Group advocates education for children in juvenile centres

Centre for Legal Support and Inmate Rehabilitation (CELSIR) in collaboration with the Lagos Ministry of Youth and Social Development has launched the Juvenile Education Programme (JEP) to provide access to quality education for children in Borstal Centres across Lagos State.

At the launch of JEP held at the Special Correctional Centre for Boys in Oregun, Lagos, retired Lagos State High Court Judge, Justice Sherifat Solebo, delivered a keynote address on “Promoting Quality Education for Justice-Impacted Juveniles in Nigeria.”

She emphasised the critical need to provide free education to these young individuals as part of their rehabilitation and empowerment process.

“We took them away from the street and we must protect and guide them. This must also be done under the Lagos State curriculum.

“The essence of coming here is for them to be properly re-integrated back into the society. Once they are skilled, it will be easy for them. Children that are exposed to education are inspired; they want to learn new things,” she said.

The Executive Director of CELSIR, Joke Aladesanmi said: “Education gives hope, and our goal is for this project to ensure that education is available, accessible and consistent for children in Juvenile centres, thereby breaking the cycle of recidivism.”

Aladesanmi said the key features of the Educational Programmes include “leveraging technology to provide Secondary and Post-secondary education; tailored curriculum designed to meet the unique needs of justice-impacted children.”

She explained that the programme aims to offer comprehensive learning opportunities for children in juvenile detention facilities across Lagos.

“The JEP will be launched in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Youths and Social Development and we are pleased that the state government has embraced this initiative and is fully committed to making it a reality,” she said, adding that over 60 per cent of Juveniles in detention facilities have not completed basic education, contributing to a cycle of poverty and offending that is hard to escape.

She declared that section 15 (1) of the Nigerian Child Rights Act 2003 explicitly recognises the right of every child to free, compulsory and universal education.