LAHORE, Dec 17: The Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMAP) has introduced Internet-Based Distance Learning Programme (IBDLP) for the first time ever in any professional accounting body in the country.

Making this announcement here on Monday, an ICMAP spokesperson said the lectures would be available on CDs under the IBDLP. It would facilitate students in remote areas as well as those living abroad.

The spokesperson said the students would get an opportunity to interact with the counselors for guidance on a regular basis through internet. Two online tests would be conducted to assess the students overall progress on the course. On successful completion of IBDLP session and qualifying one of the two online tests, the students would become eligible to appear for the ICMAP examinations nationally and internationally.

He said the institute’s major concern regarding distance learning was that the level of knowledge might not be optimised until they had been passed through the lectures.

Further, he said, the correspondence students were always looking for crash coaching classes to review the course by instructors. Understanding their utmost need, he said, the institute decided to facilitate the distance learning students in a way that should not affect the essence of distance learning course and at the same time optimum learning could also be assured.

He said the ICMAP had also been offering distance learning education through its correspondence course.

“In fact, it has served as the first Open University of Pakistan,” he added.