“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X
Pakistan is a country that has immense potential but faces several challenges that hinder its progress. One of these problems is the digital divide, which keeps a significant chunk of the population from accessing the internet. As of January 2023, only 87.35 million of Pakistan’s 238.1 million population used the internet1. Contributing to this problem is the rural-urban divide, as an estimated 65% of people live in rural areas ranging from Balochistan to Sindh, Gilgit and elsewhere, where poor internet connectivity remains a problem2. This divide keeps people, particularly students, from accessing the tools they need to get an education, developing their digital literacy, and building the skills necessary to succeed in the competitive job market. Technology has the potential to address this crisis, and present innovative new approaches to learning and teaching.
That’s where ZONG Digital Scholars comes in! ZONG 4G and Knowledge Platform have partnered with the common goal of making education accessible to 3,000 students across 60 schools, with the active support of teachers from each respective school. Currently, participating schools have been selected across Pakistan, representing the great diversity of the country and the inclusivity of this program.
As one of the country’s largest telecom providers, ZONG 4G is committed to playing its role in developing educational initiatives by bringing a 21st-century mode of teaching and learning to schools in remote, under-resourced areas.3. This makes Knowledge Platform the perfect partner for the mission, as the ed-tech has the content management tools, assessment criteria, and educational videos/games that make remedial learning and personalized teaching interactive and fun! This forward-thinking approach to education enables the development of measurable outcomes to assess positive impact on student achievement. Through a mix of games-based and project-based learning models, ZONG Digital Scholars aims to transform the traditional educational paradigm in Pakistan.
The heart of the program is the Math Tutoring Program, catering to students in the 9th and 10th grades. The Math Program will be led by Knowledge Platform teachers with the participation of school teachers, who will provide online Mathematics tutoring support for students. A minimum of two teachers from each school will be selected and assigned to two classes composed of 25 students from Grades 9th and 10th each, making up a total of 50 students per school.
ZONG Digital Scholars also includes the English and Sciences Self-study Program, providing each participating school access to Knowledge Platform’s curriculum-aligned content for Grades 9 and 10. The content covers the subjects of Biology, Chemistry, English, General Science, Mathematics and Physics.
Through this comprehensive strategy, ZONG Digital Scholars aims to inculcate digital learning and teaching skills in both teachers and students so they can access the full array of benefits Knowledge Platform’s digital learning solution offers. Participating schools will also benefit from the increased adoption of technology and digital learning, potentially increasing the efficacy of their educational approaches.
The program also enables healthy competition among students, which aims to strengthen their conceptual understanding as well as encourage them to engage with the content enthusiastically. The Math-Wiz competition will task students with solving a math problem given by their teacher and recording their solution in a video. Depending on their accuracy and clarity, the top 10 winners will be chosen as Math-Wiz of the Month. Additionally, high-performing teachers, students and schools will be given awards and certificates to honor their dedication to the program. These will be distributed on a monthly and annual basis.
ZONG Digital Scholars looks forward to bringing digital education to students across the country and inculcating a desire to progress in school. Not only will students benefit from the Math Tutoring Program, but they will also have full access to Knowledge Platform’s repository of content for a variety of different subjects. By the end of this program, students should have a strong understanding of mathematical concepts and be engaged with digital learning. By bringing this innovative mode of learning to schools, ZONG 4G and Knowledge Platform hope to make the classroom fun and interactive for both students and teachers.