Omar Khadr, through the help of his lawyer and a Canadian university professor, is receiving an education while in prison in Guantanamo Bay.

The 24-year-old, who was born in Toronto, has been in the American detention camp since his 2002 capture in Afghanistan, and recently pleaded guilty to charges which will see him serve seven of his eight year sentence in Canada.  

The process of his education began after Khadr “showed a great desire to be educated,” his Canadian lawyer, Dennis Edney, said.

“So I made an arrangement for these officials to come out and supply him with educational materials provided by Arlette Zinck,” Edney said.

Zinck, a professor at the King’s University College in Edmonton, Alta., first met Edney at a 2008 conference at King’s titled “Invisible dignity,” she said.

“A variety of speakers were involved and one of them was Mr. Edney,” Zinck explained.

Ever since, the student community became engaged with the issue.

“They began an odyssey of learning where they spent months reading back issues, speaking to federal politicians, writing letters, speaking with journalists and out of that grew a series of student activities,” she explained.

Eventually some students began writing letters to Khadr, which Edney facilitated, Zinck said.

Edney explained that although Khadr’s learning is not an officially approved course, he hopes to eventually see him pass a Grade 12 test and earn a university degree in Canada.

Currently Khadr is receiving materials from Zinck that range in subject from English to math, Edney said, adding that he is also writing essays and answering questions about the material.

Khadr is pleased with the educational process so far, he is frustrated by the fact Guantanamo is not facilitating an education program.

“After his sentencing we spoke with authorities about education and they described a punitive detention policy,” Edney said. “They essentially said they’d do nothing,” but that they were welcome to try their own initiatives.

Regardless of issues with the facility itself, Zinck said she is happy to help with Khadr’s rehibilitation despite difficult circumstances.