Kolkata: The Presidency Central Correctional Home (PCCH) has started a unique initiative of imparting basic education to those inmates, who were once addicted to drugs and had committed crimes to meet expenses of their addiction.
Interestingly, they would be taught by six other inmates, who had been teachers by profession before being jailed.
"We have started their learning initiative by coining a new slogan—'Khabona Neshar Pata, Porbo Boier Pata (will not consume addictive substances, but will read)," a senior official of PCCH said.
According to sources, among 250 odd inmates attending classes, 70 were once drug addicts.
"The six teachers, who will be taking classes have been given the target to educate the student inmates in such a manner so that they can read various government orders mainly associated with their court proceedings and can do basic calculations related to buying and selling commodities in the market," the official added.
The teachers have been convicted in cases like molestation, murder, fraud etc. Classes are being held from 8.45 am to 9.45 am.
"The learners are taking a lot of interest in their classes and we are hopeful that the light of education will make them 'reformed' when they are released after serving tenures of imprisonment," a senior official of the state Correctional Administration department said. Presently, 2100 odd inmates are housed at PCCH.