ISLAMABAD: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) is taking steps towards strengthening the culture of education in jails by providing educational services to prisoners throughout the country, AIOU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Ziaul Qayyum said.

The focus of the campaign, he said, is to provide basic education to prisoners so they can become responsible citizens once they are free after serving their imprisonment period. In the initial phase of this project, AIOU is establishing libraries in jails, books have been provided to 12 jails, including two jails from each of the four provinces, he added.

The project is being implemented in collaboration with jail authorities in accordance with directives of the federal ombudsman. AIOU said in a statement admission forms and prospectuses for the Autumn 2020 semester have already been provided to jail authorities free of cost while teaching workshops, tutorial meetings and final examination will also be organised within the premises of jails.

Prisoners have been admitted to the various educational programmes, ranging from primary to higher education besides various professional courses.

In the future, he said, female prisoners will be provided facilities related to vocational and professional education.

Dr Zahid Majeed, the university’s focal person for the project, said admission forms provided to jails are stamped with ‘for prisoners only’ to ensure transparency of the project.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2020