A/HRC/11/8
page 23
77. Non-governmental organizations also noted, however, that many States in the region
offered no formal education to inmates, although there are some informal educational activities.
In one example, the failure of the Government to implement any standardized education
programme encompassing all its prisons was mentioned, with the result that neither formal
primary nor secondary education is available to the majority of prisoners, particularly for those
outside the capital city, and that heavy reliance is placed upon civil society organizations.
78. In other examples, access to basic education, although enshrined in national laws, is not
effectively accessible to all juveniles in detention owing to a lack of resources and infrastructure.
In some instances, the delivery and funding of education programmes are through initiatives of
non-governmental organizations.
79. Regarding the curriculum of educational programmes and opportunities for prisoners to
participate, non-governmental organizations commented that access to education depended in
some cases to a large extent on the attitude of the managers of each prison. Furthermore,
education was negatively affected by inadequate libraries and the lack of computer and Internet
access.
80. Non-governmental organizations also mentioned countries where education for juveniles
was legislatively guaranteed and funded by State resources and followed the mainstream
curriculum, such as in Belgium, Netherlands and Pakistan.
81. A number of non-governmental organizations also provided information on countries
where they had concerns about the limited availability, quality and gender discrimination in
education for detained children.
82. Other non-governmental organizations commented on juvenile detention centres in a
particular country where, although the right to free and compulsory education was guaranteed in
the State Constitution and legislation, education services were in a number of instances
unavailable. When available, they were limited to literacy and basic primary education, and
access to secondary education was rare. They mentioned specific examples of juvenile detention
units in remote areas where many juveniles receive no educational services at all and others
where access to education is inconsistent. Even in bigger cities, only a few of the detention
facilities for juveniles provide adequate schooling and vocational training in accordance with
national laws.
83. Non-governmental organizations also raised concerns about the limited availability, quality
and gender discrimination in education for children detained in a foreign country, in one example
mentioning the lack of an institutionalized learning framework for adult prisoners and even
disincentives for those seeking to undertake self-directed and self-funded education.
84. Other responses received commented on weaknesses in correctional educational provision,
even in prosperous countries, and in barriers to its access. In one case, in 2000, adult basic
education and secondary education programmes were found in 90 per cent and 84 per cent of
detention facilities. However, tertiary education decreased from 31 per cent to 27 per cent
between 1995 and 2000 following the withdrawal of financial grants.
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