LAHORE: A proposal has been put forward to make the screening of employees’ sexual offence records mandatory before their recruitment in educational institutions.
According to a two-page letter sent by the Punjab Prosecutor General to the Secretary Prosecution, it has been recommended that all candidates applying for jobs in educational institutions must be verified through the NADRA Sex Offenders Register.
The Prosecutor General stated in the letter that reviewing the sex offender record at the time of hiring is essential, adding that the NADRA Sex Offenders Register is an effective tool for ensuring the safety of children in educational environments. He said a major gap exists in the current hiring system concerning child protection.
The letter further noted that existing background checks do not reveal an applicant’s past sexual crime history, and hiring individuals with a record of sexual offences could pose a serious threat to entire educational institutions. It urged the Law and Justice Department to develop a mechanism to grant access to the Sex Offenders Register.
The Prosecutor General requested that sex offender verification be made compulsory for all educational institutions and that current employees also be checked against the NADRA register. He said such a policy would significantly enhance child safety standards across the education sector.