The Punjab government, in a bid to impart programming skills to children, has approached tech giants Microsoft and Google, inviting them to come to Pakistan.
Speaking to a private media outlet, Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas said he was in contact with both companies and hoping to convince them to introduce Google and Microsoft certification for children in grades 9 and 10.
Raas shared that during his trip to London, he called on Google and Microsoft officials and asked them to officially come to Pakistan. “They will be here this summer, hopefully,” he said.
The education minister stressed on imparting specialised skills to students as he noted that, “Not every child who drops out of school should feel compelled to take on a job that doesn’t require specialised skills.”
“The new world is [driven by] technology, so in grade 9 and 10, let’s offer them software development courses.”
Further explaining the motive behind the initiative, Raas said, “If a child drops out of school after grade 10, [they can] walk into an office with nothing else except a Microsoft certification.”
“Not all children will be continuing their schooling after the tenth grade, that’s just the way it is. It cannot be changed,” he continued.
“Technology is the future,” Raas concluded.
