ISLAMABAD – Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will formally launch teachers’ training program for distance and non-formal education from autumn 2018 semester.
The admissions for the course as well as for the rest of the University’s stipulated programs will begin from August 1 with start of the new semester, said a press release on Monday.
It will be a certificate program for a period of six months. The AIOU is first in the country providing training to the teachers, engaged in providing education through online or distance learning system.
The program is being started on the initiative of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr Shahid Siddiqui who attached high importance to quality education. The program will meet the requirements of trained teachers in the field of literacy and Non-formal education at the primary and the middle level.
It has been designed in collaboration with UNESCO, JICA and Federal Ministry of Education. This is also the first-ever program which will mainly benefit the marginalized section of the society.
The program is based on Accelerated education curriculum prepared by the Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training. Multi-grade teaching, use of Moocs and Moodles are the salient features of this program.
The female students of Balochistan and rural areas of Sindh will be specially benefited by this program as they are being given exemptions in fee, as decided by the Vice-chancellor.
It may be mentioned here that UNESCO has recently acknowledged the contribution of AIOU in establishing Adult Literacy Center and organizing such training programs.
Meanwhile, an adult literacy center has also been set up at AIOU) to provide basic education to the low-cadre illiterate employees.
The proposal for establishing the center was approved by the University’s executive council, in order to improve literacy rate among the illiterate adults.
The program was arranged and designed by the University’s Department of Distance and Non-Formal Continuing Education.
Director of the Department Dr Muhammad Ajmal said the Center will serve as a model to teach those who could not avail the schooling facility at their early age. The same program will be undertaken at the regional level, he added.
