Power outages, poor internet and weak IT systems keep students from benefiting from digital learning
LAHORE:
The Punjab government continues to promote the idea of digitalising health, education, and other basic services, yet many initiatives have failed to achieve their intended impact due to logistical limitations. One such initiative was the E-Learning Project.
Labelled as a “digital revolution”, the project aimed to improve the quality and accessibility of education by ensuring that every student has access to digital learning materials including e-textbooks, video lectures, and interactive content on official portals and mobile applications. While initially intending to eliminate geographical barriers to education, the project has largely benefited only urban centers due to poor infrastructure in remote areas.
One major obstacle has been the unequitable access to electricity and the internet. Many schools in rural Punjab lack high-speed internet and face frequent power outages, forcing students to travel to nearby towns to download or view learning materials. Without reliable connectivity, the vision of “digital education for all” remains unfulfilled.
Faisal Ali, a student, revealed that weak internet signals and frequent power cuts left little time to study. Another parent, Tariq Mahmood, informed that although he managed to buy a tablet for his child, the lack of affordable and reliable internet forces his son to travel long distances just to access learning materials. “The government must extend internet coverage to underserved areas,” urged Mahmood.
IT teacher Aamir Naseem recommended that the government should create a performance dashboard to track how many schools and students were using the digital content and how it impacted their learning outcomes. “Such data could help identify weaknesses and guide improvements. In this regard, public-private partnerships can also help, as several EdTech companies already produce quality digital learning materials that could enhance the project’s effectiveness,” opined Naseem.
Another challenge has revolved around the meagre digital training of teachers. Most teachers are unfamiliar with online teaching tools and methods, reducing the project’s effectiveness. Furthermore, the high cost of digital devices too has been a barrier since many families cannot afford tablets or smartphones needed for e-learning.
For inclusivity, experts advocate digital scholarships, free devices for underprivileged students, and dedicated digital zones for girls, stressing that technology can only uplift society when equal opportunities exist across all socioeconomic groups. IT specialist Professor Muhammad Shehzad Sabir noted that while the government frequently launched new digital projects, the fundamental issue of internet accessibility remained unresolved.
“In many areas where the internet is available, families still cannot afford digital devices. Hence, it is crucial to provide free Wi-Fi access for the e-Learning project since without the internet, even well-equipped students cannot benefit. There is a need for a comprehensive IT infrastructure strategy before expanding digital initiatives,” said Sabir.
Meanwhile, Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Director Ammar Chaudhry insisted that the project was active and progressing. “The project, completed in 2019, continues under PITB in collaboration with the School Education Department and the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board. Currently, 30 science and mathematics textbooks for grades one to 12 are available online, supported by more than 13,000 video lectures, 1,800 animations, 590 simulations, and 2,100 minutes of audio content,” said Chaudhry.
Chaudhry clarified that the project had not been discontinued and instead was undergoing expansion. A new initiative with the Special Education Department will add sign-language support for hearing-impaired students and develop audio books for visually impaired learners. “Thousands of students and teachers continue to benefit from the platform,” claimed Chaudhry.
In the meanwhile, experts encourage the government to invest in solar classrooms, free internet zones, and data-subsidy programs to ensure greater coverage while educationists propose mandatory digital pedagogy training and the appointment of an e-learning focal person in every school to facilitate the digitization initiative.
