The Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will set up 3,000 schools in far-flung rural areas under Rural Integration School Education (RISE) programme for which 20,000 teachers will be hired, said VC Prof Dr Nazir Ahmed Sangi on Monday. Addressing a certificates-distribution ceremony, he said a comprehensive strategy had been chalked out under which a chain of primary schools would be set up in far-flung areas to impart online education and provide direct links between teachers and students through audio-video conferences. The VC said a chain of community-based libraries was also being set up, where books would not only be available for students free of cost but these would also be issued to them for preparation of exams.
The VC said that a network of regional, district and tehsil campuses was being developed, which would be fully equipped with entire infrastructural facilities, including labs, audio-video conference rooms, internet, computer labs and digital libraries linked to renowned universities of the world. Dr Sangi said that refresher courses would also be introduced in various fields, especially in information technology and agriculture which would fulfill the demand of local areas. He said that skilled labour would be produced as per needs of industrial, agriculture and allied sectors with the cooperation and consultation of the stakeholders.
