Tech Valley, a Google for Education Partner, in collaboration with the School Education Department, Government of Punjab, today announced the launch of Punjab’s first Google for Education Center of Excellence at Government Pilot Higher Secondary School, Lahore.
Center of Excellence, equipped with Chromebooks by Intel, Allied and NRTC, will act as a reference school for Punjab Government where best practices, research and scalable models related to Google for Education AI-powered tools will be studied to guide AI adoption across all public schools.
The initiative, inaugurated by the Honorable Minister of School Education for Punjab, Rana Sikandar Hayat as part of the broader vision to position Punjab as the AI Hub of Pakistan — ensuring every student, regardless of background, benefits from AI-powered education.
“Our goal is to ensure that Punjab not only benefits from digital transformation but becomes Pakistan’s hub for artificial intelligence in education,” said the Honorable Minister of Education Rana Sikandar Hayat.
AI for Public Education Transformation
The Center of Excellence represents a policy-level commitment to integrate AI across Punjab’s public education system. The initiative includes empowering schools with:
- Gemini AI in Classrooms: Google Workspace with Gemini will help students and teachers write, visualize, organize, and collaborate more effectively.
- AI Tutoring with Read Along: An AI-powered reading buddy will support English language learning and give teachers real-time insights into progress.
- Data-Driven Education Policy: Student-specific Google IDs will provide policymakers with secure, anonymized insights into learning outcomes, shaping curriculum and pedagogy.
This initiative aligns with Google for Education’s mission to help expand learning for everyone. By introducing advanced tools such as Chromebook, Google Classroom, and Gemini, Punjab is reducing the gap between private and public education.
The center will also act as a teacher training hub, preparing educators to use AI responsibly and effectively in classrooms through the Gemini Academy for Educators initiative.
“Programs like these can demonstrate how AI can make learning more inclusive, effective, and scalable. By piloting here, we will set the direction for all of Punjab,” said Umar Farooq, CEO of Tech Valley.
The inauguration event was attended by industry leaders and policy makers, Khalid Nazir Wattoo – Secretary, School Education Department, Punjab, Paul Hutchings, General Manager of Google for Education, Greater Asia; and Umar Farooq, CEO of Tech Valley. They delivered keynote presentations emphasizing the strategic importance of this public-private partnership.
The event also featured hands-on demonstrations and a dynamic panel discussion on “Transforming Classrooms with AI in Punjab,” featuring experts from both Google and the public and private education sectors, including, Tim Paolini – Special Projects ChromeOS (APAC & EMEA), Ali Raza – Chief Executive Officer, The Educators, Ayesha Amir – Director, Lahore Grammar School, underscoring the collaborative spirit of this policy-level discussion.
Honorable Education Minister’s presence and leadership in officiating the launch signal the provincial government’s high-level commitment to educational reform and its ambition to position Punjab as a hub for artificial intelligence, fostering a new era of learning that is accessible, innovative, and aligned with the demands of the modern, AI-driven economy, ensuring no student is left behind.
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