Islamabad (GNP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formally started a scheme to distribute five hundred thousand Chromebooks and MiFi devices to high-achieving students across Pakistan. A ceremony in Islamabad today marked the launch, with the devices going to top performers from public schools and madrassas.
Shehbaz said the Chromebooks will be given strictly on merit, as recognition of students’ effort and academic ability, with no discrimination based on family income or the institution attended. The devices, he said, will let students keep learning digitally, use e-libraries and find new ways to gain knowledge.
He said the government is committed to equal educational opportunities for all talented students, including those at religious seminaries. Recalling that six hundred thousand laptops were distributed over the previous ten years, he said the government aims to hand out five hundred thousand Chromebooks in just two years.
He thanked Rashid Minhas, Chairman of the Tokyo Technology Care Foundation, for backing the initiative, and said the government is also expanding the Daanish Schools network to give deserving students quality education and modern facilities at no cost. At the ceremony, he personally gave Chromebooks and MiFi devices to a number of talented students.
Federal Education and Professional Training Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the government is taking effective steps to bring the education system in line with changing global trends. Investment in education, he said, builds the economy and secures the nation’s future.
He described the country’s youth population of one hundred and fifty million as an invaluable asset rather than a liability, one that can become a major driver of national development.
Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan announced that, alongside the Chromebooks, five hundred thousand students will receive high-speed internet connections.
Each connection can serve up to five people, extending digital access to two point five million people nationwide. He added that empowering and respecting young people is the core vision of the Prime Minister.
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Rashid Minhas said the Tokyo Technology Care Foundation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government to help students at schools and religious seminaries widen their digital reach. He praised the government’s efforts to promote education, skills and employment for young people.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
