Govt working with AIOU to promote distance learning, says Shafqat Mehmood

Islamabad : Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood said that the government is working with the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) to promote distance learning system to overcome the educational gap, and meet the academic needs of the people particularly during the lock-down period.

“We are working with the AIOU that is the part of the Ministry to develop contents’ delivery for distance learning”, he said while taking part in talk show, in a private Tv channel Wednesday’s night.

He spoke about the importance of the distance learning system, particularly at a time, when the country was facing coronavirus epidemic. He was the view that various available mode of distance learning could be developed to meet the educational needs of the people.

The living nations, the Minister said, find out new opportunities, while going through difficult time. Online mode of education is one of the best options to fill the educational gap, he added.

He said, he knows that even some teachers face difficulty imparting education through Online as it is somehow a new mode of education. And also there are sometimes public complaints about easy access to Online education, due to non-availability of internet or its slow speed.

Shafqat Mahmood hoped that teachers and students will utilize online learning programs, offered by educational institutions, productively during the lock-down period.

He also mentioned about Teleschooling launched by the government through the TV. For which alternate educational content delivery mechanism was developed with partnership of the AIOU.

Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor, AIOU Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum assured that the AIOU will be giving all-out support to its Ministry for contents’ development and their delivery in running educational programs such as Teleschooling.

The University, he added, is prepared for sharing its 46-year long experience in Distance Learning with other institutions to promote the cause of education as its national duty.