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    "Peer Group Effects on Academic Achievement"

    Of Government Girls High School Khyaban-e-Sirsyed

    a!alpindi

    y

    Aneela #a$eed

    %%&-'SS(#AE)*+('O,

    )epartment Of Education

    'aculty of social Science

    nternational slamic *niversity slamabad

    +./.

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    II

    "Peer Group Effects on Academic Achievement"

    Of Government Girls High School Khyaban-e-Sirsyed

    a!alpindi

    y

    Aneela #a$eed

    %%&-'SS(#AE)*+('O,

    A Pro$ect submitted for the partial

    'ulfillment of the degree of

    #aster of Arts in Education

    0#A Education1

    )epartment Of Education

    'aculty of social Science

    nternational slamic *niversity slamabad

    +./.

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    III

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    IV

    Allah Almighty

    I asked for strength

    And Allah gave me diculties to make me strong

    I asked for wisdom

    And Allah gave me problems to solve

    I asked for prosperity

    And Allah gave me brain and brawn to work

    I asked for courage

    And Allah gave me danger to overcome

    I asked for love

    And Allah gave me troubled people to help

    I asked for favors

    And Allah gave me opportunities

    I received nothing I wanted

    I received everything I need

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    V

    Dedicated To

    First of all to Allah and Holy Prophet Mohammad Peace !e

    "pon Him#$ to my

    dearest %randmother$ my beloved Parents$ to my loving

    siblings and friends&

    May Allah's blessing upon them in this world and hereafter

    Amen#

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    VI

    Ac2no!ledgement

    In the name of Allah The Most Beneficent and Most Merciful. I have no words to

    express my deepest sense of gratitude to Almighty Allah, the only one who be praised,

    without is help and blessings! I was unable to complete this pro"ect.

    I also pay #arood$o$salam from the core of my heart to is beloved %rophet Mohammad

    &%eace Be 'pon im( the ocean of )nowledge, guidance and the messenger of peace for

    the whole universe.

    'pon to complete of this pro"ect, I wish to record my highest appreciation to my

    respective supervisor Miss *arina for her diligence and )indness for me to complete this

    pro"ect. +he guided me and supervised my wor) through every phase of this research

    wor). Indeed her constructive criticism has been of great value to me in the preparation

    of this pro"ect.

    Im very than)ful to my grandmother who remembered me in her prayers and

    motivated and encouraged me in studies.

    My than)s also go to my parents for giving me such worth while, motivation,

    financial support and love throughout my thic) and thin. And who also have been a

    source of inspiration. I further extend my than)s to my siblings and friends for their

    indirect contribution and helping me in completing this pro"ect.

    -ast but not the least the special than)s to +ir I)ram and my younger brother

    unaid without their generosity it would have been very difficult for me to accomplish

    this tas). May Allah bless you all .Than) you.

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    VII

    Abstract

    The study was designed to measure the effects of peer group on their Academic

    Achievement. In order to achieve the ob"ectives of the study survey method was

    employed.

    /or this study population consisted of 0overnment 0irls igh +chool 1hyaban$e$

    +irsyed 2awalpindi. A sample of 34 students was selected for the study.

    The data was collected through 5uestionnaire. 6uestionnaire was distributed

    personally from the students. #ata collected was analy7ed and interpreted. %ercentage

    was used for this purpose.

    The ma"or findings of the research in terms of percentage was! Agree &89:(,

    #isagree &;

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    VIII

    At the end researcher made some recommendations on the basis of conclusions.

    /ollowing were these ma"or recommendations=

    The student should choose the right peers in order to improve their lifestyle,

    attitudes, academic achievement and so on. The student are encourage analy7e the

    attitudes of their friends before they become close. It is because the positive peer can

    influenced and motivated them to be good in studies.

    Teachers should arrange groups of students in class in such a way that it

    should comprise of bright and dull students. In this way dull students will be able

    to get benefit from the bright students and it will be add to their academic

    acumen.

    %arents should interact with their children with love, )indness, respect,

    consistency, time, boundaries and encouragement. They should ta)e interest in their

    childs activities. This allows parents to )now their childs friends and to monitor

    behavior , which is crucial in )eeping children out of trouble.

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    I?

