(Paper read at the seminar titled EDUCATION POLITICS AND POWER, in Comsats on Feb 07)
EDUCATION POLITICS AND POWER is a theme for educational seminars that has never been very common in Pakistan. The critical discourse in education has remained foreign for us in Pakistan for long. In an education system that only and only supported subordination and submission, never allowed the students and even controlled teachers’ thinking- phrases like critical thinking and critical pedagogy have been the Jargons that we only found in foreign theories and sometimes appearing in local policy documents, but we never witnessed in our institutional discourse. Thanks to the author of “EDUCATION, INEQUALITIES AND FREEDOM: a sociopolitical critique”- Dr. Shahid Siddiqui who has forced us to bring this theme and similar others on table for discussion and debate.
Initially in my PhD, while I was developing my research proposal wished I tried to dig out some useful literature about Education and its issues in Pakistan. I felt heartbroken when I could not find any useful comprehensive materials. I found bits n pieces from here n there in the books and research articles and tried to develop my storyline with the patchwork. Then in 2010 when I was in Lahore I met Dr. Shahid Siddiqui. He gave me two of his books to read. My first introduction to Dr. Siddiqui’s personality was through his urdu novel “Adhey Adhurey Khwab”. I am a poetess myself and I could feel the depth of author’s relation to his profession. Only a passionate teacher and a loving human being like Dr. Siddiqui could produce such piece of literature within Education. I would like to acknowledge the fact that during my proposal writing Dr. Siddiqui’s book “Rethinking Education in Pakistan: perceptions, practices and possibilities” has been one of the key resources to rely upon.
Before I talk about “EDUCATION, INEQUALITIES AND FREEDOM- a sociopolitical critique”; I want to thank you sir for writing. Those who say our students do not read much, must also think how much is being written for them to read. I am standing here after spending a few years in the US and UK. Facing all kinds of questions one after another and recently giving explanations and justifications about how “MALALA” became a critical case of inequalities of education and how the 14 years old boys buckle suicide bombs and attack innocent people, how and why this land became an extreme example of intolerance. I want to thank you again Dr.Siddiqui for writing this book and explaining the how and why of the educational issues in sociopolitical perspectives of Pakistan. I am sure the readers of this book will be millions of people who are looking for some piece of writing based upon truth and telling the bitter realities so that they may be changed.
Before talking further about the content of the book I must say only a teacher like Dr. Siddiqui who keeps no distance between himself and his students, knows his audience so well that he has broken down all chapters into subsections and does not let any of the sections and sub-sections in the book get longer than what is comprehendible for his readers. He writes in such simple and cohesive manner that the students and scholars as well as teachers will be easily able to understand each n every part of it even if they are not from the “Elite Institutions” that Dr. Siddiqui mentioned and critiqued many a times.
Looking at the contents of the book the first striking thing among many others was that Dr. Siddiqui has not just critiqued the current educational scenario but has given a way to resolve the issues discussed in every section. Such as in the very first section of the book he mentions the major problem of education in Pakistan in terms of a “vicious circle”... "The vicious circle of recall based assessment, transmission oriented pedagogy, and monoculture efficiency of students, carry forward the existing power structures and amplify and perpetuate constructed stereotypes" (p.20).
And then he offers the alternative scenario when he mentions: "The answer lies in breaking the vicious circle and entering the benign circle of higher order thinking assessment, critical pedagogy and intellectual pluralism" (p.21)
Being a scholar in the field of education I appreciate the kind of critique Dr. Siddiqui has presented. He has opened up so many new areas of research for students like myself. As I kept reading the book chapter by chapter I was amazed to see how his stress upon holistic approach is visible in his own writing. He has touched upon every possible aspect of education in Pakistan and has used the sociopolitical lens to review every minute and major issue. He begins with critiquing the industrialization and factory model of education. He has explained and explored the neoliberal philosophy of education and shown his discomfort in a clear cut manner. He has very neatly presented the forms of social inequalities in old and new models of education. He has unfolded how the stratification in education and segregation among institutions has become a source of power interplay within education and society.
I am sure like me many other scholars will read this book and will find their own story in one or the other section of it. When Dr. Sahib mentioned the tailored lesson plans I could feel the irritation and aggression how he dislikes the idea. How he feels that this and other trends of making teacher powerless technicians disturbs him. One can easily see through the section like “teachers as intellectuals” that Dr. Sahib has gone through the bitter experiences like many of us where teachers keep suffering until they kill their intellect and then are blamed of not using it.
In today’s Pakistan one cannot ignore the role of media in development of public opinion and general social behaviors. But the way Dr. Siddiqui has described the shift it becomes an eye opener for the educational planners and people like me who have been working in distance education through mass media. According to him the disconnection between community and schools gave a space for media to take over the territory. If educational institutions had not broken their relation to homes and society then today we could have had the media as a partner to the transformational change as Dr. Siddiqui suggests.
If you ask me sir I personally like the term used by you as “ENGLISHNESS” I really wish everyone to read the section where you discussed the unequal distribution of language capital and how it again relates to Socioeconomic class warfare. Lack of sustainable language policy is one of the issues highlighted by Dr. Sahib and while I was reading it I could imagine and see the whole linguistic and regional warfare going on around us being ignited and re-inforced through out flawed policies and practices.
Last but not the least the best thing about this book is the last section where dr. sahib showed his positive thinking and optimistic approach by finding ways to improve, by suggesting alternatives and directions to the transformational role of education and institutions. Dr. Sahib has again and again identified and concluded as well by recommending to revisit educational goals beyond neoliberalism as I quote “Encourage institutions to inculcate critical thinking and enable learners to challenge negative stereotypes” (unquote). And the most difficult part that you suggested sir is “appreciation of oppositional view point” that if read and comprehended by everyone the way you mentioned it can really bring a miraculous change inside and around. I really wish you and other prestigious educators in Pakistan may please write further on each of the subtopics that you have touched upon. This critical discourse may develop further in all higher education institutions and the power now may one day be transferred and shared equally if we all are having the same goal; that is development of human capital regardless of class, creed, gender, religion, language and ethnic discrimination.
