Pakistan, education, women, politics, Harvard
<p>Growing up in Pakistan, i discovered my career lay in education reform while working for CARE Pakistan, a local education non-profit. I taught at a school that suffered from ineffective teachers and an outdated curriculum. This galvanized me to conduct policy research at impoverished schools and to present a recommendation to the Ministry of Education calling for curriculum reform in government schools.</p> <p>Currently at Harvard University, I am pursuing a doctorate in Education Policy and Leadership. My research examines the use of religion in Pakistan's education system to influence national identity through textbooks and teaching. I have two masters degrees, also from Harvard, in International Education Policy and Education Policy and Management, and a Bachelors degree in Political Science from Rice University.</p> <p>In 2009, i founded Harvard Pakistan Student Group with a small community of less than 20 students. With over 600 members today, HPSG is the first university-wide student organization recognized by Harvard University. Our team has organized two large Pakistan Conferences at Harvard (2009 and 2012) along with spearheading several events and grassroots initiatives.</p> <p>After i complete my doctorate, i see myself returning to Pakistan to work with the government for systemic social change in the country. I hope to engage women and youth in politics to push for their esential right to education. The increase in global terrorism has hijacked the narrative on Islam - a religion of peace. I see it my duty to be a catalyst for education reform in a country that has been both misused and misunderstood.</p> <p> </p>