Under the proposed mechanism, scrutiny of S&T
projects through a National Committee of Experts and subsequent
approval by the National Science Board comprising eminent
scientists, technologists and representatives of other relevant
Ministries, particularly the Ministry of Finance and Planning
Division, would be carried out. The procedure does not aim at either
avoidance of documentation or financial discipline. The fund
envisages the approval of all R&D projects of a value of less
than Rs. 100.00 million by the S&T Board headed by the Minister
for Science & Technology while projects above Rs. 100.00 million
will be approved by the National Science Board chaired by the
Minister for Finance.
Training of Blue Collar IT Workers
Under a short term programme, training of thousands
of data entry operators in simple data entry operations and medical
and legal transcription would be started across the country. The
Government would subsidize the cost of training in the public and
private sector institutions by 75% of the course cost.
Establishment of National
Accreditation Council and Testing Service
The Council will be responsible for collecting data
on educational institutions, rating the institutions and
disseminating information on the institutions. The council will also
establish curricula and testing guidelines for IT education and
training. The council will consist of leading academics and IT
experts and will be linked to provincial IT Boards through
representation on the boards. A National IT Testing Service would
also be managed by the Accreditation Council which would
continuously monitor the performance of IT education and training by
collecting data and placing these on websites. Standardized
curricula following international standards would be rapidly
developed for all levels of IT education and training including
Masters, Bachelors, Diploma, Intermediate, and Certificate (short
courses). The NAC would also undertake Nation-wide tests for
scholarships and admissions and selected exit tests (by module) and
professional certification. A standard curriculum could be
recommended to all institutions having the Charter to offer
Bachelors degrees. Provincial IT Boards will work closely with the
Accreditation Council and Institutional Development Cell to ensure
quality of IT education, strengthen IT educational institutions,
develop databases and establish linkages with industry for jobs and
internships.
Scholarships and Qarz-e-Hasna
Scheme
The high cost of BCS education (Rs. 50,000 plus per
year in private institutions) prevents many able students to enter
the IT profession. National scholarship fund and Qarz-e-Hasna (loan)
schemes for BS and MS students at accredited institutions would be
established to support such students. Scholarships would be given
based on a nation-wide test (which could also gradually become a
standard component of entry testing). First 500 students would be
offered scholarships whereas second batch of 500 students on the
national merit list would be offered Qarz-e-Hasna.
Internet for Education
Free leased line Internet access to the public
sector Universities would be provided under an agreement with the
private sector Internet Service Providers and PTCL. Bandwidth would
be provided by the ISPs and PTCL would provide local lead
connectivity through digital cross connect network. PTCL would also
offer the reduced rates for connectivity to the educational
institutions.
Wide-band Intranet and Pakistan Educational
Intranet (PEI), connecting all educational institutions (public and
private), would be established with centralized data warehouse
containing teaching and research material in order that resources
may be shared (through video-conferencing and distance learning).
Faculty Training
Short refresher courses (5-10 days) in each of the
core areas of the BS-CS and BS-CE curriculum would be arranged. A
pool of experts (PhDs from academia and industry, both in Pakistan
and abroad) would be invited (for short periods) to act as master
trainers. Teacher training to develop teachers for short courses and
PGD program would be arranged to retrain existing science teachers
and fresh graduates. The IT professionals will be imparted training
in teaching techniques to enable them to undertake teaching
assignments on part time basis.
Establishment of Faculty Chairs
Faculty chairs to attract and
retain qualified IT faculty and to encourage faculty to focus in their
area of specialization would be established. Each Chair would be
expected to conduct research in the area of specialization and present
it during an annual conference, supervise Master's (and possibly PhD)
thesis students, offer elective courses (in the area), develop teaching
material and conduct short faculty refresher courses (for BS-CS faculty)
in the area.
Public universities will be
encouraged to collaborate with the private sector for conducting
training programs during vacations and when facilities are not in use.
Hiring of Faculty from Abroad
.In order to meet the critical
shortage of faculty, a crash programme would be launched under which
faculty from abroad on market salaries would be appointed and deputed in
public and private sector accredited Universities. Government would
subsidize the cost incurred on account of salaries and travel charges to
these faculty members.
Strengthening and Capacity Building at
IT Institutes and Universities
Capacity at 15 institutions (public and private) to
offer quality Masters and PhD education in areas including Computer
Science (MS-CS), Computer Engineering (MS-CE), and MIS would be built.
Each institution would be required to send in detailed proposals,
action plans and performance targets. MS and PhD Programs (in the 15
partner institutions) would be immediately started by obtaining the
services of international faculty for one or more semesters. The
visiting faculty would also be responsible for conducting faculty
refresher courses for BS (CS, CE) teachers.
One hundred institutions (public and private) would
be selected to offer quality Bachelors education in Computer Science
(BS-CS) and Computer Engineering (BS-CE). Capacity of 40
universities/colleges to offer a PGD in Computer Science and a PGD in
MIS with a focus on Systems Analysis and Software Project management
would be strengthened. This program would aim at re-training 2000
under-employed graduates.
