Francis Enobore, the Director of the Correctional Service Special Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has urged well-meaning Nigerians and sub-national governments to support the university’s policy of providing free education to inmates in order to improve sustenance of the prison population.
Enobore stated this during a courtesy visit to the Controller-General of Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, on Tuesday in Abuja.
In a statement signed by the NCoS Spokesperson, Abubakar Umar, the Director stated that the cardinal objective of NOUN is to bring quality education to the doorstep of every Nigerian, allowing them to learn at their convenience and pace.
“Hence, the university graciously granted free tuition to inmates to enable them benefit from the unique learning opportunity provided by the institution.
“NOUN programme runs on e-education system. Therefore, provision of computers, reliable sources of power, access to internet and other sundry requirements are critical in facilitating learning.
“Note that the character of an ex-convict is more often than not, a reflection of the quality and relevance of the training and reformation package received while in incarceration.”
The director pointed out that out of the 28,740 students that graduated recently from the university, 65 were inmates, including seven with postgraduate degrees.
He appealed to state chief executives and well-meaning Nigerians, including corporate bodies, to support NOUN initiatives, which have helped many indigent prisoners access education, even up to the doctorate level, free of charge.
NOUN special study centers in the Correctional Service were commissioned in 2012 and were primarily created to satisfy the rehabilitative requirements of both staff members and convicts.
Since its inception, it has produced 74 graduates (inmates) in a range of fields, including those with master’s degrees. Five of these graduates are currently enrolled in doctoral programs. The service now has 1,410 prisoners (students) enrolled in various courses across 12 study centers.
