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

Lack of internet services during the COVID-19 lockdown has put the academic future of as many as 34 million students across Pakistan's Punjab in jeopardy.

According to a report by The Express Tribune, about 80 per cent of the province's students complain about internet services, while the remaining 20 per cent do not have access to the services.

Amid these complaints, 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 such as schools, colleges and universities.

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