Pakistan partners with TikTok to launch science and technology feed, boost education access
The new STEM feed on TikTok is a dedicated, in-app experience where users can explore a curated stream of high-quality content that is designed to spark curiosity, promote critical thinking and expand digital learning opportunities, especially for students, educators and young professionals, across Pakistan, according to the IT ministry.
TikTok is also partnering with leading academic institutions across the country to launch a training program for teachers, educators and instructors. These trainings are focused on empowering them with the tools, techniques and best practices needed to create compelling, informative and engaging STEM content tailored for short-form video.
'This initiative is aligned with our broader vision to use digital platforms to enhance education and skill development in Pakistan,' Pakistan's Information Technology and Telecommunication Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said.
'TikTok's STEM feed is an excellent example of how technology can democratize access to knowledge and empower our youth, including aspiring female students, to explore new career pathways in science and technology.'
The minister announced that her government was developing a new policy to provide smartphones to Pakistanis on easy installments, ensuring digital devices are accessible to every individual.
Under the DigiSkills program, she said, 100,000 youth had been trained in the past year and the target for this year is to provide artificial intelligence (AI) training to 1 million children.
State Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Wajiha Qamar welcomed the launch of TikTok's dedicated STEM Feed in Pakistan as a step toward making science and technology more accessible and relatable to Pakistani youth.
'Digital platforms, when used responsibly, can become powerful tools for education, creativity, and empowerment. This initiative aligns with our national goals to promote STEM learning and build a future-ready generation— curious, skilled, and inspired,' she said.
TikTok is wildly popular in Pakistan, in part because of its accessibility to a population with low literacy levels.
In addition to the dedicated feed, TikTok will be actively nurturing Pakistan's local STEM creator community, providing training and guidance to increase the volume and quality of STEM content across the platform in English, Urdu and regional languages as well, according to the IT ministry.
This effort is aimed at building a self-sustaining educational ecosystem where both formal educators and independent creators contribute to a shared mission: making STEM education fun, inclusive, and discoverable.
The video-sharing platform has launched a dedicated hashtag #StemTok as well as a landing page, where it will feature content created by partners, creators and publishers, providing easy access to local language STEM content in Pakistan.
'The launch of the TikTok STEM feed in Pakistan marks an exciting milestone in our mission to inspire and educate through creativity,' said Fahad Muhammad Khan Niazi, TikTok's head of public policy and government relations in Pakistan.
'By partnering with the MoITT (Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication), Government of Pakistan, and by collaborating with prestigious academic institutions, we are investing in Pakistan's future talent. STEM education has the power to transform lives, and we are proud to be supporting its digital evolution on TikTok.'
By combining the reach and creative potential of TikTok with the expertise of Pakistan's top educational institutions and government bodies, the STEM feed will create new, scalable avenues for learning, according to the Pakistani IT ministry.
'From explaining complex physics concepts through short videos to coding tutorials, engineering hacks, and climate science awareness, STEM content will now be more relatable and accessible than ever before,' it said, adding the initiative aims to foster innovation and empower youth through technology-driven education.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan says over one million consumers using self meter reading mobile app
ISLAMABAD: Over one million electricity consumers are actively using a mobile app launched by the government in June that allows people to record and submit their power meter readings themselves for billing, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Thursday. Pakistan's government launched the Power Smart App under the government's 'Apna Meter, Apni Reading' (Your Meter, Your Reading) slogan on June 29. The initiative allows consumers to take pictures of the readings of their power meters on a specified date, upload the image to the app, and based on the picture, their monthly bill will be generated. The initiative was taken by the government to address customers' concerns, who have frequently accused meter readers of overbilling them or taking incorrect readings. 'The uptake of this digital tool has been remarkable, with more than one million electricity consumers nationwide actively using the Power Smart app,' the APP said. 'This significant adoption demonstrates increasing public trust in digital governance and a strengthened relationship between consumers and utility services.' As per the energy ministry's spokesperson, Pakistan's electricity sector reported losses of Rs591 billion [$2.07 billion] in June 2024. However, due to several reforms, including the self meter reading initiative, these losses have been cut by Rs191 billion [$668.5 million] within the year. Pakistan's Power Division said in June that the self meter reading method will prove beneficial for consumers eligible for power subsidies. 'For example, a consumer using up to 200 units typically receives a bill of around Rs2,330 but crossing just one additional unit results in the loss of subsidy, raising the bill to around Rs8,104,' the Power Division had said. 'Through this app, it will be ensured that eligible consumers can timely submit readings and continue to benefit from subsidies.' Pakistan has aggressively pursued reforms in its energy sector recently, which has long struggled with financial strain due to circular debt, power theft and transmission losses. These problems have led to blackouts and high electricity costs throughout the country, especially during the summers when demand peaks.
Argaam
7 hours ago
- Argaam
SoftBank quarterly profit tops expectations on higher Vision Fund gains
Softbank reported a fiscal first-quarter profit, boosted by gains from its holdings in companies including Nvidia, as founder Masayoshi Son ramped up his bet on artificial intelligence technologies (AI). The Japanese giant reported 421.8 billion yen ($2.87 billion) in the quarter ended June, versus a 174.28 billion yen loss in the same period last year. This was supported by its technology investment arm, Vision Fund, which recorded a profit of 451.39 billion yen, compared to a loss of 204.3 billion yen in the same period last year. The technology investment firm increased its stake in American chipmaker Nvidia to more than $3 billion by the end of March and purchased shares in Taiwanese company TSMC worth $330 million and another $170 million in Oracle. Financial results for the fiscal quarter extending from April to June Item Q2 2025 Q2 2024 Expectations Annual change Net Sales (trn yen) 1.820 1.701 -- 7% Pre-tax income (bln yen) 689.9 225.69 -- 205.7% Net Profit (bln yen) 421.8 (174.3) 127.6 --
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Dogs of war: China touts killer robot ‘wolves'
BEIJING: China's latest gun-toting quadruped military 'wolf' robots are designed to stealthily approach enemies, fire precise shots on targets and work in rough terrain, state media said on Wednesday. State broadcaster CCTV said the robots, an upgrade from earlier robotic dog iterations, can replace human soldiers in dangerous conditions to reduce combat casualties. China has poured support into robotics, an area in which some experts say it might already have the upper hand over the United States. Its military has been keen to showcase its defense innovation — including weapons incorporating advanced technology like robodogs — during drills with countries like Cambodia. In a video posted by CCTV on Wednesday, the newest iteration of the robot 'wolves' carries a rifle on its back, marching into a smoke-filled battlefield. The agile machines climb up flights of stairs, carry heavy backpacks and launch attacks on dummies, clips showed. While they look almost identical to the military's robodogs, the 'wolves' have improved 'reconnaissance and strike capabilities,' CCTV said. 'They can navigate various terrains and carry out precision strikes from up to 100 meters (328 feet) away,' it added. During war, the robots would be able to operate like a real wolf pack, dividing tasks and coordinating with each other, state media said. At the front of the unit would be the 'pack leader,' responsible for gathering target information and transmitting reconnaissance imagery, CCTV said. Others would be in charge of shooting at enemies or carrying supplies and ammunition, it added. These new robots could signal that the future battlefield will be more automated and deadly, said Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore. It is 'in part to instill national pride domestically, but also to intimidate potential adversaries externally,' Chong said.
