The Punjab government has announced plans to convert all government commerce colleges into IT colleges. This decision will impact 85 commerce colleges across the province.
The Punjab Department of Higher Education is spearheading this project to modernize education and meet job market demands. The change comes as student enrollment in commerce programs has dropped significantly, with many colleges having fewer than a hundred students. This decline has led the government to reconsider its investment of Rs300,000 per commerce student.
Transforming these institutions into IT colleges is seen as a way to reduce costs and align education with global job trends. The new IT colleges will feature updated facilities, including co-working spaces for young IT entrepreneurs and e-libraries to support research and learning. The goal is to create an environment that encourages technological innovation and entrepreneurship among students.
Implementation of the project will begin within the next 10 days, aiming for a swift and efficient transition. Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat emphasized the importance of this shift for the province’s competitiveness in the global IT industry. He stated that converting commerce colleges to IT institutes is essential for keeping up with the rapidly advancing tech sector and providing students with the skills needed for success.
