The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 radically transformed the education sector in Pakistan. As traditional classrooms shut down, the need for remote learning surged, opening unprecedented opportunities for EdTech startups. Pakistan's young population, combined with increasing smartphone penetration and internet access, catalyzed a digital education revolution.

Startups like Edkasa, Maqsad, and Taleemabad emerged as front-runners in this shift. Edkasa, founded in Lahore, offered live tutoring sessions and recorded lectures for matric and intermediate students, amassing over 200,000 users by the end of 2020. Similarly, Taleemabad, a mobile learning app developed by Orenda, aligned its content with the national curriculum and broadcast lessons via television through a collaboration with PTV’s TeleSchool program.

The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training played a pivotal role in enabling this transition. In April 2020, it launched TeleSchool, a national TV channel delivering primary and secondary education content to students without internet access. The initiative aimed to address the digital divide in rural areas, where online education remained a challenge.

In parallel, private sector funding in EdTech gained traction. Maqsad, a Karachi-based startup founded in 2020, attracted angel investors for its intuitive learning platform designed to improve conceptual understanding in STEM subjects. The platform offered bilingual content, which proved to be a key differentiator in a linguistically diverse country like Pakistan.

According to Data Darbar, a local startup funding tracker, Pakistan’s EdTech sector witnessed its highest-ever investment activity in 2020. Although still modest compared to global standards, local and international investors began recognizing the sector’s potential, driven by a student base of over 50 million and a growing demand for accessible education.

Despite this growth, challenges persisted. Internet connectivity, especially in Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and parts of Sindh, remained patchy. A large segment of students lacked digital devices, prompting civil society organizations and NGOs to run donation campaigns for tablets and mobile phones.

The rise of EdTech in Pakistan during 2020 was not just a reaction to crisis but a reimagining of how learning could evolve. With policy support, local innovation, and strategic investment, EdTech positioned itself as a long-term pillar of Pakistan’s educational future.

References:

[1] Ministry of Federal Education - TeleSchool Launch 2020 – http://mofept.gov.pk

[2] Edkasa Official Website – https://edkasa.com

[3] Taleemabad - Orenda Education – https://taleemabad.com

[4] Maqsad EdTech Startup Profile – https://www.maqsad.io

[5] Data Darbar: Pakistan Startup Funding Tracker – https://datadarbar.io