'Pesantren' for inmates

'Pesantren' for inmates

JAKARTA (JP): Almost 300 inmates in the Bulak Kapal prison in Bekasi, 20 Km west of the city, are joining an Islamic course called Pesantren Ramadhan during the fasting month.

Jointly organized by the Bekasi penitentiary, Bani Saleh Foundation, and the Bekasi branch of the women's branch of Muhammadiyah, the course has been underway since Jan. 24. It will end on Feb. 12.

Teachers on the course include members of the Bekasi branch of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI).

"This is the third Ramadhan course the penitentiary has held," Marwan Adli, a penitentiary official said yesterday.

The course will finish with various competitions, including Koranic verse reading, Marwan said. (12/sur)