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Devolution of fiscal and administrative autonomy to public schools is a global phenomenon now. Various models of school autonomy have been adopted both in developing and developed countries. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of devolution of fiscal autonomy to public primary schools through Parent–Teacher Councils (PTCs) on retention of primary school children in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Pakistan.

Two sources of data were used to analyze the research question: Education Management Information System for the years 2006–2011 and 2007–2012, and a specially designed survey questionnaire used to compile information about PTCs from 222 public primary schools in the KP Province. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to examine whether PTC reforms are related to retention rates. An education production function approach was used to examine the effect of “inputs” (PTC reform) on “outputs” (retention).

The regression results indicate that reforms in procedural mechanisms to spend PTC budget and schools with separate classrooms for each grade level are significant in improving retention to the last grade of primary. The results also indicate that retention in all-girls’ schools tend to be significantly lower compared to all-boys’ schools.

First, the integration of data sets resulted in a small sample size, 361 schools, out of which the researcher could visit only 222 schools (10 schools per district) due to time and financial constraints. There may be a probability that with a larger sample size the author findings may look slightly different. However, this is the only current data set collected by the researcher in KP, Pakistan. Second, an ideal way of calculating retention is to track each and every child enrolled in a school over a period of five years and to calculate retention at the end of Grade 5 called true cohort model. However, due to unavailability of such kind of data, a more commonly used method, called reconstructed cohort method, is employed. In this method, data on enrollment by grade are used for six consecutive years, with an assumption that the student flow rates will remain unchanged over time and across grades.

The findings of this study provide vital policy input to the Government of Pakistan in particular and other developing countries in general. The study reveals that PTCs have critical impacts on educational outcomes, school productivity and return on public sector educational investment thus providing an impetus for further strengthening of PTC and community participation. Besides, this study offers significant implications as to how school-based management programs will lead to outcomes under resource scarcity in developing countries.

The paper has implications for the role of school leadership and community participation and for how to engender community involvement in marginalized areas where communities often do not have the time, resources or confidence to participate in their schools. Besides, community participation in parent–teacher meetings means that the school budget is spent transparently and with consensus. Hence, the chances of misuse of funds are minimized to a considerable extent, a dilemma faced by many developing countries. Finally, the collection of PTC-related data regularly especially details about budget allocated, spent and, the unutilized budget may result in better record keeping, which was found lacking during the visit.

The uniqueness and originality of this paper can be gauged from the fact that no systematic study exists with regards to the impact of school autonomy on students’ retention to the last grade of primary in KP province – a poor and conflict-ridden region in a low-income country (Pakistan). Also, the data collection from primary and secondary sources was not an easy task. However, the researcher as a civil servant has to use personal contacts to collect primary and secondary data. Hence, this study is unique and first of its kind in nature. No such research has been conducted so far by any researcher, especially in KP.

This paper aims to focus on achievement level of primary grade students in different subjects taught at primary level and the factors affecting the student achievement in this regard.

The study was carried out on a sample of 1,080 students of grade 3 and 5 drawn from randomly selected 36 primary/ elementary schools from nine districts of the Punjab province. The instruments were: the achievement tests in three subjects mathematics, Urdu (national language) and life skills (Islamyat, social studies and science); and questionnaires for teachers and students to know various possible factors affecting achievement.

Results show that the achievement was the lowest in the subject of Urdu (mean 15.2) and the highest in life skills (mean 29.9) in grade 3. While in grade 5, it was the lowest in mathematics (mean 10.8) and the highest in life skills (31.63). Overall the performance of the female students was relatively better than their male partners. Location‐wise, the rural students performed better than the urban students. District‐wise, the performance of students of Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan districts was relatively better than the students of district Kasur and Bahawalpur. Among the factors affecting students achievement were parental education, their occupation and guidance, teacher guidance, social status, transport facility, self study, book reading and home work – all have a positive or negative correlation with students’ achievement.

This paper is of use to those wishing to understand the achievement levels of students at primary grade in developing countries.

Globally, women suffer from a lack of knowledge about breast cancer (BC), its symptoms and treatment. The purpose of this paper is to examine how people living in rural and less developed areas in Pakistan perceive BC. The study investigates the level of knowledge about BC in rural communities and analyses how the prevalent perceptions and beliefs impact women's lives and delay the diagnosis.

This study is based on 42 in-depth interviews with the women who have undergone BC treatment during the past five years. The participants were interviewed were the residents of the northern Sindh, southern Pakistan.

Findings show that BC was perceived as a contagious disease transmitted through touching or being physically close to the patient. Some women were abandoned by their husbands because of this perception. Faith in fatalism and the perception that BC is an incurable disease were common in communities with low socio-economic status. This is likely to affect the prevention and early detection of BC.

The study shows a strong co-relation of awareness with the prevalent perceptions regarding BC. Therefore, we recommend promoting health literacy and introducing culturally specific interventions in remote communities to enhance their understanding of the available treatment and help remove misconceptions about BC.

This study aims to determine shoreline change statistics and net erosion and accretion, along the Kuakata Coast, a magnificent sea beach on Bangladesh’s southernmost point.

The research follows a three stages way to achieve the target. First, this study has used the geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) to detect the temporal observation of shoreline change from the year 1991 to 2021 through satellite data. Then, the digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS) has also been explored. What is more, a prediction has been done for 2041 on shoreline shifting scenario. The shoreline displacement measurement was primarily separated into three analytical zones. Several statistical parameters, including Net Shoreline Movement (NSM), Shoreline Change Envelope (SCE), End Point Rate (EPR) and Linear Regression Rate (LRR) were calculated in the DSAS to quantify the rates of coastline movement with regard to erosion and deposition.

