Education Policies, Discourse of Ideology and the Construction of National Identity in Pakistan: A Critical Analysis

Abstract

National Governments have controlled education policy to construct national identity according to the agenda of the government of the time. Education policy promotes discourse of ideology to construct national identity. Islam has always influenced formulation of education policies in Pakistan. This article explores the impact of change in governments upon discourse of ideology in education policies in the construction of national identity. It is based on primary data collected from education policies of 1947, 1959, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1992, 1998 and 2009. Discourse analysis reveals the fact that governments in Pakistan have used divergent discourses of Islamic ideology. The discontinuity in discourse of Islamic ideology has obstructed nation-building resulting in identity crisis. This research suggests that governments should follow identical discourse of ideology in education policies for nation-building with exigencies of time rather than using divergent policies.