This was revealed on Wednesday in Enugu to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by Mr. Nicholas Obiako, the Controller of Corrections in Enugu State.
According to the controller, 124 prisoners were taking the current NECO external exam at the Enugu Custodial Center's Special Study Center.
In terms of the convicts' pursuit of education and development, Obiako observed that the three state-run prisons—Enugu, Nsukka, and Oji River—were performing well.
He claims that 124 prisoners are writing the NECO exam at the moment, which is among the biggest numbers of prisoners in detention facilities in any state in the nation.
"We have been investing substantially in our convicts' grooming since they were in elementary and secondary school, as well as in high-quality adult education classes offered at the centers, and for many years now they have graduated with excellent results.
"The majority of individuals who achieve success in their selected fields of study will apply for direct admission to the university through the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), which has an Enugu Custodial Center study center.
"Those who are unable to continue will be placed in different vocational centers, such as those for tailoring, leather, iron, woodworking, etc., and trained to pass a trade test examination for certification prior to completing the vocational training," he stated.
Obiako also praised Mr. Haliru Nababa, the Controller-General of Corrections, for his administration's emphasis on education as a workable strategy for reforming, reorienting, and reintegrating prisoners into society.
"Under Nababa's supervision, the Nigeria Correctional Service has dedicated its resources to guaranteeing that prisoners grow during their incarceration, to guaranteeing independence and public safety even after their release from the detention facility," he continued.
According to Mr. Kelvin Iloafonsi, a Deputy Controller of Corrections overseeing Operations, the pursuit of education and earning credentials during incarceration contributed to the 0% recidivism rate among former inmates who attended school in the detention centers.
According to Iloafonsi, Mr. Nababa, the Controller-General of Corrections, came up with the idea for the 0% recidivism rate in order to guarantee workable reformation options.
"I must congratulate our diligent and resourceful C-G of Corrections for creating an environment that allows offenders to study and advance their academic skills.
The National Open University of Nigeria's (NOUN) Desk Officer, Iloafonsi, stated that a few non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the Catholic Prisoners' Interest Organization (CAPIO) and others, helped with the prisoners' education.
Since the beginning of the educational reforms and, in fact, the ongoing 2023 NECO tests, they have been of great assistance to us. Of the 124 inmates who sat the exam, CAPIO registered roughly 90% of them, with other civic-minded individuals handling the remaining 10%.
"We are requesting additional non-governmental organizations to assist the prisoners and collaborate with us to help them learn how to fish and develop into responsible adults upon their release," he stated.