    3A4E O' 5O63E63S

    5hapter /77777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777 /8

    @.@ Introduction=...................................................................................................... @

    @.; +tatement of the problem=................................................................................@

    @. Cb"ective=........................................................................................................... @

    @.9 Theoretical frame wor)=.................................................................................... @

    @. +ignificance of the study=............................................................................... @

    @.8 2esearch 6uestion=........................................................................................... @8

    @.3 Methodology=..................................................................................................... @8

    @.3.@ %opulation=................................................................................................. @8

    @.3.; +ample=...................................................................................................... @8

    @.3. +ample techni5ue=.....................................................................................@3

    @.3.9 2esearch Instruments=...............................................................................@3

    @.3. #ata Dollection=........................................................................................ @3

    @.3.8 #ata Analysis=........................................................................................... @3

    @.3.3 #elimitation=.............................................................................................. @3

    5hapter 777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777 /,

    + evie! of elated 4iterature977777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777 /,

    ;.@ #efinition of %eer=............................................................................................. @ &A peer is a

    member of a peer group.(

    &Abercrombie, @%eer group education is a method of information transference or role

    modeling where a particular type of behavior is promoted or information

    transferred. The peer educators closely match the target group in some manner!

    whether it is by age, gender, etc.>

    &BrammerKHal)er @

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    ;

    It comes as no surprise, then, that the relative consistency of peers allows

    them to ta)e precedence over academics and educators in later education. In

    addition to school structure, factors such as biology, home life, and increased

    personal responsibilities have also been explanations for students> decreased

    academic motivation and increased receptivity to peer influence. Hhatever the

    causes, the subculture of the peer group can be very telling in determining

    students> motivation to succeed in academics.

    In short, the relative influence of peers or peer groups typically increases

    with the age and development of the student. +o, too, do the multiple functions

    of peers increase. A younger student may be able to find the motivation and

    desire to learn apart from classmates and friends, loo)ing instead to values from

    home and teacher. Clder students are more apt to see) out those who have

    similar interests and values.

    2.6 Peer Pressure Affect 4earning and #otivation9

    Age of the student is one consideration in weighing the importance and

    application of motivation to learn. uman relationships have varying degrees of

    importance in motivational and learning theories. Most approaches tend to agree,

    however, that students who surround themselves with peers and influences who

    value learning and the educational process will also value their own learning and

    strive to enhance their education.

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    ;9

    Abraham . Maslow viewed the need for love and belongingness as a step

    toward achievement in his hierarchy of motivation model, which he described in

    @s model, people must have love and

    belongingness issues satisfied in order to address needs of achievement . /or

    example , a student with deprived relationship concerns will be less able to

    participate in classroom learning opportunities . The ability to learn is built on a

    foundation of comfortable relationships with others , including peers and family ,

    and classroom learning is all about learning with and in the presence of others.

    Expectancy by value theories define motivation as the product of the

    amount of success on a tas) that an individual expects to earn times the amount

    of value the individual places on the tas) . Thus , a tas) that the individual values

    and expects to be successful at will be motivating compared to a tas) with lower

    expected success or value . Hhereas past experience can predict the expectancy

    aspect of this model &e.g., the student has done well on prior essay exams (, the

    value placed on the tas) is more mediated by outside factors , such as peers and

    family & e.g., the student>s opinions are respected (. 2elated motivational theories

    include the incentive or rewarding aspects of motivation , which may also stem

    from relationships with others .

    Behaviorism provides one way to explain the association between

    motivation to learn and peer interactions. In basic behaviorist theories , relationships

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    ;

    between people affect learning only as much as people reinforce each other & or

    not ( in the academic arena . /or example , if the peer group encourages education

    and learning , then the individual student within that group will value learning,

    because the individual is reinforced, or rewarded, for behavior that indicates that

    learning is valued . +tudents in peer groups that do not value education lac) the

    stimulation and reinforcement needed to encourage personal learning. These peer

    groups presumably stimulate and reinforce other values.

    Albert Bandura>s social learning theory spea)s precisely to the human

    interactions involved in learning . Cbservational, or vicarious learning is based

    upon learning by watching then modeling or acting similarly to others . If the

    student views and wor)s with people who appreciate learning by engaging in

    learning activities, then the student too will engage in learning and might wor)

    harder at learning. %eers with positive attitudes and behaviors toward education will

    allow and teach each other to set goals that include opportunities to learn and

    achieve. If peer models do not convey positive attitudes toward learning, then the

    students observing these models will not prioriti7e learning in their own lives .

    They will learn to prioriti7e other goals.

    In @

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    ;8

    relationships . MentorsO for example, teachers or more capable peers O can raise the

    student>s competence through the 7one of proximal development &*%#(. *%# is

    defined as the gap between what a student can do alone and what the student

    can achieve with assistance. In this view assistance is transitional, a scaffold

    that is removed when it is no longer needed and the student has internali7ed

    another>s support.

