LAHORE: Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat inaugurated Punjab’s first Free IT City at APS School, Model Town. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the IT City’s first center, the Education Minister announced that modern IT courses, lasting two to three months, will be provided free of cost at this new facility, established in collaboration with JDC Foundation.

Participants will receive free training in Amazon, Graphics, CorelDRAW, Walmart, and other courses. Certificates will be awarded based on merit after completing the courses and passing the respective tests. Rana Sikandar Hayat stated that, in line with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s vision, the initiative to equip Punjab’s students and youth with modern IT skills has commenced.

The center at APS School is the first in a planned network of IT Cities that will be established across Punjab in phases. He emphasized that the current era is defined by Information Technology and that progress hinges on mastering IT and technical skills. Nations unable to achieve proficiency in these areas will struggle to advance.

He added that IT and technical skills will empower Punjab’s youth to become self-reliant. Furthermore, he highlighted that the IT courses, which previously required significant financial investment, will now be accessible at no cost.

Rana Sikandar Hayat projected that this IT City would be a pioneering and unique institution, setting annual admission targets. He reiterated the government’s commitment to teaching modern skills to all of Punjab’s youth, enabling them to tackle challenges such as unemployment.

The Education Minister expressed gratitude to the JDC Foundation for their support and cooperation in establishing the IT City on behalf of the Punjab Government. The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Provincial Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir, JDC General Secretary Zafar Abbas, Ali Shekhani, MPA Osama, and other dignitaries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024