The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has launched a Government Virtual School (GVS) to provide digital and AI-based education to students, particularly those living in remote and underdeveloped areas of the province.
Elementary and Secondary Education Secretary Mohammad Khalid Khan said the initiative would help address educational challenges in a province frequently affected by natural and man-made disasters.
Minister Arshad Ayub Khan and Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah attended the launching ceremony, hosted by Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation Managing Director Qaisar Alam, who developed the GVS initiative.
The ceremony featured a detailed presentation on the virtual school, followed by live interaction with students from remote tribal areas.
Officials said the GVS was designed to provide quality learning through digital technology, particularly for students in underserved areas. The programme covers students from grades 6 to 12 and offers virtual classrooms, digital learning content, live and recorded lessons, learning resources, quizzes, assessments and progress tracking.
The system also includes an AI teacher capable of delivering the prescribed curriculum in Urdu, English and Pashto, answering students’ questions and providing interactive explanations. Virtual laboratory exercises are also available.
Students will also be able to learn English, Chinese, German, Korean and Japanese through the platform.
Officials said enrolment was open to students from public-sector schools, while private schools could also benefit from the initiative.
Mr Khalid said 175 schools would be connected to the GVS during the first phase, with the network expected to expand to 500 schools by the end of this month or early next month. Necessary equipment was being provided to the participating schools.
He said the virtual school would also be available to overseas Pakistanis and could eventually be extended to students in other countries. Such students would receive recognised certificates that could help them pursue higher education.
The secretary said the government was also considering signing a memorandum of understanding with the British Council to introduce O-Level classes, enabling students from lower- and middle-income families to compete with those from more privileged backgrounds.
A digital presentation demonstrated the platform’s features, including online registration, dashboard access, live and recorded classes, learning resources, quizzes, assessments and progress tracking. A demonstration of the AI teacher showed how it could provide personalised explanations, follow-up questions and learning guidance.
Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah stressed the need for digital transformation, institutional ownership, effective governance and sustainable use of modern technology to make quality education accessible to students in remote parts of the province.
He said the shortage of schools and teachers, particularly in areas affected by security challenges, remained a major issue. Initiatives such as the GVS, he added, could help provide education to children affected by security and natural disasters.
Mr Shah said the initiative was aligned with the government’s good governance policy and assured the education department and foundation of support for expanding the programme to remote areas.
He said the GVS could help address shortages of schools and teachers and extend educational opportunities to inaccessible parts of the province. He later interacted with students from South Waziristan and Dir.
Minister Arshad Ayub said the provincial government planned to conduct a survey to determine the number of out-of-school children across the province and in individual districts, with the aim of developing a comprehensive policy to bring them into the education system.
He said school enrolment had increased but the government would explore initiatives such as the GVS and expand its network to ensure wider access to quality education.
The minister said KP was willing to learn from other provinces and would also extend support to governments interested in adopting the GVS model.
A documentary highlighting the vision and expected impact of the virtual school was also screened at the ceremony, focusing on AI-enabled learning, accessibility and modern educational opportunities for students across the province.