EPR and LRR techniques revealed that the coastline is undergoing a shift of landward (erosion) by a median rate of 3.15 m/yr and 3.17 m/yr, respectively, from 1991 to 2021, 2.85 km² of land was lost. Naval and climatic influences are the key reasons for this variation. This study identifies the locations of a significantly eroded zone in Kuakata from 1991 to 2021. It highlights the places that require special consideration while creating a zoning plan or other structural design.

This research demonstrates the spatio-temporal pattern of the shoreline location of the Kuakata beach, which would be advantageous for the region’s shore management and planning due to the impacts on the fishing industry, recreation and resource extraction. Moreover, the present research will be supportive of shoreline vulnerability. Hence, this study will suggest to the local coastal managers and decision-makers for particularizing the coastal management plans in Kuakata coast zone.

This paper aims to investigate the potential role of the Emergency Department (ED) layout in enhancing its functionality. It applies a performance-based building design (PBBD) approach to evaluate emergency department functionality and efficiency as the most important criterion behind the success of the hospital service.

A quantitative approach based on space syntax theory was adopted through four syntactic maps (isovist, axial, convex, and visibility graph analysis VGA), to depict three case studies in Erbil city hospitals by analyzing three different layout typologies of ED such as Podular, Ballroom and Linear through measuring wayfinding, accessibility, privacy, visibility, time spend-length of stay and corridor circulation as layout factors.

This paper provides empirical insights on how the ED layout typology factors significantly affect producing functionally efficient EDs, whereas the Ballroom ED layout typology is the most effective compared to others. Given the importance of ED in enhancing a healthy environment for patients and staff, study findings are valuable resource for health designers, who play a critical role in ensuring patients enjoy a healthy and safe environment.

This paper has attempted to identify the appropriate layout of ED for effective functional performance in hospitals. A syntactical analysis between three different ED layout typologies based on the layout variables has been analysed using the PBBD approach. There has been no attempt carried out so far to analyse the functional performance of the PBBD approach in different ED layouts using layout variables.

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors affecting word-of-mouth (WOM) towards Islamic Banking (IB) in Jordan through understanding the roles of service quality and perceived value.

A self-administered survey was hand-delivered to the targeted sample of Islamic banks customers in Jordan. The authors delivered 400 questionnaires to customers from which 352 were deemed valid for the analysis. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the research constructs validity and composite reliability. Structural path analysis was also used to test the research model and hypothesised relationships between the variables.

Service quality has a positive and significant effect on perceived value and WOM towards IB. Convenience has a positive and significant effect on perceived value. Finally, perceived value has a positive and significant effect on WOM towards IB. Service quality exerted the strongest effect on perceived value and WOM. Also, 38 per cent of variation in perceived value was caused by religious motives, service quality and convenience path, whereas 34 per cent of variation in WOM towards IB was caused by perceived value, service quality and convenience path.

Future research needs to investigate other factors that may affect customers’ WOM concerning IB such as perceived bank image, trust and subjective norms. Future research should investigate other dimensions of perceived value such as social, psychological, emotional, sacrifice value and product values and how they affect WOM. From an international marketing standpoint, comparative studies between Jordanian and non-Jordanian Islamic customers are potential areas of future research for international marketing strategies and cross-cultural consumer behaviour analysis.

The paper identifies the determinants of WOM towards IB. Managers should focus on executing service quality strategies customised towards IB. Convenience is a major driver of perceived value and, then, WOM towards IB. Managers need to focus on key marketing messages that enhance religious motives in customers’ minds and hearts; however, attracting new customers and retaining the current ones depend on the perceived benefits in the areas of service quality, convenience and several value aspects.

This study is the first of its kind to test a model of WOM determinants in IB in Jordan. The study is thought to have made a reasonable contribution to consumer behaviour literature and, specifically, for decision-making process through developing and testing a model of WOM determinants towards IB. The study offers CEOs and marketing managers of Islamic banks new insights into the determinants of WOM and how they contribute to consumers’ decision-making process and attitudes to achieve the intended behavioural outcomes towards IB, which were not available at their hands before. These empirical findings are crucial inputs for marketing strategy formulation and implementation.

A perusal of extant literature suggests asymmetric devotions in empirical research that overlooks unique social and industrial dynamics of married working women in highly competitive male-dominated industries. Drawing on the social role theory, the study addressed this asymmetry by proposing a multivariate regression model that examined performance drivers of married female real estate brokers, as mediated by organizational, cognitive and social influences.

The study employed a descriptive design. A structured electronic questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 256 married female brokers who are active on online messaging platforms. Snowball sampling was used to reach the research participants. Collected data were subjected to multivariate regression analysis.

The results infer that social influences were the most significant drivers of married female brokers in the real estate industry (r = 0.932, p < 0.05, F = 556.581). Significant interventions of diversity management, work-life balance, family support and access to economic opportunities were found.

In acknowledging the societal stereotype and culturally imposed burdens married women face in emerging economies, the study advanced theoretical, practical and policy initiatives for a more inclusive, supportive and learning-oriented work environment.

The novelty of the paper lies in its exposition of the unregulated real estate brokerage market in an emerging economy and the dynamic organizational, cognitive and societal influences of married female brokers.