Govt asked to run prison institutions

Prison authorities say the schools are producing good results which should not be underestimated.

Kampala

Prison authorities have asked the government to run prison schools after last year’s UCE results showed that education can
reform inmates and resettle them productively into communities.

Mr Anatoli Biryomumaisho, the senior welfare and rehabilitation officer, also the head teacher of Upper Prisons Inmates
SSS, said the strict supervision during the examinations shows that inmates do not cheat and can embrace normal education.

The school, which had eight students in first grade out of 30 that sat for the exams, was ranked 37th countrywide. “I did
not watch television news last night but I am told this school’s performance mesmerised Mr Mathew Bukenya, the Uganda
National Examination Board (Uneb) executive secretary.” He added: “He singled it out while releasing the results which
means whatever we are doing here must not be underestimated.”

Nine students passed in second grade, four in third and five in grade four. Four students did not sit the examinations.
Mr Biryomumaisho said although the Education ministry has posted 25 teachers in the schools, prison authorities were still
struggling to educate inmates. He said there are 343 students in secondary school and 678 in primary section, but the
classrooms are congested. “We have 27 university alumni who have gone through this programme. Next year we are expecting a priest, who is currently in Italy,” he said.

The prison official also said the government should take over the training because it is illegal to run private schools
within government facilities. Yesterday, when journalists toured the schools, they found inmates teaching their colleagues
in one hall divided into classrooms separated by the position of blackboards.

Mr Biryomumaisho said education in prison started as a voluntary initiative in 1997 and has so far attracted 1,116 students
in Luzira.

sotage@ug.nationmedia.com