BY JULIET METTLE-EDMONDS
Three out of sixty-three inmates at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison have graduated with First Class Honours in a Bachelor of Arts degree program at the University of Cape Coast’s College of Distance Education.
The initiative, spearheaded by the university, aims to provide inmates with opportunities to advance their education beyond the senior high school level.
A total of sixty-three students—comprising fifty-eight males and five females—graduated with degrees in Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Education. Among them, three earned First Class Honours, thirteen attained Second Class Upper, twenty-eight received Second Class Lower, ten secured Third Class, and nine obtained passes.
The inmates’ tertiary education program began in November 2019, enrolling 58 inmates into degree programs in education, commerce, and junior high school education. Today, the college has expanded to accommodate 300 student inmates.
To support the reformation and rehabilitation of inmates, the Ghana Prisons Service, in collaboration with the University of Cape Coast and with sponsorship from the Plan Volta Initiative, introduced the program to enable inmates to further their education beyond the secondary level.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto, announced that the college will award scholarships to inmates to help them continue their education.
The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Madam Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, urged the students to strive for more than just academic excellence. She encouraged them to undergo a complete transformation of mindset, empowering them to lead meaningful and impactful lives beyond prison walls.
Deputy Interior Minister Mr. Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi commended the graduates for their efforts in achieving academic success despite being in custody.
Plans are underway to replicate the University of Cape Coast’s College of Distance Education in other prisons, with additional academic programs set to be introduced in the near future.
