PM Shehbaz pushes digital literacy: IT education to start from Grade 6

PM Shehbaz pushes digital literacy: IT education to start from Grade 6

April, 17 2025

ISLAMABAD: (Web Desk) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed relevant authorities to develop a comprehensive plan for making Information Technology (IT) a compulsory subject in schools from Grade 6 onwards across the country.

PM Sharif presided over a high-level meeting on the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, where he stressed that advancing the IT sector and boosting IT exports remain key priorities for his government, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Incorporating IT into the school curriculum is crucial for preparing our youth for the digital economy,” the prime minister said. He emphasized the need for close coordination with provincial governments to ensure standardized and effective IT education across schools, colleges, and universities.

He also directed the Ministry to roll out IT training programs in underdeveloped areas, with a focus on Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Balochistan.

During the meeting, officials from the Ministry presented an overview of ongoing and upcoming projects. As part of the "School Broadband Connectivity Project," efforts are being made to strengthen internet infrastructure in educational institutions across Islamabad.

For the fiscal year 2024–2025, the Ministry has already delivered advanced IT training to 49,800 individuals and general IT training to over 600,000 people.

In collaboration with Huawei, the government is establishing skills and vocational training centers at the International Islamic University Islamabad, NUST, and COMSATS University Lahore.

Moreover, Huawei’s specialized training in areas like Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Big Data, and Cybersecurity has been integrated into the curriculum at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (Topi), UET Taxila, and Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (Jamshoro).

The partnership between Huawei and the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training will also see training provided to 146,367 students and upgrades to 1,300 laboratories nationwide, particularly benefiting students in Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, PM Youth Program Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, senior government officials, and Huawei CEO Ethan Sun.