Pakistan PM Launches Distribution of 500,000 Chromebooks to Students

ISLAMABAD,(By Muhammad Saleem): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday launched the distribution of 500,000 Chromebooks to talented students of public schools and madrassas across Pakistan, saying the recipients would play a key role in the country’s progress and prosperity.
Addressing a ceremony at the Convention Centre in Islamabad, the prime minister said the government would provide whatever resources were needed to empower the country’s youth. The Chromebooks, he said, would be delivered to the 500,000 students over two years and are being awarded strictly on merit.
Each student will also receive a school bag and a portable internet device (MiFi), enabling access to e-libraries from home.

Recalling a previous merit-based laptop scheme under Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister said 600,000 laptops were distributed over ten years, whereas the same number of devices would now be provided in just two years.
He thanked Rashid Minhas, founder of the Tokyo Care (TT Care) Foundation, and his team for donating the Chromebooks, saying the contribution reflected overseas Pakistanis’ confidence in the government and in the abilities of Pakistan’s children.
The prime minister also said 27 Danish Schools were currently under construction nationwide, following the recent inauguration of one in Islamabad. The schools will feature smart boards, e-libraries, sports facilities, and free boarding and meals for students.
“Education is a wealth that cannot be stolen,” Sharif said, adding that it is the duty of any government to help children become great citizens.
Rana Mashhood, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, said one MiFi connection could serve five additional children, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 2.5 million. Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said Pakistan must invest more in education. TT Care Foundation Chairman Rashid Minhas said the foundation had signed a memorandum of understanding to supply the devices.
Students Syed Shams Raza, from the former FATA region, and Mahak Sabir, a madrassa student from Gilgit-Baltistan, also addressed the ceremony and thanked the prime minister. The ceremony featured a guard of honour and a theme song titled “500,000 Chromebooks, 500,000 Dreams.”