Over 200 inmates graduate from religious, vocational training in Herat prison

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): More than 200 inmates have graduated from courses in Quran memorisation, religious studies, literacy and vocational training from the centre prison of western Herat province, officials announced on Wednesday.

The programmes aim to give prisoners new perspectives on life, equip them with job skills and help reduce crime upon their release.

Qari Saif-ul-Amr Waziri, head of education and physical training at Herat prison, said the graduates included participants from Quran recitation, reading and literacy classes and vocational training programmes.

He added that separate classes were conducted for men and women, led by professional instructors, to ensure inmates gain both religious knowledge and practical work skills.

Waziri noted that 12 vocational training sections were currently active in the prison, offering inmates opportunities to learn a range of professional skills.

Mohammad Yousuf, one of the graduates who memorised the Quran, said achieving this goal had been a long-held dream.

He added that religious and vocational training had helped him rethink his life and prepare for reintegration into society after release.

Another inmate, Mohiuddin, who completed a tailoring course, said many prisoners were jailed for criminal offences linked to economic hardship, lack of job opportunities and unemployment.

He stressed that such training, if widely supported in prisons and communities, could help reduce crime by creating work opportunities.

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