Teaching Federalism In Universities: Case Study Of Pakistan

Abstract

Federalism is officially institutionalized in around 25 countries, comprising of about 40 percent of global population. It is a structure of the government which segregates functions and power between the central and its decentralized units of the government.

Federalism in many countries has played a vital role in graphing educational growth. Moreover, it is designed to encourage and promote standards of accountability with a developing balance between decentralization and centralization. It furthermore acts without tempering local and regional preferences. Negotiations are facilitated by Federalism both vertically and horizontally that is between the local entities and central authority and respectively.

The 18^th Constitutional Amendment in Pakistan’s constitutional history is nothing short of a legislative revolution, furthermore it significantly moves towards the consolidation of democratic federalism. The ill polity effected with ethnic and religious violence, civil unrest, economic and demographic disparities and inter-provincial conflicts, further, constitutional arrangements like the 18^th Amendment promising provincial autonomy and devolution of power offered an opportunity for future stability and peace.

However, there is a lack of public awareness regarding this historical constitutional amendment there are just few in the country understanding what federalism, decentralization, devolution of government means for Pakistan. In fact, the most alarming truth is how the central concepts of federalism, devolution of power and decentralization are meagerly taught at the University level especially in the disciplines of Public Administration, Political Science, Pakistan Studies and Law.