The Georgia Department of Corrections hosted a graduation ceremony Thursday to celebrate surpassing their goal of 2,000 GED completions this fiscal year.
The graduation was hosted by Lee Arrendale State Prison, in Alto, and Whitworth Women's Facility, in Hartwell, and celebrated 2,300 incarcerated men and women who have received their GEDs. The goal was reached in May 2017 at Whitworth Women's Facility.
102 female offenders received certificates at the ceremony.
Governor Nathan Deal attended the graduation, along with representatives from the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Paroles representatives presented three graduates with their parole certificates.
The Department’s 12-month GED program measures an individual’s aptitude in science, mathematics, social studies, and language arts. Students must pass tests in each basic subject area to acquire their GED. Part-time and full-time GDC staff members, supplemented by instructors from local technical colleges, deliver the classroom-based instruction and administer the GED tests. The program is available in all state and private prisons, boot camps, residential substance abuse treatment centers, and transitional centers.