    In sum, varied theories agree that the values and attitudes of the peer

    group are essential elements in motivation and learning. +tudents who surround

    themselves with academically focused, goal oriented peers will be more li)ely to

    appreciate, internali7e, and exhibit these features themselves.

    +7= Positive Effects of Peer Pressure9

    %eer pressure is not always bad. It can help you analy7e yourself and

    contemplate on your ways of life. Nou may be able to change yourself for the

    better. -oo)ing at what others do, can help you bring about a positive change in

    your way of thin)ing. If you can pic) selectively, peer pressure can actually result

    in a positive change in your way of life. If you are fortunate to get a good peer

    group , your peers can play a vital role in the shaping of your personality. Their

    way of loo)ing at life may influence you to change for betterment. +ome of your

    peers are your close friends, who do not pressuri7e you to do things but rather

    inspire you to change yourself. Nour peer group may actually persuade you to

    bring about a constructive change in your personality .

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    ;3

    %eer pressure can lead you to ma)e the right choices in life. 0ood peer

    pressure is being pushed in to something that you didn>t have the courage to do

    or "ust didn>t cross your mind to do. 0ood peer pressure can also be a situation

    when your friends convince you not to do something you were going to do

    because it wasn>t in your best interest. 0ood peer pressure is when you get pushed

    in to something that you didn>t want to do and it turned out well.

    +7, 6egative Effects of Peer Pressure9

    Hhen you do not li)e a particular idea or when you have no inclination

    towards a particular field, it is obvious that you won>t li)e to go by it. /or sure,

    you won>t li)e to go that way . But it is you peer group, which may compel you

    on doing something you hate. In such cases, there are chances that you won>t do

    well in those things. Things you do not en"oy doing cannot fetch you success.

    Nou cannot emerge successful in something you have never li)ed doing. +o , it is

    important that you do not lose happiness of your life by succumbing to peer

    pressure.

    Many a time, it so happens, that we are forced to lead a certain )ind of

    lifestyle due to peer pressure. Nou may not li)e partying on every wee)end, using

    drugs and smo)ing, but peer pressure may ma)e you do all that you had never

    wished to There are many teenagers who experience great pressure from their

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    ;F

    peer group that forces them to ta)e to drin)ing. Nou may ta)e to something as

    grave as drug use , and that too, only because of peer pressure. In such cases,

    being overly pressuri7ed by you peers can be detrimental to your living. +ome

    teenagers literally spoil their lives by giving in to peer pressure.

    %eer pressure can lead to a loss of individuality. Extreme peer pressure may

    lead you to follow what your peers feel right. Their pressure may compel you to

    go by everything they thin) right. Nou tend to blindly imitate the masses! you

    adopt their tastes of fashion, clothing, hair, music and general living . %eer

    pressure can actually lead you to lose you tastes of life and force yourself to

    begin li)ing what they li)e. %eer pressure is the human tendency to "oin the

    bandwagon, in which, the person loses hisKher original way of loo)ing at life.

    Bad peer pressure is being tal)ed into doing something that you didn>t want to do

    because your friends said that you should. Bad peer pressure is usually the result

    of wanting to be accepted by your peers.

    2.9 Encourage Healthy and Positive elationships9

    It is important to encourage friendships among teens. He all want our

    children to be with persons who will have a positive influence, and stay away

    from persons who will encourage or engage in harmful, destructive, immoral, or

    illegal activities.

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    ;s choice of friends

    or peer group. This may be because of their image, negative attitudes, or serious

    behaviors &such as alcohol use, drug use, truancy, sexual behaviors(.

    2.10 3eenage Peer Pressure9

    Teenage is that phase of life when you are exposed to the world outside.

    These are the years when you spend most of your time with your friends.

    Teenage is the phase of beginning to become independent in life! the years of

    forming your ideals and principles, the years that shape your personality and the

    years that introduce you to your own self. Adolescents often spend most of their

    daily time with friends and owing to this vulnerable age, they tend to imitate

    their friends. The people around you are bound to influence you. owever, the

    effect of the influences of the masses is greater during your teen years. %arents

    have a vital role to play during this phase of a person>s life. %arents and teachers

    need to be careful while dealing with teenagers, as they are most susceptible to

    succumb to peer pressure during these years of their life. Teenage individuals

    need to be taught to distinguish between the good and the bad, the right and the

    wrong and should be taught to be thoughtful in life.

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    @

    A strong support from family, an ability to differentiate between the

    positive and the negative and a s)ill to choose friends from the peers $ this three

    O pronged strategy is the best way to )eep away from negative peer pressure.

    /riendships are very much an important aspect of the teen years.

    'nderstanding the nature of peer influence can help support youth as they enter

    into this period and follow the path towards close friendships that are hallmar)s

    of adolescence.

