KUALA LUMPUR: Three Open University Malaysia (OUM) students who received their degree and diploma scrolls today proved that incarceration is not an excuse for abandoning one’s education.
Siva, Shankar and Suresh (not their real names), inmates at Kajang Prison, were among the graduates celebrated at OUM’s 29th Convocation Ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, here.
Suresh, 31, who has been serving a life sentence since 2011 at the age of 17 as a Tahanan Limpah Sultan (LTS), began his educational journey in prison in 2014 with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which he passed with flying colours.
“I thought my future was over. But after sitting for the SPM at Sekolah Integriti Kajang, I was one of the top students... and was offered to pursue a Diploma in Business Management at OUM, fully sponsored by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA),” he told reporters after the convocation ceremony.
Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Suresh hopes this achievement will inspire other inmates to continue seeking knowledge.
Meanwhile, Shankar, 34, who earned a Diploma in Business Management, said prison’s strict rules and unique learning environment did not deter him from achieving academic success.
“Suresh and I began our studies in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to postpone them for a year and a half. When classes resumed, everything was conducted online.
“There were many challenges, but the (prison) officers and lecturers were extremely helpful. They provided various things to facilitate our studies such as computers, internet access, and learning materials,” he said, adding that he is also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Shankar, who has been in prison since 2018, aspires to start a business once he completes the remaining eight months of his sentence.
Meanwhile, Siva, 36, who has been serving an 18-year prison sentence since 2010, said that his achievement of graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours is due to continuous support from his family, prison officers, and lecturers.
“I was pursuing diploma studies outside, but didn’t complete them. After coming here, I found out that there was an opportunity to continue studying. My family encouraged me to take it up, so I resumed my studies.
“Once I completed that, I went on to finish my degree and that motivated me to pursue a master’s degree in Business Administration,” he added.
He also expressed his gratitude to all the officers for helping him find materials to finish his assignments on time.