KARACHI, April 9: One hundred and forty students from 12 educational institutions of Karachi are participating in the two-day IT competition, SPARC 2007, which opened at the Mohammad Ali Jinnah University on Monday.

Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information Technology Noman Saigol, who was the chief guest at the opening ceremony, said advancement in technology was the need of the hour.

Mr Saigol said though students had limited opportunities to go abroad and study, they shouldn’t lose heart and make the best of the resources available. He said a special package for students had already been launched. He said laptops were being given to students at discounted rates under the scheme which would be extended to the whole of Karachi and later to other cities of the province.

He said the government in collaboration with a software company was also planning to launch an IT package for school students and a training programme for teachers was also on cards. Microsoft had shown willingness to support educational institutions in IT projects, he added.

Dean of Mohammad Ali Jinnah University Dr Jamal Hussain and former director of Institute of Business Administration Dr Abdul Wahab also spoke. Country representative Orascom Ahmed Shauki Osman presented a shield to the chief guest.

Explaining the objectives of the SPARC 2007, Farrukh Ismail, a student, said IT industry in the country was facing a shortage of professionals and that was because students had lost interest in the subject and had turned to business studies. This competition, he said, was aimed to promote IT and engage students in activities that challenge their thinking and enhance cognitive skills.

Other participating institutes are: Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Baqai Medical University, Foundation for Advancement in Science and Technology, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Institute of Business Administration, College of Business Management, Iqra University, Hamdard Institute of Management Sciences, Usman Institute of Technology and Aptech.