QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PERCEPTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS OF BUSINESS STUDENTS

The study seeks to measure the service gaps between perceptions and expectations of business students keeping in view the need to deliver quality education in public and private higher education institutions. In addition, it aims to explore what measures should be taken for the improvement of quality of education. The related literature shows the perceptions and expectations of business students in these educational institutes are neglected especially in public sector education institutions in Pakistan that is why, the quality of education is not satisfactory in this regard. So the present study has contributed in providing implications how to increase their quality by focusing on the reasons for this negligence. An adapted version of EduQUAL scale which based on SERVQUAL instrument was used for data collection from business students of public and private institutes. Out of 300 questionnaires, only two hundred respondents dully filled the questionnaires with the response rate of 67 percent. The significant differences were enunciated between perceptions and expectations of business students in public institutions as compared to private institutions, where differences were relatively low. Considering the importance of quality of higher education the public institutions management needs to improve their learning and practical orientation in education, academics and physical facilities as well. The private institutes needs to improve firstly the services in learning outcomes, physical facilities and academics followed by responsiveness and personality development in both public and private institutes require attention of administration for the improvement in these areas.