Punjab launches major student relief, free Google courses and scholarships approved

Punjab: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting to review education sector initiatives, announcing a major relief package for students. Officials stated that over 100,000 students will receive free Google certification courses in fields such as AI, cybersecurity and business intelligence. Authorities highlighted that a record number of students will benefit from the Honhaar Scholarship Programme, with over 62,000 scholarships to be awarded. The government has also approved the establishment of modern IT labs in 166 public colleges and introduced KPIs for principals, teachers and universities to improve performance standards. In addition, decisions were made to affiliate commerce colleges with universities and expand laptop schemes, while transport facilities like electric buses for students were also approved. Experts believe these initiatives will strengthen digital skills, improve access to education and support long-term economic growth.