Published on, Aug. 22 -- August 22, 2025 9:27 AM

In a quiet, sunlit classroom in Lahore, high school students in navy blue blazers click through slides for their class presentations. The air conditioner hums overhead, the smart board glows softly, and a teacher trained in the UK offers gentle feedback. These students are preparing to apply to universities in Canada, the UK, and the USA. They speak English fluently, discuss global developments with ease, and reference texts from economics, philosophy, and literature.

Two hundred kilometres south in rural Punjab, a Grade 9 student recites his lesson under a fan that barely turns in the July heat. His classroom has no functional toilet, no computer, and no books beyond the government-issue...