Norway marked the fourth anniversary on Wednesday of the deadly attack by right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik by commemorating the victims of his mass murder.

The Local reports that under Norwegian law, prisoners are entitled to receive a university education if they meet the academic requirements. It is unclear why the decision has been reversed. That submission stirred a debate in Norway over whether someone convicted of such a horrific crime should be considered for higher education. Norwegian mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik won a place last Friday to study at Oslo University from solitary confinement in prison, despite outrage at his massacre of 77 people four years ago.

Norway has a rehabilitation-focused justice system aimed at helping inmates prepare for life after they get out, which includes giving them the right to pursue higher education. “He then didn’t meet the admission requirements”.

A spokesperson of the university, Marina Tofting, told AFP that the convict qualified for the programme and was thus admitted.

But, according to a political science professor, Dag Harald Claes, Brevik’s 21-year prison sentence means he is unlikely to be awarded a degree eventually because five out of the nine courses he is expected to study require him to attend university seminars in person. His study will be carried out independently and exclusively in his own cell, Otterson confirmed to Reuters.

Norway will open a “July 22 Centre” next week in Oslo with information and exhibits about the attacks.

“But whether he reads novels or political science books doesn’t matter to us as long as he remains behind bars”.

Breivik also claimed to be part of a secretive, non-existent network of Knights Templar.