Transforming Pakistan’s Educational Elite: towards a Future of Equity and Responsibility
Introduction: The Crisis in Pakistani Education The state of education in Pakistan is nothing short of a crisis. Arguably, 95 percent of school-age children are either not in schools or receiving substandard education.
Focusing on the Privileged 5 Percent Most conversations and reforms focus on the circumstances of the majority, particularly out-of-school children. However, the education of the remaining 5 percent, approximately three million children studying in institutions capable of providing excellent education, is equally crucial. A nation’s fate hinges on the character and capacity of what Martin Luther King Jr. calls a “creative dedicated minority.”
The Impact of Past Decisions Today, 95 percent of kids are not getting a good education partly because of the decisions of a privileged minority of yesteryear. The fate of the country over the coming decades will depend significantly on the choices of those who will become the elite in the coming years.
The Role of Privileged Elites Privileged here refers not only to those who are directly in power but also to the intellectual, civil, and economic notables who influence public and private decision-making. Societies are almost always under elite capture, with a small group wielding disproportionate power to decide or influence policy and resource distribution.
Mazuri’s Bifurcation of Elites Ali Mazuri, a Kenyan philosopher, bifurcates elites into the elite of leisure and the elite of labor. The elite of leisure “minimizes social commitment and exertion and is placed in a situation in which it can pursue a life of comfort without worrying about social disapproval.” The elite of labor, on the other hand, finds it necessary to justify its elite status by providing effective leadership and setting an example of hard work through its own behavior and performance.
Current Educational Goals of the Privileged For now, it seems the education of the privileged in Pakistan is driven by economic goals of lucrative jobs inside or outside the country. The entire system works under the shadow of economics, transforming education primarily into an investment that needs to be recouped in due course. This is a recipe for creating the elites of leisure, in Mazuri’s terms.
Reimagining Education for the Elite What kind of education is likely to turn this privileged group of three million children into an elite of labour?
Ensuring Academic Rigor in All Fields To begin with, there should be no compromise on the quality of scientific, mathematical, artistic, and literary education. However, this academically rigorous education should happen in the crucible of equity and emancipation.
Integrating Social and Moral Questions Economics education should question the highly skewed distribution of wealth and control over resources, the causes of poverty, and the link between wealth and politics. The teaching of technology must integrate the moral questions it raises, its social consequences, and its link with economics. Literature should include writers who bring to the forefront the lives of the dispossessed and exploited.
Nurturing Empathy This education should nurture empathy, stitching academic tools with the realities of the downtrodden. Beyond books, this can be achieved through projects and research that help students understand the lives of those who need hope. This approach emphasizes that material success and failure are almost never individualistic, as social structures and moral luck play key roles in one’s achievements.
Promoting Critical Thinking There is much stress on the ideal of critical thinking. The best roads to critical thinking are philosophy and history. Philosophy raises first-order questions and scrutinizes knowledge claims, while history creates cognitive distance from the present, allowing for its critical interrogation.
Enhancing Communication Skills Excellent communication skills, with a desire to speak honestly and courageously, are essential. Exposure to those who spoke truth to power, from biblical prophets to modern-day whistle-blowers, can be very inspiring for young idealistic minds.
Emphasizing Physical Health and Fitness An equally important area is physical health and fitness. A life of social responsibility is often born of physical hard work.
Addressing Attention Span and Memory A major educational concern these days is the dwindling attention span and decreasing capacity to memorize. Meditative habits and the prudent use of screen time, particularly in early education, can help improve these capacities.
Fostering a Love for Literature Until not too long ago, the educated often quoted from memory. This tradition of learning great literature by heart is dying out. Memorization should be seen as a gift to be nurtured and enjoyed, rather than regurgitation.
Overcoming Barriers to Equitable Education The biggest barrier to such an education for the privileged is the conscious or subconscious threat of power sharing. However, societies with better quality of life are also high on equity and resource distribution.
Education for a Better World Both the moral imperative that all humans deserve equal opportunities and the practical consideration that no one is safe until all are safe call for an elite that works for the wider society. Privilege brings responsibility, and education should aim not just for a better life, but for making a better world.
