The ultimate goal of the administration is to ensure that inmates completing prison sentences emerge as productive individuals embraced by society, the Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, said at a ceremony on Tuesday. The event, organised by the Maldives Correctional Service, inaugurated 10 new courses for inmates and officers and awarded certificates for previous programmes.
The curriculum includes multi-level certificates in Qira'at, an advanced Diploma in Correctional Management, third-level custodial and intelligence certificates, a foundational officer programme, and university preparation. Vocational training spans sewing, agriculture, and electrical work, alongside advanced correctional management credentials.
Approximately 1,400 individuals are incarcerated within the system, according to Minister Ihusaan, who noted that legislative amendments are being drafted to deduct one day from an inmate's sentence for every day completed in rehabilitation. The system will ensure inmates depart with qualifications one tier higher than upon arrival, aligning skills with the Maldivian labour force to foster self-reliance and reduce recidivism.
"If these comprehensive programmes are fully realised upon their departure from this facility, I firmly believe they will be warmly received by their families and society, paving the way for them to lead dignified, independent lives without relying on anyone else," Minister Ihusaan remarked.
Efforts to elevate operational standards have progressed over two and a half years, the Commissioner of Prisons, Hassan Zareer, noted. He added that internal industrial projects are executed entirely through the collaborative efforts of officers and inmates.