Gilgit Baltistan, 16th August 2022: Tech Valley Pakistan, a trusted partner of Google for Education in Pakistan, has joined hands with the Government of Gilgit Baltistan to digitize schools of Gilgit Baltistan under a pilot project. A letter of understanding was signed between Rana Muhammad Saleem Afzal, Secretary of Education, Gilgit Baltistan, and CEO Tech Valley, Umar Farooq.

During the signing ceremony, Honorable Secretary of Education Rana Muhammad Saleem Afzal said, “Recently, the Government of Gilgit Baltistan has launched multiple initiatives to upgrade the region's education system while battling with the connectivity issues. Now, we anxiously wait for the intervention of Google as Gilgit Baltistan has one of the highest literacy rates in Pakistan, and its youth deserve best-in-class tools.” He also called this project a gift to the youth of the region. 

The project will equip the classrooms with the latest tools to help students learn in a technologically advanced environment. Under this pilot project, selected schools will be entirely digitized with the help of Google for Education, and students can learn, interact and communicate with each other remotely. The aim is to provide hands-on experience to students so they can be encouraged to leverage available resources and tools.

In addition to this, To ensure the pilot schools have connectivity to carry out the project, Tech Valley has also engaged Special Communication Organization in Gilgit Baltistan which has shown full support to contribute to the project.

CEO Tech Valley Umar Farooq said, “We have been here for the last two days to analyze the situation on the ground, we will start with the selected schools to show you how tools can help, and then we can further scale up this model.” He also added that “We see ourselves as an end-to-end enabler providing not only the tools but also training teachers to use them effectively and motivating students to explore STEM.”

He further thanked the Chief Secretary Office of Gilgit Baltistan for coordinating the visit and helping the Tech Valley team connect with the relevant stakeholders in the region. 

Tim Paolini, Google APAC Sales Lead, also joined the ceremony online and ensured Secretary Education that Tech Valley is one of their preferred global partners to work with, and he looks forward to visiting Gilgit Baltistan during his next trip to Pakistan. 

Tech Valley Pakistan is a global innovative consulting firm working with various development organizations, INGOs, and private and government organizations. Its mission is to inculcate the culture of technology and entrepreneurship through digital innovations.