School Closure during Covid-19:Ilm Association members join hands for Free online learning

Pakistan’s domestic digital and innovative learning industry has come together to offer FREE internet-based education products and services to students, teachers and schools during the current Covid-19 epidemic to combat the educational disruption. They can access these educational products and services from their mobile phones or any internet-enabled device at http://blog.ilmassociation.com/covidresponse/.

The award-winning products and services span the entire spectrum of K12 education, from early childhood development (ECD) to higher secondary. They allow students to continue to learn and teachers to engage with the students while being at homes. Ilm Association (ilmA) members currently providing FREE services include Azcorp entertainment, Sabaq MUSE, Knowledge Platform, Learning pitch, KarMuqabla, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi, Sabaq Foundation, Edkasa and Orenda Project. More members are expected to contribute more resources in the coming few days. Hence the COVID-19 products link shared above will be updated regularly.

Due to the closure of schools, online learning is the only readily available means for continuing education at home.

“We consider it our civic duty to provide our online products and services for free to affected Pakistanis during this time of national emergency”

Ilm Association President, Hassan Bin Rizwan

It is estimated that more than three million children currently utilize domestically created online learning products and services in Pakistan. They benefit from cutting edge multimedia content and pedagogical innovations in English and local languages, which makes learning more interesting. The content is matched to national and provincial curriculums and backed by online assessments.

“Getting these solutions into the hands of tens of millions of students, hundreds of thousands of teachers and schools affected by this crisis is our biggest priority at the moment. We want all responsible Pakistanis to assist us in this offer reaching as many of them as possible through social media and all other channels”

Ilm Association Board member, Baela Raza

The COVID-19 epidemic is fueling the conversation for more focus needed around online learning among parents, teachers and educationists. During the school shutdown, there is a need to explore innovative ways to help students learn at home. The options for learning through social distance include Television, Radio, Online and its hybrids through social media WhatsApp, SMS, Instagram and restricted face to face in communities with shared mobile phone facilities. Learning solutions during the crisis also requires an aggressive communication strategy with all media to enable solutions offered to reach to All citizens

“We are looking to partner with the government, NGOs, donors, charities, corporations, internet device makers and media so that we can continue to provide these solutions for free beyond current disruption and to reach more children inclusively “

Ilm Association Executive Director, Zulfiqar Qazilbash

For more information on Ilm Association (ilmA), please visit http://www.ilmassociation.com or email info@ilmassociation.com

About Ilm Association

Ilm association (ilmA) is Pakistan’s first and largest industry association of digital learning and innovative education enterprises. Its members represent 85% of this emerging domestic industry which currently services more than three million students, teacher and institutions.

Media Contact : Zulfiqar Qazilbash – Executive Director (Cell phone # 0300-5554934), info@ilmassociation.com

Member Companies:

• Azcorp Entertainment – https://www.azcorpentertainment.com/
• SABAQ – https://sabaq.edu.pk/
• Knowledge Platform – https://www.knowledgeplatform.com/
• Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi – https://www.itacec.org/
• Children Global Network – https://www.cgnpk.org
• TeleTaleem – https://www.teletaleem.com/
• I-SAPS – http://i-saps.org/
• Edkasa – https://edkasa.com/
• RADEC – https://radectechnologies.com/
• Sabaq Foundation – https://sabaq.pk/
• Orenda Project – http://orendaproject.org/
• Learning Pitch – https://learningpitch.com/
• Edlab – http://www.edlabpakistan.com
• KarMuqabla – https://www.karmuqabla.com/
• EdTech Worx – https://edtechworx.com/
• Robokids – https://robokids.pk/
• Alif Laila Book Bus Society – http://www.aliflaila.org.pk/
• StoryKit – https://www.storykit.com/

Board of Directors:

• Hassan Bin Rizwan, CEO Sabaq – President of Ilm Association
• Baela Raza, CEO Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aaghahi
• Imran Azhar, CEO Azcorp Entertainment
• Talhah Munir, CEO Knowledge Platform
• Asad Karim, CEO TeleTaleem
• Mehnaz Aziz, CEO Children’s Global Network
• Zulfiqar Qazilbash, Consultant – Executive Director of Ilm Association

Advisors to the Board of Directors:

• Helem Kamal, Former Team Lead, UKAID ilm ideas 2 program
• Nadya Karim Shaw, Former Country Head, World Learning
• Faisal Bari, Professor of Education, LUMS
• Javed Malik, Former Education Advisor, UKAID
• Naeem Zamindar, Former Country Director, Acumen and Former Chairman Board of Investment