The Punjab government has decided to launch Chromebook manufacturing and the Digital Schools on Wheels project as international organizations including Allied and Google for Education agreed to work together.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, these decisions were taken by the Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during a meeting with a delegation led by Regional Head Paul Hutchings from Allied, Tech Valley, and Google for Education.
As per the decision, Chromebooks will be assembled in Punjab in collaboration with the Australian company Allied while the Digital School on Wheels project will be launched soon in the province.
Under these projects, 50,000 students in Punjab will receive free Google IDs and Digital Certification and 1,000 government school teachers will receive free digital certification courses.
Google for Education will support a $1.5 million certification project for 15,000 university students.
Google for Education will assist in compiling accurate data on out-of-school children.
Students will be able to log in with their Google IDs for studies without needing to download applications, and Chromebook data usage will be monitored.
In the meeting, Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat giving a briefing about the project said university students will receive certifications in antivirus, artificial intelligence, and other fields, making it easier to secure jobs globally.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif emphasized the importance of identifying and addressing shortcomings in the education system to bring about positive change.
She highlighted the government's commitment to working with Google for Education to empower youth with IT and AI skills for local and global job markets.
Google for Education's Regional Head Paul Hutchings expressed Google's willingness to collaborate with the Punjab government to enhance digital education accessibility and commended Maryam Nawaz and her team's efforts to modernize the education system.
The meeting was also attended by provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, and other officials, along with Google for Education representatives Chris Hart and Haris Sufyan, Allied Corporation CEO Aaron Sether Jackson, Operations Lead Junaid Shahab, Tech Valley CEO Umar Farooq, Marketing and Communication Lead Nishwa Abrar, and Outreach and Coordination Manager Madiha Mangol.
Reporter: Rao Dilshad Hussain