Hack the Future: National Education Challenge 2020
Why are we doing this?
Pakistan’s education infrastructure is dangerously inadequate to serve our needs. 25 million children are out of school, our dropout rate is among the highest in the world and our Univerities only teach half a million students. These numbers are tragic and we must do something about it.
What’s the opportunity?
With 75 million 3G/4G connections, digital has opened up a new possibility. Since we can now reach a vast majority of our population — young and old — how do we ensure 100% literacy, the spread of life skills, the ability to learn new crafts and the opportunity to uplift our minds. We believe that we can “leapfrog” the missing education infrastructure and focus on the outcome: a new knowledge-based economy with a 100% literate population.
Is it digital-only solutions?
Data is expensive and a lot of people cannot afford smartphones. Many live in remote areas where broadband speeds are either not available or the quality of our telecom infrastucture is weak. So we’re looking for both digital and non-digital solutions, as well as new ways to improve access to learning.
What type of solutions can you pitch?
Your solutions can address the following:
- Access
- Content
- Technology
Which sectors does this Challenge encompass?
- Schools
- Colleges
- Universities
- Out of school children
- Illiterate Adults
- Continuing Education
- Knowledge Economy
Who can participate?
Startups working in the edtech space, organizations using digital and non-digital mediums, government departments making a difference, people working on access or content or technology — this an open call to address Pakistan’s most pressing challenge innovatively and in a scalable way: make the country 100% literate and build the new knowledge economy.
Who should participate?
You should participate if your mission is aligned with the mission of this challenge: a 100% literate Pakistan and the creation of a new knowledge economy. We’re not only looking for new ideas, we’re also looking for successful ideas whose time has come.
Why you should apply?
One goal is to identify Pakistan’s top 25 learning innovators. They will have a chance to showcase their solutions to the national media and win prizes worth over Rs. 3 million. The Challenge will also connect you to various government and non-government stakeholders who share our mission.
