Publication details

• Wednesday | 23 Aug, 2023
• Policy Briefs/Papers
• 24

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Abstract

Southern Punjab is a region of immense potential, but it has been facing challenges like terrorism, extremism, and religious intolerance for a long time. This is because of lack of proper educational facilities that is essential to create a resilient and responsible society, whereas the region lacks educational facilities. Owing to unforeseen reasons, enrollment decreases by 650,000 in 2022- 2023 as compared to the last year in the government sector institutes. Similarly, there is a 2.1 % less enrollment in private schools. Despite more than 16 initiatives by the School Education Department and 10 by the Higher Education Department, most of the targets could not be achieved. A question arises here as to why these initiatives cannot contribute to long-term improvements, how narratives shape society and what is the future of the youth in southern Punjab. The mixed-method approach was used to conduct research with the assistance of education and law-enforcement departments. Research employs multivariate regression analysis for data analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis – discursive approach for qualitative analysis. Research highlights that grooming of individual mind in 1-16 years of age is the most crucial aspect, which later on gets affected by lateral factors. So, innocent sapling minds should not be left unattended to be played by intolerant forces. Teacher’s selection and training along with target-based curriculum is core solution along with continuous evaluation for preventing and countering violent extremism.