Challenges to female college principals and vice principals: Patriarchal gender beliefs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Background

Chitral, the largest district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province is located in the North-Western side of Pakistan. The district is covering over 14,850 km² area and shares an international border of 300 km North-West with Afghanistan and in the East, it touches Gilgit Baltistan via Shandoor Pass (Nüsser, 2001). According to the census of 2017, the population of district Chitral is 0.048 million, and the population growth rate is 1.5. The topography of Chitral is very rough due to the uneven terrain, as 96% of the area is mountainous. Due to the mountain barriers and unpredictable weather conditions, economic activities are mostly remain suspended for a good half part of the year. This severity of weather especially affects women, who spend their whole day in household activities, like wood collection, food preparation, cleaning, and taking care of their families and their cattle (Pardhan, 2005). However, so far as the question of female education is concerned, due to patriarchy, monopoly of religious clerics, social taboos, and a conservative environment, the ratio of female education has always remained low as compared to male, and only very recently it has been observed that females of Chitral have started getting a university education in large number.

The spectrum of female education in Chitral presents an interesting picture. In the field of girls, the primary education Government of KPK has been supplemented by private sector schools (Malik, 2011). But being very expensive it is beyond the reach of the majority of the students. So far the standard and scenario of the female college education/higher education are concerned, still, it mainly lies with the government of KPK. Because as per law government girl's colleges have the specialized faculty for each subject and a variety of disciplines are offered in government colleges as compared to private institutions (Uddin et al., 2021). In District Chitral, two government female degree colleges, Government Girls Degree College (GGDC), Booni and Government Girls Degree College (GGDC) Chitral, are functional under the supervision of female principals, who are catering to more than 4000 female students from all parts of the district.

In Pakistan government colleges are all single-sex institutions or also known as boys/girls' colleges, where male and female students attend their classes in separate buildings and separate places till graduation. In single-sex education institutions, the female principals/educational leaders are the needs of the policymakers as by law they have no other option except to accept the female in a leadership position (Shah and Conchar, 2009). Single-sex education in many cultures is encouraged based on sociocultural norms as well as religion. Both boys and girls government degree colleges in Pakistan are run by the government, either by the federal and the provincial government. Moreover, the government degree college as the institution of higher education is administered and controlled by the principal who is ultimately responsible to the Secretary of Government, Higher Education Department (HED) through Director of Education (Hanif et al., 2020). The lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors, and professors are appointed through Public Service Commissions (PSC), an autonomous body specialized in the recruitment of public servants. The principals are selected from the serving professors based on seniority cum fitness and the provincial government has the authority to transfer or replace a principal for any reason or after a due period, which is normally three to five years (Manion, 1985). All students are eligible to get admission to government degree colleges after successful completion of their secondary school certificate (SSC).

Statement and justification of the problem

In the above-given context, the significance of this study needs to be understood in several ways. Firstly, I am very keen on this research due to the reason that Chitral Pakistan is my native town with an environment where females are given fewer opportunities to demonstrate their potential and creativity. Womenfolk in Chitral are often not encouraged to receive advanced education and play their role in the development of their area. In the society of Chitral, female education has yet to get due importance and in some parts of the district, it is still considered a sin to send girls to school so what to talk of a lady who starts working as an administrator or educational leader. By mid-2008 the only college for girls of Upper Chitral was constructed but was not operational, as the local pressure groups were also against the start of the college for their only political interests. The rigid social group of the area was also against the college saying female education is not permissible in pure Islamic society. In this scenario, the principal of Government Girls Degree College Chitral (which was already operational) with a few female activists of the area, took the lead in the campaign and personally went into the communities and motivated the parents to raise their voices for the rights of their children. As a result of the tireless and determined efforts of the female college principal and her team, the female students got the Government Girls Degree College (GGDC) Booni operational. In male-dominant cultures, male hardly accepts the ladies of their areas in dominant positions, especially as professionals (Shah, 2006: 77). It is also presumed in Chitral that females are easy to be influenced and could not sustain the pressure mainly because of the reasons that they do not have support in public and families. But the success of the said female principal shows that determination, commitment, dedication, and sincere efforts and the principal's firm stance supported by female educationists and activists prevailed over the different barriers/ pressures and succeeded in achieving their goals. This research attempt to discuss the multifaceted and sensitive discourses with the principals and vice principals in a conservative society.

