63 inmates sit for PLE at Luzira

By Petride Mudoola

THOUGH incarcerated, inmates of Luzira Maximum Security Prison still have hope for the future.

 A total of 63 inmates sat for their Primary Leaving Examinations which started yesterday.

Among the candidates who sat for the Primary Leaving Examination was a 60 year old Ramadan Magara who is serving a 14 year jail sentence on manslaughter for the 2006 killing of two supporters of opposition leader Kiiza Besigye at Bulange.

Uganda Government Upper Prison Primary School registered 72 candidates for this year’s Primary Leaving Examination, of these 3 are female. Of the 60 male prisoners, 7 are on death row according to the headteacher Anatoli Biryomumaisho.

In an interview with New Vision, Magara said that he decided to enroll in the Prison education because before his arrest he used to find challenges competing on the job market since he lacked the proper qualifications.

 “Instead of sinking into despair, I choose to use the free education system offered in prison to achieve my goals. I have ended up attaining formal education which I was not able to attain outside,” said the primary three drop out.

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Lieuteneant Ramadhan Magara talks to his head teacher Anatoli Biryomumaisho shortly after sitting his mathematics paper at Luzira Maximum Security Prison. Photo by Petride Mudoola

“Previously, I was facing challenges communicating to my children in English. Having found free education in jail, I want to use this as a golden opportunity to achieve my goals and that’s why lam determined to leave prison a learned man,” Magara maintained.

Biryomumaisho highly praised Magara’s behaviour and noted that his performance is above average and that he will be in position to attain good grades in the examinations.

Anatoli observed that, “Having received a number of teachers from the Ministry of Education and Sports, education behind bars will probably improve and this year’s candidates are expected to perform better than the previous years.”

Improvement of the educational system in jail will help to ensure that prisoners undergo the necessary rehabilitation hence become responsible citizens upon discharge the head teacher said.