The college entrance exam is now just four days away. For the first time in history, there is an exam room inside a correctional facility for this year’s exam.
It is for 10 young boys who are continuing their education to reintegrate into society after serving their sentences. These individuals have a unique challenge.
I, reporter Kim Tae-hoon, had the opportunity to meet them inside the correctional facility. They are students who are fully dedicated to studying mathematics. They know the values of cosine and sine, and apply them to solve problems. They appear no different from students in regular schools, asking questions while solving problems. However, these students have prisoner numbers on their hearts and bars on their windows.
This is the Mandela Boy’s School, an educational facility inside the correctional facility. Although they have committed different crimes and are serving sentences ranging from 2 to 15 years, they have wholeheartedly embraced the allure of studying as they aspire to live a new life. Their passion seems genuine, and I believe that if they maintain this attitude, they can certainly grow. Since its opening in March, the Mandela Boy’s School has been providing education to 37 boys under the age of 17. In the high school equivalency exam held last August, 27 of them passed. Among them, 10 will also take the college entrance exam this year.
This is a classroom located in a corner of the correctional facility. On the day of the college entrance exam, this place will officially become the exam venue. Under the supervision of seven education authorities, this will be the first time in history that the exam will be held inside a correctional facility.
The Ministry of Justice plans to actively support the reintegration of these students into society through parole and other programs if they pass the exam and get accepted into a university. Therefore, special efforts are being made in character education alongside academics, such as writing reflection letters every day. Our greatest hope is that these students can bring a sense of remorse to the victims and become responsible members of society without committing any further wrongdoing.
From firefighters to cooks, they are learning how to make a legitimate effort and nurture their dreams and hopes. This is KBS News, Kim Tae-hoon..
