Punjab education dept, Microsoft sign memorandum to develop IT in province

[Naveed Yaseen]

KARACHI: The Education Department, Government of Punjab, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft Pakistan under the company’s ‘Partners in Learning’ global programme.

This collaboration aims to provide schools, governments and partners with resources, training, expertise and technology blueprints that will help create institutions to better prepare students for life and work in the 21st century. Both parties will work cooperatively to participate in a four-year programme from 2009 till 2013.

The programme recognises the value of providing technology to schools and seeks to jointly provide access to and improve use of information and communication technology (ICT) for the support of teaching and learning.

It was decided under the MoU that Microsoft’s and the Education Department’s associates will provide a joint report to the Government of Punjab and Microsoft every 90 days. The report will provide an assessment of the purpose, progress and impact of ‘Partners in Learning’ programme in Punjab.

Addressing the MoU signing ceremony, the Chief Minister said, “This joint alliance between the Punjab Information Technology Board and Microsoft will strengthen the ongoing education sector reforms programme and also create job opportunities for IT experts.”

“No nation can progress without enhancing its IT skills and this reform initiative taken by the Punjab Government in collaboration with Microsoft will put the region on the world IT map and make it a hub of education and information technology,” he added.

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