Secondly, this paper specifically focuses on the gap in the prevailing literature on the different perceptions of principal/educational leaders belonging to different social backgrounds. This study is more targeted to certain Muslim societies and critically assesses the female educational leadership with particular reference to their social context.

Thirdly, this endeavor is aimed to set the stage for thorough investigation and exploration of women's empowerment and management roles in the education sector of Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with particular focus on different barriers confronted by women educational leaders, for example; deep-rooted family obligations, lower rate of women literacy, the dominance of men in a leadership position and what Oplatka (2006: 1) called ‘androgynous mode of leadership’ manifested by present working female principals. Keeping in view the religio-social and cultural context within which female government college principals and vice principals work, this study efforts to attain the following main objectives.

Objectives of the study

In order to meet these objectives, the research was directed toward addressing the following research question:

Research question

College principal and vice principal defined

College principals are personnel who are responsible to organize, control, and manage the overall professional and managerial activities in their institution. The provincial government has tasked the principals to manage, administer, and improve the teaching and learning environment of their colleges and report back to the government on targeted assignments, achievements, opportunities, challenges, and requisite support from the government for further improvement of the system (Taj, 2016: 04). The principals of government colleges being the leader of the team are not only the sole administrator but simultaneously also oversee the lesson planning of the teachers, and their schemes of work and provide feedback on the progress of each student. Simkins et al. (2003) acknowledged that college principals are not only responsible for administration, but they also guide teachers in the classroom and lead them in conducting and managing co-curricular activities of the institution. The principals of colleges have also been tasked by the government to develop a good team in their institutions and to lead the same in a balanced way towards achieving the objectives set at the start of each academic year. It is endorsed by Salfi (2011) that the college principals focus on developing effective educational programs within the college. They coordinate and provide direction to their subordinates inside and outside of the college and principal is, therefore, referred to as the educational leader, manager, or administrator. In addition to the above different responsibilities, one of the prime/ key responsibilities of a principal is to submit a realistic budgetary demand to the government and to convince the Finance Ministry to allocate the same and then ensure the proper and efficient utilization of the budget in the best public interest (Nasreen and Odhiambo, 2018).

By virtue of her/his post, the principal is the full in charge and responsible for each activity of the college whether it is financial management, administration, and keeping close liaisons with government and other stakeholders. As the principals are usually overburdened with official work, so for convenience and assistance she notifies the senior-most faculty member as the vice principal of the college (Scoggins and Bishop, 1993). In the absence of a college principal vice principal oversee the overall administration and management of the college (Salfi, 2011).

Based on the above definitions, college principals are also called educational leaders. Therefore, in the paper, the term educational leader is used in most places instead of principal.

Women’s Status in Pakistan

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan was officially established on 14th August 1947 to exercise the Islamic laws which Allah Almighty, Quran, and Muhammad (P.B.U.H) practically presented. Islam is the complete code of life and gave respectable status to women some 1400 years back. Pakistani Women are still not taking pleasure in the right given to them by Islam. Manzoor (2015) states that Pakistani females do not lack the necessary education and abilities for leadership positions but they are restricted by glass ceilings from society and prevailing gender discrimination in the job market. In Pakistan like in other Muslim societies, social and religious roles are entangled so frequently to the extent that untangling and categorization the roles into public and domestic will be problematic (Shah, 2006). Bahramitash ( 2003) has discussed the economic role of Muslim women and has proved that Islam is not a problem in the way of Muslim women to work for their country. Islam is the religion of equality and balance between both genders. In Quran, Allah says that

