MoITT Demands Rs 1.45 Billion for Blended Virtual Education Project for FY23

For the coming financial year, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has requested Rs. 1.45 billion for the project “Blended Virtual Education for Knowledge Economy.”

According to records, the CDWP approved the Blended Virtual Education project in April of last year, with a total cost of Rs. 5.99 billion. This PSDP project is for the entire country, and the government has set out Rs. 800 million for it this fiscal year.

The Blended Virtual Education for Knowledge initiative will create nine district headquarters centres across Pakistan in 2022-23. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications (MoITT) plans to open three high education institutes and 25 technical-vocational institutes next year. In addition, in the years 2022-23, the ministry wants to open three AIOU centres and three agriculture departments as part of this project. This project proposes recording facilities for 50 different courses as well as the development of six mobile labs for the next year.

The goal of this project, according to MoITT, is to provide degrees and professional training in a mixed manner, which includes asynchronous instructional modules and physical components. In partnership with partner institutions, the Ministry hopes to expand enrolment in tertiary and technical education by 10%.

The fundamental goal of this project is to promote the knowledge economy by increasing institutional capacity and providing blended education while utilising and sharing scarce resources economically and effectively. The ministry hopes that by using this virtual method, girls and pupils from remote places will have equal access to education.

The Virtual University, according to the ministry, is the project’s executing body. By June 2022, an amount of Rs. 800 million rupees will be available, which will be used to purchase computers, IT equipment, plant and machinery, and furnishings for blended education facilities. Staff salaries and other running expenses account for a portion of the budget.