By Naa Shormei Odonkor
Kumasi, April 20, GNA – The absence of purpose-built educational infrastructure in prisons is undermining inmates’ right to formal education and hindering their reformation and rehabilitation.
Article 25(1) of the 1992 Constitution guarantees equal access to education for all persons, while Article 25(1b) makes basic education free, compulsory, and accessible.
However, observations by the Ghana News Agency during visits to some prisons in the Ashanti Region revealed the lack of dedicated educational facilities, especially affecting young inmates.
In instances where prison officers create space for learning, inmates are limited to a few selected courses, often not aligned with their interests.
Article 205(2) of the Constitution mandates the Prison Service to ensure the safety, welfare, reformation, and rehabilitation of inmates efficiently.
Chief Superintendent of Prisons (CSP) Mr Richard Bukari, Public Relations Officer of the Kumasi Central Prison, told the Ghana News Agency that formal education remained a key component of inmate rehabilitation and all inmates were entitled to access it.
He said although the government was making efforts to promote education in prisons, the lack of purpose-built infrastructure remained a major challenge.
“Sincerely, inmates’ access to formal education is not up to the standards we expect, but we acknowledge the little strides we are making,” he stated.
CSP Bukari noted that inadequate infrastructure, limited learning materials, and other constraints made formal education unattractive to many inmates.
He added that some inmates were discouraged from enrolling because they could not progress to higher levels of education.
“These challenges make it difficult to convince inmates to pursue education as part of their reformation,” he explained.
He revealed that the Kumasi Central Prison Reformation School did not register candidates for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) due to inadequate preparation linked to poor infrastructure.
The prison currently has 44 inmate students, comprising 21 Junior High School (JHS) learners and 23 Senior High School (SHS) students.
While JHS students study all 11 subjects, SHS inmates are limited to eight courses regardless of their interests.
The available SHS courses include core subjects—English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science, and Social Studies—as well as electives such as Economics, Christian Religious Studies, Geography, and Government.
CSP Bukari called on the government to prioritise improving prison education systems by investing in proper infrastructure.
He proposed building educational facilities near prisons to enhance access, extending free tertiary education to inmates, and encouraging universities to design special programmes for long-term prisoners.
He said such measures would help fulfil inmates’ constitutional rights, reduce illiteracy and recidivism, and improve their chances of successful reintegration into society after release.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Audrey Dekalu