This year, thirty-four prisoners are participating in Ghana’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). This exam is a crucial step in the country’s education system, marking the transition from Junior High Schools to Senior High Schools and Technical Institutions.
The group of candidates comprises all males, including 27 juveniles from the Senior Correctional Centre (SCC), 5 inmates from Nsawam Maximum Security Prison, and 2 from Sunyani Central Prison.
In an interview, DSP Loretta Valentina Amoah, the Greater Accra Regional Public Relations Officer, noted that the inmates have been thoroughly prepared by qualified teachers from the service and the Ghana Education Service. She expressed confidence in the inmates’ ability to excel, saying, “the inmates would pass all the subjects and come out with flying colours.”
However, DSP Valentina Amoah also pointed out that the preparation process faces challenges, such as inadequate teaching and learning materials. She urged the public to assist the inmates, especially juveniles, by donating textbooks and past questions to make learning more effective and enjoyable.
Some inmate candidates expressed their optimism about the BECE, noting their comprehensive preparation by their teachers. They praised the teachers for their dedication and promised to make them proud.
The Ghana Prisons Service introduced formal education to inmates on a pilot basis at the Senior Correctional Centre in 2007, later extending it to other prisons. This initiative aims to equip inmates with basic literacy skills and certificates to aid their reintegration into society.
The first group of 21 juveniles and young offenders took the BECE in 2009, achieving a 100% pass rate. Since then, they have consistently maintained this success rate. Last year, 51 prisoners nationwide sat for the BECE, all of whom passed.
Email Daily Mail GH: stories@dailymailgh.com or
Whatsapp: +233(0)509928122
