Islamabad : Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed said his government was committed to bringing his northwestern region on par with other parts of the country.
"We're focusing on the provision of modern education to all our people and will address teacher shortages in schools within four months," Mr. Khursheed told the "GB Dream Road Show 2023" here. The event was held by the GB government to "showcase the talent of primary school students from GB," according to the organisers.
More than 70 students from the mountainous region participated in the event, demonstrating their skills and creativity through models such as a smart dustbin, laser security alarm system, hologram projector, clip switch model, magnetic car, and hybrid power plant.
President Dr. Arif Alvi, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said GB was rich in natural resources like minerals, gems, and fruits. He said using scientific methods for gem cutting, stakeholders could exploit the untapped resources, and skills required for such work could be learned in a very short period of time.
The president highlighted the importance of IT skills for the youth of GB and said people with IT skills could earn their livelihood by offering their services in other countries while living in Pakistan through online platforms. He said the IT sector could also provide employment opportunities for women, allowing them to work from their homes. “Some 2.4 million people from different academic backgrounds have benefitted from the Prime Minister’s Digital Skills Program and such programs could be replicated to provide marketable digital skills to the youth.
He said that a student hailing from GB, who got his training from the Digital Skills Programme was earning almost $100,000 per annum. President Alvi said the development was not possible without community participation and GB’s people should be actively engaged in promoting development in the area.