ISLAMABAD: US tech giant Google is all set to set up 50 smart schools in Pakistan’s federal capital and scale up various projects including workshops for teachers, training youth through Google Career Certificates and setting up a Google Public Referral School.
The Google for Education team along with its local partner Tech Valley recently met with the Minister of the Federal Ministry of Education and Training to present the upcoming plans for Pakistan’s education sector.
About 50 smart schools in Islamabad will be equipped with 30,000 Google for Education IDs, which will include AI-powered features such as exercise sets and a set of digital tools for better collaboration and productivity, according to official news agency.
During the meeting, discussions expanded on several upcoming initiatives, including workshops for teachers on Google for Education tools, the establishment of a Google Public Referral School, training 2,000 young people in work-ready skills through Google Career Certificates, and a potential collaboration to host an Edutech event with the Ministry of federal education in Pakistan.
On International Women’s Day in March, the US tech giant reaffirmed its commitment to further empowering women, believing that by equipping women with the skills and resources they need, the country can unlock a future of equality, inclusion and prosperity for all.
Google has also recognized the incredible potential and is working to bridge these gaps by launching several programmes to help promote equality and empower women in the workforce. One such example is the Google Career Certificates programme launched in Pakistan in 2022.
A minimum of 50% of programme scholarships were allocated exclusively to women to improve women’s access to economic opportunities and enable them to realize their aspirations. The programme awarded 44,500 scholarships in 2023 and committed to 45,000 new scholarships for 2024 to enable more students.
The Google News Initiative (GNI), supported by local partners, also trained young journalists, provided opportunities for women to gain reporting experience, and addressed newsroom accessibility, according to local media reports.
