KARACHI:
For many Pakistani students, the internet is no longer simply a source of entertainment. It has become a gateway to lectures, research, applications, digital libraries, scholarships and professional opportunities. Yet access to digital education remains unequal.
UNESCO has highlighted the importance of digital skills and trusted learning platforms in expanding opportunities for Pakistani youth. Meanwhile, UNICEF reports that an estimated 25.1 million Pakistani children aged 5–16 are out of school.
The digital divide risks creating another layer of educational inequality. A student with reliable internet and a suitable device can supplement classroom learning through online resources, while another student may be limited to whatever information is available in a physical classroom. This is especially important as Pakistan moves toward AI and digital education.
The government should establish affordable student internet packages, expand connectivity in underserved districts and create public digital-learning centres where students can access computers and reliable internet.
Schools and colleges should also provide basic digital-literacy training so that students know how to search, evaluate and use online information effectively. The goal should not simply be to connect more people to the internet. It should be to ensure that connectivity actually improves education and economic opportunity. In modern Pakistan, access to information increasingly means access to opportunity. No student’s future should be determined simply by whether reliable internet happens to reach their neighbourhood.
Baitullah Waheed
Turbat
