CIIT, NCHD join hands for setting up literacy centres for child prisoners

Federal ombudsman facilitates signing of MoU

Islamabad

The Comsats Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) and National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) on Wednesday reached an agreement to share technical and logistics support for establishing Literacy Centres for the children in different jails of the country, says a press release.

In this connection, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Dr. Syed Muhammad Junaid Zaidi, Rector CIIT and Mrs. Razina Alam Khan, ex-Senator, Chairperson NCHD here at the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat.

According to the MoU, CIIT and NCHD would coordinate the efforts in three major areas such as teachers’ training, teachers’ salaries and technical training for imparting educational facilities to the children in jails. Initially, as a pilot project two Literacy Centers would be established at Borstal Institute & Juvenile Prison, Faisalabad.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Ombudsman Salman Faruqui termed it a moment of great pleasure and satisfaction and said that the Institution of Ombudsman was making special efforts to provide support and assistance to vulnerable women and children specially those living in jails. In this connection he referred to the report prepared on jail reforms by the committee constituted by the Ombudsman under the advice of the Supreme Court. He said that the recommendations made in the report were design to make the jail environment humane and conducive to the reformation and growth of children in jails.

Referring to the MoU he said that such efforts would facilitate integration of women and children prisoners in the society when out of jail. He expressed the hope that the positive measures being introduced in the jail to change its environment would in due course be institutionalised and continue to grow in positive directions.

He said the MoU would be directly beneficial for the vulnerable children in the jails and help in bringing them in the mainstream after they are out of the jails.

Faruqui urged for a meaningful contribution from all segments of society in order to bring change in the lives of these helpless children, especially those languishing in jails.

Mrs. Razina Alam Khan apprised the participants that currently over 6,000 children were getting education in the institutions established by NCHD across the country.

She expressed the confidence that joining hands with the CIIT, would maximise benefits to children prisoners. She said that NCHD was placing emphasis on character building of child prisoners and in this connection services of psychologists are being utilized.

Dr. Junaid Zaidi expressed the hope that the children would be made a productive member of the society through such efforts after completing their sentence in jails.

Zamurad Khan, Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal, said on the occasion that after the great success of Pakistan Sweet Homes, efforts were underway to launch Pakistan Great Homes where the helpless legends of Pakistan would be provided special care.

Under the MoU, the NCHD will entirely provide technical support for achieving the objectives of Literacy and Non Formal Education Centers. NCHD will depute its staff for regular monitoring and handholding of centers. Meanwhile, CIIT will facilitate in the process of identifying teachers and learners for the establishment of these centers.