Civic Education in Pakistan

Civic Education in Pakistan

Pakistan is a post-colonial nation-state. Since 1947 this large Muslim nation has not been able to introduce a liberal democratic model of civic education in its schools that could have promoted democratic values, tolerance, gender equality and civic participation skills. Several factors are responsible for impeding the progress in civic education: a garrison culture, the Cold War exigencies, religious extremism, and feudalism.

Introduction

Like most post-colonial nation-states Pakistan also recognized the central role of civic education in creating a patriotic citizenry. Paradoxically, as the civic education curriculum in government schools emphasized the construction of a distinct Muslim citizen identity, it eschewed the transmission of universal democratic values such as individual liberty, gender equality, critical thinking, and respect for religious and cultural diversity. By failing to recognize the utility and advantages of the basic principles of liberal democratic model of civic education, Pakistan suffered irreparable losses: it disintegrated into two countries, lost national unity and receded into the past (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 careful examination. This paper argues that four independent variables kept the liberal democratic model of civic education curriculum at bay: the primacy of a garrison nation-state, the Cold War exigencies, religious extremism, and feudalism. The following is a discussion on the role of these four variables.

A Garrison State

First, Pakistan is a garrison state in that since its independence in 1947, it has been pre-occupied with national security (Jalal, 1991). Hence the main objective of civic education curriculum in schools has been the preparation of a warrior citizen (Binder, 1963). A warrior citizen or Mujahid is a person who is willing and prepared to participate in war or jihad against the infidels. To this end the social 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.