Inmates are given university courses to prepare them for life after prison, says Dubai Police

Dubai Police has inked agreements with two universities in the emirate to provide detainees with higher education. Degree programs for convicts will be offered by American University in the Emirates and Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University. Business administration and accounting are among the four-year degree programs available. According to Brig Ali Al Shamali, director of punitive and correctional establishments at Dubai Police, the two universities have acquired 40 places for detainees. He said that all tuition fees have been waived for each inmate, who will be able to connect to university lectures via remote connection. If a prisoner completes their sentence before the course ends, the universities have agreed to make arrangements for them to finish the course from a different location. So far, 32 persons aged 28 to 40 who are doing time in prison for financial or drug-related offenses have signed up for the classes. Some of them received their high school diplomas while detained, thanks to a Dubai-based education program that has been in place since 1979 and allows offenders to complete their secondary education. Since its establishment, 1,767 persons have successfully completed the program. 466 inmates took high school examinations in 2021. Since many of the inmates originate from diverse backgrounds and English is not their first language, a number of them were required to pass an English as a foreign language test as part of their university requirements. “We conducted a first-course strengthening inmates' English language skills for the TOEFL and soon will begin with a second one,” said Brig Al Shamali. “Sixteen of them passed the tests and I really hope they will pursue their university education," he added. Inmates can begin their university courses and attend lectures online from one of the prison's smart rooms after passing the TOEFL exams. He also said that the hall has been equipped with loudspeakers, screens, laptops, and iPads and is connected to Wi-Fi. The Higher Colleges of Technology and Skyline University College are among the universities with which Dubai Police aim to form similar agreements. According to Brig Al Shamali, education for inmates, regardless of their nationalities, is a top priority for the Dubai Police commander-in-chief. KMB/Expat Media
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