Islamabad - Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has launched “Associate Degree in Education” for in-service teachers and for fresh students as well, in accordance with new roadmap given by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

According to policy, associate degree in education will be one year for in-service teachers, those who having five-year teaching experience will be able to take the admission in it, with intermediate (2nd division),  plus PTC education, said a press release issued here yesterday.

Two-year Associate degree has also been introduced for the fresh students on basis of FA and FSc education. There is also a three-year associate degree program for the students who have FA/FSc education with 2nd division.

In addition, the HEC has converted one-year BEd program into four years on the basis of FA and FSc Education from the current year. The postgraduate students of (MA and MSc passed) have been declared eligible for doing their BED in a period of one and half years. Accordingly, the university has offered the program for ongoing admissions which will continue till October 10.  Dr Shahid Siddiqui said the university is also offering MEd (one year) program this year, hoping that the aspiring candidates will take advantage of it. There is likelihood that the HEC stop MEd one-year program in near future. The teachers training program is popular that is being offered by the AIOU through distance-learning system.

The MEd one year has been offered for specialization in elementary teacher education, science education, special education, secondary teachers education and distance & non-formal education.

Meanwhile, admission test of merit-based programs of the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will be held on October 15 to 20 and merit list of the selected candidates would be placed at the University’s website on 31st October. The programs include: PhD, MS/MPhil, COL (Commonwealth of Learning) MBA/MPA and MSc Statistics, said a news release on Sunday. All those interested for admission in these programs have been advised to send their application forms directly to the concerned departments without admission fee.  Admission forms/prospectus of these programs can also be downloaded from the University’s website www.aiou.edu.pk. Last date for submission of forms is 10th October.

The merit scheme is in line with the ongoing efforts to keep up quality education, as per the guideline, provided by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Shahid Siddiqui, a University’s official said.

Furthermore, the University has introduced fee instalment scheme in order to accommodate the poor and needy students.

Under the scheme, the poor and deserving students who are unable to deposit the whole fee of the semester could take benefit from this scheme. Sufficient amount has already been allocated to support its poor and needy students through scholarships and fee-concession.

The maximum number of continuing and fresh students will take benefit of it. The University has recently taken various initiatives to expand and improve its academic network bringing maximum number of students in its educational net.

AIOU also provides fee concession to natural disaster’s affected and fee exemption for the students of flood-hit regions, They are given relief in their annual fee as well as in shape of scholarships, enabling them to continue their study.

Under Financial Support Scheme, the poor students are given fee concession by 50%. The beneficiaries of these include all those who are unable to meet educational expenses.