Government of Sindh & Microsoft ink accord

The Ministry of Information Technology Sindh, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft Pakistan today. The ministry of IT is offering high quality IT education to 7000 jobless youth of Sindh under the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Program (BBSYDP). BBSYDP is a unique initiative to develop the skills in unemployed youth of Sindh by providing training and certification courses relating to Information Technology in order to improve their socio-economic conditions.

The MoU will cover areas of cooperation between Sindh IT Department and Microsoft for conducting quality assurance and supervision activities during ongoing trainings in various institutes across 23 districts of Sindh and carrying out tests and certifications to top qualifying candidates. According to a press release, the IT department is thankful to Microsoft for choosing and offering their technical and professional support in the program."Actively integrating technology into the classroom takes more than just PCs; it requires the cooperation and input of those with expertise, vision and strong experience in all aspects of the educational process," said Muhammad Raza Haroon, Minister of Information Technology, Government of Sindh. "Microsoft's involvement in BBSYDP through its Microsoft Innovation Center in Karachi, will play a key role in the success of this program to deliver good quality IT education to our youth and in forming talents for a competitive economy."

He further said, "Merit should be top priority in BBSYDP. There should be another phase of the program as we have received more than 56,000 applications against only 7000 seats which means we are leaving behind 49000 potential youth who are willing to acquire the marketable training we are offering."

Speaking on the occasion of the signing ceremony, Kamal Ahmed, Country Manager, Microsoft Pakistan said, "Microsoft has always believed that education is the cornerstone of opportunity, and that investing in education is the best way to help young people achieve their potential. We are hands in hands in this program with the IT Department Government of Sindh to ensure that students receive practical education of Information Technology that can help them get jobs in the market."

The Microsoft Innovation Center in Karachi will provide technical proficiency as well as expert guidance to IT Department during all phases of program execution including selection of training institutes, designing of curriculum, supervising delivery of trainings, conducting tests for students and certifying select top students graduating out of the program. The MoU signing ceremony was also attended by other officials from Sindh IT Department, Microsoft Pakistan and the Microsoft Innovation Center.

IT department of Sindh has been rigorously involved in generating awareness and has identified IT literacy as mandatory feature for all the future employment in professional organizations.

Sindh IT department while providing these trainings is also engaged in providing better IT based solutions; for paper-less environment through "E-Government Pilot Project" which has been launched in 5 departments of the Sindh Government, also emphasizing and bridging the digital divide between rural and urban Sindh by providing computers and internet facilities to the rural communities through "Establishment of Internet Centers for Rural Community In Sindh". Sindh IT Department is very keen to develop an Internet Media City which is a mega project and will be gift for the whole of Pakistan being first of its kind in the country which will attract millions of dollars of investment in the country and on the other hand will generate thousands of employment opportunities for the province.