TAXILA: The Attock district administration signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with COMSATS University on Thursday to equip the students of government schools with digital skills.

Under the MoU, students of 24 different boys and girls government schools in six different tehsils of the district would impart market-based digital skills with the certification and accreditation of the COMSATS University Attock campus under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner Atock Rao Atif Raza.

Officials of the local administration, the education department, and other departments were also present on this occasion. The MoU was part of the digital ‘Learn and Earn’ programme aimed at equipping male and female students of schools and female entrepreneurs with digital skills.

The MoU was formally signed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Education Sajida Mukhtar and Prof. Dr Mohammad Junaid Mughal Director COMSATS University Attock Campus.

Speaking on this occasion, Prof Dr Mohammad Junaid Mughal, Director COMSATS University Attock campus, said that the Career Development Centre (CDC) of the campus joined hands with the district education department to equip the students with emerging digital skills over a period of two years.

He said that the institution would issue certificates among the successful students, who would not only be accredited in the national and international job market but also bear their educational expenditures while supporting their respective families through freelancing.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Education Sajida, speaking on this occasion, said that being a backward and remote area, the students of the Attock district are deprived of good IT facilities besides training institutions, and through this MoU, the students would be facilitated through market-based digital courses.

Briefing the newsmen over this initiative, Deputy Commissioner Attock Rao Atif Raza said that after inking an MoU with various local NGOs, this is the second such MoU for this initiative under his revolutionary vision of the “Learn & Earn” programme launched for students at Attock.

DC Attock further highlighted that the ‘Learn and Earn’ IT programme has revolutionary status in the history of the Attock district, enabling students across the district to pursue economic self-sufficiency through freelancing, graphic design, and other related courses.

Mr Raza has informed that more than fifty IT labs of government schools in Attock district have been upgraded at a cost of around 250 million rupees, which is a unique initiative in the history of the district.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2024