30 September 2004	Thursday	14 Shaban 1425

ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Minister for Education Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi on Wednesday directed the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) to keep open its computer labs from 9am till 9pm to enhance computer literacy in the capital territory.

The minister directed the FDE Director-General Brig (retired) Maqsoodul Hassan to utilize the facilities to the maximum level and make them accessible to students, official sources said.

The minister also said students of the schools and colleges without computer labs should be allowed to go to institutions where the facility was available. At present, around 35 computer labs have been set up in the FDE schools and colleges.

Mr Qazi also directed the ministry to coordinate with the FDE to increase computer labs in every school and college in Islamabad. The education ministry, the sources said, was also preparing a PC-1 to enhance computer literacy in the country by establishing computer labs even at primary schools.

On Wednesday, they said, Intel country manager Nyla Qasim met the minister and briefed him on the initiatives being taken for promotion of computer literacy in the country.

The company, she said, would impart computer education to 70,000 teachers and students in collaboration with federal and provincial education ministries. Besides, workshops will be organized at the provincial capitals, Fata and the AJK to develop strategies under which computer education could be promoted.

The minister, the sources said, offered the computer labs of the National Institute of Science and Technical Education to the company for conducting the training of teachers and students.

The minister was also informed that the company would organize an all-Pakistan competition to select ten students who would be sent to the US for computer training.