Public schools lack technological facilities

Anticipating the abrupt shift of the global economy towards complete digitalization, several developing countries in the Global South had started heavily investing in the Information Technology (IT) sector several years ago, in the hopes of directing billions of dollars towards their economies in the future.

From cities across the region, often referred to as the Silicon Valleys of their respective countries, a large number of IT professionals were encouraged towards contributing to the development of the nation's digital landscape.

Unfortunately, in Pakistan however, where in the backdrop of non-existent progress in the field of IT, four to five keen students continue to cram over a small, old desktop in the dilapidated school laboratory, the upcoming generation of graduates will have little or no hopes of benefitting from the wave of technological innovation.

Apart from the Punjab government's sporadic announcements of distributing laptops among students, almost no efforts have been undertaken towards investing in the upgradation and expansion of technological facilities in public schools across the province, where the dire lack of up-to-date computers and software has prevented passionate high school students from excelling in the IT sector.

One such student was Hasan Khalid, a ninth grader at a public school, who lamented the regrettable state of his school's computer labs. "Due to the lack of adequate computers in our school, many students including me are unable to apply our learnt theories. As a result, 30 students from our school flunked the computer science exam since they had little or no practical knowledge," explained Khalid.

"Until or unless students can practice computer programming, they cannot benefit from any theoretical knowledge that they have gained in the classroom," seconded Mohammad Shahzad, an IT expert.

"Even today we are giving computer education to students on P1 and P2, which are outdated computers. Furthermore, more than 50 per cent of computers in any school lab are defective while the remaining computers keep lagging due to which children learn only part of programming. No lab assistants have been recruited at computer laboratories, where only one to two computer teachers are available. Moreover, often times due to load shedding and lack of UPS management, the programming of the computers also gets spoiled," elaborated Amir Naseem, a computer teacher at a government high school.

According to Rana Liaquat Ali, Secretary of the Punjab Teachers Association, 15 to 70 students in a class have only 16 computers available in the labs of public schools, where more than 70 per cent of computers do not even have updated program installations. "The school administration has been asked to provide an updated computer system many a times but nothing has been done about this," said Ali.

Addressing Ali, Rana Khalid Saleem, headmaster of a government school, was of the opinion that it was difficult to invest in technological upgradations when a large chunk of the measly school budget was spent on electricity bills.

As per records available with The Express Tribune, 33 per cent of 750,000 ninth graders appearing for the computer science exam across 10 school boards were unable to clear their exams due to their lacking of fundamental computer skills. Furthermore, the Punjab government had selected 4,286 educational institutions in rural and urban areas as a pilot project to promote digital education since 2008 however, computer labs could only be built in 854 schools.

"Instead of giving laptops to students, the Punjab government should upgrade the computer labs in schools," implored Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Hassan Murtaza.

"We are taking several steps to attract students towards the IT sector. Google certified courses have been introduced alongside the establishment of an iCity," said Punjab Education Minister, Rana Sikandar Hayat.