PRESENTATION ON THE WORKING AND

PERFORMANCE OF AIOU IN VIEW OF

DISTANCE LEARNING EDUCATION IN
PAKISTAN.

15th. International Congress on

Distance Education.

FORTALEZA, Brazil.

September ,2009
By
Prof. Dr. Mahmood-ul-Hassan Butt
Case for Distance
Education in Pakistan
Demography
Population 180 millions
40% below age 14
In school only 50% of the age group
University accessibility only
 4% of the age group
Plan to increase it to 10% by 2015
 Geography 300000 Sq. Miles
 Rural 75%
 Urban 25%
3
Case for Distance
Education in Pakistan
Social and Economic
 Gender, Male 48% Female 52%
 Poverty 30% below poverty line
 Limited access to money economy for females
 Rural Health
Multiplier Effect
Quality Faculty (Prepares)
Quality Instructional Materials
Existing facilities (Home, Office, Community
Centers)
4
Key Challenges in Higher
Education

Financing Reforms
Strategic Aims:
Responding to Challenges

Improving Relevance to
Core

Faculty Excellence in
Access & National
Development Research
Learning Priorities

Quality Assurance: Standards, Assessment, Accreditation

Support

Good Governance & Management

Infrastructure Development: Physical, Technology

6
 ESTABLISHMENT

Allama Iqbal Open University

The AIOU was established in 1974 under the name of

“People’s Open University” using the Open Distance Learning
Model. It was later renamed as “Allama Iqbal Open
University” in 1977 on the eve of first centenary of the
National Poet and Philosopher,
Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
7
MISSION OF AIOU

AIOU will transform lives and serve society by

providing affordable and accessible education
through technology supported distance
learning to disseminate and discover useful
knowledge, develop professional skills, ethical
dispositions and commitment to excellence .

8
RATIONALE

To provide Opportunities for Learners to Study

regardless of Geographic, Socio-Economic or
Age constraints. It is a readily accessible and
affordable open university designed to serve
the times and nation’s need for competent and
caring human resources.

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OBJECTIVES
• To provide affordable and accessible educational
facilities to people who cannot leave their
homes and jobs.

• To provide facilities to the masses for their

educational uplift.

• To provide instruction in diverse disciplines of

knowledge including technology and vocations.
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OBJECTIVES

 To provide facilities for the training of

teachers.
 To make provision for research and for the
advancement and dissemination of
knowledge.
 To hold examinations and to award and confer
degrees and other academic distinctions
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VISION ( Aspirations) OF AIOU

 Deliberately plan a qualitatively brighter future

to build on AIOU’s extraordinary achievements
of quantitative growth as a mega ODL
University.
 Through collective strategic thinking develop
and implement innovative and creative
systems and solutions to enable students,
faculty and staff to thrive and serve the nation.
12

Cont.
 Expand and improve the quality of services provided
through its regional campuses and centers.

 Foster High quality research by students and faculty to

meet current and anticipated development needs of the
country
 Selectively develop for ODL delivery graduate programs
of teaching, research and service commensurate with
the mission of the University.
Cont.

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 Play a leading role to extend the open distance
education system to other universities to cover private
candidates.
 Graduate culturally enlightened, technologically
knowledgeable & skilled and academically competent,
progressive and productive leaders.

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ORGANIZATION

Administrative Structure
Academic Structure
Regional Network

15
Picture 4
Picture 2
Picture 5

11
THE AIOU SYSTEM

Admission
Instructional Media
Conventional Face To Face Education

19
ADMISSION
 An Academic year is comprised of two semesters/18
weeks namely Spring and Autumn semesters .

Semester (Duration 18 Weeks) Admissions Open

Spring February 1st
Autumn August 1st
 A wide range of courses from :

• Secondary School Certificate

• Higher Secondary School Certificate
• Undergraduate
• Graduate
• Master’s
• M.Phil
• Ph.D programmes
In addition short and long term Diploma and
certificate programmes including Teacher
Education, non credit functional courses are
offered in each semester. 20
INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA

• Correspondence and through Radio/Television

• Mixed: correspondence, Audio-visual, online

(internet) and conventional face to face tutorials.
• Online: Internet and tutorial

• Study material for every programme is specially

designed and mailed to each distance learner.

