Prisoners score 96% pass in PLE, fail to get first grade
What you need to know:
- Pass rate. Of the 62 candidates registered, 31 scored second grade, while 19 passed in third grade, 11 in fourth division, with only two failing and six were absent.
The majority of inmates who sat the 2019 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) at Luzira Inmates Primary School have passed.
The PLE results released on Friday shows that of the 62 candidates registered, 31 scored second grade, while 19 passed in third grade, 11 in fourth division, with only two failing and six were absent.
Prison officials said those marked as absent did not sit for the exams due to early release, while others were out to attend court sessions.
Mr Gilbert Nuwamanya, the head of Luzira Prisons Inmates Education Services, described the performance as ‘good’, although he had hoped for better results. He said unlike the previous year 2018, the school did not register any first grade.
“The results were good, despite the unique challenges faced by the candidates. The situation under which inmates study is affected by lock-up time, no revision at night and they are faced with different conditions,” Mr Nuwamanya said.
He said two candidates, Hadija Namyalo and Richard Mayende, scored Aggregate 14, while 56-year-old Jamiru Kafeero scored Aggregate 28.
“Ninety-six per cent of our candidates passed and they will join secondary school and only four per cent who failed will be given a second chance to study in primary section. We thank God because the results have been released when all our candidates are alive,” he said.
The 62 candidates at Luzira are part of 226 inmates who registered for PLE from 14 different prisons across the country.
Mr Anatoli Biryomumaisho, the head of Education Services at Uganda Prisons, said their performance has grown over the years.
He said the Prisons Service has a plan to establish a primary school in every administrative region.
Mr Biryomumaisho said the candidates who passed their PLE will join each of their five secondary schools.
“Our education in prison is fully fledged. We have a non-formal skills development programme in Uganda Prisons. Our artisans, apprentices and trainees are assessed and certified by the Directorate of Industrial Training under the Ministry of Education and the award is the Trade Test Certificates,” Mr Biryomumaisho said.
He added that education in prisons is rehabilitative and it combines the secular with other soft skills training in areas of conflict resolution, anger management, peacemaking, parenting and stress management, among other skills.
