Students across country to get 500,000 Chromebooks over 2 years, announces PM Shehbaz

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Sunday a plan to distribute 500,000 Chromebook laptops to students across Pakistan over the course of two years. Addressing the launch ceremony of the Prime Minister’s Youth Chromebook Scheme in Islamabad, the premier underscored the government's duty to provide modern technology to the youth, enabling them to become the country's builders.

He stressed that the Chromebooks would be distributed based on students' abilities and hard work, aiming to help them attend school remotely and become some of the most educated people in the nation. Recalling previous PML-N governments' distribution of laptops, Shehbaz vowed to deliver 500,000 Chromebooks in the next two years, emphasizing that intelligence and skills should not be constrained by poverty.

The PM also noted that the Chromebook facility would be available to students from religious seminaries, following a similar practice in the past. He affirmed that the devices would aid students in pursuing further education and securing employment, stating that education is a jewel that distinguishes individuals in society, irrespective of their background.

In August, Shehbaz had announced that 250,000 high-achieving students would receive Chromebooks this year. Pakistan had recently established its first Google Chromebook assembly line, hailed as a historic milestone that would boost digital tool accessibility and create jobs, contributing to economic development and future tech exports.