Select convicts in Tiruchi Central Prison will soon become computer literate
The Hindu
A select group of convicts lodged in the Central Prison at Tiruchi are being imparted computer training as a rehabilitation measure aimed at making them computer literate and also to engage them in productive activity.
A select group of convicts lodged in the Central Prison at Tiruchi are being imparted computer training as a rehabilitation measure aimed at making them computer literate and also to engage them in productive activity.
The short duration training lasting 10 days commenced inside the prison premises on Wednesday with a set of 20 convicts undergoing the hands-on computer training. A private university from Chennai has donated 10 computers for this purpose and sent a tutor to train the convicts.
A separate hall inside the prison premises serves as venue for the training programme for the chosen convicts serving lengthy sentences. The training is split into theoretical and practical sessions. The training which starts at around 10 a.m. goes on up to noon only to resume again around 2 p.m. before concluding at around 4 p.m., said the jail authorities. The tutor takes the classes in Tamil for quicker understanding of the convicts who were being taught Microsoft Word, Excel, Microsoft Office and drafting of letters, said the authorities.
The whole objective behind the rehabilitation initiative was to make the convicts aware of basic computer knowledge, the authorities said, adding that arrangements were being made to provide them with certificates after completion of the short duration course.
This initiative would also enable the convicts to spend their time productively inside the prison and help them to further enhance their computer skills once they were released from the prison and in securing employment, the authorities further said.
Separate groups of convicts were already engaged in prison industrial units functioning inside the sprawling jail premises manufacturing file pads, washing soaps besides engaged in book binding and manufacturing berets for police, prison and fire and rescue services departments personnel.