|
There is no doubt that Prisons Law aims at reforming the prisoners through different means; the most prominent of which is to upgrade their cultural and behavioral standards. Following such an approach makes prisoners benefit during their existence in the prison, bearing in mind that if prisoners were left alone without supervision or instruction they would only think of committing more crimes and resembling other criminals. Thus, prisons administration must teach the prisoners to utilize their spare time and encourage them to go to the library of the prison to read and enrich their minds.
As prison's role has evolved, it is no longer limited to encouraging prisoners to study and do their exams, but also to urge them to read and learn to be cultured persons and to facilitate to the cultured who wish to resume their higher studies the means to do so in the prison.
Within the same context, Article (32) of the Law stipulated that a preacher should be appointed at each Liman or General Prison to provide prisoners with religious guidance and urge them to follow the right path. The Article also provided for the necessity of staffing such categories of prisons with social workers specialized in sociology and psychology.
In the following lines, we provide statements showing the number of prisoners who completed their education stages during the period from 2001 to 2006:
|
- Illiteracy eradication
|
|
The following table illustrates the number of prisoners who benefited from illiteracy eradication programs:
|
| Statement |
2001/2002 |
2002/2003 |
2003/2004 |
2004/2005 |
2005/2006 |
|
Number of Classes |
80 |
97 |
123 |
174 |
207 |
|
Illiteracy Eradication |
1993 |
3299 |
3140 |
3500 |
4120 |
|
- Pre-University Education
|
|
Statement |
2001/2002 |
2002/2003 |
2003/2004 |
2004/2005 |
2005/2006 |
|
Prep. School |
23 |
118 |
141 |
218 |
480 |
|
Secondary School (1st &2nd grade) |
316 |
346 |
301 |
493 |
493 |
|
Thanaweya Amma |
515 |
808 |
1355 |
1157 |
465 |
|
Secondary Azhar(1st &2nd grade) |
44 |
33 |
29 |
25 |
50 |
|
Thanaweya Azharia |
85 |
94 |
17 |
12 |
54 |
|
Qira'at Institutes |
310 |
393 |
258 |
254 |
434 |
|
Technical Education |
293 |
283 |
139 |
145 |
505 |
|
Youssef Abbas Industrial School at El Qanater Prison |
96 |
87 |
73 |
46 |
44 |
|
Total |
1682 |
2162 |
2313 |
2350 |
2525 |
|
-
University Education |
|
Statement |
2001/2002 |
2002/2003 |
2003/2004 |
2004/2005 |
2005/2006 |
|
Cairo University |
565 |
517 |
764 |
864 |
892 |
|
Bani Swaif University |
43 |
22 |
51 |
58 |
153 |
|
Fayoum University |
26 |
18 |
25 |
35 |
79 |
|
Ain Shams University |
182 |
146 |
101 |
105 |
148 |
|
Helwan University |
95 |
83 |
75 |
82 |
93 |
|
Tanta University |
33 |
36 |
19 |
23 |
41 |
|
Monofia University |
43 |
74 |
22 |
29 |
40 |
|
Mansoura University |
42 |
38 |
23 |
27 |
25 |
|
Zaqaziq University |
44 |
72 |
45 |
49 |
39 |
|
Zaqaziq University (Banha Branch) |
53 |
58 |
30 |
34 |
23 |
|
Suez Canal University |
17 |
20 |
12 |
16 |
14 |
|
Menia University |
224 |
192 |
201 |
216 |
160 |
|
Al Azhar University |
374 |
516 |
651 |
677 |
640 |
|
Alexandria University |
36 |
31 |
31 |
31 |
38 |
|
Asyout University |
198 |
311 |
232 |
242 |
280 |
|
South Valley University |
122 |
152 |
125 |
135 |
152 |
|
Higher & Intermediate Institutes |
218 |
198 |
263 |
263 |
243 |
|
Total |
2315 |
2457 |
2670 |
2886 |
3060 |
|
|
Post Graduate Studies:
|
|
A number of committees have been held to discuss Master and PhD. theses, and the prisoners managed to obtain such high scientific degrees while in the prison studying, researching, discussing, and celebrating. The most eminent among these theses was the PhD. thesis on "The Problems of Vital Heart; a Comparative Analysis of Egyptian and Israeli Hearts".
|
|
Religious Preaching in Prisons
|
-
Islamic Preaching:  The religious preaching is considered one of the most important methods of prisoners’ rehabilitation. In order to guarantee the continuity of religious preaching, the sector has coordinated with the various endowment directorates and Al-Azhar to provide the suitable number of preachers by nominating some religious scholars to visit the prisons. Thus, sixty preachers have been mandated to give sermons at least twice weekly, as well as giving Al Goma'a Prayers’ and Feasts' speeches. The Sector is also organizes competitions on the Recitation of the Holy Qura'an; the number of participants in such competitions mounted to 1150 prisoners (during 2006). The Sector is keen to award the winners material and spiritual incentives.
-
Christian Preaching:  In 1995 the Christian preaching was only done by monks assigned by The Sector in various prisons and only five visits were allowed. In the year 999/2000, the Sector coordinated with the regional cathedrals to nominate a Christian preacher in each prison to do the religious rituals and prayers on daily and weekly bases as well as in the days of the feasts. The number of Christian preachers mandated to prisons is now 23 (average of one preacher for each general prison and Liman). They visit the prisoners once a week and during feast days. In addition, a Christian preacher is assigned at the Sector to do the rituals in the central area prisons. |