And (as for) the believers, both men, and women – they are friends and protectors of one another: they [all] enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and pay heed unto God and His Messenger. (At-Taubah 9:71)

The concepts of educational leadership are commonly associated with educational aims and theories. The Islamic philosophy of education is primarily based on “Quranic Concepts” (Shah, 2008: 10). The Quran is pretty progressive in terms of women's rights and the basic teaching of Islam emphasizes searching and acquiring knowledge and making it Faraz (obligatory) upon every Muslim, both female, and male. According to Quran God imposed the duty of learning on every Muslim regardless of their sex and considers the knowledge seekers greater (taqwa) and higher in status. Pakistani women are still struggling for their rights given to them in Holy Quran and endorsed by Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) about 1400 years ago. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) says that “mother's lap is the first Madrassah (Institution) of a child” (p. 34–35).

O mankind, we have created you from male and female; and we have divided you into tribes and sub-tribes so that you could know each other. Verily the most honored (akramakum) of you in the sight of God is the most righteous (atqakum) of you. (Quran, 49:13)

A person attains higher status (taqwa) if she/he achieves knowledge/education and apply that knowledge in every sphere of life, material and spiritual. In Islam, the fundamental purpose of education is to develop self, faith, devotion, and moral values and it is expected that an exemplary human society can be built because of education.

The first Muslim societies were in Makah and Medina during the life of Muhammad (The last Prophet and messenger of Allah). Mosque and Battlefield were the two main public places of the time, whole Muslim women were allowed to participate in all the events when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was alive (Ahmed, 1992). Confining women in only single-sex institution show the dominance of men in a patriarchal society. Women had the right to do work outside and Muhammad (Prophet) pointed Ashifa (daughter of Abdullah) to be the administrator of the market. It is the best example of women's leadership some 1400 years ago. Another example of women's leadership in the early history of Islam mentions Bilqis Queen of Sheba, who the Quran explains specifically (Naml: 22–24). It shows how she used her administration, efficiently and diplomatically for the progress of her society and manifested to the world the ability of women to accept reality and face challenges. These all illustrate that the regressive behaviors of man are because of culture, economic and political situation but not because of Islam. The discrimination against women is the product of culture, not Islam. Chaudhry et al. (2012) have the same argument that it is ignorance of the Muslim community of the real teaching of Islam which has made Muslim women the most disadvantaged and vulnerable segment of the society. Afshar (1987: 132) stated that in most of the male-dominated Muslim societies women have not been provided with those rights which are protected in Holly Quran. In Pakistan, it is considered that if those few rights guaranteed in the Holly Quran are given to the women, the peace of the family will disturb and the interest of the same family will be jeopardized. If any woman demands the same rights in society, she is easily declared as the sinner and violator of the family norms and her voice is suppressed by hook or by crook.

Traditional and socio-cultural attitudes

The society of Pakistan is deeply unfavorable to women and most of the male members of the society think that ‘strong women weaken society’ (p.22) as one of the quotes from the study of Nigaar (2016). Historically women have been subject to maltreatment by men and her freedom of mobility was constrained due to the role she was forced to accept. Limited roles have been given outside of the family and women experienced a great variety of patriarchal behavior in several ways. Traditional views paired with societal expectations in most developing countries have relegated women primarily to work in the home (Cubillo, 2005). Women tend to remain imperceptible in planning and development unless particular programs and efforts are arranged and implemented to integrate and mainstream them. In male-controlled societies, gender inequality starts at birth and parents mentally prepare their young girls in such a way that they limit themselves to a certain profession and unintentionally start believing that only a certain profession suits them. Alam (2017) identified that the reason behind such a mindset is that parents demand more labor from girls than boys in household activities and that is why the girls are considered to be suited for such occupations where they do not have to spend long hours of a day. Gradually girls internalize their role as helpers to their mothers in a household and also internalize the disadvantages of being female. This suppressive gene slowly and gradually kills the inner potentials and creativity of females.

