Inmates need learning space, furniture and scholastic materials

Kampala Capital City Authority ED Jennifer Musisi interacts with an inmate(Picture by Godiver Asege)

EDUCATION

LUZIRA - About 15 learners squeeze on small benches listening to their English teacher as he takes them through lessons.

These are primary three inmates of Luzira upper prison acquiring knowledge. Despite these hardships, learners are keen to have their lessons.

During a visit to the prison, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), executive director Jennifer Musisi, expressed her concern over the lack of scholastic materials, yet learners are interested in studying while they serve their sentence.

While handing over desks to the prison management, Jennifer Musisi called upon development partners, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), and the private sector to support the prison learners, whom she said have the interest of studying but are constrained by the limited space and furniture.

 Kampala Capital City Authority ED Jennifer Musisi interacts with an inmate(Picture by Godiver Asege)

"As KCCA, we pledge our continued support towards the prisoners' welfare, as they can become useful members of the community. Together we can make the lives of the inmates better," Musisi said.

The Officer in Charge of Luzira Upper Prisons, Moses Ssentalo told Musisi and a team of officials from the education directorate that there are 3,000 male inmates serving life sentences, with other prisoners serving long term sentences, and only 874 are in school.

Ssentalo however said that they are financially constrained adding that they need support from the public and private sectors in order to meet the government target of education for all.

He also said that their primary school needs to be given a Universal Primary Education (UPE) status saying that currently, it is a private school with inmates acting as teachers.

In Luzira prison, education is free, with government and NGOs providing scholastic material.

According to Ssentalo, students who had already started education from outside prison are expected to provide reliable documents before they are enrolled into the system.

The Senior Superintendent of Prison Jacob Kivumbi advised the learners to take advantage of the education while in prison, urging that they may be set free from Prison and use their papers to earn a leaving.

Head teacher speaks out

The head teacher Upper Prison's schools, Gilbert Niwamanya explained that there are three schools in the Upper Prison, which include Upper Prison's Primary School, Upper Prison Secondary and Upper Prison Inmates' University study Centre.

Niwamanya said that with a total enrollment of 458 primary pupils, the primary school has 28 teachers who are inmates, the secondary school having 339 students with 47 teachers who teach in others schools within the prison.

 Kampala Capital City Authority ED Jennifer Musisi addresses inmates (Picture by Godiver Asege)

"The Upper Prison Primary School and its satellite campus are run entirely by inmate teachers.

Other education services offered in Luzira include; carpentry, tailoring, mechanical and electrical engineering.