Not the end of the road for juvenile offenders

For young offenders at Henry Gurney School, the aim is not simply to serve time but to prepare for what comes next. Education, skills training and rehabilitation are all part of helping them build a different future.

Triyo Kurniawan Kusmadi, director of Henry Gurney School Telok Mas in Melaka, said former residents do not carry a prison record. This matters because such a label could affect their chances of furthering their studies, finding employment, and generally starting afresh.

“That is why I often speak to court magistrates and tell them that young offenders should be sent here,” Triyo told FMT. “You cannot even become a Rela volunteer if you have a prison record. But these young people have a future here.”

For some former residents, that future has taken them into careers they might once have thought were beyond their reach.

“Some have become police officers, firefighters, soldiers, customs officers and immigration officers. They are free to become whatever they want,” added Triyo, who has served with the prisons department for nearly two decades.

“Henry Gurney opens the door. In the end, it is up to them what they choose to do with the opportunity.”

Henry Gurney’s correctional education programme focuses on five areas: academics, religion, sports, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and arts, culture and music.

“When a new resident arrives, we interview them and carry out diagnostic assessments to determine which area suits them best. Our ultimate goal is to make sure they have the skills and confidence to return to society,” Triyo explained.

The range of opportunities is broad. Residents can take up Muay Thai, boxing and weightlifting, or learn practical skills such as sewing, pastry-making, automotive work, electrical work and landscaping.

Music is another avenue. Residents can learn the violin and perform in orchestras or bands, with some even invited to take their performances beyond the institution’s gates.

Some programmes also offer certification recognised by the skills development department, providing a pathway towards diploma-level studies.

There was clear pride in Triyo’s voice as he spoke about residents who had excelled academically.

“In 2023, one of our residents scored 8As and is now studying law at Universiti Utara Malaysia. In 2024, two residents obtained 5As, while another 10 went on to pursue certificate and diploma programmes.”

Such achievements, he believes, also underline the importance of families continuing to support young people during their rehabilitation rather than giving up on them.

At the time of the interview, Henry Gurney School Telok Mas was home to 425 residents – 390 male and 35 female – down from around 800 to 900 before the pandemic.

Triyo said sexual offences involving rape and sodomy accounted for the largest share of cases at 31%, followed by drug-related and other offences.

For him, the barbed-wire fences around the school do not represent a dead end. Rather, they mark a place where a young person can begin preparing for another chance.

“The prisons department and Henry Gurney have done our part, and society also has a role in accepting them. Now, everything depends on the residents and the kind of life they choose for themselves.”

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