Gender discrimination

Al-Ahmadi (2011) states that the male-dominant societies labeled men as a leader and perceive women as followers and that this opinion hinders the aspirant female professionals. It is evident from men's attitude that women are not regarded as qualified and competent as men in society. In a patriarchal society, men perceive women as less competent both in rationality and intellectuality. This perception of men prejudices the decisions of women to apply for leadership positions. Mahitivanichcha and Rorrer (2006) argue that men's perceptions about women's less competency and less intellectuality prevent female aspirants from getting a leading position. The study of Mahitivanichcha and Rorrer (2006) further makes the evidence available that male leading selection boards held biased attitudes toward women selection as managers. Taj (2016) also revealed in her studies the hesitations of school selection boards’ regarding women's social knowledge and capabilities. Additionally, the views of hiring panels regarding women's capabilities and women's adjustment to traditional paths of career make their pursuit of leadership complicated. The reason for women's underprivileged self-image is the perception that leadership is a male occupation and followership is a female occupation (Al-Ahmadi, 2011). Researchers argued that men's career path leads directly to the top positions because men work in administrative positions more than instructional positions. On the other hand, women focus on instructive leadership or classroom leadership than administration. This may lead to women's limited experiences in the position of leadership and management. Garn and Brown (2008) collected information from 15 women school managers and their purpose was to explore the effect of gender in gaining managerial positions. In their research they found women's lack of administrative experience to be a drawback in the hiring process.

Support system

Professionals use networking as a means to form relationships with others in the related field that helps to expand one's effectiveness in an organization. Through professional networking one can share and get ideas, skills of professional development, information, etc. Every person needs a role model and suitable networking to succeed in their career. It is a fact that through networking colleagues explore new ideas through participatory research and learn constantly from each other. It is easier for one when having colleagues and a strong network to learn, follow and ask for direction and guidance. So one of the reasons that make women down is the lack of role models in the field of educational leadership. Shaukat and Pell (2017) state that females in leadership positions face male-dominant culture in the workplace causing conflict between professional and cultural obligations. The small number of women leaders in the field of educational leadership can make it difficult for resourceful networking among female principals (Kowalski and Stouder, 1999). All the revealed details limit the progress of female education leaders as Grogan and Brunner (2005) acknowledged that networking is an indispensable need for professional development. Young girls are influenced and inspired by women educational leaders in their career objectives and educational attainments. It is a fact that when the first woman in a family opts for the career of education leadership, she could have the ability to change the opinions about the strengths and potentials of women and their talent to surpass men by excelling in all walks of life and by virtue of her position, which she has attained after tireless efforts and becomes the ideal of millions of young women.

Methodology

The primary intentions of this study were to identify the religio-social, patriarchal gender beliefs, and administrative challenges faced by the female college principals and vice principals in Pakistan. It also sought to understand the participants’ thinking processes, opinions, and motivations regarding the research question. The purpose of the study was in line with the philosophy of naturalists, which favors the qualitative approach because it provides a researcher with a more detailed picture of an issue (Creswell, 2007; Johnson and Christensen, 2000). In any qualitative research in understanding the specific contextual social process, the researcher should directly interact with all those who are relevant to the whole process (Maxwell, 2012). Thomas (2017) asserts that qualitative research is widely used in the social discipline and manifests the importance of thorough probes into human behavior. Hence, keeping in view the research question and to genuinely comprehend the understanding and feedback of female government college principals and vice principals about their work and profession, this study attempts a qualitative approach. So the approach of the Skype interview is the best-suited method for this research to collect the requisite data and analyze the same.

