ISLAMABAD: Microsoft signs an Educational Transformation Agreement (ETA), agreement with two major departments of the Government of Sindh, The School Education and Literacy Department (SELD) & Sindh Education Foundation (SEF). The agreement was signed yesterday, based on the Microsoft Educational Transformation Framework (ETF) under which Microsoft is committed to making the digital transformation of the educational sector more successful and organized. The aim of this alliance is to strengthen the education sector across Sindh by unleashing the potential of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) at every level. Under this agreement, Microsoft will conduct several workshops, training sessions, webinars and other joint activities in Sindh involving the key stakeholders. The first step of collaboration is to work with the leadership of Sindh education to discuss and develop tailor-made digital transformation strategies. In this context, a number of change management workshops with the leadership will be conducted to help smoothen out the digitization process in the Sindh education sector. The Microsoft specialists are also committed to training the Sindh Government in designing, planning, and implementing cloud solutions through its cloud certification programs and producing MIE Master trainers who will impart technology learning on the behalf of Microsoft. On the occasion of signing the agreement, Mr. Jibran Jamshad, Country Education Lead at Microsoft Corporation stated that “The agreement will prove to be a roadmap for both parties in bridging the gap between education and employability through information Communication technology. He further added that since we realize that the education sector in Pakistan demands a great deal of change in terms of digitalization, we are already connecting with various educational institutions. We are closely working with a number of private and public sector institutions in developing customized educational products and services. This partnership with Sindh Government is another step towards this goal to transform the education sector in Sindh province.” The Secretary of School Education and Literacy Department, Sindh Mr. Ghulam Akbar Laghari expresses his views at the occasion “ We are proud to be partnered with Microsoft in digitalizing the Education system in Sindh. Under this partnership, we have developed SELD learning hub App and digital classrooms to cater to the educational needs of students in current emergency situations. We are formally organizing these digital learning platforms to avoid any further gap in children learning across the province. Also, we foresee that this partnership has a long way to go in ensuring a rapid pace of innovation in the classroom and inspiring students for great achievements. Another significant aspect of this ETA is to help the Sindh education sector take benefit from the latest Microsoft technologies including Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure Microsoft teams and much more. By developing these skills, students, faculties and educators will be able to learn, collaborate, create content and share resources using the power of various Microsoft tools. This will enable the education sector to keep flowing and performing even in emergency situations like global pandemics. This partnership paves the way to reduce the gap between education and employability through employment-focused skill development programs. The program also involves special programs for people with vision and speech disabilities”. Taking this cooperation to the next level, Microsoft will also join hands with the Sindh Government in creating a feasible and robust environment for digitalization. For example, in providing affordable and secure devices, free learning materials, providing professional development opportunities, ensuring internet connectivity in the areas of Sindh without the facility.