NYU announced Prison Education Programme to Educate US Prisoners

New York University (NYU) on 19 March 2015 announced Prison Education Programme (PEP) to Educate US Prisoners.

Indian-American New York University (NYU) Professor Nikhil Pal Singh will heads programme. The programme is a new initiative of New York University to bring college education to the inmates of a medium-security prison in New York State.

The programme offers credit-bearing, university courses that will enable students to earn an Associate of Arts (AA) degree from the university.

The programme was backed by a 500000 US dollar grant from the Ford Foundation. The NYU programme aims to help redress inequities that result from the fact that the United States incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world.

The course will begin in the spring 2015 semester. Classes will be taught by NYU faculty and offer both intensive liberal arts study and introductory courses from NYU's professional schools.

36 men will take one of two NYU classes taught at the Wallkill Correctional Facility in New York State's Ulster County, with up to three additional courses offered during the summer of 2015.

The programme will expand access to a university education to incarcerated students. This initiative will also include providing educational and employment counselling, community support for families, and other services such as legal assistance to address human rights, housing, and employment issues.

Once released from prison, students enrolled in programme may seek to continue their college education at NYU or by transferring credits to another institution.