Measuring Students’ Satisfaction Level on Learning Facilities at the Universities in Pakistan

Abstract

This research was designed to measure students’ satisfaction with learning facilities at universities level in Pakistan. The major objectives of the study were; i) to find out students’ satisfaction level on learning facilities in universities; ii) to find out the gaps between desired and available learning facilities for the students. The population of this work consisted of the students of the universities working in public sector. Multiple stage random sampling technique was used to select the sample. The students of eleven (11) general universities were randomly selected for this study; 4 from the Punjab, 2 from Sindh, 2 from Khyber Pakhtoon Khawa, 1 from Baluchistan and 2 federally administered universities. Total sample comprised of 1320 students from 6 disciplines of social sciences. Two research tools were used to collect the required information; one was survey questionnaire based on 3-point Likert-scale having two major options on satisfaction and importance, second tool was group interviews having questions on four learning facilities with leading questions. The group interview helped to find out information not accessed by the survey questions. This study focused only on four learning facilities; curriculum, teaching faculty, classrooms, and library. Before giving final shape to the questionnaire its reliability was assured with the help of internal consistency method and validity by getting expert opinions as well as construct validity by calculating correlation values among items and variables. It took three steps to bring the questionnaire into final shape. Levels of satisfaction and importance were measured by giving range to mean values. The study concluded that the respondents level of satisfaction was moderate on four learning facilities while have indicated high level of importance to three facilities. The study also concluded that the respondents were more satisfied on courses provided by the universities among the measured learning facilities while less satisfied to classroom facilities. With respect to importance the respondents have given more importance to teaching facility and less to the courses. It is recommended that government, administrations as well as teachers should adopt necessary measures to look into the matter to more satisfy students. The need to improve and appropriate training has also surfaced as a result of this investigation. Lack of students’ satisfaction with facilities could be a factor among youth decisions to avail the chance to study in other country and study elsewhere.