As per the scheme announced late last year — ironically, after the PTI came up with the same idea — the Punjab chief minister and the PML-N party chief, Nawaz Sharif have handed out 100,000 laptop computers to ‘talented’ students in public-sector institutions across the country. The criterion is based on marks secured in board examinations and is intended to facilitate college and university-level students. There can be little doubt that in theory, at least, the idea is a noble one; students in our country certainly need all the help they can get. We can only hope that the merit system which is the basis of this scheme is meticulously followed in the future as well and that the nepotism we see so often is not, and will not be employed.
The image of students tapping away on laptops is certainly a pleasant one. It suggests progress, modernisation and a desire to explore. But perhaps, we need to take a more holistic view of the situation. Is it really wise to spend Rs2 billion of the taxpayers money on laptops? Instead, shouldn’t we assess what our real educational priorities are, rather than opting for decisions that garner publicity and public perception. Perhaps, we should think about the situation in our primary school classrooms across the country, where children have no desks to sit on, no fans to keep the heat away and no clean water to drink. Teacher absenteeism makes things even worse. Only when our primary-level of learning improves will we be able to turn out truly educated men and women, who are able to compete with their counterparts across the world. Hence, investing this same amount of money in the education system will bear more fruits for the longer run.
Laptops handed out to top achievers in higher education cannot work on its own. The manner in which our money is spent must therefore be carefully considered. Only when the base of the pyramid is strong can there be hope for true success. Placing boulders, no matter how attractive, atop a shaky foundation will serve little purpose as far as the final analysis goes.
Correction: The amount of spending on laptops was incorrect in an earlier version of this article. The spending is Rs2 billion.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2012.
COMMENTS (31)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Aslam.o.alikum.... Sir kindly include the new selected science teachers in the laptop scheme so that they can give their best to the nation kindly sir these teachers have been selected through a tough competition n i thnk the deserve it,,,
Please correct the figure of 12 billion.
Punjab Government will give one lakh laptop as a gift costing Rs.2 billion to the students showing outstanding performance in education.
for reference please see the below link.
http://chiefminister.punjab.gov.pk/?q=budget_speech
Please use correct information before writing. It is a serious crime.
Please provide electricity to charge laptop's batteries. Thank You.
here are sum problems and some poeple are not getting the laptop but threr registration have been already done please make it more secure and give the lap top nd chek the list again
Look guys. Dont worry, this is all part of a secret ploy to ensure Pakistan retains its number one ranking for 'porn related' searches on Google. Take this as fresh supplies to bolster the frontline.
Still a million times better than BISP, which is making beggars out of the countrymen and is blatantly being used as a political tool.
But thats my money....this is too much i swear !! id rather give it to flood victims...
How come a 100,000 Lap tops cost 12billion, means each laptop costs 120,000. what kind of aloptop thay are ?????
Investing this money in education sector would, of course, be better idea---------but----------25% of 12 Billion is no small change, is it?
Books and teachers are and will always be the basics of education, other than these two, all other are just aides to learning, now when you won't have the basics, then what use of all these advanced tools, its just like handing over a power drill to a person who does not even know how to use a screwdriver.
Plus it would have been much better if a Center of Education, would have been established, where all of the material for education would have been available online????, then these laptops would have been of use.
It will give youth more opportunities to watch PTI social media outlets.
It probably would have made more sense to invest that same amount in cheap tablets and Internet infrastructure across the rural & backward areas.
I'm an anti PML-N person, however, I do appreciate this move - even if its a waste of money in writer's opinion. Its a good start.
It good if Punjab government send these money to improve infrastructure of basic education - by improving government schools conditions ect. it will give Pakistan more ROI then this. I think they just want to grab the attention of youth.
@ Rahi Agree,give to zardari , MQM , ANP or PMLQ.they need it most than students.
We have 1 Govt boys primary school with 3 teachers (including head master)in our village. There is no girls Govt. School in our village.
There are 6 private schools (known as english schools) with teaching staff between Inter to Bachelor pass people running schools as business ltd companies.
Kids in the private schools are better in studies than the govt. school kids but still there level of understanding anything other than books is almost zero.
Let me aslo tell you that my village's population is more than 4000 people where 100s of girls can't afford to go to city after Primary education (govt schools)
Instead of improving the govt. schools CM Pujab is doing this *Bribery * just to get more votes in the next elections.
Waste of resources. Pakistan is a third world country facing many challenges. This shows you what the priorities are for our elite rulers. Instead of making life better for the common man, how is dishing out laptops (which would be obsolete in a year or two) solving any problems? India is working on a One Child, One Laptop project. Their laptops cost around 6 to 7 thousand rupees. The government should have focused on utilizing this money for upgrading their existing schools. A ten year old boy with some help could run Punjab Government better ....
@Rahi; It is a good Idea to spend money on Laptops to be distributed among talented people, instead of looting the taxpayers money through corruption.
Ohh yes, "Now I can watch porn whenever I want where ever I want". Being the no. 1 in porn search, this will definitely raise the bar to a new level. Did the gov. perform any homework in terms of who should get these laptops? Are they going to less privileged ones?
@Rahi: less than percent people pay taxes hare, but these laptops are being purely for election campaign, Shahbaz Shareef continues wasting money on such bad schemes, this is a sequel of Benazir Income Support Fund, Instead of that he should have spent that money on schools in villages or even upgraded them, but Who cares?
This is just the latest in a long line of gimmicks by the Sharif family:motorway: yellow cab scheme, mulkh sanvaaro etc etc. In the past they workd - the semi literate population of Punjab just loves this kind of thing - but I don't think they can save the Sharifs from the Imran Khan Tsunami now.
Giving laptops is not exactly a public good. Public good would be to enhance schools, computer labs, libraries , etc.
And I would argue against what ET had written, the laptops should no just be given to toppers. It is needed more for those having average or below average marks.
Laptops, Danish Schools are two unwanted projects and instead the same money could have been invested in the primary and secondary education as argued by the editorial. I will request PML(N) to not borrow PTI ideas as they are total disasters.
LAPTOP SHARIF IS JUST BUYING VOTES...:(
Nawaz is using govt's money for his personal gains.
Yep good take on this farce of doling out public exchequer without any semblence of investment in future. However have you ever analysed Benazir Income Support Prog? Hope to raise this handing money to union council levels where PPP votes are being cemented through this scheme.
Of all the stupid ideas PTI comes up with, PMLN has an awesome knack for picking out the dumbest ones.
Pre-Poll Rigging
"Perhaps, we should think about the situation in our primary school classrooms across the country, where children have no desks to sit on, no fans to keep the heat away and no clean water to drink." And also, these children don't have their votes registered to cast in the upcoming election, therefore laptops are being distributed among 'adults' to garner votes. Shahbaz Sharif and his talented advisers believe they can block the way of 'tsunami' by distributing laptops in the youth. Millions of rupees are also being squandered on advertisements and it is being portrayed as Sharifs are giving alms to students.
"Is it really wise to spend Rs12 billion of the taxpayers money on laptops?"
I do wonder who won the tenure for the laptop sales?!