AIOU, JICA sign agreement

Japanese agency to provide technical support to varsity

ISLAMABAD: To strengthen and accelerate the informal education system, the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed an agreement on Wednesday.

The agreement was part of the Advancing Quality Alternative Learning (AQAL) project being implemented by JICA in Balochistan, Sindh and federally administered areas.

A letter of understanding was signed by JICA-AQAL Chief Adviser Chiho Ohashi and AIOU’s Additional Registrar Dr Muhammad Zaigham Qadeer. Dean Education Dr Nasir Mahmood was also present on the occasion, a statement issued by the varsity read.

According to AIOU’s Adult Literacy Centre Director Dr Muhammad Ajmal, the agreement is in line with the academic initiatives, recently undertaken by the AIOU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Shahid Siddiqui.

The vice chancellor, Dr Ajmal said, had prioritised the provision of quality education to all segments of society, particularly girls who had dropped out.

The agreement will enable the two sides to undertake a joint venture in the field of informal education.

JICA will provide technical support to AIOU apart from exchanging expertise and developing textbooks apart from helping AIOU set up a primary and middle-level accelerated programme in various parts of the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2018.