The Government led by the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Legal Reforms, and the Department of Prisons have launched a project in prisons island-wide in collaboration with Avant Garde Group of Companies to facilitate vocational training for 5000prisoners.
Minister Nimal Siripla de Silva inaugurated prisoners vocational training programme at the prison head quarters in Colombo on Tuesday 18 .
Vocational training will be given to prison inmates serving short prison sentences of two to five years or those who are serving long term sentences with five more years to end their term of jail sentences.
The government will present National Vocational Level certificate for those who have successfully complete the training course.
The programme also includes language proficiency courses in English, Arabic, German and French.
Chairman of with Avant Garde Group of Companies Nissanka Senadhipathi noted that he has decided to kick start this vocational training programme for the benefit of prison inmates following his research conducted on the plight of prisoners when he was in remand prison recently.
The company will spend a sum of around Rs . 1 billion for this project he added.
The proposed vocational skills development programme, the brainchild of Avant Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi, will be carried out by the Avant Garde Company.
The entire programme cost will be funded by the Avant Garde. Once these prison inmates, who undergo vocational training are reintegrated into society, they will have added qualifications to find a job within the country or abroad.
Avant Garde has taken the responsibility to offer employment for these inmates. Besides, a world accepted certificate will also be issued for the successful participants of the vocational training programmes.
Prison inmates will be trained on vocational skills so that their skills will provide a livelihood once released, Justice Human Rights and Legal Reforms Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said.
The Minister said the programme can be considered as the best programme so far implemented for prison inmates aiming to strengthen them economically..
Minister Silva further added that this training will tremendously helpful to minimise the number of re-entering prisoners once released.
(LI)