IT Labs would be established at major public and
private sector universities, colleges, government training institutes
and schools. Capacity at 200 government colleges would be built to
offer the Computer Science paper at the Intermediate level (FSc - ISc).
Capacity of selected educational institutions to introduce new
technologies and provide training in skills needed by the market would
be developed. Short courses will need to be developed to cater for
data entry and other low-tech jobs.
Computer Literacy of Government
Officers
Many efforts have been made in the field of computer
literacy of government officers in grade 17 and above. The results
have not been encouraging. In this respect all probationary officers
under-going in-house training will be imparted in-depth computer
knowledge and practice. At the end of the training the Federal Public
Service Commission will conduct an examination to judge IT
proficiency. No officer will be posted unless he passes IT related
component of examination.
Computer Literacy for all University
Graduates
IT usage in public as well as private sector is much
below the desired scale/level. The younger generation, which will form
the core of middle management and top management level in the next
decade, has to be familiarized with IT at the graduation level of
education. While the students going to IT profession will study the
discipline in detail the other graduates (engineers, doctors, lawyers,
business managers with commerce/science/arts degrees) should be made
to study IT as a compulsory subject of 100 marks so that they become
advocates of IT usage when they occupy their official seats after
completion of their educational career. IT & TC Division will
engage consultants to prepare a scheme for implementation, in phases,
starting with degree colleges in district towns. The initial planning
work will commence in FY 2000-01. The scheme will be launched in
2001-02 at selected places; and it will be replicated every year
thereafter.
Training of Commercial Counselors
"IT sales promotion training" of commercial
counselors will be made compulsory before their posting abroad.
Secondly, a refresher course for existing commercial counselors may
also be arranged in consultation with the Ministry of Commerce.
Telecommunications, Internet and
Infrastructure
Universal Internet Access
To spread Internet to remote
locations, PTCL will make the UIN (Universal Internet Number) into a
local call (from the remote locations) to the nearest PoP of one or more
ISPs. This will enable equitable access. In parallel, a drastic
reduction in leased line charges will enable ISPs to go to smaller
locations.
IT Parks
IT Parks are perched on the
threshold of the 21st century ready to provide enhanced and enabling
telecommunications and IT services to the new and emerging industrial
entrepreneurs. The project is intended as a strategic road map for IT
and telecommunications development in Pakistan. The Parks, primarily
consisting of the building blocks, will offer reduced costs of
delivering necessary and advanced public services and the creation of
new opportunities for IT partnerships. The Parks would be characterized
by broadband Internet connectivity via optic fiber cable, matchless
incentives, equipped with most modern facilities, to provide a one-stop
shop for the prospective investors in the IT industry. The Parks would
serve as a technological model for future development and would provide
an internationally recognized IT profile. Under the project, a series of
IT Parks would be developed in major cities of Pakistan.
IT Investment
Venture Capital Fund
In order to seed the market, the
Government will set up a venture capital fund. This fund is to be
channeled initially into existing IT companies to boost their export
marketing capability and software development effort. The main objective
will be to make necessary changes in laws to encourage private VC funds
to operate.
Micro Credit Facilities
Micro Credit would be provided for
the purchase of computers and telecom equipment to help set up small
software hatcheries and to develop computer education to the general
public.
Participating in International
Software Exhibitions/Shows
Government will fund the cost of stalls and general
publicity. Stall space to be adequate for 10 to 12 software houses.
(estimated cost is US$ 250,000 for each instance). Software houses
will bear their own cost of travel, accommodation, marketing material,
etc.
Road Shows
One Road Show each would be held in Dubai, London,
New York, Los Angeles, Montreal and Singapore. Each road show would
basically comprise a one-day seminar to which the main software
consumers in the city/region would be invited. The software houses
would address the seminar, highlighting the advantages of using
Pakistani software capabilities. Specific, targeted effort would be
made to invite prominent Pakistani owned business houses and
consultants working in those countries, who in turn will be expected
to propagate the message. Each road show is estimated to cost in the
region of US$ 100,000.
Electronic Commerce
Awareness and Propagation
Disseminate to all the stakeholders
benefits, urgency and challenge of e-commerce.
E-Commerce Training
Training 5000 e-commerce
professionals in implementation, technology, Business Process
Reengineering, regulations @ Rs. 10k per person
Trade Facilitation
Design of electronic forms, redesign of reporting and
approval procedures for bill of Entry/Exports, I/E forms,
registrations etc.
Legislation/regulation for
e-commerce documents, procedures and payments
Setup EFT Network
Electronic inter bank transfer
network connecting 1000 forex branches.
Establish Infrastructure for Research
on Emerging Trends and Technologies
Setup EC-Pak Service provider
connecting other specialized service providers for financial networks
and trade facilitation networks.
