“The strength of the Constitution lies entirely in the determination of each citizen to defend it. Only if every single citizen feels duty bound to do his share in this defense are the constitutional rights secure.” Albert Einstein
I have rarely met a school or college student who is acquainted with the understandings or even talking about the constitution of Pakistan. You may encounter many in heedless debates in the support of democracy at Khokas (Pan Shops), but many a people does not bother to study and comprehend that how it functions. You might have spent time arguing on policy driven issues on Facebook or in a Whatsapp group, you might realize how ill-informed debates are and how there is utter lack of awareness about Constitutional values. The genuine protect of democracy, therefore, is literacy. Literacy will help one to choose wisely and, the first step to choose wisely is to understand the constitution. The constitution is not only the framework for the government to govern, but it is a beacon for freedom. I believe that democracy and lack of education cannot go together particularly the lack of education towards the constitution.
It will educate the absolutely essential aspect; the individual rights. The rights that are only safeguarded by the constitution. The constitution will keep our youth informed, they will become acquainted with their duties toward the advancement and flourishing of the Nation. Meanwhile, they will become more acquainted with what to demand from the government The student will understand that the basic rights e.g. education is the responsibility of the state. They will demand their right of education only when they know that it is in the constitution. If the fundamental rights granted by the constitution are not known how would it be demanded? Chanting slogans heedlessly in the rallies/protests may not yield optimistic results. Rather, Acquiring the understandings of the constitution and subsequently putting it into the practice will bear the fruits.
Consider the 18th amendment. Apart from the political restructuring, the amendment equally holds some significant implications of education through its new article, 25A: “Right to education: The state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to 16 years in such manner as may be determined by law.” This is an important undertaking as education is considered an important tool for socioeconomic development. Under this article curriculum, syllabus, planning, policy, centers of excellence and standards of education are to be determined by provinces. Students can opine and debate wisely about its implications only when they have the full understanding of it. Lamentably, the debate is still in the air heedlessly fueled by the poor arguments, which is dictated not by constitutional implications and benefits. That’s not good at all for the nation, it will lead our country in misguided course.
Students have been taught the history of their nation. And, it holds the perks of development by studying the past. Hegelian Historicism espouses that human societies are defined by their past, and development can be sought only through understanding their past. But, along with teaching history, leaders of political taught and constitutional hawks encourage the powerful instructing of constitution to the students. Teaching basics of Pakistan’s constitution would preserve the rights and would tell about its relevance and importance in contemporary times.
You must be thinking that in what manner can the constitution be educated to students. Surely, there are multiple ways. Non-law major student will definitely feel difficult to have its insight but introducing a new subject of the fundamentals of the constitution of Pakistan will definitely help. Besides, teaching the subject as a part of already existing history courses may also help. As teaching the history offers many lessons of patriotism. Correspondingly, understanding the fundamentals of our constitution can be instructed in the same manner. Though, Complete comprehension can only be acquired through introduction of new course.
The government’s slogan of reforms in the education system through single national curriculum embodies many key considerations along with development of SNC. But, it does not imply the teaching of the constitution to students of schools and colleges. Policy makers should understand that the holistic development of a child aligned with national development is only possible through the integration of basic concepts of the constitution. Understanding the past and instilling a sense of the constitutional framework, is how you achieve a more genuine democracy, and indeed a better nation. It is through historical and constitutional knowledge that we can unify this nation; in which we continue our march towards a perfect nation.
For that perfect nation some political parties and political activists are struggling days and nights and spending their lives in confinements in the prevailing scenario of the country. The Fight for the true implementation of the constitution would become easier if it is introduced as a subject. It will then be written on the hearts of all Pakistanis rather on the paper only. And, the pervasive Polarization would be restrained.
The writer is a business executive with exposure in health, education, power distribution and manufacturing.