Digital inclusion: challenges for inclusive digitalization in Pakistan

While an urban student joins an online class with high-speed internet, a student in a rural area goes to a rooftop or a field in search of a signal. This difference is not just about technology, but also about opportunities, quality of education, and a future.

In the past few years, especially during times of emergency and uncertainty, online education has emerged as a significant alternative. But this alternative has effective only for students who have access to the internet, devices and appropriate facilities. Pakistan’s education system is under pressure in the context of current regional tensions, security concerns and uncertainty.

In situations where traditional educational activities (schools, colleges, universities) are affected, digital and online education emerges as an alternative. However, in a developing country like Pakistan, where access to even basic amenities is not uniform, digital education is creating a new kind of inequality.

Pakistan’s students lost approximately 97 school days in 2023–24 due to climate-related events, with 26.23 million children affected by heatwaves in 2024. Recurrent closures from floods, extreme heat, smog, and now energy-related austerity measures (March 2026 two-week shutdown) are compounding an already severe education emergency, where around 25 million children remain out of school.

Rural areas and girls suffer disproportionately due to limited device access, unreliable electricity/internet, and cultural barriers. As a result, “silent learning crisis” is emerging, where thousands of students are seemingly part of the system but are effectively deprived of education.

Digital development in Pakistan has gained significant momentum in the past few years. According to the latest HIES 2024–25, overall, 70 percent of households have internet access with 61 percent in rural areas and 82 percent access in urban areas, up from just 34 percent in 2019.

Similarly, the number of internet users in the country has also grown rapidly, and is estimated to reach close to 120 million by end of 2026. According to HIES data for 2024-25, the richest quintile (Q5) has 95 percent internet access, while the poorest quintile (Q1) receives only 32 percent internet access.

While access to the internet has increased, still a large segment finds it difficult to use internet services owing to its cost and connectivity issues. Digitalization is still inconsistent and disjointed in Pakistan.

There is a digital divide not just between those who are connected and those who aren’t but also between being digitally connected to having tangible impact on daily lives, online education and livelihoods.

For example, there may be one shared mobile phone available for use by all the children in a household. Frequent power outages and lack of digital literacy by both teachers and students hinders learning online.

There are many instances where learning takes place on WhatsApp groups rather than actual online learning platforms. As a result, when schools close during any sort of crisis and move their classrooms online, many children from rural areas and lower quintiles get disconnected from the education system.

This creates larger learning gaps, disrupts learning pathways for children and increases chances of them becoming permanent dropouts. Despite the increase in internet usage in Pakistan, there are still issues concerning internet connectivity.

Although there has been an increase in broadband penetration in Pakistan, there are still issues concerning internet connectivity. The internet resilience score is around 42 percent. This means that there is a lack of resilience in internet connectivity during emergency situations. This means that simply having internet connectivity is not sufficient.

This issue is not only a technical problem but also a social issue. This issue may cause inequalities in education, economics, and human development. Recent HIES data provides limited information on digital skills and literacy, which are essential components of digital inclusion. Access to digital technology does not automatically translate into productive usage.

Current data may not fully capture the gap between basic connectivity and productive digital engagement. Future surveys may also include digital literacy, digital skills, and economic participation online as additional variables.

A multi-faceted approach is essential to consider all aspects of the problem, like income targeting subsidies are required, as are rural broadband development and gender targeting digital inclusion initiatives to achieve digital inclusion goals in alignment with Pakistan’s Digital Pakistan Vision. There is a need to develop a national dashboard on days lost due to climate change, days lost due to energy issues, and so on. There is a need to report annually to Parliament.

The notion that digital infrastructure has become an essential component of the education system is not disputed. However, it is imperative to consider whether such infrastructure has been made readily available to all students.

If such an approach is negative, it is essential to reconsider the direction of current educational policies. The real issue is no longer how many students have access to online education; rather, the fundamental question is whether students have stable and quality internet access, and whether they face connectivity issues.

Moreover, it is also imperative to understand whether low-income students or marginalized sections of society are being excluded from the system. Unless all these factors are comprehensively taken into account, it will not be possible to present a true picture of educational progress.

There is a dire need to develop a national dashboard tracking school days lost by cause (climate, energy, war) and learning outcomes, with annual reporting to Parliament. Although it is true that the government and relevant agencies have taken various initiatives, such as educational programmes through television channels and increased accessibility to the internet, it is imperative to consider whether such initiatives are adequate compared to the magnitude of the problem.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026