable success story, this sector has got a number of formidable challenges for the future growth. The present study has made a search on different dimensions of contribution and challenges of RMG industry in Bangladesh. To accomplish the task, a descriptive research based on study of available records is conducted. The study reveals that since its inception, especially during the last three decades, the RMG industry contributed significantly through creation of physical infrastructure which is demonstrated by 4222 RMG units along with the development of human capital as around 4 million workforce are directly involved in this industry. It has also contributed tremendously through empowering women as almost 90 percent of its labor force is female which ranked the highest in South-East Asia. In terms of core economic consideration RMG holds almost 14.07 percent of the GDP of Bangladesh as well as the 81 percent of the total export earnings. The study however, identifies some challenges towards its future development including unskilled workers, improper infrastructure, energy crisis, bank loan and high rate of interest, high tax rate, intricate social compliance, political crisis, lack of market and product diversification, compliance pressure of accord and alliance and lack of integration. Therefore, collaborative and coordinated steps from both public and private sectors need to be initiated to overcome these challenges

The main purpose of this paper is to analyse the economic impact of the CPEC on the economic growth and development of Pakistan. It is shown that an investment of $46 billion by China will have a multifaceted positive impact not only on the economies of Pakistan and China but also on other countries of the region. It will be a game changer and incubator of economic growth. It will improve and expand infrastructure in all provinces of Pakistan, enhance regional cooperation, reduce political tension between the countries and increase acculturation as well as providing an opportunity for trade creation and trade diversion. It will enable the countries to achieve the macroeconomic gains. And improve the standard of living. It will be beneficial for the region in general and for the land locked countries like Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in particular.

To encourage the overall development in rural areas in the Republic of China, Government promulgated "Rural Regeneration Act" in 2010. In this study, we examine the current situations of villagers’ participation in rural regeneration project in Taiwan. Government promotes bottom-up approach and encourages residents to fully participate in the discussion of rural regeneration. However, our results show that the process of bottom-up villagers’ participation is just for community to officially meet the requirements from government. The problems of villagers’ participation are addressed and the strategies for villagers’ participation in rural regeneration are also suggested.

The concentrated debate exists among the policy and academic circles on the importance of goods and services especially in developing countries. In one hand, imports can promotes foreign trade in developed and developing countries, while on the other hand it can increase access to modern technologies, capital goods, other necessary goods and services. In world economies, most of the world countries and especially developing countries are dependent on the imports of goods. This study is an empirical attempt to evaluate the role and importance of imports in foreign trade of Pakistan using annual time series data for the period of 1972-2015. In methodology of the study the Unit root test, Auto-regressive Distributed Lag model, Bound testing approach for long-run relation and ARDL co-integration method were applied as analytical techniques. The results obtained from regression analysis of the variables data shows the encouraging and considerable role of imports and its determinants in foreign trade of Pakistan.

The paper is meta-analysis and addresses a policy question of feasibility of common currency among SAARC countries. It deeply investigates all those economic and political factors that contribute toward the formation of currency union. Author draws literal evidence of common currency if member states adopt framework confirming economic and political cooperation in form of market openness, liberalization of economies, direction of financial shocks, exchange rate market pressures and most importantly labor market mobility. Additionally, growth momentum among applicant countries and degree of political cooperation under the SAARC charter and diplomatic fronts would prove to achieve common goal of single currency in the time of global high and cry.

Woman is considered as a sign of attraction in the media. Most the spaces of media are filled by placing the women there. The paper will focus that these spaces are just filled by women just to entertain audience. This paper will focus how the women are represented in satiric shows of Pakistan televised media. It is perceived that the role of women in satiric shows is just as laughter, they are given the place in the satiric show just to fulfill the duty of laughter to entertain the audience. The paper will analyze the who controls the program, what is the role of women in these programs, how much time a women participate in the discussion, and also whether the dummy character presented in these satiric shows are either male or female. This research being carried out to analyze the image and portrayal of women that is being presented in the satiric shows of Pakistan. Content analysis has been used as a research design to measure that how much coverage was given to women in the program.

The present study intends to examine the impact of trade openness on gender equality in education in D8 group which consists of Bangladesh, Egypt Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, and during the time period of 1980 to 2012. Panel data estimation with Random Effect Model tested through the feasible generalized least squares method, which allows the estimation in presence of Heteroscadasticity and Autocorrelation problems. The results for our main model which consists of trade openness and gender equality in education, show that trade openness is highly significant in posing the positive effect on the level of gender equality in education. The findings show that coefficients of trade openness is significant at 1 % in each equation with accurate positive sign for ratio of female to male enrolment at primary secondary and tertiary level. These results hold true and consistent with earlier work and theories. Based upon the empirical analysis it can be concluded that trade liberalization policies are beneficial for the women in developing 8 countries. The overall conclusion drawn from study show that economic sector has most influential impact on social sector especially in case of developing countries.

A Vector auto-regression model was estimated using annual data from 1980 to 2014 to assess the causal relationship between China’s real consumption and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The estimation results suggest Chinese real consumption and real GDP mutually affect each other. This finding suggest that while the People's Republic of China government promotes exports in the age of globalization and the fashionable Washington Consensus Development doctrine, it should simultaneously promote domestic consumption to develop the economy. This empirically supported approach certainly mitigates negative impacts of the international adverse economic conditions on the national economy.