Community colleges in Pakistan: Promoting access and quality education

Inspired by the access-driven mission of U.S. community colleges and their success in reaching underserved student populations—especially in rural areas—a network of five institutions, Community Colleges (CCs), was recently established by a public sector university in Sindh, Pakistan, with provincial government support. While these institutions provide educational opportunities at the K-12 level rather than at the postsecondary level and thus differ from community colleges in the U.S. and other countries, Pakistan’s CCs are similar to their global counterparts in that they address issues of access and quality education for marginalized communities, especially in rural contexts; aim to create pathways for students to further education and employment; and are grounded in deep connections and partnerships with the local community.Notably, CCs are managed through university-school-government partnerships, a unique collaborative model that provides multilayered support and could inform similar structures in other country contexts. Using a case study of one of the CCs in Sindh, this article explores CCs’ success in addressing issues of low-quality education and expanding access in rural contexts. We have drawn insightful lessons from the analysis that could be useful for stakeholders within and outside Pakistan.