The Role of Ubuntu Ethics in Promoting Citizenship Values: An Investigation into the Foundations of Social Harmony

In the post-industrial revolution world, social change is often studied and understood in the context of change in means of production, mobility, urbanization and change in the constitution of workforce. Role of ethical values is generally confined to personal conduct and manners. Industrial society is supposed to have its own work ethics which may or may not agree with personal ethics and morality. Ethics and morality are generally considered, in the Western thought, as a social construct. Therefore, with the change in means of production or political system, values and morality are also expected to be re-adjusted in order to cope with the changed environment. Sometimes a totally new set of values emerges as a consequence of the change in economic, political, or legal set up. The present research tries to understand the meaning and place of these values in a global socio-cultural framework. Relying essentially on the divine principles of the Qur'ān it makes an effort to understand relevance of these universal and ultimate principles with human conduct and behavior in society.  It indicates that essentially it is the core values, principles, or norms which guide human beings in their interpersonal, social, economic and political matters. Islam being a major civilizing force, culture, and the way of life, provides values which guide both in individual and social matters. The values given by the Qur’ān and the Sunnah are not monopoly of the Muslim. These values are universal and are relevant in a technological society.

Exlporing the Contributions of School Management Committee in One of the Learning Resource Schools in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan, While Implementing Educational Development and Improvement Program

Education is a social enterprise which depends on efforts and contributions from different stakeholders, especially the efforts and contributions from the School Management Committees (SMCs) at the school level. SMCs play a vital role not only in the effectiveness of school administration but also to improve the quality of education. I explored the contributions of SMC in one of the Learning Resource Schools (LRS) during the implementation of a project titled Educational Development and Improvement Program (EDIP). The study took place in Gilgit Baltistan (GB). Keeping the nature of the study in view, I opted for a qualitative case study methodology to explore in detail the contributions of SMC in the overall development and improvement of the school through in-depth interviews and document analysis. These data sources allowed me to develop a detailed description of the SMC's contribution in improving the quality of education, infrastructure, and also the challenges they faced and the strategies they employed to overcome those challenges. The study contributes to the knowledge by providing different stakeholders' perspectives and voices on the contributions of SMC in the school in a remote area of GB. The key findings of the study suggest that SMC played a key role in enhancing the enrolment of students, overcoming the absenteeism of students, improving the academic performance of the students, improving the infrastructure, overcoming the issues of teachers' transfers and last but not the least, acted as a bridge between school and community. Financial constraints, less educated parents, and communication gap between school and communities of adjacent villages were some of the challenges faced by SMC. Lastly, I would like to say that if SMCs are empowered in their roles and responsibilities, if they are involved in the decision making processes, and if they are given ownership, they can bring substantial changes in the school with the collaboration of other stakeholders.