Prisoner, 42, Writes WASSCE Exam

Fifteen inmates of the Kumasi Central Prisons, including a 42-year-old man, are currently writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in courses such as General Arts and Business, the Prisons Service has announced. The ages of the 15 prisoners, who are serving various jail terms, range from 20 to 25 years, Lance Corporal George Owusu, Assistant Prisons Public Relations Officer (PRO), Ashanti Region, said in an interview with DAILY GUIDE. The PRO refused to disclose the identity of the 42-year-old candidate, adding that nine of the inmates who are writing the examination are males with the remaining six being females. The prisoners were convicted for charges of unlawful entry, assault and stealing, among others. He said the 15 inmates had their education free of charge at the Prison School in Kumasi, noting that he was hopeful that the prisoners presented for the examination would excel. According to him, the Prison School, set up more than a decade ago, is geared towards giving the inmates, mostly the youth, the chance to be educated and obtain certificates just as any Ghanaian youth. He asserted that the authorities of the Prisons Service believe that the inmates could use the certificates obtained during their incarceration years to further their education after they had finished serving their various sentences. With the WASSCE certificate, Lance Corporal Owusu said the inmates would not become a waste or burden on society, stressing that the Prison Service cares about the well-being and proper training of prisoners. He disclosed that the Kumasi Prisons has schools for junior high and senior high levels. Some of the inmates, Lance Corporal Owusu disclosed, are given vocational skills training. Lance Corporal Owusu said the Prisons Service is doing everything within its power to ensure that people that pass through the prison walls are properly reformed to contribute to Ghana�s socio-economic growth.