Date:17/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/17/stories/2007101760810300.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Study centres in jails

Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the Confederation of NGOs of Rural India will jointly set up study centres in the State’s jails to offer distance education programmes, vocational courses and computer courses to the inmates.

The centres will be set up with assistance from the P.N. Panicker Vijnan Vikas Kendra. Home Minister Kodeyeri Balakrishnan will carry out the State-wide inauguration of the Centres at the Central Jail, Thiruvananthapuram, on October 22 . IGNOU Vice-Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, the jail DGP M.G.A. Raman and the CNRI national coordinator L.V. Saptharishi will be present on the occasion.

Online education with emphasis on non-formal education will be organised for two hours daily. Special academic programmes and skill development sessions will be developed for the prisoners. The study centres will also help them find gainful employment after they have served their time.