    Adolescence is a time when peers play an increasingly important role in

    the lives of youth. Teens begin to develop friendships that are more intimate,

    exclusive, and more constant than in earlier years. In many ways, these

    friendships are an essential component of development. They provide safe venues

    where youth can explore their identities, where they can feel accepted and where

    they can develop a sense of belongingness. /riendships also allow youth to

    practice and foster social s)ills necessary for future success.

    Gonetheless, parents and other adults can become concerned when they see

    their teens becoming preoccupied with their friends. Many parents worry that their

    teens might fall under negative peer influence or re"ect their families values and

    beliefs, as well as be pressured to engage in high$ris) and other negative

    behaviors.

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    ;

    In actuality, peer influence is more complex than our stereotype of the

    negative influences from friends. /irst, peer influence can be both positive and

    negative. Hhile we tend to thin) that peer influence leads teens to engage in

    unhealthy and unsafe behaviors, it can actually motivate youth to study harder in

    school, volunteer for community and social services, and participate in sports and

    other productive endeavors. In fact, most teens report that their peers pressure

    them not to engage in drug use and sexual activity.

    +econd, peer influence is not a simple process where youth are passive

    recipients of influence from others. In fact, peers who become friends tend to

    already have a lot of things in common. %eers with similar interests, similar

    academic standing, and en"oy doing the same things tend to gravitate towards

    each other. +o while it seems that teens and their friends become very similar to

    each other through peer influence, much of that similarity was present to begin

    with.

    2.10.1 'acts about 'riendships> Peers> and Adolescence9

    /riendships that emerge during adolescence tend to be more complex, more

    exclusive, and more consistent than during earlier childhood. Gew types &e.g., opposite

    sex, romantic ties( and levels &e.g., best friends, cli5ues, and PcrowdsQ( of relationships

    emerge, and teens begin to develop the capacity for very close, intimate, and deep

    friendships.

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    The adult perception of peers as having one culture or a unified front of dangerous

    influence is inaccurate. More often than not, peers reinforce family values, but they have

    the potential to encourage problem behaviors as well. Although the negative peer

    influence is overemphasi7ed, more can be done to help teenagers experience the family

    and the peer group as mutually constructive environments.

    2.10.2 'acts about the teen-parent relationship during the teen

    years9

    Parent relationships are not necessarily undermined by peer relationships.

    #uring adolescence, relationships between parents and teens are more often re$

    negotiated rather than re"ected. #uring adolescence, teens become increasingly

    autonomous and ta)e on more adult roles. They also develop their own ideas and start

    mapping their own lives. They begin to spend more time with and value their friends

    more than they used to. Thus, it might seem as if they are starting to cut ties with parents

    and re"ect their ideals. In fact, rather than cutting off ties, teens are "ust renegotiating the

    parent$child relationship. Hhat this means is that they are beginning to shift the

    relationship to incorporate their increasing independence and maturity. As teens become

    more mature, the type of relationship they have with their parents naturally begin to shift

    as the teen begins to mature.

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    9

    Bhile it seems that teens are influenced by their peers> parents continue to be

    the most influential factor in their lives7

    #espite fears parents have about their teens re"ecting their values and beliefs,

    parents continue to be of significant influence. Teens report having political, religious,

    and general beliefs similar to their parents, and consider their parents as being highly

    significant and influential in their lives. %ositive relationships between parents and teens

    also e5uip youth to have healthy relationships with friends. Teens who have high 5uality

    relationships with parents also report having a positive relationship with their peers.

    Parent-adolescent conflict increases bet!een childhood and early adolescenceD

    although in most families> its freuency and intensity remain lo!7

    Typically, conflicts are the result of relationship negotiation and continuing

    attempts by parents to sociali7e their adolescents, and do not signal the brea)down of

    parent$adolescent relations. %arents need to include adolescents in decision$ma)ing and

    rule$setting that affects their lives.

    Parents !ho continue to communicate !ith their teens> even !hen there are

    conflicts> actually maintain closer relationships7

    Hhile it might seem futile to tal) to teens when it leads to conflicts and

    disagreements, most teens continue to report having a close relationship with their

    parents, and as mentioned earlier, they still report parents as being a significant influence

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    on their lives. +o parents need to continue tal)ing to their teens and maintaining an open

    line of communication, rather than simply trying to avoid disagreements.

    2.10.3'acts about peer friendships9

    3eens often have multiple layers and groups of friendships7

    'nli)e in childhood, when friendships usually meant two or more close friends, teens

    often have multiple friends and belong to multiple groups. They might have intimate and

    close relationships with one or a handful of individuals, and might also belong to one or

    more cli5ues or groups of friends that have similar demographics &sex, race,

    socioeconomic status(, orientation towards school, and other interests.

