500,000 laptops to be distributed by 2020: Leila

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Chairperson of Prime Minister Youth Programme Leila Khan on Saturday revealed that 500,000 laptops would be distributed among talented and deserving students by 2020 along with broadband internet devices across the country to improve their learning through technology.

The federal government’s initiative taken in 2014, under Prime Minister’s Scheme for Provision of laptops, was aimed at encouraging and supporting deserving students to digitalize the mode of studies in public sector universities, she said.

The scheme’s primary objective was to assist students from middle and lower middle class to use latest qualitative tools for their research studies.

Research and Public Relation Officer, Abdul Shakir informed that scheme was targeted to facilitate 100,000 students per year for which an amount of Rs. 5.1 billion and Rs. 21.3 billion was earmarked for FY 2013-14 and FY 2014-2018 respectively.

He said that a single laptop costs Rs. 44,000, so the government would be investing billions of rupees to secure the future of the young generation of the country.

Shakir said, some 200,000 more laptops would be distributed in next two years, taking the total figure to 500, 000 adding that 300,000 laptops had been distributed till date.

Regional Coordinator at Higher Education Commission (HEC), Qaim Ali Shah, highlighting the salient feature of the scheme said it prioritized MS and Ph.D students as their studies involve research work.

The scheme, which earlier covered all provinces, was extended through HEC to Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and FATA on the direction of Senate Standing Committee in 2014.  Recently Diploma Associate Engineers were also included in the scheme by the government, Qaim said.

Ishtiaq Khattk , a student of M. Phil, called the facility an educational boon for students going through their research in qualitative higher education.

The wireless broadband device being provided along with laptop was also useful as 20GB in Rs500 was sufficient for a student as compared to other internet packages being offered in the market.