Centre for Legal Support and Inmate Rehabilitation (CELSIR) has begun the implementation of inmate virtual learning project for the continuous education of inmates in correctional centres.

The project, which is an initiative of CELSIR’s rehabilitation programme, focuses on providing educational support to inmates, who have shown interest in pursuing their educational goals despite their incarceration.

The programme started in 2020 at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic as an intervention for the rehabilitation needs of inmates, which was disrupted at the time.

As the world gravitates to the use of technology following the aftermath of the pandemic, CELSIR, in the same light, continues to implement the virtual learning programme to ensure that inmates in correctional facilities have access to quality education that contributes to their mind and behavioural change.

CELSIR shares the global view that education contributes significantly to the rehabilitation of prison inmates.

Aside from providing them with second chances, it helps them to recover self-respect, overcome social disconnection and helps in their aspiration for new and better lives.

“Since commencing the programme, we have seen this benefit reflect as result of the successes recorded so far,” the group said.

“In the last General Certificate Examination, we saw a 70 per cent success rate in the results of the inmates registered in the programme. The inmates also had excellent result in the 2022 JAMB examination with one of them having an overall score of 313, the highest ever recorded in the correctional facility.

“By virtue of these successes, more inmates now have the requisite requirement to advance their education to the National Open University of Nigeria, while incarcerated or other universities upon their release.”