    Peer friendships are dynamic7

    This simply means that peer friendships may change. /or instance, while teens can

    have friendships that are long term, they often move from one cli5ue to another, and they

    might develop new friendships and lose others.

    Peers tend to choose those !ho are similar to themselves7

    Hhether it is gender, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or interests, teens tend to

    gravitate towards those who are more similar to them.

    Peer friendships can be a healthy venue for positive youth development7

    %eer friendships can be a safe place for youth to explore their identity, learn about

    social norms, and practice their autonomy. ealthy friendships provide youth with social

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    8

    support for dealing with some of the challenges of adolescence, and can also provide

    youth with some of the most positive experiences during those years. Many teens report

    having some of the happiest and most fun moments with their peers, li)ely due to shared

    interests as well close relationships.

    2.11 Effective Strategies for 5oping !ith Peer Pressure

    Hhile the point has been made here that peer influence and peer pressure do not

    necessarily have to be negative, peer pressure can lead youth towards unhealthy and

    unsafe behaviors. To minimi7e the negative effects of peer pressure, youth, parents,

    school and community leaders must come together to establish wor)able and effective

    strategies to guide teen behavior and to support their transition from children to mature,

    responsible adults. ere are several strategies to consider &partly based on Brown, @

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    3

    2.11.2 Encourage positive relationships bet!een significant adults and

    teens7

    %arents, teachers, school counselors, other relatives and professionals should try

    to have constructive and positive relationships with teens. These can serve as good

    models for healthy relationships, and can be a venue through which the teens can feel

    valued and where they can develop positive views about themselves. Nouth should )now

    that they can go to these caring adults for help or advice about their peer relationships.

    +7//78 Encourage diverse relationships7

    %arents, teachers, community leaders, and clergy can model appreciation for

    ethnic, gender, socioeconomic status, religious, and other differences and support cross$

    group friendships. +chools and youth organi7ations can assist by encouraging youth from

    diverse bac)grounds to wor) and play together.

    +7//7: Support parent education programs for families !ith teenagers7

    %arents need to be better informed about the dynamics of adolescent peer groups

    and the demands and expectations teenagers face in peer relationships. Information is

    available through various sources including boo)s, some parenting maga7ines, and other

    publications such as this one. 1eep your eye out for programs particularly targeted

    towards families and teen issues that might be available. +ee)ing information is not a

    sign of wea)ness, and showing interest in these issues might actually show your teens

    that you are concerned about them.

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    F

    +7//7; Euip youth !ith the s2ills necessary to resist negative behaviors> as

    !ell as to ma2e good decisions7

    Teens will inevitably be confronted with situations where they will have to ma)e

    a decision whether or not to engage in certain behaviors, whether to give in to peer

    pressure, and also to ma)e other difficult decisions. It is essential that youth are given the

    necessary s)ills to analy7e the situation and ma)e the appropriate decision. This includes

    helping youth develop the s)ills for costs vs. benefits analysis R teaching them to loo)

    at both the negative and positive sides to ma)ing a decision. /or instance, if being

    pressured to smo)e, the teen should be able to thin) about what the possible desired

    outcomes are &e.g., peer acceptance, loo)ing Pcool,Q feeling excitement about trying

    something new( with the possible undesirable outcomes &e.g., becoming hoo)ed, the

    health issues, smelling bad, the financial costs(.

    +7//7% 3eaching youth e?it strategies or !ays to say noC to negative

    pressures7

    It is best to try to deal with peer pressure before it even happens. Tal) to youth

    about potential scenarios, and thin) through strategies together on how to deal with those

    scenarios if they arise. This could be done by discussing hypothetical scenarios or even

    role$playing. It is helpful to thin) about these things ahead of time rather than dealing

    with situations as they occur or trying to recover after they happen.

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    playing> mischievous etc1

    Agree 'ndecided #isagree Total

    2esponses ; 34

    %ercentage 93.@9 3.@9 9.3@9 34

    Table no ;@ shows that most 93.@9: students were agreed, 9.3@9:

    students were not agreed that they will warn their friends incase if their attitude is

    not and 3.@9: students are undecided.

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    8F

    3able ++9 ou believe that helping friends in e?ams by copying and

    passing is good

    Agree 'ndecided #isagree Total

    2esponses ;@ 8 9 34

    %ercentage 4 F.3@ [email protected];< 34

    Table no ;; shows that 4: students were agreed, [email protected];

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    8