Digital learning initiative launched for FDE schools

Islamabad: In support of the government’s Vision 2025, the Jazz Foundation is set to use innovation in imparting education to 75 schools in the federal capital.

Launched in partnership with the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) during a special ceremony at a local hotel on Monday, the ‘Jazz Smart School’ programme introduces a smart learning solution to the traditional schooling system through a digital learning platform.

To implement this digital learning solution, the telco has teamed up with the Knowledge Platform, a Singapore-based learning solutions company, which provides the programme with the digital learning platform, customised educational content, training and support. The Jazz Foundation has set up digital learning centres with hardware kits, including laptops, projectors, clickers, tablets, speakers, UPS and mobile broadband.

The programme’s educational content includes digital textbooks, videos, practice material, interactive games, assessment and classroom activities. For each subject in a curriculum, the programme begins by gathering inputs from multiple sources to create a catalogue of mastery skills and for each skill, a learning video and an assessment is created.

To enhance teaching skills, the programme offers training videos, a customised teacher training programme and support of an online community. The in-built performance dashboards increase accountability as parents and relevant stakeholders can monitor progress of schools, teachers and students on a daily basis through mobile applications.

Speaking at the initiative’s launch event as the chief guest, state minister for the CADD Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the Constitution mandated that the State shall provide education for all Pakistani children between the ages of 5-16 years.

"The government understands the challenges we face while trying to achieve this goal. However, initiatives such as the Jazz Smart Schools programme and an increasing future emphasis on public-private partnership will surely propel us toward a brighter future for Pakistan,” he said.

FDE director general Hasnat Qureshi said his organisation regulating public sector eduction in Islamabad was committed to ensuring the incorporation of the innovative learning methods in the local government schools.

"This will ensure the competing of our youths, especially girls, with students globally,” he said. Jazz chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer Ali Naseer said 35 per cent of the country’s population was under the age of 14 and if efforts were not made to improve their access to quality education, the country would lag behind in an increasingly digital world.

"The Jazz Smart School programme leverages our mobile broadband strength and other resources to give those in need the tools necessary for success,” he said. The Jazz's representative said after a careful analysis of the programme’s success in Islamabad, the company would look to expand it nationwide to help more students reap its benefits.

Country Manager of the Knowledge Platform Talhah Munir Khan speaking about Knowledge Platform’s vision for education in Pakistan said educating youths was a key responsibility all stakeholders should take seriously. He said the Knowledge Platform provided quality learning solutions in a bid to modernise and improve how Pakistani students learn.

"To be successful in this endeavour, we all need to collaborate across sectors: public, private, non-governmental. It requires a concentrated effort of coming together on all our parts and I’m so pleased that this is beginning to happen,” he said.