We have all heard of the two-nation theory — where two peoples are divided by belief, identity, and fate. But have you ever seen the same people — from the same nationality and homeland — be divided so ruthlessly in their education systems, as if one belongs to the heavens and the other to the earth?
One child in an elite school is learning with AI bots and tablets. Just 500 metres away, another child in a government school sits beneath a slowly turning fan installed through charity donations — the only “technology” in sight. And the branching is just beginning. Imagine ten years later: one will be an advanced engineer solving multilayered problems, and the other will be struggling with a degree and a future full of constraints.
EdTech in Pakistan is the living picture of that divide.
Ambitious Policies, Uneven Results
The EdTech revolution has brought with it AI instructors, tablet-based learning, cloud classrooms, and centralised education platforms. Students in many schools and colleges are now connected through Learning Management Systems (LMS), using online lectures and interactive tools. AI bots are introduced to enhance studying and reduce dependency on rote memorisation.
During the pandemic, apps like TeleSchool (through PTV) were launched, featuring lessons from Khan Academy, Sabaq, and Taleemabad. A signed MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between Khan Academy Pakistan and the federal education ministry also led to the introduction of Khanmigo, an AI tutor, in several Islamabad and Karachi schools.
The shift from traditional classrooms to digitally empowered ones is now a national talking point. But this is only one half of the story.
The Divide Behind the Screens
Rural schools live in a different world. To access any digital initiative, the minimum requirement is a stable power connection and reliable internet — yet most public schools lack both. According to the World Bank, around 40 per cent of schools in Pakistan do not have basic electricity. In rural areas, only 17 per cent have internet access, compared to 78 per cent in urban centres. Most students still rely on outdated chalkboards and worn-out textbooks, while their peers in elite institutions engage with state-of-the-art smart boards and coding classes.
Punjab has announced several major initiatives through its IT Board. These include the launch of Smart Classrooms (with Huawei), Google-supported teacher training for 50,000 schools, and coding classes for over 100,000 students. Cameras and interactive boards were also introduced under these programmes. Thousands of laptops have been distributed through the Youth Laptop Scheme.
But what sounds impressive on paper fails to materialise on the ground. What use is a coding programme in a school that lacks internet? Many public institutions remain unable to power basic lights, let alone digital screens. Smart labs exist, yes — but their worth is called into question when measured against the sheer number of schools still disconnected from the digital world.
With only 1.7 per cent of the GDP allocated to education, most schools cannot implement or sustain such initiatives. For many, these programmes carry no relevance. Simply put: what is e-learning without the “e” — without electricity?
Digital literacy is another overlooked gap. Some schools may have basic computer labs, but teachers are often untrained and unable to operate the equipment. These rooms end up abandoned — echoes of tech museums rather than functioning classrooms.
What Real Progress Demands
In a world where technology evolves daily, there is no doubt that upgrading our educational infrastructure is essential. But to do so in an uneven and fragmented way — where one student uses an AI tutor and another cannot access basic materials — will only deepen an already fractured system.
This is not just about access to devices; it is about creating equal opportunities for learning. If we fail to bring all schools along this journey, we risk building a two-tier society: one empowered by innovation, the other left further behind.
To move forward, we must provide internet connectivity to rural and underserved schools, allocate meaningful funding to public education, and train teachers to lead the digital shift. Until then, our pride in “digitised education” will remain hollow.
Maybe then, we will stop taking pride in paper promises and, for once, build something tangible with our own hands.
