Digital Literacy: Microsoft to train 15,000 people in K-P

Trained personnel will work in IT academies across province to train students

PESHAWAR: Minister for Education Muhammad Atif Khan has announced the provincial government plans to introduce digital literacy and a digital curriculum in government schools in collaboration with IT companies. This was stated in a handout issued on Wednesday. According to the document, Muhammad Atif was speaking at a meeting held at K-P Elementary and Secondary Education department in collaboration with Microsoft in the city.

He said recruitment of IT teachers is under way. Atif hoped this phase would be completed by February 15, 2016. Participants discussed a plan to open IT academies across the province.



While appreciating the efforts of the PTI-led provincial government for education, Microsoft offered a free Microsoft certification course to train 15,000 IT teachers in government schools, which would have otherwise cost Rs30,000 per person to the provincial government. The training would commence in summer of 2016 while students will be trained in the second phase of the training as part of the IT Academy. One of the aims of the PTI-led provincial government is to promote and enhance creativity among students, Muhammad Atif said.

He added that since young people are a “great asset of PTI”, the provincial government would provide them with interest-free loans after the next annual budget is passed. “We want to give youth incentives to enable them to play an active role in the development of the country,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2015.