President orders AIOU to address grievances of student

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday directed the Vice Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) to decide the ‘hardship case’ of a student in her favour, who was declined the M.Ed degree due to maladministration of the university.

The president also set aside the findings of the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman), that had closed the case of the complainant by referring to a judgement of Supreme Court as saying that “the courts should not interfere with the policy matter of educational institution”.

The complainant Ms Asia Saeed Malik, had filed a representation with the President of Pakistan against the ruling of the Wafaqi Mohtasib.

The President, also the Chancellor of the University, termed the case unique where a “student was made the victim of the acts or omissions of the university officials in order to overcome its own maladministration”.

Miss Asia Saeed, enrolled in the Master of Education (M.Ed) programme by AIOU, had appeared in the examination of Autumn 2017, but could not attend the workshop.