University of Basrah and Ministry of Justice Discuss Expanding University Education and Training Programmes in Correctional Facilities to Support Social Reintegration
In a move to advance social reintegration, the President of the University of Basrah, Prof. Dr. Aqeel Fadhil Hamad Al-Dahan, received Hussein Hassan Jassim, the official responsible for university education at the Iraqi Correctional Service, and Mustafa Abdul Ridha Madhi, Deputy Director of Prisons for Technical Affairs in Basrah Governorate. The meeting was attended by Dr. Haider Khazal Al-Kaabi, Assistant President of the University for Scientific Affairs.
The meeting addressed the joint cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, which aims to replicate the successful experience previously implemented at Al-Karkh and Nasiriyah Central Prisons, where incarcerated students achieved outstanding academic results and attained top rankings.
The discussions also explored future plans to coordinate with the University of Basrah to establish an advanced university education centre offering academic programmes for inmates, alongside training and professional development programmes for Iraqi Correctional Service staff in administration and computing.
Participants noted that 30 inmates in Basrah’s prisons had expressed an interest in pursuing university studies. They explained that the programmes would be offered free of charge in the evening through an integrated study format, initially focusing on undergraduate studies. A proposal was also discussed to introduce a specialization in Geography within the College of Arts, with the possibility of pursuing postgraduate studies to be considered in the future.
The University President emphasized the importance of the rehabilitative and educational dimensions of these initiatives, which seek to transform correctional facilities into environments that support rehabilitation and personal development, helping inmates reintegrate into society as responsible and productive members.
Department of Media and Government Communication
