Sindh has taken a major step to tackle its growing education crisis as Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah launched Phase II of the Accelerated Digital Learning Programme (ADLP), expanding technology-driven learning for out-of-school and underserved children. The CM highlighted that 22.6 million children nationwide including seven million in Sindh remain out of school, a number greater than the population of many countries, stressing the urgency for digital learning solutions.
The initiative builds on the strong results of ADLP’s pilot phase launched in 2023 with the Teach the World Foundation. The programme uses tablet-based, self-paced digital tools to improve literacy and numeracy, especially in remote areas. Shah said this model has “proven its impact,” making its expansion essential to reduce learning gaps.
At the Karachi launch ceremony, attended by senior ministers, education officials and representatives of partner organisations, the CM announced that 200 new Micro-Schools will be established over the next two fiscal years.
“If any private organisation adopts one digital school, the government will match it and set up another in their name,” he offered, encouraging public-private participation.
Midterm evaluations show the pilot has already enrolled over 11,000 children, running 100 Micro-Schools and 25 in-school digital classrooms. Girls have shown higher learning gains, a positive trend in gender parity. Micro-Schools operate in single-room community setups with four daily shifts, while in-school digital classrooms help academically struggling students catch up.
With Phase II now underway and 100 new centres inaugurated, Sindh aims to bring digital learning access to 30,000 out-of-school children. Officials say this expansion marks a major shift toward community-focused, evidence-based education reform that strengthens long-term learning outcomes across the province.