Federal Information Technology and Telecommunications Minister Syed Aminul Haq formally inaugurated the modern Digital IT Laboratory in the Rashid Minhas Government Boys and Girls School Nazimabad, here Monday. Member of Sindh Assembly Abbas Jaffery, Convener Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan and former federal IT Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi, and other notables as well as school teachers and students in large numbers were also present. Speaking on the occasion, the IT minister said, “Training in 15 different modern IT fields will be imparted to the students in the facility.”
The minister said, “More Digital IT Laboratories will also be established in other areas.”
“These types of facilities will help the students especially, girls, to learn modern IT skills at ease and earn by working even from their homes,” he added.
Referring to his discussion with the Principal of Rashid Minhas Government Boys and Girls School Nazimabad, the minister said, “He is briefed regarding the provision of three months IT training to a batch of 300 students in the first instance that would be followed by another batch of 300 students after three months.”
“The successful students will also be issued certificates of IT training,” he noted. He said, “Students will be able to learn IT skills including Data Analysis, Free Lancing, Content Writing, Online Marketing, Advance Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence, and other modern skills and practices in the IT fields.”
He said, “World is changing very rapidly so we have to develop our skills with the fast-changing trends in the globe.”
“I have also directed the principal of this school that the school management is now responsible for sustainability and maintenance of this Facility of Modern Digital IT Lab at least for the next five years,” Syed Aminul Haq maintained.
He also directed the relevant officials to ensure the installation of air-conditioning in the IT Lab and also provide high-speed internet connectivity at the same time. He said, “The project is executed by Ignite National Technology Fund under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of IT and Telecommunications so as to empower our youth to connect to the world through their smartphones and become bread earners for their families.”
The minister while talking about other projects, said, “A modern IT Park is also being established at the cost of Rs42 billion nearby the Jinnah International Airport Karachi.” “The IT Park at Karachi will help create around 10,000 jobs,” he added.
I had formulated the cellular phones manufacturing policy and now around 29 mobile manufacturing factories are working in the country with the result we are getting smartphones at affordable prices,” he reiterated.
“Now not only local firms but also international brands are manufacturing mobile phones in the country which has created jobs,” he added. Syed Aminul Haq said, “We have also taken Google onboard and now the company has established its office in Pakistan.” Google provided 15,000 scholarships to our students last year whereas this year 45,000 scholarships are being provided to our students, the minister said, adding, “We are hopeful that in 2024 Google would provide 450,000 scholarships to Pakistani students.”
Speaking on the occasion, former federal IT minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi congratulated the management and students of the school for the establishment of a modern Digital IT lab in their school and termed it a need of the hour in the changing era of IT Technology.
“The students of the present era are very lucky that politics cannot stop their way to getting an education and nowadays many international companies are providing jobs without degrees,” he added.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ignite Asim Sheheryar briefed the participants about various projects which were being executed by his company. In her welcome address, Deputy Director (DD) of Education Nazimabad Khadija Tasleem expressed gratitude to the Federal IT Minister for his utmost cooperation in executing the modern Digital IT Lab.
“This is the first-ever Digital IT Lab that has been established in any public sector school,” she pointed out. Member of Sindh Assembly Abbas Jaffery in his address said, “The educational institute was selected for this Digital IT Lab because of location and the students will learn modern IT skills in the facility.”