'250k Chromebooks to be distributed among students annually'

KARACHI:

Prime Minister's Youth Programme Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan has announced plans to introduce Pakistan's national youth employment policy and the country's first unified artificial intelligence (AI) policy, emphasising the need to equip young people with skills, technology and equal educational opportunities.

Addressing students at a private university, the minister said the government is taking steps to develop young people's skills and harness their potential for national development.

Emphasising the growing importance of technology, he said young people need to focus on innovation, entrepreneurship and digital skills to remain competitive in a rapidly changing world.

The minister announced plans to introduce a unified national AI policy and establish e-sports arenas. He also highlighted opportunities for dual-degree programmes in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and online courses available through digital platforms.

On digital access, Mashhood said 18,000 laptops have been distributed across Pakistan, while university students are also being provided with laptops.

He further announced plans to distribute 250,000 Chromebook laptops annually to schools nationwide, saying the initiative has been launched a day earlier.

He said Pakistan must fully utilise the capabilities of its young population, adding that people in Sindh had often faced a shortage of facilities but had demonstrated their ability to overcome challenges when provided with opportunities.

Highlighting educational initiatives, the minister said that Daanish Schools had been established to provide quality education, with five schools being set up in Sindh. The government plans to establish 30 such schools across the country, he added.

He said that the Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, initially established to support deserving students, had subsequently been transformed into the Pakistan Educational Endowment Fund to extend assistance to students at the national level.