SIXTEEN convicts, some serving time for murder and rape, will be set free because they have passed the matric exams with flying colours.

The inmates, from the juvenile correctional facility at the notorious Durban Westville Prison, will join thousands of students around the country when they start their tertiary education next week.

They have been serving time for crimes that include murder, attempted murder, culpable homicide, robbery, rape and shoplifting.

Now they have been given a second chance to rebuild their lives.

They completed their matric at Usethubeni Youth School inside the prison.

They are being rewarded with early parole for their hard work in Grade 12 and also for completing half of their sentences while participating in the rehabilitation programmes.

The group did not only manage to simultaneously complete their schooling careers while serving their jail terms - some passed with good grades, making them eligible to study atuniversity.

Sihle Mtshali, 22, who was jailed for attempted murder, is among the top achievers who are set to go to university next week.

He said he was grateful that he passed his matric and might go to university.

"I will hear soon whether I'm going to the university. But I want to go and study for a BCom degree inaccounting," he said.

Mtshali was studying economics, business studies, life orientation, mathematics, accounting, English and he achieved As, Bs, and Cs.

His classmate Braden Ryan, 24, also achieved top marks with distinctions. He was in for culpable homicide and his wish is to study commercial law.

But the early parole comes with a few conditions, said Usethubeni Youth School principal Dominic Zulu.

He said only those inmates who have served at least half of their sentences qualified for the parole.

They also had to be fully rehabilitated to be integrated back into society.

The students will set off to various universities around the country, including the University of Western Cape and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

"It's not the first time that youths from the centre go to universities after excelling in Grade 12.

"Since the school was recognised by the Department of Education, we have produced a number of students who are now qualified chartered accountants and others are in the marketing fields," said Zulu.

Zulu said the centre houses inmates between the ages of 18 and 25, mostly servicing minimum sentences up to 10 years.

"Sometimes inmates in the centre can perform well in Grade 12 but the system does not allow them to be granted parole.

"The perception that you can walk free if you perform well, having completed a minimum of your sentence will not work.

"It's vital that they have served at least half of their sentence," he said.

Westville Prison is the only correctional services facility in the country that is home to a full-time school.

Correctional Services will "keep an eye" on the former prisoners and monitor their progress at the universities.

The inmates' studies are sponsored by various private companies who support the rehabilitation programme.