Rehabilitation through technology training - Dubai Prisons inaugurate Microsoft training facilities

In co-ordination with Dubai Police and Dubai eGovernment, as well as New Horizons-HUMANSOFT, both centres will provide prisoners with the equipment to undertake technology training courses, allowing them to enhance their professional skills, and provide them with better opportunities to become productive members of the community once they are released.

"Thanks to the vision of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, information technology culture is being incorporated across all public and private entities in Dubai. Prisons are no exception," said His Excellency Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police. "We are giving prisoners a great opportunity to acquire a skill that can help them not only be part of society again, but also be able to positively contribute to the growth and development of the entire community they live in. We are very proud of this achievement and believe we will see a positive outcome as a result."

The training centres recently opened in Dubai's Drug Rehabilitation Program Center in Al Awir and at the Central Prison in Jumeira. Each accommodates 20 trainees. Eight technical instructors from Dubai police are participating in Microsoft training from New Horizons-HUMANSOFT so that they can coach the prisoners on basic computer skills and operations, as well as common business productivity applications including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

"We believe that once the right tools are presented, anyone can become a dynamic, contributing member to society. These libraries will give prisoners the chance to acquire IT skills that can be put to use in the workplace, as well as help to empower them with a wider understanding of information technology," said Abdullatif Almulla, General Manager of Microsoft South Gulf.

The Microsoft contribution comprised of PCs, servers and software for each centre, including licenses of Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Office XP, as well as a specialized community training curriculum. Additionally, Microsoft provided 'Step-by-Step' training manuals, and have committed to ongoing technical and marketing support.

"Microsoft has a history of successful initiatives with all participants in this project, and welcomes partnerships which create the opportunity to work together for the good of the community. We are looking forward to a more future cooperation with Dubai Police and the rest of the UAE's public departments," added Almulla.

The project is the result of an effective partnership between the Dubai Police, Dubai eGovernment, and Microsoft, with support from New Horizons-HUMANSOFT. Dubai Police personnel will staff the training centres as part of their ongoing rehabilitation programs, and will be responsible for the management of the trainers and the centres in the long term.

Reflecting its role as the key driver in Dubai's migration to eServices, Dubai eGovernment provided critical support to this project. The eGovernment donated printers and projectors and the services of its engineering team to support the implementation of the project.

"This initiative of empowering prisoners with IT skills matches the Dubai eGovernment's goal of helping Dubai's citizens and government departments to take advantage of the privileges that technology offers. Dubai eGovernment is constantly exploring new avenues to institute IT in order to ease and enhance our lives in various ways. This project reflects our commitment to boost the awareness and usage of IT among a cross-section of society. We are delighted to support Dubai Police and Microsoft in this initiative and look forward to working on similar projects in the future," commented Salem Al Shair Director of e-Services, Dubai eGovernment.

The initial train the trainer program was led by New Horizons, who showed great community spirit and support by coaching the trainers on the Microsoft Unlimited Potential curriculum. "We were delighted to be invited to be part of this initiative and have committed to an intensive train the trainer course to ensure that the quality of training that the inmates receive is up to our rigorous standards," commented Mohammed Kateeb, CEO of New Horizons-HUMANSOFT. "Training is an integral element in rehabilitation and we salute the efforts of Dubai Police and partners in the inauguration of this impressive program."

Dubai Police holds intensive rehabilitation programs across its prisons and correctional facilities, and is committed to the successful re-entry of inmates into society through various educational and sporting activities in both facilities. The project is part of Microsoft's Unlimited Potential global initiative, which was created to focus on improving lifelong learning for disadvantaged young people and adults by providing technology skills through Community Technology Learning Centers (CTLCs).