KP govt launches initiative to provide artificial intelligence education

PESHAWAR, August 15, 2026 - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government launched the Global Virtual School (GVS) on Friday, marking the first-ever public sector initiative in the country to provide virtual artificial intelligence education. This innovative project will link hundreds of schools across KP, overcoming challenges posed by natural and man-made disasters.

Addressing the launch ceremony, Elementary and Secondary Education Secretary Mohammad Khalid Khan highlighted the GVS's potential to address the province's educational hurdles. The event, hosted by Qaisar Alam, the architect of the GVS and Managing Director of the Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation, featured a video presentation and live conversation with students from remote tribal regions.

The GVS aims to offer quality digital learning opportunities, particularly to students in remote and under-developed areas. The model, designed for students from grades 6 to 12, provides virtual classrooms, digital learning content, live and recorded lessons, learning resources, gamification, assessments, and progress tracking. An AI teacher within the GVS will teach prescribed course syllabus in Urdu, English, and Pashto, answering questions, explaining topics, and conducting virtual laboratory exercises.

Moreover, the GVS will teach additional languages like English, Chinese, German, Korean, and Japanese.

Enrollment for the GVS is open to public sector schools, while private schools can also benefit from the system. The initiative began with 175 schools, with plans to expand to 500 schools by the end of this month or early next. Equipment necessary for the GVS will be provided to all participating schools. The GVS will be accessible to overseas Pakistanis and may eventually extend its reach beyond borders, with students receiving duly recognized certificates to apply for higher studies.

The secretary mentioned the government's consideration of signing a memorandum of understanding with the British Council to introduce O-Level classes, enabling lower and middle-class students to compete with the elite in education. A digital presentation showcased the entire process, from login and dashboard access to online classes, live and recorded lessons, learning resources, quizzes, assessments, and progress tracking.

A special demonstration of the AI Teacher was presented, emphasizing the AI's ability to provide personalized explanations, follow-up questions, and learning guidance.

Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah emphasized the importance of digital transformation, strong institutional ownership, effective governance, sustainability, and the use of modern technology to deliver quality education, especially in the province's most remote areas. He stressed that the GVS would help address the issues of teacher and school availability in a challenging security environment, providing quality education to students affected by security and natural disasters.

Shah assured full support for the department and foundation in expanding quality education to the province's most inaccessible regions. He also assured that the GVS would help overcome school and teacher shortages, extending education outreach to remote areas.

KP's Minister Arshad Ayub announced plans to conduct a survey to accurately assess the number of out-of-school children across the province and its districts to formulate a comprehensive policy to bring them into the education system. He noted that school enrollment had increased, but the government would explore opportunities like the GVS and expand its network to provide easy access to quality education for all.

The minister assured that KP would learn from other provinces and support other governments interested in adopting the GVS system.