Officials say the internship scheme reserves 50pc slots each for men and women
DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to launch an internship programme for 20,000 graduates, offering each participant a monthly stipend of Rs30,000 for three months.
According to an official statement issued here on Thursday, the proposed KP Internship Programme aimed at providing practical training to graduates in priority industries, software houses, business establishments and other organisations across the province. The statement said the initiative was estimated to cost Rs2 billion.
Under the proposed scheme, 50 per cent of the internship slots will be reserved for men and 50pc for women. Applicants will be required to have a minimum CGPA of 3.0 and hold a domicile of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The initiative was discussed at a briefing given to Adviser to the Governor on Education and Social Welfare Dr Aamer Abdullah at his office. Special Secretary for Higher Education, Archives and Libraries Fazal Hussain and Islamia College University Peshawar Professor Dr Zahoor Jan also attended the meeting.
Officials informed the meeting that private-sector organisations would be given priority as host institutions to ensure that graduates acquired practical experience and professional skills in line with market requirements.
A centralised online portal has also been developed to facilitate graduate registration, host institutions, mentors and internship placements. Relevant programme information and services will be accessible through the portal. Dr Abdullah directed the authorities to prepare comprehensive guidelines for the selection, training and placement of graduates, as well as for host organisations and mentors, to ensure transparent and effective implementation.
He said graduates from key and emerging sectors, including pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, information technology, software development, hospitality, tourism, culinary arts, cultural tourism, mining and minerals, agriculture and healthcare, should be covered by the programme.
The adviser stressed that the private sector should be given priority for placements to ensure quality training in line with market needs. NGOs, semi-autonomous bodies, universities, colleges and government departments could also be considered at subsequent stages.
He called for a coordinated mechanism within the Higher Education Department to define the responsibilities of all stakeholders and ensure effective monitoring and accountability.
He also directed the authorities to introduce a fully online, paperless system for stipend payments to ensure timely disbursement, preferably on a single day.
The adviser further called for district-wise representation in proportion to population and directed officials to develop a database of qualified mentors, including their professional experience and credentials. The officials assured the meeting that the online portal would be made fully operational after the required technical improvements. Its development and upgrade process would be completed within a week, they said.
