Blog: MoU Signed Between Punjab Govt & Microsoft

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Punjab government and Microsoft, on Sunday for the promotion of information technology in the province. Chairman TEVTA Saeed Ahmed Alvi and Country Head of Microsoft Kamal Ahmed signed the document, says a handout.

Under the agreement IT academies will be established in the province and Microsoft will be responsible for their curriculum, conduct of examination as well as teachers’ training. Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Chairman PITB and other officers concerned were present on the occasion.

Addressing the ceremony, the chief minister said promotion of modern technology is essential for rapid development and only those nations have progressed which have adopted information technology. He said China, Turkey and other countries owe their progress and prosperity to modern technology and it can also help Pakistan achieve the goal of progress and development. He said Microsoft is a leading company of the world and has proved its worth in IT sector. He said Punjab government signed a comprehensive agreement with Microsoft last year for the promotion of information technology in the province. He said the new agreement between TEVTA and Microsoft with regard to establishment if IT academies will leave a positive impact on IT sector in the province.

Shahbaz Sharif said thousands of students are imparted vocational training every year in TEVTA institutions and setting up of IT academies will be of great benefit for education and training of the youth. He said the agreement would help provide international standard training to the youth, which will enable them to seek jobs anywhere in the world for supporting their families. He said modern training would help the students to play their due role in national development and fulfilling the needs of local industries. He said this MoU would be given the shape of an agreement by October 31st and TEVTA should spare no effort in giving a practical form to the agreement.

Chairman TEVTA said establishment of IT academies would enable TEVTA to provide IT services which would completely change its culture. He said these academies would be established by June 2011. He said on the instructions of chief minister Punjab TEVTA had been made an active and vibrant institution.
He said the syllabus of TEVTA institutes had also been modernised so that the students completing their training and education from these institutions could play an active role in national development as well as earn foreign exchange from abroad.