Teachers’ Use of Social Media Platforms in Pakistan

• In Event: How do Private School Teachers raise their voices against injustice? Case Studies from India and Pakistan

Proposal

Teachers in Pakistan, especially those in private schools face exploitation in terms of low wages, lack of pension rights, employment insecurity, and lack of new opportunities, favoritism, and politics (The Nation, 2018). The absence of unions or any formal collective effort to voice on behalf of private teachers has made matters worse (Pakistan Today, 2021). This paper explores social media as a possible avenue for teachers to protest and support one another (NUHA Foundation, 2019). Teachers in Pakistan, like many professionals worldwide, have increasingly turned to digital platforms to create groups and discuss their concerns about work conditions. Facebook groups provide an accessible and convenient space for teachers to connect, share experiences, seek advice, and advocate for their rights.

Social media platforms have the potential to expose exploitation that historically remained hidden in plain sight. It allows the voiceless to raise their voice. People in Pakistan have increasingly become vocal about discrimination by sharing posts, videos, visuals, experiences, discourses, debates, recording protests, etc. (NUHA foundation, 2019). This paper presentation explores how teachers in Pakistan use social media, focusing on Facebook, to raise concerns.

Facebook groups can be used by teachers to form professional communities, share experiences and stories, seek advice from experienced educators, advocate for teacher rights and education reforms, offer and seek support during crises, and organize collective actions. However, teachers need to be cautious to protect their privacy and avoid potential repercussions. While Facebook allows anonymous posts, online security can be compromised.

This study started by conducting a search of teacher groups on social media. While Facebook seems to be the most widely used medium among teachers in Pakistan, an extensive search revealed only a few private teacher groups. The study examines teacher groups with the highest number of members - for instance, one group has 27, 000 members and the other has 8,000 members. The study focuses on how these groups engage their members on teacher issues. These groups have been initiated by teachers but lack a proper structure to support members.

On one Facebook group titled “Staff Room Pakistan,” multiple posts were read to identify the main themes discussed. Codes of themes were created to identify the main concerns of the members. Most of the posts were job-seeking inquiries and job advertisements. Only a few anonymous posts related to hardships teachers had to endure in their workplaces, suggesting teachers’ discomfort in revealing their identities. Contrary to the study’s hypothesis, the group was seldom used to initiate discussions on favoritism, politics, salaries, or checks and balances. The group lacked any well-established philosophy, values, and goals regarding these issues.

Preliminary findings suggest that Facebook groups have served to bring large numbers of private school teachers together. However, they are unable to provide a safe space for teachers to protest or advocate for collective action. They are also rarely used to engage in discourses related to effective pedagogical practices. The final paper will further explore social media platforms as avenues for Pakistani private school teachers to raise concerns.

Author

• Anum Fatima, Florida Sate University