ISLAMABAD, 08 MAY, (DNA) – Minister of State for Education and Professional Training Baligh ur Rehman hoped that Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will keep up its leading role in reaching the Country’s remote regions for enhancing literacy rate and providing education at higher education level.

The role of this Mega’s University is also highly commendable in meeting the educational needs of South Punjab as well, he said while inaugurating the University’s own building at Rahim Yar Khan.

According to the University’s press release issued here, the Minister spoke high of the Government’s recent measures upgrading educational facilities in the country, through Higher Education Commission and other public sector institutions.

The building costing Rs. 138 million provides comprehensives faculties to the local students that include two Labs, one Library, conference halls, ten class rooms, video conferencing space and a mosque. 

In his address of welcome, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui thanked the local philanthropist Chaudhry Munir Ahmed for his handsome donation for the campus, serving the cause of education.

He highlighted the University’s achievements in developing its research-based network and bringing about qualitative improvements in the University’s overall academic programs and services.

The AIOU, he said has come out with various initiatives to strength students’ support system and upgrading its infrastructure network. Dr Shahid Siddiqui said that over seven lac students were enrolled in 44 regional centres nationwide during its recent admissions (Spring- 2016)

The Minister in his address further said that present government was paying full attention to increasing literacy rate and uplifting the standard of education in the country.

He said AIOU has achieved a singular distinction, having largest academic and infrastructure network in the country, with 44-campuses and thousands of tutorial centres.

He congratulated Dr. Shahid Siddiqui for achieving a milestone in the education sector through his new initiatives particularly in the field of research that linked with the society’s socio-economic issues.

 The Minister also highlighted the achievements made at the higher education level by the Federal and Provincial governments, adding a record budget was allocated for the promoting of higher and research-based education in the country.

The inauguration ceremony was also addressed by Assistant regional Director Rahim Yar Khan Mian Muhammad Adnan, who said currently over 6,000 students including 2,000 in B.Ed program were taking benefiting from this campus. =DNA

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