Punjab to Transform Commerce Colleges into IT Institutions

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The Department of Higher Education (HED) Punjab has announced a transformative initiative to convert all 85 commerce colleges across the province into IT colleges, in a bid to revitalize higher education and align with global industry demands. This strategic shift, initially unveiled in July, comes in response to dwindling student interest in commerce programs, where enrollment has dropped to fewer than 100 students per college.

According to departmental sources, the government has been spending approximately Rs 300,000 per student enrolled in commerce programs, a figure that officials believe is unsustainable given the declining numbers. The conversion to IT-focused education aims to offer more relevant skills and opportunities for students, particularly in the burgeoning technology sector.

Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat provided further insight into the project, revealing that e-libraries will be set up in the IT colleges of Lahore as part of the initial phase. “Our goal is to establish Punjab as a competitive player in the international IT industry,” he stated. “By modernizing our educational institutions, we are preparing our youth for the evolving global job market.”

The recruitment of qualified IT specialists to lead the new programs, as well as the physical transformation of the colleges, is expected to begin within the next 10 days.