Georgia Governor Nathan Deal has introduced a new program to help prison inmates receive an education while incarcerated.

According to the Statesboro Herald, Deal asked Georgia lawmakers to establish two charter schools at state prison facilities. Deal’s goal is to allow prisoners to acquire an actual high school diploma instead of a G.E.D. certificate or other job training that is currently available in prisons. 

Deal’s proposal also asked lawmakers to allow $1.3 million in state funding for  job-training at prisons that will be provided by the state’s technical college system. 

Deal said on Tuesday that giving prisoners the opportunity to attain an education and aquire job skills will make them more marketable to employers upon release. Deal’s belief is this will help keep prisoners from returning to into the prison system. 

http://www.statesboroherald.com/section/1/article/72336/