Experts call for ensuring education continuity in juvenile detention centres amid virus crisis

AMMAN — Experts have called for the necessity of investing in the distance learning system to ensure the education of children in juvenile correctional centres.

“The existence of an online educational platform may contribute greatly to raising the access of these children who, for whichever reason, are currently residing in juvenile homes,” said Mohammad Asmar, a child development expert.

Asmar said that it has been proven that extracurricular activities as well as educational experiences “limit the rates of crime and violence among juveniles in these homes”.

Minister of Social Development Ayman Mufleh stressed that “since the shift to distance education, the ministry has been keen to enroll young people in juvenile homes in the online learning platform to ensure the continuation of their education”.

Currently 46 students are using the online platform out of 203 a total of juveniles currently residing in the ministry’s six juvenile correctional centres, according to the ministry’s figures.

“A large percentage of juveniles currently residing in these correctional centres were either dropped out of school or not enrolled in school before entering the facility in the first place,” Mufleh added.

The minister called on civil societies to partner with the ministry with the aim of “enhancing the educational programmes available to all the juveniles within the correctional centres in a way that ensures the development of their educational and academic capabilities”.

Secretary General of the National Council for Family Affairs Mohammad Miqdadi stressed in a statement the importance of “continuing the educational process of juveniles, especially in light of the coronavirus pandemic”.

Miqdad also called for a case-management approach for each juvenile to determine whether the student can be enrolled in the regular school programmes or they need a special plan according to their needs.

"Electronic educational platforms have truly made the education of children in conflict with the law within the juvenile correctional centres much easier. The sentence that the juveniles are serving is no longer preventing them from going to school, and that is a big step forward,” he said.