SABAQ, a Karachi-based tech startup working towards revamping the education sector in Pakistan, finished as one of the top six finalists for the 'Next Billion EdTech Prize' in Dubai.

The competition concluded on March 24 at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai, where 30 edtech (educational technology) startups presented their innovative solutions to revolutionise education.

"The forum recognises the most innovative use of technology that has the potential to radically improve education in low-income and emerging economies," a press release issued by the startup said.

According to the statement, more than 1,500 delegates from around the world gathered in the Emirate to discuss "the most pressing issues in global education".

In their initial pitch, SABAQ CEO and co-founder Hassan Bin Rizwan had highlighted how storytelling and engaging digital content is instrumental in igniting a child's imagination.

"He talked about how SABAQ's flagship product 'Muse' uses storytelling and animations to make lessons fun and engaging," said the statement issued by SABAQ.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Rizwan commented: “Technology has been a great disruptor of our times. We will be lagging behind if we do not employ it in education. We at SABAQ aim to make learning fun through our captivating digital content.

"Our content is aligned with the national curriculum. With nearly 22 million children out of school in Pakistan, SABAQ intends to reduce this number by providing a digital learning solution and making educational content more accessible to kids.”

When asked about his vision for SABAQ, he said: “By 2020, we aim to educate one million students across Pakistan. We believe we have the right people on board to achieve that goal. We will also be creating content for secondary-tier education. The idea is to keep pushing the envelope and bringing that much-needed change in the Pakistani education system”.

Ever since it first started out three years ago, SABAQ has reached more than 90,000 children and their application, Muse, has been implemented in over 1,000 schools across the country.

Muse is an android-based digital learning solution that teachers use in a learning environment seeking to infuse technology into the teaching methodology.

"Using the power of storytelling and captivating digital content, it is a seriously-fun digital learning solution that makes lessons engaging and increases student performance. It currently has more than 1,500 digital lessons and tests," said SABAQ in its statement.