KARACHI, March 31: Sindh Minister for Industries Adil Siddiqui has underscored the importance of technological literacy for industrial and commercial development. Addressing the concluding session of a seminar on the Role of IT in Global Prescriptive, organised by the Institute of Business and Technology (BIZTEK) here on Friday, he said that IT had now become an essential requirement in getting a job in this ‘human-designed technical world’.

The minister pointed out that today’s business was technology-oriented and all commercial dealing involved information technology.

“As a society, we are not even technologically literate,” the minister said, adding that technological literacy encompasses three inter-dependent dimensions of knowledge, ways of thinking, acting, and capabilities.

The goal of technological literacy is to provide people with the tools to participate intelligently and thoughtfully in any activity around him.

Adil Siddiqui said that most people would think that technology was confined to computers and software, aircraft, pesticides, water-treatment plants, etc., but it was much more than its tangible products.

An equally important aspect of technology is the knowledge of processes involved in operating any mechanism.

The minister stressed the need for understanding the essential characteristics of technology and how it would influence society. He acknowledged the contribution of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal towards creating awareness of IT education in the province. He also lauded the efforts being made by BIZTEK in the promotion of IT education.

The Rector and Vice-Chairman of BIZTEK, Col (r) Tahir Hussain, Registrar Kashif Rafi, Country Manager of Microsoft Jawadur Rehman, MD of NRC Badar Islam and others also spoke on the occasion.—APP