The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has embarked on a comprehensive digital transformation of its education system to broaden learning opportunities and enhance literacy rates, Chief Minister Suhail Afridi announced on Tuesday. This ambitious reform aims to reach millions of children, including those currently out of school.
During a meeting focused on digital education reforms, Afridi emphasized the use of technology to deliver high-quality education throughout the province, especially targeting remote and underserved regions. He stated that the initiative’s primary objective is to guarantee every child access to world-class education, with digital tools playing a crucial role in integrating out-of-school children into the formal education system.
Officials revealed that under the “Parho Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” program, all school textbooks will be accessible via mobile phones, enabling students to study even without internet connectivity. The provincial government has set an ambitious target to raise the literacy rate by 30 to 35 percent within the next two years.
Education authorities highlighted that approximately 90 percent of households in the province own smartphones, which will serve as the main platform for expanding educational access. Virtual teaching has already been implemented in over 50 schools, with plans to extend this to 500 schools by the end of August.
The virtual learning framework will feature digital science labs, instruction in international languages, and educational content available in Urdu, English, and Pashto. Additionally, teaching activities, examinations, attendance tracking, and student assignments will be consolidated into a unified digital platform. Artificial intelligence will be employed to customize learning experiences individual student needs.
In a significant development, the provincial government stated that these reforms aim to modernize the education sector and improve access to quality education across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly benefiting students in geographically isolated communities.
