West Bengal jails to have schools for convicts’ children

By Newsgram Staff Writer

West Bengal Correctional Department has decided to open schools within jail premises for the education of convicts' children.

The project, which will start from Alipore Correctional Home from May 12, will see the conversion of a store room and an office into classrooms and crèche.

"This is for the first time we are taking such an initiative and the Alipore Correctional Home has been chosen to be the first such facility where a crèche, a school and a library will be set up," said ADG, Alipore prison, Adhir Sharma.

There is a rule in prisons that allow the children between the age of one and six of female convicts to stay with them in prison, Sharma said. After six years of age, these children either go back to their father or are sent to school-cum-homes run by the government or NGOs.

According to an official of Alipore jail, there are 25 six-year-old children in the prison at present.

"Initially we will start the project with these 25 children. Later on, it will be spread to various other jails including the Dum Dum Central Jail, where at present 125 kids are staying with their mothers who are either convicts or are under trial," Sharma said.

The staff of an NGO will teach the kids while the some of the women convicts will supervise the crèche.