ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on Monday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Telenor Pakistan to pilot ‘Taleemabad’ in six primary-level public schools to be called Taleemabad Model Virtual Schools.

According to a press release, the initiative aims at extending high quality standardised digital education to the under-served students and schools.

“Taleemabad is the country’s first award winning EdTech platform which provides digital education based on Single National Curriculum ( SNC). At the pilot stage Telenor Pakistan will equip six model virtual schools with basic IT hardware and digital management learning system for teachers, students and administration and provide them with tools and skills necessary to cope with the new normal,” the press release said.

The MoU was signed by Additional Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Kamal Ahmed from Telenor.

Speaking at the ceremony, Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said: “It is a great step forward helping us to realise our dream of digital Pakistan and digital education system.”

The press release said the minister reiterated his commitment to make Islamabad schools a model for rest of the country, adding that after the success of the pilot stage, this initiative would be expanded to more than 400 schools of the federal capital.

Commenting on the development, Kamal Ahmed from Telenor said: “With over 23 million out-of-school children across the country, we believe it is our responsibility to innovate and introduce sustainable solutions that enable people through digitalisation and can stand the test of time.”

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Federal Minister Shafqat Mahmood, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Heritage and Culture Shahzad Nawaz and Parliamentary Secretary Education Wajiha Qamar.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2022