Critical Pedagogy: Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Students' Development for Higher Education.

This study explores the challenges and opportunities of implementing critical pedagogy in rural senior secondary schools to prepare students for higher education, specifically focusing on fostering sustainability, and social justice. Critical pedagogy, rooted in the work of Paulo Freire, aims to empower students as active agents of change, encouraging critical reflection and engagement with societal inequities. As higher education institutions increasingly strive to promote socially responsible and inclusive practices, critical pedagogy offers a framework to address pressing global issues like environmental sustainability, and social justice. However, the implementation of critical pedagogy faces significant challenges. These include institutional resistance, entrenched power dynamics, curriculum standardization, and a lack of resources in rural senior secondary schools and support for teachers. This research examines the tensions between the transformative goals of critical pedagogy and the realities of hierarchical educational systems that often prioritize neoliberal values and market-driven agendas. Through a qualitative analysis of case studies and interviews with teachers, the study highlights the potential of critical pedagogy to cultivate socially conscious citizens while also identifying the structural barriers that limit its efficacy. By understanding both the challenges and opportunities of critical pedagogy, this research aims to contribute to ongoing debates about the role of education in addressing inequality and fostering a more just and sustainable society.