Civic Education in Pakistan :: Educational School Governmental Essays

Civic Education in PakistanPakistan is a post-colonial nation-state. Since 1947 this large Muslim nation has not been able to issue a liberal democratic beat of polite raising in its schools that could have promoted democratic set, tolerance, gender equality and civic participation skills. several(prenominal) factors are responsible for impeding the progress in civic command a station culture, the Cold War exigencies, religious extremism, and feudalism. Introduction akin nigh post-colonial nation-states Pakistan also recognized the central role of civic education in creating a patriotic citizenry. Paradoxically, as the civic education broadcast in government schools emphasized the construction of a distinct Muslim citizen identity, it eschewed the transmission of universal democratic values such as somebody liberty, gender equality, critical thinking, and respect for religious and cultural diversity. By failing to recognize the utility and advantages of the basic princ iples of liberal democratic impersonate of civic education, Pakistan suffered irreparable losses it disintegrated into two countries, lost national unity and receded into the past times (Jahan, 1972 Oldenburg, 1980). What may be responsible for thwarting the liberal democratic model of civic education in Pakistan is a question that warrants a cautious examination. This paper argues that four independent variables kept the liberal democratic model of civic education curriculum at bay the primacy of a fortress nation-state, the Cold War exigencies, religious extremism, and feudalism. The following is a discussion on the role of these four variables. A Garrison StateFirst, Pakistan is a garrison state in that since its independence in 1947, it has been pre-occupied with national security (Jalal, 1991). accordingly the main objective of civic education curriculum in schools has been the set of a warrior citizen (Binder, 1963). A warrior citizen or Mujahid is a person who is w illing and hustling to participate in war or jihad against the infidels. To this end the accessible studies textbooks glorified the past Muslim warriors including Saladin Ayubi, an Arab warrior who fought the Crusaders in Jerusalem, Tipu Sultan who fought the British imperialists in India, and contemporary Pakistani military heroes who died in three wars against India. Moreover, because for most of its history the military ruled the country, the dominant social class in Pakistan has been the military (Cohen, 1984). The military is considered a privileged class and, therefore, military values of conformity, regimentation, and masculinity are underscored in society in general and in the educational institutions in particular.