ISLAMABAD: Dr. Umar Saif, Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), has announced that his ministry will introduce a standardized quality test in all universities nationwide to ensure employment opportunities for fresh graduates.
He said, “We have made significant decisions to revamp IT education in universities in collaboration with HEC, the National Computing Accreditation Council, the Examination Testing Council, the Pakistan Software Export Board, and the Pakistan Software Houses Association.”
Dr. Umar Saif stressed that students who pass the test will be offered employment opportunities via the Industry Placement Program.
The minister said, “We will allocate funds to support special industry courses in universities designed to prepare students for current industry trends and needs.”
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He further said that the National Computing Accreditation Council will consider the pass rate of students to assess the rating of a university and the permissible enrollment of IT students.
He emphasized the importance of alignment of educational institutions with the requirements of industry and facilitating industry-specific pieces of training.
Dr. Umar highlighted that every year, around 75,000 graduates join the job market from these educational institutions.
However, he showed concern that less than ten percent of IT graduates find employment in the relevant industry, a situation the government is trying to improve. —APP
