Over 600,000 Pakistanis Received High-End IT Training in FY25

Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has provided general and high-end IT training to over 600,000 individuals across the country during the fiscal year 2024–2025, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was told during a detailed briefing. Out of the total, 49,800 individuals received specialized high-end training aimed at preparing them for advanced roles in the national and international IT job markets. The Prime Minister directed the immediate formulation of a strategy to make IT education a compulsory subject from grade six in schools nationwide. He said that promoting the IT sector and boosting technology-related exports are among the government’s core priorities. Emphasizing the need for equal and quality education, he called on provincial governments to collaborate on developing uniform IT curricula and training standards across schools, colleges, and universities. Special instructions were issued to launch IT training initiatives in underdeveloped areas, including Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Balochistan. The Prime Minister stressed that training programs should be of such quality that graduates can secure employment opportunities both within the country and abroad. The meeting also reviewed the ongoing School Broadband Connectivity Project, under which internet services are being upgraded in Islamabad schools. The briefing highlighted collaboration with Huawei to establish Skills Vocational Training Centers at key institutions, including International Islamic University Islamabad, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), and COMSATS University Lahore Campus. Huawei’s specialized training programs in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, and cybersecurity have also been incorporated into the curriculum at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute, UET Taxila, and Mehran University Jamshoro. It was further revealed that the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, in partnership with Huawei, will train 146,367 students and upgrade 1,300 laboratories. This initiative is expected to benefit communities 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 Telecom Shaza Fatima, PM Youth Programme Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, senior government officials, and Huawei CEO Ethan Sun.