The US tech giant, Google, has revealed new education initiatives, including the establishment of 50 smart schools in Pakistan’s federal capital, Islamabad. Collaborating with its local partner, Tech Valley, the Google for Education team recently held discussions with the Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training to outline forthcoming plans for Pakistan’s education sector.
According to reports from the state news agency, the 50 smart schools in Islamabad will be outfitted with 30,000 Google for Education IDs. These IDs will incorporate AI-powered practice sets and a suite of digital tools designed to improve collaboration and productivity.
Discussions during the meeting also addressed several upcoming initiatives, such as teacher workshops on Google for Education tools, establishing a public Google Reference School, providing training for 2,000 youths in job-ready skills through Google Career Certificates, and exploring potential collaboration with the Ministry of Federal Education in Pakistan to host an Edutech event.
In March, Google reaffirmed its dedication to empowering women on International Women’s Day, emphasizing that by equipping women with essential skills and resources, the nation can pave the way for a future characterized by enhanced equality, inclusion, and prosperity for all.
Recognizing the significant potential, Google is actively working to address these disparities through the rollout of various programs aimed at fostering greater equality and women’s empowerment in the workforce. Among these initiatives is the Google Career Certificates program, which was introduced in Pakistan in 2022.
At least 50% of the program scholarships were dedicated solely to women, with the goal of improving women’s access to economic opportunities and empowering them to pursue their aspirations. In 2023, the program granted 44,500 scholarships, and it has pledged to offer 45,000 new scholarships in 2024 to empower more learners.
Furthermore, through the Google News Initiative (GNI) and in collaboration with local partners, Google has been training young journalists, offering women opportunities to gain reporting experience, and addressing the accessibility of newsrooms.
