Editorial

Abstract

It seems the question—What is the purpose of education?—is a timeless one. While we might all agree on the importance of education, I doubt we will necessarily agree on its purpose. This is because how education is conceived, structured, and practiced in our schools and universities is always situated and contextualized. Hence, debates on its purpose are often framed in languages of qualification, competency, and skills, geared at prospects of prosperity and socio-economic mobility. Other times, education is used to perpetuate hegemonic norms and curtail individual freedom and agency. As such, we know that while education is often touted as the foundation of any functioning society, it can also be used for purposes of harm and disempowerment. This leaves us with an uncomfortable reality that education is neither always good nor for the good of all people. It also leaves us with a realization that the concern is not simply about the provision of education, but more importantly about the kind of education on offer. This is especially true in Muslim societies and communities where we have high hopes that education plays a central role in bettering society and the lives of the  younger. Nevertheless, we see the trend of importing education ideas from western frameworks and witness the lack of impact, partly because of the lack of authenticity and contextualization of the ideas.