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Mariam Chughtai
"Around the world, deficient education systems and illiteracy are fueling social evils, health disasters, and tragedy."
- Program: 2006 Graduate Scholarship Recipient
- Resides: Cambridge, MA
- Hometown: Lahore, Pakistan
- Age: 33
- Four-year College or University: Rice University
- Graduate School: Harvard University
- Academic/Career Pursuits: Education / Academia, Government, International Economic Development, International NGO/Relations, Politics and Diplomacy, Public Policy
- Other Interests: Foreign Languages / International Study, Government, International Economic Development, Leadership Development, Politics and Diplomacy, Public Policy, Volunteer Work
Biography
Mariam Chughtai discovered that her career lay in education policy reform when she was working for the relief organization CARE in Pakistan. She taught at a school that suffered from ineffective teachers and an outdated curriculum. This galvanized her to conduct policy research at impoverished schools and to present a recommendation to the Ministry of Education calling for curriculum reform in government schools.
Currently at Harvard University, Mariam is pursuing a doctorate in Education Policy and Leadership researching the process of decision making and agenda formation in Pakistan's public education system. "This region is a tremendous laboratory for studying development through education," she says.
After she completes her doctorate, Mariam sees herself working as an education specialist for the Government of Pakistan or for an international development organization, such as the United Nations or the World Bank. She also hopes to engage youth in political participation and discourse on their right to quality education. Mariam says the increase in suicide bombings and global terrorism has hijacked her religion - a religion of peace. "It is my duty to be a catalyst for education reform in a country that has been both misused and misunderstood."
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