The prison authorities were informed about the survey's results, after which the Inspector General of Police, Prisons, Rajvardhan decided that steps should be taken to ensure that women are empowered with basic education.
From January 16, a barrack inside Byculla jail will turn into a classroom, where illiterate women inmates will become students. After a recent survey conducted at Byculla prison revealed that at least 35 women inmates were illiterate, and could not even write their names, the prison authorities decided to tie up with an NGO to impart training to empower inmates to read, write and count.
The members of Nana Chowk-based NGO, Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal, conducted exams on Gandhian principles among inmates in October 2016. "During the exam, we discovered that at least 35 female inmates were illiterate. They could not read or sign their name," said Premshankar Tiwari, coordinator of the NGO.
The prison authorities were informed about the survey's results, after which the Inspector General of Police, Prisons, Rajvardhan decided that steps should be taken to ensure that women are empowered with basic education.
"There was a need to educate the inmates. If they do not have access to basic information, it will be difficult to rehabilitate them. Our workers will teach them for at least for one hour a day. If there is a positive response from inmates, we plan to spread the initiative to other prisons," said Rajvardhan.
"We will teach them the basics, rom alphabets to words. There will be two or three teachers, including a psychologist-cum-counselor. Every individual deserves an education. We will conduct surveys to gauge how effective the initiative is," said Tiwari.
Byculla prison accommodates 350 inmates. Media baron Peter Mukerjea's wife Indrani, who is the main accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, is also lodged in Byculla prison.
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