Directorate General of Corrections: All Inmates Have the Right to Education, Not Just Ferdy Sambo

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Directorate General of Corrections (Ditjen Pas) states that all inmates have the right to receive and continue their education, even while serving their sentences. This was conveyed by the Director General of Pas in response to social media reports regarding former Head of Police’s Professional and Security Division Ferdy Sambo, who is pursuing a master’s programme (S2) at the Class IIA Cibinong Penitentiary in West Java. “The right to obtain education or continue education is protected by law as part of the rights of inmates to receive education or continue their education. This is not only related to Ferdy Sambo,” said Head of Sub-Directorate for Cooperation of Ditjen Pas Rika Aprianti when contacted by Kompas.com on Tuesday (12/5/2026). Moreover, she mentioned that some penitentiaries have campuses on site. “Up to now, it is still ongoing; at the Tangerang Youth Penitentiary, since the 2020s, there have been inmates continuing their bachelor’s degrees (S1), so there is a campus inside that penitentiary,” Rika stated. “So it’s not just about Ferdy Sambo, but all inmates,” she added. The social media post also showed photos of Ferdy Sambo and several other inmates wearing green uniforms alongside officers and some people in formal attire. There was also a photo of a journal titled “The Influence of Christian Entrepreneurs as an Effort in Fraud Risk Management” written by Ferdy Sambo.