IT Education is Now Compulsory After Class 6

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed officials to devise a plan to make Information Technology (IT) a mandatory subject in schools from Grade 6 across the country.

Chairing a high-level meeting focused on the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the prime minister emphasized that strengthening the IT sector and boosting IT exports are top government priorities, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Incorporating IT into the school curriculum is essential to equipping our youth for the digital economy,” PM Shehbaz stated, urging close coordination with provincial governments to ensure consistent and high-quality IT education and training across schools, colleges, and universities.

He also directed the Ministry to launch IT training initiatives in underdeveloped areas, particularly targeting Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Balochistan.

The prime minister underscored the importance of maintaining a high standard in these programs to enable trainees to compete for domestic and international employment.

During the meeting, Ministry officials provided a comprehensive briefing on current and future projects. Under the “School Broadband Connectivity Project,” efforts are underway to enhance internet infrastructure in schools throughout Islamabad.

It was noted that in the 2024–2025 fiscal year, 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, skills and vocational training centers are being set up at the International Islamic University Islamabad, NUST, and COMSATS University Lahore.

Furthermore, Huawei’s specialized training in Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Big Data, and Cybersecurity has been incorporated into the academic programs of the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (Topi), UET Taxila, and Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (Jamshoro).

In partnership with the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Huawei will also provide training to 146,367 students and upgrade 1,300 laboratories nationwide. This initiative will particularly benefit 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, Chairman of the PM Youth Program Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, senior government officials, and Huawei CEO Ethan Sun.