Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed the integration of Information Technology education from Grade 6 onwards as part of a nationwide strategy to bolster digital literacy. This directive, announced during a high-level meeting, emphasizes the government’s focus on promoting the IT sector and enhancing IT-related exports.

The decision aims to align educational curricula with the evolving demands of the digital economy. PM Shehbaz underscored the need for coordinated efforts with provincial governments to ensure standardized IT education across all educational levels.

In his directive, the prime minister also called for the initiation of IT training programs in underdeveloped areas, including Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Balochistan. The objective is to equip trainees with skills for competitive employment both domestically and internationally.

The meeting featured briefings on current and upcoming projects by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication. Among these is the “School Broadband Connectivity Project,” which aims to upgrade internet infrastructure in Islamabad’s schools.

For the fiscal year 2024-2025, the Ministry has already delivered advanced IT training to 49,800 individuals and general training to over 600,000 people. Collaborations with Huawei are set to establish skills and vocational training centers at several universities.

Huawei’s advanced training programs in Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Big Data, and Cybersecurity have been incorporated into the curricula of various engineering institutes. Additionally, a partnership with the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training will offer training to 146,367 students and upgrade 1,300 laboratories nationwide.

The meeting was attended by key government officials and Huawei executives, indicating a strong public-private partnership aimed at driving Pakistan’s digital future.