Information is a precious commodity in a world where the general public do not always have all the time in the world, nor the clarity that they deserve. Charter for Compassion Pakistan wants students at Compassionate Schools at Badin to be able to thrive in democratic spaces where they can study a wide range of topics and worldviews and where they also have access to frequent coverage on current affairs. This does not mean that those students have to neglect their own values but we feel that it would be unfair of us to deprive them of this clarity.

Our main focus currently is for primary school pupils at Compassionate Schools in Badin to go on and attempt to ace their CSS and PCS exams with the knowledge that they will have acquired during their time with us. Ideally the students will also analyze the contexts of relevant news stories and familiarize themselves with the author’s writing style and political stance. Reading regularly in English and Urdu with all that in mind is undoubtedly the key to success for students who aren’t able to enjoy the perks of being from a privileged background such as having financial backing for tuitions and adequate learning materials.

Exposure to balanced reporting is so crucial and means that we can reduce ideological polarization while allowing students to have more exposure to the consensus on various topics along with a wide range of various people’s grievances and concerns. It is hugely underestimated how much this awareness can improve a young person’s insight. Newspapers, magazines and articles on social media are ideal for readers who want to avoid longer texts and absorb bite-sized pieces of information without losing interest.

A general public without sufficient general knowledge and academic knowledge is completely unacceptable. Hence why CfC Pakistan is such a strong advocate for measures to be put in place to allow students to be able to keep up to date with current affairs freely and browse through articles and shorter texts on a regular basis. The ability to evaluate current affairs, using a more balanced approach can also prompt young underprivileged Pakistanis to make more informed decisions, approach women and minorities with a more open mind and give themselves the best chance of succeeding after they graduate.