HARIPUR, June 23 A non-formal basic education school has been established in the men's section of Haripur Jail.

The school has been set up by Human Development Organisation (HDO) that has been running the same facility in the women section of the jail since 2006.

Superintendent Central Prison Haripur Khalid Abbas inaugurated the school on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion Mr Abbas said the prison department was taking steps to ensure reformation of prisoners into law-abiding and useful citizens and equipping them with different trades and education.

Deputy Superintendent Sheesh Khan, Assistant Superintendents Syed Mohi ud Din Shah, Haji Mujeeb, Mukhtiar Haider Khan and other officers of jail department and workers of jail-based NGOs were also present.

Mr Abbas said a majority of jail inmates was illiterate that proved to be one of the root causes of their landing into prison under different circumstances. However, the jail authorities were utilising their efforts in bringing about positive attitudinal changes among them applying multi-faceted approaches.

He said education was the main focus areas coupled with skill development, adding, the jail inmates had been provided with the facility of religious and academic education and dozens of prisoners were attending different classes. He said the component of adult literacy was missing in the male section which had been successfully incorporated in the education system of jail with the support of HDO.

Apart from education, the superintendent jail said for earning better living after release the inmates were being taught different trades. He added that the juvenile inmates, apart from regular education, were also getting skilled with computer literacy.

Programme assistant HDO Abad ur Rehman said the HDO had planned to make 200 jail inmates literate through their adult literacy programme. He said his organisation had planned to expand the programme to all the prisons of the province during the current fiscal year.