- Title: ALGERIA: Literacy campaign runs in prisons ahead of 'Knowledge Day'
- Date: 20th April 2010
- Summary: ALGIERS, ALGERIA (APRIL 12, 2010) (REUTERS) WIDE EXTERIOR OF EL-HARRACH PRISON ARMED SECURITY GUARD OUTSIDE PRISON VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF PRISON INMATES ENTERING BUILDING INMATES ENTERING CLASSROOM / SITTING AT DESKS VARIOUS OF INMATES DURING CLASS CLOSE OF TEACHER TEACHING MORE OF INMATES DURING CLASS VARIOUS CLOSE OF INMATES WRITING TEACHER AT HEAD OF CLASS, TEACHING VARIOUS OF POSTERS RELATED TO LITERACY CAMPAIGN INMATES ENTERING LIBRARY VARIOUS OF INMATES CHOOSING BOOKS FROM SHELVES VARIOUS OF BOOKSHELVES MORE OF INMATES AT BOOKSHELVES INMATES READING AT TABLE IN LIBRARY INMATE USING COMPUTER INMATE READING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) 24-YEAR-OLD INMATE AND PARTICIPANT IN LITERACY PROGRAMME, HUSSEIN, SAYING: "I have been in the programme since 2009 in order to learn to read and write, so that I can follow the right path when I leave prison." FRAMED POSTER RELATING TO LITERACY PROGRAMME (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) 24-YEAR-OLD INMATE AND PARTICIPANT IN LITERACY PROGRAMME, HUSSEIN, SAYING: "I am studying for a Baccalaureate so that, God willing, I may be a lawyer or a doctor." MORE OF INMATES IN LIBRARY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) 34-YEAR-OLD INMATE AND PARTICIPANT IN LITERACY PROGRAMME, ALLIOUATE, SAYING: "I joined this programme because when I came to this establishment I was unable to write even my own name. I came here and I learned the first level, the second level and the third level and now I can read a letter, a book, a newspaper, praise be to God." WIDE OF INMATES READING AT TABLE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) 34-YEAR-OLD INMATE AND PARTICIPANT IN LITERACY PROGRAMME, ALLIOUATE, SAYING: "I couldn't read anything. When I came here, I learned how to read and when I leave I will leave with a diploma which will allow me to work in order to live, to provide for my family and my children." VARIOUS OF BOUDRIA MOHAMMED, PRISON MANAGER, TALKING TO INMATES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BOUDRIA MOHAMMED, PRISON MANAGER, SAYING: "The aim of this policy is to remove the prisoner from his solitude and to preserve the social relationship between him and society. The objective is to also give him the opportunity, the opportunity he didn't take when he was out of prison, to improve his level of education. We give him a second opportunity within the prison, to prove that he is a good citizen and improve his level of education in prison." VARIOUS OF PRISONERS LEAVING CLASSROOMS VARIOUS OF PRISONERS READING, WRITING AND WATCHING TELEVISION IN THEIR SHARED CELL SECURITY CLOSING LOCKING PRISON GATES
- Embargoed: 5th May 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Algeria
- Country: Algeria
- Topics: Education
- Reuters ID: LVA4YMRU2WNA0WID2LKY2VUYHAPI
- Story Text: Ahead of Algeria's "Knowledge Day" on April 16, prisoners at El-Harrach Prison in Algiers speak highly of a literacy campaign the prison authorities are running in El-Harrach and other prisons around the country.
El-Harrach Prison is one of 127 prisons in Algeria and began its literacy programme five years ago.
In 2005, it became law in Algeria that all prisons must offer inmates educational programmes, including literacy programmes and university courses.
Thirty-four-year-old Alliouate was illiterate when he entered El-Harrach. However, he has been working hard at the literacy programme and can now read and write.
"I joined this programme because when I came to this establishment I was unable to write even my own name. I came here and I learned the first level, the second level and the third level and now I can read a letter, a book, a newspaper, thanks to God," said Alliouate in an interview with Reuters.
"I came here, I learned how to read and when I leave I will leave with a diploma which will allow me to work in order to live, to provide for my family and my children," he continued.
The main objective of the programme is to raise levels of literacy of the inmates. However, officials hope to achieve more with the campaign. In equipping the inmates with literacy skills, they hope to allow prisoners to better integrate into society upon their release.
"The aim of this policy is to remove the prisoner from his solitude and to preserve the social relationship between him and society," said prison manager Boudria Mohammed.
"The objective is to also give him the opportunity, the opportunity he didn't take when he was out of prison, to improve his level of education. We give him a second opportunity within the prison, to prove that he is a good citizen and improve his level of education in prison," he added.
The literacy programme has proved to be a success over the last five years. In El-Harrach prison alone, 222 male and female inmates are participating in the programme this year.
Algeria and a number of other Arab countries celebrate Knowledge Day on April 16 of every year, to promote life-long learning. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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