The EdTech firms includes SABAQ, Orenda Project, Knowledge Platform and Sabaq Foundation provided all the content free of cost being aired on Teleschool to overcome the academic disruption in Pakistan after educational institutions across the country were closed due to the COVID-19 emergency.
Co-founder of SABAQ Hassan Bin Rizwan which developed the educational app Muse said that we feel proud to support the federal government’s initiative to launch the educational transmission by offering our learning videos for free so they can serve the youth of Pakistan.
He further said that SABAQ for gathering all Pakistan-based EdTech companies under one roof and to serve as a credible platform to activate the private sector and support public-private partnerships to deliver solutions in such critical times.
He added that we didn’t do it for recognition. We all did it as our duty to the nation. We are happy our work is serving kids learn in these tough times.
Content manager at Orenda Project, Sabeena Abbasi which developed the educational app Taleemabad said that I was quite surprised that the government was launching an initiative and that too very early on.
She acknowledged the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training for taking timely action, swiftly engaging different stakeholders and launching a wonderful initiative after closing of educational institutions.
CEO Knowledge Platform for Pakistan Talhah Munir Khan, said that we will provide our company’s content for TV consumption for free until July.
He further said that this is based on the current situation, and we may extend it if schools don’t open by July, but our content for TV consumption is not free forever.
Founder Sabaq Foundation Iqbal Mustafa Khan said that we are very happy with the Teleschool initiative. This can be a game changer for Pakistan.
He further said that actually we feel the government needs two such channels so one can be dedicated to grades 9 to 12 and the other to KG to grade 8.However one channel is better than none,.
He said that every video for grade 9 through grade 12 and almost 70 to 80 per cent of all the content being used by Teleschool is theirs. For KG to grade 8, around 50 per cent of the content is ours.
He valued that the government has done an excellent job with the launch of Teleschool but they still need to work on digitalization to reach more and more kids in remote areas, those out of school and child labourers.
He stressed that the EdTech industry needs more attention and government funding because majority of the students can’t afford to pay the firms that charge fees for their content. But with proper funding, EdTech can revolutionize education in Pakistan, he said.
He also pointed out that since e-learning requires at least a smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer, another challenge is providing high-speed internet, which is inaccessible to majority of the people in the country.