Exam stress behind bars

This year's school exam period also ended in Saxon prisons. 105 prisoners were to acquire their school leaving certificates, facing the same assignments as any other German student.

Saxony's state secretary of justice, Dr. Wilfried Bernhardt, says, "School and vocational education are an essential part of social rehabilitation in prison. In this way, prisoners are given a much better chance to enter the job market after their discharge. Education can give them a perspective for a life without crime. That is why I am pleased about the large number of graduates."

Besides secondary education, prisoners are also offered different vocational trainings: They can become gardeners, cutting machine operators, mechatronic engineers, carpenters, bricklayers, painters and varnishers, warehouse managers, electronic technicians, printers or media designers.