Rs 899.200 million information technology education project launched in Punjab

The Punjab government has launched a project at a cost of Rs 899.200 million for training of computer science teachers and setting up of computer laboratories in 990 secondary schools of the province on cost sharing basis with 50 percent assistance of the federal government.
The project will help sensitise the youth about the information technology (IT) and changing trends in the world environment, said Punjab Information Technology Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, while addressing a function of the Central Public School here on Monday.
The minister said the promotion of information technology is one of the priority areas of the present regime, and in this regard, students are being encouraged for computer literacy. "An educated Punjab is a dream of every person, and the present government will make this dream come true", he said.
He said that software exports of Pakistan are 125 million dollars, and the government has planned to set up a software technology park at Islamabad, and with the passage of time this project would be extended to the whole country.
The students and experts should explore new avenues of opportunities in the software export sector as huge revenue could be earned by exporting quality software to the world market, he maintained.
Aleem also said that efforts are under way to improve the conditions and standard of schools, and in this regard a project has been launched in collaboration with the district governments to provide clean potable water, electricity, furniture and boundary walls in 63,000 government schools functioning in the province.
Later, the minister distributed prizes among the outstanding students.