Islamabad:(Parliament Times) Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will launch certificate and post-graduate diploma courses from next year, upgrading teaching standard of non-formal mode of learning to ensure quality education.
The task of developing courses’ contents will be completed by the end of this year, this was stated by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui while addressing the concluding session of a national seminar on non-formal education held here on Friday. The University has adopted community-welfare approach in introducing new academic programs.
These courses will be offered on basis of a nominal fee structure, he said adding “We believe that the Mega public sector institutions like AIOU should facilitate the people and keep up the interest of the society, rather running its affairs on commercial basis.
The VC said that the University was expanding its educational network in every nook and corner of the country to meet the education needs on broader level. The non-formal learning system is the best way to overcome the problem of illiteracy and to reach out drop-out students, he added.
Giving detail presentation on the University’s academic profile, he further said they were laying special on promoting research-based activities and professional development.
The proposed courses, he said aimed at capacity-building of the teachers who are engaged in distance learning system. The contents of the new courses will be developed according to the needs of the society, he added.
Dr. Shahid Siddiqui said that the University has developed collaborative partnership with various national and international institutions, including UNESCO and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to achieve its educational targets.
The two-day seminar was the part of series of activities, undertaken by the University meeting future targets in the education sector through non-traditional mode of education. It was attended by educational scholars and senior academicians from all over the country.
It concluding session was also addressed by Dean Education Dr. Nasir Mahmood and Chairman Department of Distance Non-formal Education Dr. Muhammad Ajmal and Dr. Aftab Ahmed. Dr. Abid Gil, deputy chief of JICA and Dr. Arshad Saeed Khan, adviser National Commission for human-development acted as resource persons, helping the participates to develop courses’ contents. Ms. Memona Abreen and Naila Naseer were the coordinator of the event.
