School Leaders Confronting Anti-Democratic Education Policy: Policy Enactment and Resistance in Pakistan

Purpose In many developing countries, including Pakistan, anti-democratic and authoritarian forces manifest through different forms, including centralized control, weak institutional autonomy, and politically influenced school governance. This study investigates how school and district leaders in two districts of Sindh—Sukkur and Khairpur—navigate tensions between authoritarian, state-driven education policies and eroding democratic leadership values. Employing resistance theory and policy enactment theory, the study explores how leaders operate within constrained environments, confront systemic pressures, and interpret and respond to policies that undermine participatory and inclusive school practices. Methods We used a qualitative case study design and conducted thirteen semi-structured interviews with district and school-level leaders across the two districts. Subsequently, data were analyzed thematically to capture patterns in leadership responses to authoritarian education policies. Findings The findings reveal that centralized and compliance-oriented policies have substantially disempowered school leaders and curtailed their autonomy. Politicized appointments and bureaucratic interference limit meaningful participation by school leaders and communities. While some localized resistance strategies have emerged, they remain constrained by fear of reprisal, resource limitations, and lack of institutional support. Implications The study offers important insights for policymakers and practitioners in fragile democracies confronting authoritarian backsliding. It contributes to global scholarship on leadership under constraints and underscores the need to reimagine leadership development and governance reforms in contexts of democratic erosion.