By Burnett Munthali
Prisoners sitting for national examinations this year have recorded a 70 percent pass rate at Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) level, while results for Standard 8 candidates stood at 45.7 percent.
According to figures released by the Malawi Prisons Service, 49 of the 70 candidates who sat for the JCE examinations were successful. At Standard 8 level, 27 out of 59 candidates passed, representing a pass rate of 45.7 percent.
Malawi Prisons Service public relations officer Steve Meke confirmed the results, saying the latest performance showed a mixed picture when compared with the previous year.
Meke said Standard 8 candidates recorded a higher success rate last year, with 58.6 percent passing, while the JCE pass rate stood at 76 percent.
Despite the decline in the overall performance at both levels, the Prisons Service says it remains committed to strengthening access to education for inmates as part of efforts to prepare them for productive lives after serving their sentences.
Meke said the service plans to recruit additional teachers to strengthen learning programmes in prisons across the country. The move is expected to increase the availability of teaching personnel and improve the quality of education offered to inmates.
He also commended the government for continuing to support education programmes within the prison system, saying investment in learning provides inmates with an opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that can help them reintegrate into society.
Meke said education plays an important role in helping prisoners change their lives and become responsible citizens when they return to their communities.
The Prisons Service views education as an important component of rehabilitation, giving inmates opportunities to improve their academic qualifications while developing skills that can contribute to their future livelihoods.
