ISLAMABAD: Education Minister Balighur Rehman on Thursday distributed laptops among the students of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) under the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme.
A total of 2,500 students of master’s, MPhil and PhD received the laptops. Addressing the ceremony, Rehman hoped that the winning students would use the laptops as a tool to overcome the knowledge gap in their studies, enabling them to serve the society.
AIOU Vice Chancellor Dr Shahid Siddique said that the university would continue to ensure a better future for the students by providing them with quality education and the best study environment.
He hoped that the laptops would help students undertake innovative research work to serve society. He thanked the Higher Education Commission for providing funds for research work and termed research as AIOU’s top priority.
Rehman praised the VC and his team for bringing qualitative improvement in the university’s overall working. He noted that a number of praiseworthy steps were taken during the last two years for the uplift of the university, enhancing its academic ranking and building a good image.
The university, he said, made valuable contributions to improving and expanding educational facilities for people all over the country through its distance learning system.
Regarding the laptop scheme, the minister said it was being implemented through a transparent and impartial manner and laptops were awarded purely on merit. There was no discretionary power of the government in this connection, he added.
The scheme was acclaimed internationally and many countries, including India, adopted this scheme as a model to facilitate their students. It also served as a knowledge corridor, providing access to students to carry out their research work.
The education minister said the government made huge budgetary allocations for the education sector, which included Rs 41 billion for the HEC in the fiscal year 2012-2013. This was raised to Rs 82 billion in the current fiscal year.
Rehman also said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was committed to improving the living conditions of the people using all possible means. He added that the transparent and corruption-free policies of the government were recognised by renowned institutions around the world, including Transparency International.
HEC Director General (services) Arshad Kamran, Rawalpindi Region AIOU Director Dr Tauqeer Ahmed and AIOU Students’ Advisory Services Director Tariq Javed also addressed the ceremony.
