ISLAMABAD: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) will further strengthen their collaborative partnership to promote non-formal learning system, adult education and teaching programmes for drop-out girls.
The proposals to this effect were discussed during the visit to AIOU by Hirotaka Sekiguchi, a senior official of National Federation of UNESCO Association in Japan, on Tuesday.
AIOU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Shahid Siddiqui briefed him regarding the new initiatives undertaken by the university in promoting adult literacy and providing educational facilities to drop-out girls, as well as meeting the academic needs of the marginalised sections of the society.
He said that recently the university had enhanced its collaborative partnership with various national and international organisations to achieve its stipulated future targets in the educational sectors. He appreciated the UNESCO and JICA for their technical and financial support in strengthening the university’s TV/radio network to assist in the teaching process.
It is important to mention here that the AIOU and JICA had been collaborating with each other for the last 21 years and the relationship had proved very productive in upgrading the university’s technology-based learning system.
Speaking on the occasion, Hirotaka said he would explore the opportunities of future cooperation with AIOU to ensure that the expertise and experience of both the organisations were put to use in their respective countries. He said he was highly impressed by the university’s new initiatives related to adult education and drop-out girls.
In the end, Hirotaka said that the UNESCO Association in Japan was looking forward to introduce AIOU’s new initiatives and projects in other South Asian countries that urgently needed educational reforms.