Govt to give 500,000 Chromebooks to Pakistani students

By the Editorial Team · Monday, October 26, 2026

Pakistan will distribute 500,000 Chromebooks to students across the country over the next two years under the Prime Minister’s Youth Chromebook Scheme to enhance digital education access. This initiative aims to improve digital literacy and employment opportunities by providing merit-based technology support, regardless of socioeconomic background.

Pakistan plans to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks to students nationwide over the next two years, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Monday, as part of a government initiative to enhance access to digital education. The program, named the Prime Minister’s Youth Chromebook Scheme, was launched in Islamabad and aims to equip young people with modern technology to support their learning and skill development.

Speaking at the event, Sharif emphasized the government’s responsibility to provide students with the tools needed to stay competitive in an increasingly digital world. He described students as the country’s greatest asset and stressed that the distribution of devices would be strictly merit-based, regardless of socioeconomic background. “These wonderful instruments will be in your hands so that you are not lagging in intelligence and skills,” he said.

The Chromebooks are intended to facilitate remote learning, improve digital literacy, and expand employment opportunities for students. The scheme includes recipients from diverse educational settings, including religious seminaries, schools, colleges, and universities. Sharif pointed out that previous administrations led by his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party had provided 600,000 laptops to students over a ten-year period. The current project sets a target of half a million Chromebooks distributed over two years, underscoring a commitment to ensuring that poverty does not hinder access to education.

Sharif also highlighted recent investments in education infrastructure, referencing the inauguration of a Danish School in Islamabad, and reiterated the government’s focus on prioritizing education and youth development. “Education is a jewel; regardless of where you are from, it will always make you distinguished in society,” he said.

The announcement builds on plans announced in August to provide Chromebooks to 250,000 high-achieving students this year. In addition, Pakistan opened its first Google Chromebook assembly line last year, a move officials hailed as a crucial step toward increasing the availability of affordable digital devices and promoting technological adoption across the country.

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