AIOU VC holds consultations with jail authorities for prisoners’ education

Islamabad
Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Vice Chancellor Dr. Shahid Siddiqui held detailed consultations with the provincial jail authorities in Lahore, Karachi and Quetta for provision of free education to prisoners under the jail reforms plan.
During meetings with jail superintendents, he discussed with them a working plan and dynamics of cooperation for improving existing educational facilities in jails. He told them that a comprehensive educational plan has been prepared by the university, particularly for female and juvenile prisoners.
The jail authorities appreciated the AIOU’s initiative for further expanding educational facilities in jails and assured their cooperation to achieve the desired results.
As per plan, the university will provide primary to higher level education along with books and other allied material to jail inmates free of cost. It will continue to provide them examination facility within the jail premises, besides arranging academic workshops and tutorial meetings.
Special arrangement will be made to provide prospectus and admission forms to the prisoners in respective jails. Besides normal education from middle to higher level, skilled based short-term training courses will also be arranged. Female prisoners will be offered vocational training.
A focal person would be appointed in each jail to assist the inmates in taking admission and fulfilling the academic process. Tutors of the AIOU would give lessons to the inmates in jails.
The AIOU’s educational plan is aimed at helping the prisoners to become useful citizen of the society after their release from jail. They are about 97 jails including those for women and children across the country.
Dr. Siddiqui said he was himself visiting jails in the country to decide a mode of working for prisoners’ education, particularly at a time when the University was in process of holding fresh admission. He will soon visit KP province for the purpose.
He pointed out that not only the acquisition of knowledge is made easier for the prisoners but the process of admission in AIOU is also made simple one.
Currently about 300 inmates are enrolled with the University. During the visit to Karachi Central Jail about 50 inmates expressed their desire to seek admission in AIOU. If inmates pass AIOU’s examination, their jail’s terms would be reduced as per the relevant laws.
Dr. Siddiqui had already visited Central Jail, Rawalpindi to explore the possibility of further enhancing educational facilities for prisoners.
The AIOU is only public-sector University in the country which has been providing free education to prisoners for the last many years.