Poor internet puts future of 34 million students from Pakistan’s Punjab in jeopardy

The future of about 34 million students across Pakistan’s Punjab province is in jeopardy due to lack of internet services during the coronavirus induced lockdown.

According to a report, about 80 per cent of Punjab’s students complain about internet services, while the remaining 20 per cent do not even have access to the services.

The government has directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan to give a special grant of Rs 10 million to each Central university to continue the online education system, but no funding was provided to the private education sector.

Meanwhile, Punjab Information Technology Board spokesperson, Ammar Chaudhry has been quoted as saying, “Providing or improving internet services is neither the job of the PITB nor its responsibility”.