By Bashir Bello
Kano State Controller, Nigerian Correctional Services, NCS, Suleiman T. Suleiman has on Wednesday said seventeen inmates in its custody have sat for the West African Examinations Council, WAEC and National Examination Council, NECO external examinations in the state.
The Controller, Suleiman who disclosed this while interacting with newsmen in the state, said two of the inmates sat for the external exams this year, 2020 while fifteen others sat for the exams the previous year.
The Controller also said it is currently working on a collaboration with the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN and that 10 inmates have applied and awaiting admission into the university.
He further said the service also had skill acquisition programme available in the facilities to ensure that the inmates were reformed before they are discharged into the society.
According to him, “In terms of education, we are collaborating with National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN. 10 inmates applied and are awaiting admission.
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“Some of them are in the cadre of SSCE, so we allowed them to write their exams and go about their businesses after they are eventually discharged from our facilities. We have a staff school in Goron Dutse and they are writing exams. This year, two inmates sat for WAEC and NECO. Last year, 15 of them sat for WAEC and NECO.
“We have tailoring, carpentry and welding workshops in the correctional facilities (Kano Central or Goron Dutse).
“I was happy when I visited the facility and I saw the inmates sewing clothes to be sold. I was impressed. And that is why I am thinking of getting my wife engaged as the Chairperson of Correctional Officers Wives Association to liaise with the wife of the state Governor to find a way of enhancing or promoting products from these inmates.
“We are doing very well to see that we relate with our inmates. And if you visit those two facilities I mentioned earlier you will see that the relationship there is good. And where you don’t have crisis, it shows that the relationship between the inmates and staff is very good and cordial.
“We appeal to the society not to reject the inmates. It is our belief that they are reformed. By the time they go back to the society, the society should not stigmatize them, provide them with job and allow our daughters to marry them. We should not reject them so that they will not go back to their old way of life,” Controller Suleiman however stated.