Skype interview as research design

For researchers in social science, the very frequently used method of data collection is the Interview (Creswell, 2012). The different barriers, constraints like monetary issues, frequent traveling to large distances and time management hamper the process of a physical interview (Janghorban et al., 2014). But luckily the technological revolution has opened new horizons of direct interaction sitting far from each other. The different tools of social media have created so much ease in human life and now a researcher through, SKYPE, and other media can easily interview the participants. Now a day's concept of an online interview has become a major tool in data collection for qualitative researchers. In Skype interviews, both researcher and the participant can see each other during the interview while being in their comfort zone (Deakin and Wakefield, 2014; Hanna, 2012). The benefits of electronic interviews are long-distance removal, interviews with the people who are difficult to access in the normal place of living with regards to their convenience, cost-effectiveness, and feasibility in saving video records (Parvaresh-Masoud and Varaei, 2018). Using such online technologies sometimes researchers come across many obstacles that the researcher needs to overcome to achieve successful, in-depth qualitative interviews (Deakin and Wakefield, 2014).

As my research participants are living in Pakistan. Due to fiscal deficit, distance, and time management, I could not go to Pakistan. Therefore, I collected my requisite data in May 2018, using the in-depth SKYPE interview methods given below.

Research method

Culture matters, so does patriarchy

In Pakistani society, the patriarchal values determine the subordinated positions of women. Patriarch central over women does exercises through traditional restrictive belief system which associates family honor of female virtue (Hadi, 2017). The women of every noble family are expected to guard the honor of the family while dealing with other colleagues, the public, elders, and the younger. In conservative societies, the female principals of colleges are to be very cautious in their daily activities of professional life as the elements of intolerance, lack of forbearance and kindness are at their peak in these societies. As one of the participants shared her experience:

On the eve of Nowruz (Start of the spring) all students (female students, as the college, is only for female students and headed by the female principal) of the college had arranged a party where they enjoyed local music and dance. They had great fun and the very next day a few local Mula (religious Cleric) arrived at the college with the complaint that our children are taught unethical and immoral activities which is not acceptable to us. When they were told that this is a female college and all participants were female of the same college and that program was arranged in a closed room but the Mula was not ready to accept it saying that whatever, it is unIslamic and unethical. Islam has not allowed women to sing and dance. The Mula threatened me with dire consequences if it happens again.

In Chitrali society exercising the legal authority by female college principals for the benefit of the college is not an easy job and the Mula (religious clerics) have left no room for professional and personality growth of women. The participant's statement is endorsed by Dobbins et al. (2009) that in modern education the physical excursion is as important as reading a textbook and attending classes with regular homework. The rigid Mula in ignorance of the truth is damaging the physical growth of the female students and suppresses their inner potential by seizing the opportunities to release their confidence through different physical and mental activities inside the colleges.

Another participant added her perceptions:

This institution is purely for female students and teaching staffs are also female but, even then, we cannot take an independent decision and cannot arrange a small recreational program or excursion to any picnic spot for our students due to religious clerics, despite the fact that students always insist for such hangouts.

The time demands that the students may be given opportunities to attend different academic and sports programs in other institutions of the district when invited but the ground situation is not conducive for all these healthy activities. Recreational physical outdoor activities enhance the mental and physical abilities of students and help them achieve the goals of their life (Otravenko et al., 2021). The principal is legally and morally bound to take measures and initiatives for the healthy and constructive growth of her students but on the other way, society does not allow her to do the need full within the premises of the college. In the rigid society of Chitral, the religious clerics have interpreted the role of women as the opposite of what envisaged by Islam is only of nurturing the family and children.

One of the research participants shared her experience:

That being a principal I have always felt that while taking independent decisions within the organization I have never followed 100% merit as few people especially male elders of the family sometimes of their own and some time at the motivation of political leaders have pressurized me for taking certain decision including the appointment of staff and admission of the students. Whenever I tried to sustain the pressure with logical arguments, I was put in the trouble and I was emotionally blackmailed, start unnecessary discussions, to make my existence in the family controversial.

Taking advantage of the fragile nature of the women, the shrewd peer groups to meet their vested interest, start influencing the female principals and vice principals over the internal matters of the college, which demoralizes the principals, and slowly the female educational leaders start accepting the undue pressure coming from different people, their decision taken in exigencies affect the overall success ratio of the college.

