Ex -convict returns to prison to sit exams

Nov 02, 2016

A total of 69 inmates have sat for Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education which started yesterday.

Among the inmates who sat for PLE at Luzira Prisons was Agen Walter Okidi, an ex-convict who had spent four years in Kigo Prison. "I was released before I sat for PLE, yet I had already registered.

While ex-convicts fear to move any closer to a detention facility upon discharge, for me I decided to return to Luzira Prisons to ensure I fulfill my dreams, Okidi told New Vision.
 
Though incarcerated, inmates of Luzira Maximum Security Prison still have hope for the future.
 
A total of 69  inmates  have sat for Uganda  Advanced  Certificate   of  Education  which  started  yesterday.
 
Uganda Government Upper Prison Luzira Primary School registered 77 candidates for the exam with two inmates who are on death row.  Among the candidates who sat for the exams only seven were female.

 
 In an interview with Newvision, Gilbert Niwamanya the Head teacher said besides the various security points that require everyone to go through to access prisons, there were no challenges along the way since the exam papers arrived in time.
 
Niwamanya  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."
 
Reports indicate that over 50% of the   inmates  were illiterate at the  time  they  were  imprisoned, but  prison  provides them  with  functional  adult  literacy  classes  as well as  other aspects  of informal  and formal education.
 
Niwamanya, however, says that formal education being rather difficult for adults, most learners drop out opting to join the informal adult literacy programme, before completing their education behind bars.
 
Improvement of the educational system in  jail will  help  to ensure  that prisoners  undergo the necessary  rehabilitation  hence  become responsible  citizens  upon discharge Niwamanya  stated

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});