CADD orders launch of smart schools

Islamabad

Minister of State for the Capital Administration and Development Division Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Wednesday directed the Federal Directorate of Education and management of the Prime Minister's Education Reform Programme to immediately launch the Smart Schools' Project in the Islamabad Capital Territory.

He issued the directions while chairing a meeting on education sector, which was attended by Parliamentary Secretary of CADD Maiza Hameed, Advisor of CADD on Education Ali Raza and FDE officials.

The meeting was informed that Smart School is based upon the concept of 'blended learning' in which the significant and rapid improvement in quality of education is achieved through technology-enabled learning. In the first phase of the project, 24 schools of Islamabad -- 12 boys and 12 girls schools -- will be upgraded with relevant technology infrastructure to enhance their comprehension through the usage of information technology.

The major elements of the Smart Schools will be to provide computers in selected schools, internet connectivity, online learning systems that allows student to access instructional materials, provision of high quality bilingual (English and Urdu) online instructional material and provision of teacher training to improve their technical skills by using latest techniques.

The project would cover a substantial proportion of 8 to 14 year age group population mostly from middle and low economic background. During the first year, around 5,760 students will get technology-based quality education which will increase up to around 17,280 in the third year.

Dr. Tariq said that technology-enabled education will provide an opportunity to address the gap in the quality of education in top private schools and public sector schools in Islamabad. This pilot project will be replicated to other schools and colleges on its completion, the minster added.

The meeting was informed that the laboratories and libraries of the selected institutions will be upgraded and smart class rooms will be established under the project to provide IT-based learning material.