Ferdy Sambo to Study for Master's Degree in Prison: Legal Expert Says Right to Education is Guaranteed by Law

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Prisoners still have the right to pursue higher education, including master’s degree programs, while serving their sentences in correctional institutions.

This includes Ferdy Sambo, a former Head of the National Police’s Internal Affairs Division and a convicted murderer.

A legal expert from Sebelas Maret University, Andina Elok Puri Maharani, said that this right is guaranteed in Law Number 22 of 2022 on Corrections, provided that it is carried out in accordance with legal procedures and does not disrupt security.

“The regulation states that all inmates have the right to education. Therefore, prisoners still have the right to pursue education, including higher education, while serving their sentences, as long as it is carried out in accordance with legal procedures and does not disrupt security,” Andina told Kompas.com on Friday (15/5/2026).

Therefore, every inmate, including former Head of the National Police’s Internal Affairs Division, Ferdy Sambo, still has the opportunity to access education while following the rules of the correctional institution.

“All prisoners have the same rights, including in the field of education. Normatively, the status of a prisoner does not eliminate the right to education, in this case, it is done entirely online,” she said.

Andina added that access to education for prisoners is part of the rehabilitation and social reintegration process within the correctional system.

According to her, the state not only has the duty to punish, but also to prepare inmates to be able to return to society with better quality.

However, Andina emphasized the importance of supervision to ensure that providing access to education does not create the impression of special treatment in the eyes of the public.

She said that the main principle of granting rights to prisoners is non-discrimination and adherence to the law.

“The principle of granting rights to prisoners is non-discrimination and adherence to the law. Although prisoners are given access to education, it must still be done with supervision,” she said.

“One of the supervisions carried out is that prison officers must accompany prisoners when they attend online lectures,” she added.

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