Professional and family life balance issue

The support by the families of the research participants who belonged to the female college of upper Chitral was quite remarkable and very encouraging. One main reason for this support is that the education ratio is very high and the general public of the area realizes the fact that without the inclusion of their women in jobs and services survival of their generation will be difficult. Settle (2012) research study has endorsed the fact that the people in the upper district of Chitral are progressive and have regard for women empowerment. Therefore, the participants are very confident and deliver their services in the best possible way because of their family support.

One of the research participants shared her experience:

I belong to upper Chitral but my husband is from lower Chitral, my present posting is in upper Chitral and I meet my family once or sometimes twice a month and I do realize the hardships of my family and kids in my absence. I even submitted the request to the Higher Education Department (HED) for my transfer to another Government Degree College Chitral, in any position but despite all these odds my husband not only fully supports me but also keeps on motivating me that my present posting is an honor for the whole family and this family support further strengthens my commitment and determination.

Indeed there are certain families which are not only supporting their working women especially, educational leaders, but most importantly they feel proud of those successful women in their families. This psychological support is the key to female educational leaders’ professional boost in a society where women's empowerment is considered a sin. Household has always been a women's arena of work in Pakistan and Chitral is no exception. “Women have long been identified with the domestic private world and man with the wider public world of work” (Dougherty, 2009: 17). In male-dominated families, the gender-based distribution of assignments is very much eminent as males are supposed to earn money through different services, and women have specifically expected to the household activity within the family. Professional jobs by female members of the family are on the least priority list of the family leader, even though the female is more qualified than the male. If a female is fortunate enough to get an education and to succeed in reaching the leading position, she has to keep a balance between domestic and professional activities, rather giving more importance to the household activities as compared to her professional responsibilities. As one participant narrated her story:

I live in an extended family consisting of 12 members where I and two other ladies of the family are solely responsible for the management of the house like cooking, cleaning, washing, taking care of kids and most importantly taking care of the four elder male members and also to look after the affairs of the college. This is a challenging environment to keep both jobs together. Dozens of incidents have happened in my family when due to professional engagements, I reached home 30 minutes late than the routine time, I had faced the embarrassing situation and had to bear the scolding of the elder male family members. Certainly, I had made compromises on my professional obligations to avoid any untoward and unpleasant situation in the family.

Motherhood issues always affected the career of female professionals and it includes the responsibilities of looking after the family. Specifically, in an extended family, females are considered suitable for only child-rearing. These gender-based specified responsibilities evolved socially and culturally over a period of time. Slowly and gradually this segregation of locally evolved responsibilities has become social taboos for womenfolk of the society and violation of the same is considered religious immorality. Although this type of segregation of roles is not given in the Holy Quran, the male elders have prevailed over the society and monopolized the system with their type of religion which does not favor the female to work outside their home (Shah, 2015).

Influence of professional networking

In district Chitral, all those offices where the female principals must have to go regularly have no working ladies and the female principals have to interact directly with male officials, which is neither considered socially desirable nor do their families accept those interactions. For example, in the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Office, the female principal frequently goes for monthly or quarterly meetings, where not a single female official is available to facilitate the female principal. Pointing toward the importance of female personnel in the surrounding support system one of the participants expressed:

Once on official business on the single assignment of house allotment to my professor, I had to go five times to Deputy Commissioner Office and got the same answer in all visits that it will be done by tomorrow. But that tomorrow never came. I inferred one conclusion from my harsh experience that being a female principal of a female institution is a big handicap in a male-dominated orthodox society as I could not exert pressure on DC, who otherwise would have done it.

