The Port Harcourt Maximum Security Custodial Center on Tuesday said that 60 of its inmates are writing the ongoing 2021 November/December National Examination Council (NECO) Senior Secondary Certificate Examination. 

Passing the examination will give the prisoners the opportunity to be admitted into various degree programmes at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

In a statement by the centre, signed by Juliet Ofoni, Deputy Superintendent of Corrections, Public Relations Officer, Rivers State Command, the NOUN Special Study Center in Port Harcourt also has 80 inmates of the centre writing examinations at different levels.

“Available records show that over 100 inmates have graduated from the centre since it was established in the year 2009,” Ms Ofoni said. 
The statement said that the Controller of Corrections, Rivers State Command, Alex Oditah, in a chat with benefiting inmates, encouraged them to see the opportunities starring at them.

He also assured them of the support of the service toward the advancement of their education.

He promised to give them every assistance needed for their education as the service placed their education as  premium on their positive Reformation.

Also, the Controller appreciated the support of the sponsors and called on well meaning citizens and Non Governmental Organisations to support the Nigerian Correctional Service in its mandate of “Rehabilitation, Reformation and Reintegration of Inmates back into the society”.

He urged that ex-offenders be not be stigmatised so as to enable them live a well meaning and beneficial life to their families and society at large.

(NAN)