Do unsuitable study environments, power shortages, and connectivity issues render online learning fruitless in Pakistan? While many would believe so the fact of the matter is that the global e-learning market is projected to reach $336.98 billion by 2026.
As the world moves towards eLearning across the globe, Pakistan needs to incorporate these learning tools into its curriculum in order to match international educational standards. Online learning offers students the ability to learn at their own pace and provides teachers with tools to engage their students in new and exciting ways. With the right edtech tools, teachers can create engaging lessons that will keep their students engaged and motivated to learn. Noon Academy is leading this wave of online learning in Pakistan with over 2.5 million students. The eLearning app is offering classes for Cambridge O & A Levels. MDCAT Prep and national boards: Punjab, Sindh & KPK Board Grade 9-12.
The edtech company has successfully helped Pakistani students overcome challenges like lack of institutional support and the quality of online instruction. The app has produced unprecedented results for students with over 2,510 A*/As in Cambridge Exams with over 50 students achieving straight A*/As. In national board exams, Noon had 23 toppers in the KPK board exams and over 10 students getting 1100/1100 in Punjab Board Exams.
Online learning provides a unique opportunity to reach more students and make sure that everyone has access to quality education, no matter where they live or what their financial situation is.
The secret behind this success is Noon’s commitment to providing high-quality online education by bringing the best teachers in the country to the app and providing live interactive classes to students. Recently, Noon has successfully partnered with most in-demand teachers in the country to form a dream team of instructors for Cambridge O & A Levels. Moreover, the app has also allied itself with famous names like Anees Hussain for the test prep market.
The dedication to bring Pakistan’s top teachers to the platform has surged Noon’s popularity among students. Omaima Faisal who was successfully able to secure a distinction in physics in Cambridge Examinations views the platform in high regard: “I wanted to deeply thank all my teachers and especially Sir Haroon for always clearing my concepts. Thank you Noon Academy for not only the academic support but giving me a family of friends and teachers.”
Haroon Tariq, world record holder of 87 As in Cambridge Examinations, is currently the academic lead and a teacher at Noon Academy. He claims that the quality of online education starts with teacher development, “Noon provides professional development opportunities for teachers to improve their skills and knowledge by implementing effective teacher evaluation systems to identify areas for improvement and providing feedback while supporting the use of technology and innovative teaching methods.”
The platform’s focus on live interactive classes sets it apart from the rest of the online education providers. Live interactive classes are an effective way to engage students in the e-learning process as students can interact with their instructors in real time, ask questions, and get immediate feedback. This type of learning allows for a more personalised experience and helps foster a sense of community among the learners. It also enables instructors to better assess student understanding and provide targeted instruction. Live interactive classes are proven to be a great success among Pakistani youth and have helped Noon increase student engagement and improve learning outcomes.
Moreover, online education platforms like Noon can also play a vital role in bridging the gender disparity gap in education. In a country where female students are more likely to drop out of school than their male counterparts, Noon academy is providing a platform for female students to access quality education from anywhere.
Noon has successfully attracted a huge market of female users who don’t attend tuitions and is willing to study from the comfort of their home. Female users are more likely to opt for the platform’s premium offerings due to their commute and security challenges. The lower tuition cost also makes learning materials more accessible to females who cannot afford it. Online learning offers a more flexible approach which can be beneficial for students with other commitments such as work or family responsibilities.
Sheza, a Noon student enrolled in Cambridge classes, shared: “I had to drop out of school due to health problems. Joining Noon literally made my life so much easier. Honestly if it wasn’t for Noon i might have failed my CIAES”.
To make online learning a success in pakistan, edtech’s have to directly take on student’s reservations and concerns and design their products accordingly. Introducing features like Noon’s live interactive classes effectively address several student challenges pertaining to online tuition classes such as lack of real time feedback, inability to ask questions, no checks and balances, and distractions. Additionally, to counter students reservations regarding online learning, the platform also offers free trial classes for students before they are asked to sign up for a subscription.
Online learning provides a unique opportunity to reach more students and make sure that everyone has access to quality education, no matter where they live or what their financial situation is. With edtechs like Noon Academy, we can start now to make sure that every student has the chance to learn and reach their full potential.
The writer is a LUMS graduate who is helping Noon Academy leave a mark on its students and partners with the right digital marketing techniques and content strategies
