ISLAMABAD, AUG 6 (DNA) -: Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has decided in principle to enroll around 1.4 million students of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) as its volunteers, enabling them to work in a state of natural disaster or human tragedy.

The decision was made at a meeting held here Wednesday between Dr. Saeed Elahi, chairman PRCS and vice chancellor AIOU Prof. Dr. Ali Asghar Chishti.

The PRCS will register the complete strength of the AIOU as provided by the management of the AIOU as PRCS volunteers and will issue them the volunteer identity cards. It will also provide inspiration training sessions to the students and staff of AIOU.

The two sides decided to establish working relationship for mobilizing and training of youth volunteers, to be selected among the students and the staff of AIOU.

It was agreed that the two sides will soon formally sign an agreement to provide a broad framework for cooperation between the two institutions in enhancing mutual trust and understanding for achieving the desired objectives.

The agreement will be implemented in phases to involve the AIOU’s students in the proposed volunteer work. The students will be asked to give their consent to work as volunteer at time of their enrolment with the University.

It was also decided that the AIOIU will include ‘Volunteerism’ as a subject in the AIOU’s syllabus. The PRCS will arrange ‘master trainers’ among the University’s employees and later they provide the same skill to the students.

It was proposed that the PRCS will establish self-sustainable youth clubs at all departments and campuses of AIOU and will provide a complete training package for the capacity building of club members.

Those who attended the meeting included Registrar Dr. Nowshad Khan, Prof. Dr. Abdul Hafiz and secretary general PRCS Dr. Mahboob Sardar.=DNA