AIOU notifies free Matric education for Balochistan, FATA

Islamabad: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has officially notified provision of free Matric education to the students of Balochistan and Federally Administrated Tribal Area (FATA) from this month, with start of new admissions (spring 2018 semester).

According to the University’s Registrars Department on Monday, the formal decision to this effect was taken by the University’s Executive Council at its 106th meeting on the recommendation of their Finance Committee.

The desiring students can approach the University’s regional offices in their respective regions to avail the facility. The university has started the admissions from this week. This is first-time in the history of AIOU that free education at the secondary-level has been made available for marginalized or less-developed areas of the country.

Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Shahid Siddiqui said that the step is a special gesture towards the students of less-developed and far-flung regions. The University has set aside its financial gains in its efforts of providing educational facilities to the students of Balochistan and FATA.

The University is already providing free education to neglected sections of the society that includes disabled persons, prisoners, drop-out girls and transgender group. Now they are taking care of economically less-privileged areas of the country, by making this basic education free for the students of Balochistan and FATA, the VC said.

They had already waived off tuition fee for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of the tribal areas, in wake of counter-terrorism operation, undertaken by the Pakistan army. The University is also providing scholarships to the deserving students to ensure that nobody should be left without education because of financial constraints.