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 MEDIA SUPPORT RADIO AND T.V. PROGRAMMES TRANSMISSION
(2003-04 TO 2007-08)

500

450

400

350

300

250 Radio
T.V
200

150

100

50

0
22
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08
 NUMBER OF BOOKS PRINTED
(2003-04 TO 2007-08)
3756449
4000000
3500000 2534614
3000000
2500000 1771228 18000001800002
Nubmers

2000000
1500000
1000000
500000
0
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

Years 23
CONVENTIONAL FACE TO FACE EDUCATION
The education imparted either at the Main/Regional campus(es)
or the Approved Study Centers is provided in the following
disciplines/levels.
• Applied and Natural Sciences at the levels of M.Sc, M.Phil
and Ph.D.
• Social Sciences at the levels of M.Phil and Ph.D.
• Management Sciences at the levels of BBA and MBA in
Finance and Information Technology
• Computer Science and Information Technology at the
levels of BS, MS and Ph.D.

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SALIENT FEATURES

Course offering trends

Student Enrolment Trend
Gender Ratio
Provincial Breakup
Degrees/Diplomas/Certificates Awarded

25
26
27
4.2 GENDER RATIO

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29
30
STANDARDIZATION OF EDUCATION

Curriculum
Tutorial Support
Enhanced Support Services through
Website

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CURRICULUM
•Model Curricular Schemes of Ministry of Education/
HEC for all AIOU programmes are followed. This
imparts an essential equivalence to AIOU degrees /
certificates.

• Admission and Evaluation criteria of HEC are

followed for all Postgraduate Programmes.

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TUTORIAL SUPPORT

Tutors provide guidance and evaluate the assignments.

Part-Time Tutors 37000

Study Centres 1350
Approved Study Centres 97
(for face to face component)

Controlled by Regional Campuses and Centers who provide a

venue for Interactive Instructions.

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ENHANCED SUPPORT SERVICES THROUGH WEBSITE
SENSE OF ATTACHMENT

Sharing of Scholarly Activities

Institute of Mass Education

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Sharing of Scholarly Activities

Research Journals
• Pakistan Journal of Education (PJE) (Bi-annual)
• Journal of Social Science & Humanities (Bi – annual)
• Ilm Ki Roshni (Bi-annual)
• Maaref-e-Islami (Bi-annual)
Newsletters
• Jamia Nama (Monthly)
• Sehan Ujala (Bi-annual)
• Weekly Radio Programme for students (Jamia Nama)
• AIOU Magazine – monthly TV programme)
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Institute of Mass Education
The key programs of IME are:
• Basic Education, Functinal Literacy
• Basic and Primary Education
• Middle Level Education
• Secondary Level Education
• Short Term Educational Programs
Balochistan (Turbat):
• Women Middle Education Program through non-formal
education method in eight villages of Mund area ta Turbat (Pilot
based).
Punjab (Kharian):
• Women Middle Education Program through non-formal
education method in nine villages of Kharian (Pilot based).
• Basic Education Functional Literacy Program for women in ten
villages of Kharian (Pilot based)
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AGENDA FOR THE FUTURE
AIOU Action PLAN

Quality Open Distance Education of 21st

Century
Academic Cultural Change

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Quality Open Distance Education
of 21st Century
 Information and Communication Tools and
Technologies.
Satellite based Interactive TV broadcast through
PAKSAT-1 (2 - 4 channels).
FM Radio National Frequency.
Online Courses using World Wide Web.
PERN Connectivity.
Digital Libraries for research.
Video Conferencing.
Provide PC to students through buy/lease program.
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Academic Cultural Change
Tenure Track System for faculty hiring , retention and
promotion (May 2006).
Provision of research facilities and opportunities for
faculty and post graduate students.
900 new positions for faculty and technology smart
support staff.
Governance System: replace current VCR model with
Chiefs for Academics (CAO), Business and Finance (CFO),
Planning and Development (CPDO) and Manager IT
Services.
Action research in Educational Leadership and Teaching.
National Center for Curriculum Development.

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THANK YOU