The Centre for Legal Support and Inmate Rehabilitation (CELSIR) and VCare for Development Foundation (VCDF) have partnered to expand their Education for Correctional Centres programme to nine correctional centres in Nigeria. This initiative aims to provide qualitative education to inmates, with 500 learners set to receive support for registration and preparation for the General Certificate Examination (GCE). The programme seeks to make quality education accessible to learners in correctional centres.
The expansion represents a significant step in CELSIR's efforts to provide education to inmates, extending beyond Lagos correctional centres to five additional correctional centres, including three adult and two juvenile centres. According to CELSIR's Executive Director, Joke Aladesanmi, the programme reflects a shared commitment by CELSIR and VCDF to making education a stronger part of rehabilitation and reintegration.
The programme has impacted over 1,300 persons since its inception, supporting learners with national examinations like the GCE, Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Aladesanmi emphasized that access to education should not be determined by a person's circumstances, and the organisation aims to create more opportunities for learners to acquire qualifications and develop their potential.
The partnership marks a transition from sustaining impact to scaling impact, with education positioned at the core of CELSIR's vision for rehabilitation and reintegration. The organisation and its partners are leveraging technology to deliver quality education, with each centre presented with a laptop, a projector, a speaker, and an internet modem to facilitate virtual classrooms and improved access to digital learning.
The expansion will see 500 learners across the nation's correctional centres supported with GCE registration, creating opportunities for them to obtain recognised qualifications for better reintegration. The programme aims to build pathways for life beyond incarceration, and Aladesanmi noted that education is essential for rehabilitation and reintegration.
The event was attended by notable figures, including Olaore FeyiSayo, Director, Integrated Community Services (ICS), Ministry of Youth and Social Development (MYSD), and the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of Custodial and Non-Custodial Services, Nigeria Correctional Service, Kokogho, representing the Assistant Controller-General (ACG).
The Education for Correctional Centres programme has made significant progress, and the expansion to nine correctional centres is expected to increase access to education for inmates. Key stakeholders are committed to ensuring that learners in correctional centres have access to quality education, which is essential for their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Key points
- CELSIR and VCDF partner to provide education to 500 learners in nine correctional centres across Nigeria.
- The programme aims to make quality education accessible to learners in correctional centres, with a focus on rehabilitation and reintegration.
- The expansion reflects a shared commitment by CELSIR and VCDF to making education a stronger part of rehabilitation and reintegration.
