Role of AIOU in Professionalizing ECD Sector and Workforce Development in Pakistan
In this episode, Prof. Dr. Nasir Mehmood, Vice Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), joins Ms. Khadija Khan, CEO of the Pakistan Alliance for Early Childhood (PAFEC), to discuss AIOU’s pivotal role in professionalizing the Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector in Pakistan through technology and distance learning approaches.
The conversation begins with a brief introduction of Prof. Dr. Mehmood and an overview of AIOU’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programmes. As Vice Chancellor of Asia’s largest university dedicated to education, he shares his long-term vision of embedding ECD into the university’s distance learning agenda and championing its importance across the region. This vision includes leveraging AIOU’s extensive outreach and digital platforms to deliver inclusive, accessible, and high-quality ECD programmes.
The discussion also highlights critical issues such as aligning ECD initiatives with the National Policy Framework, expanding access for underserved communities—particularly women—and addressing the challenges related to the recognition of ECD qualifications.