Microsoft in accord to promote IT in Punjab
LAHORE: A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Punjab government and Microsoft for the promotion of information technology in the province.
According to a handout issued here on Sunday, Tevta chairman Saeed Ahmed Alvi and Microsoft country head Kamal Ahmed signed the document. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the Punjab Information Technology Board chairman and other officers concerned were present
Under the agreement, IT academies will be established in Punjab and Microsoft will be responsible for their curriculum, conduct of examination as well as teachers’ training.
Addressing the ceremony, the chief minister said the promotion of modern technology was essential for rapid growth and only those nations had progressed which had adopted information technology.
He said that China, Turkey and other countries owed their progress and prosperity to the modern technology and it could also help Pakistan achieve the goal of progress and development.
The chief minister said that Microsoft was a leading global company and had proved its worth in the IT sector.
He said the Punjab government had signed a comprehensive agreement with Microsoft last year for the promotion of information technology in the province.
Mr Shahbaz said the new agreement between the Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority and Microsoft for establishing IT academies in Punjab would leave a positive impact on the IT sector.
He said the vocational training was being imparted to thousands of students every year in Tevta institutions and setting up of IT academies would be of great benefit for education and training of the youth.
He said the agreement would help provide international standard training to the youth which would enable them to seek jobs anywhere in the world.
The chief minister said that modern training would help students play their due role in the national development and fulfilling the needs of local industries.
He said this MoU would be given the shape of an agreement by Oct 31 and Tevta should spare no effort in giving a practical form to the agreement. The Tevta chairman said the establishment of IT academies would enable Tevta to provide IT services which would completely change its culture.
He said these academies would be set up by June 2011.
He said the syllabus of Tevta institutes had been modernized so that students could contribute maximum to the national development and earn foreign exchange from abroad.
Nursing course: The nursing school of Lahore General Hospital will receive applications for three-year training course till Sept 15, 2010, says a press release.
Admissions would be granted on merit according to the government’s policy. FCS-passed female students would be given preference. During training, free hostel facility would be provided to female students. Each student would get Rs7,000 monthly scholarships.
Nursing School principal Eshrat Ishaq said the educational documents, diplomas and domicile of students would be reviewed, adding that stern action would be taken if any document was found fake.
Source: Dawn
Date:9/6/2010
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