The same is the case with the District Account Office (DAO) where all the financial matters of the colleges are being discussed and processed, which include salary, non-salary, developmental and non-developmental budgets, etc. Shah (2015) pointed out in her study that In single-sex institutions sometimes the gender demarcated powers create issues for women principals as the male staff of the college and most importantly of other important offices who manipulate the files related to college's important matters like budget, schemes, establishment files and play the conventional patriarchal role restraining the women leaders only to unimportant files or matters. At the pretext of single-sex institutions, the role of female principals are further limited which eventually affects the future career of the female principals. Another major department where the principal herself has to go or to hold a meeting is the Communication and Works (C & W) Department, which is responsible for all kinds of physical work. In this department, one cannot find single female personnel to interact with. One participant shared her experience by saying:

In our college, the boundary wall of my student's hostel was damaged as a result of the earthquake which was targeted to be reconstructed within 6 months through C & W department Chitral, but unfortunately that never happened. It took two years to complete the same and that too through my own staff who worked voluntarily and the concerned department paid no heed to my repeated requests, letters, and meetings. I lost all the hopes because I knew the situation that being a female principal was my only weakness.

In an environment where all the professional colleagues belonging to other sister organizations in the district, division, and province are male, it is very much difficult for a female principal to establish professional linkages and to keep liaison with other partner organizations as the female head of the departments are less heard and are given least importance in all official correspondence and meetings. The biased mentality of all those professionals who are at the helm of the affairs and are male has further disheartened the female principals, who are already depressed and this all indirectly affected the professional contributions of the female principals.

Interactions with general public

In Chitral, Pakistan male members of the family are always dominant. Women are treated in different ways, somewhere they are more respected or protected in some areas they are less privileged. In some families, they are free to go to school and college or even to choose their future profession on their own. In rural areas like Chitral, the general public is not aware of the powers and domain of female principals and sometimes starts fighting with principals over nonissues, which not only demoralizes the female principals but also feel them realize as insulted and disgraced in front of other people. This attitude of the general masses has caused damage to the enthusiasm of the team. Convincing the public over such issues is not an easy job and making the public understand that power and domain of principals is very limited and on each issue, she has to get approval from higher authorities. This all happening is directly affecting the overall performance of the college.

One of the participants, in charge of college transport, shared her experience saying:

Since the first day, I took the responsibility of transport in charge, I have faced different people with different attitudes. Few people were always supportive but most of the people were disrespectful to me. This mixed attitude has negatively affected my performance. When the unprecedented floods, of 2015, crippled the life of people as the fragile infrastructure of Chitral including roads were badly damaged, valleys were cut off, and students were in trouble while reaching college. The public (students’ parents) rushed to my office and started humiliating me saying that arranging transport is your responsibility and pressurized me to depute the bus to the flood-affected areas which were riskier, and was also out of my preview. They compelled me and even forced me to run the college bus on the road despite the dreadful situation of the flood, when I refused, the same parents humiliated me and my college team in a public gathering. Where nobody supported me rather those all supported the opposite party.

On the other hand, another participant shared another experience:

There was an issue of student's residence in the college, as students’ hostel is not enough for all needy students. Here the local administration and the senior citizens helped me in solving the same issue and regarding security measurement, they appreciated me.

Sometimes the frequent public interaction creates problems for the female professionals especially if the general masses are uneducated as they do not know the procedural work of the office. If the public is educated, then it becomes a source of strength for the female educational leaders in the shape of additional volunteer human resources.

Public-private partnership

In a financial resource constraint country, support from Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) is pertinent for the maintenance and improvement of the existing infrastructure of the colleges, as a self-sufficient building is the most important prerequisite for a successful institution. But in KPK, the female government college principals are not authorized to take independent decisions and those have to get approval from the provincial government before signing any Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the private organizations for financial support and this procedural delay affects the work. One participant said:

Aga Khan Rural Support Program has invested a handsome amount in my college for equipment's of IT lab, developing play areas, purchase of books, but it took seven months to get approval from Secretary Higher Education and the support organizations were about to quit as their every activity is time-bound.

The support from other partner organizations should be welcomed and with the public-private partnership, more financial resources should be driven to the college. If the government authorizes the female principals to interact with the private developing organization to get maximum benefits for the college, this will yield great results and will increase the success ratio of the colleges.