Sri Lanka, Nov. 6 -- Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said that prisons should no longer be seen as places of punishment, but as schools of transformation that offer inmates a second chance at life.

He said the government's aim is to reform the prison system to focus on rehabilitation, education, and reintegration, rather than punishment. "When implementing the law, it should not be done as a form of retribution but as a means of providing a new beginning," the Minister said, noting that restructuring the prison system is a key priority of the government.

Minister Nanayakkara made these remarks while attending the passing-out ceremony of 177 prison officers and officers of the 104-B Apprentice Training Unit who joined the Prisons D...