By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Cape Coast, May 07, GNA – Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP) Joseph Asabre, the Central Regional Commander of the Ghana Prisons Service, has advocated for prison schools to be included in the national school feeding programme.
He explained that access to adequate nutrition would help inmates to concentrate better in class and fully participate in vocational training, while supporting rehabilitation and reintegration efforts.
Feeding inmates properly, according to him was essential not only for their health and dignity, but also for effective learning and training within the prison system.
To him, prison education remained a critical tool for reform, as it equipped inmates with literacy, numeracy and practical skills needed to reduce recidivism and improve their socioeconomic prospects after incarceration.
DDP Asabre made the appeal when Mr Daniel Kwasi Ahiamah, the Executive Director of the Complementary Education Agency (CEA) and his staff presented quantities of assorted drinks, teaching and learning materials to the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality of the Central Region.
The delegation also interacted with some inmates who had taken up formal education while in prison to build their capacity to live dignified lives after their incarceration.
DDP Asabre commended the government for increasing the feeding grant for inmates from 1.8 pesewas to GH¢5 per inmate per day.
However, he said the amount remained woefully inadequate to meaningfully provide sufficient meals for inmates.
Lamenting other challenges, DDP Asabre expressed concern about how the lack of furniture had forced inmates seeking formal education to learn in uncomfortable conditions causing physical discomfort, poor concentration, fatigue, reduced participation, lower academic performance and discouragement from education.
Another pressing issue, according to him, was the lack of teaching and learning materials particularly books, notebooks, pens, charts and other basic classroom resources.
The situation, he said, hindered effective teaching, independent study, lesson revision, leading to weak understanding, poor knowledge retention, low exam performance and frustration for both teachers and inmates.
He said the facility lacked a modern library with reading materials and computers for ICT training, denying inmates access to textbooks, reference resources and essential digital skills, leaving students disadvantaged in examinations.
Also, many of the inmates, according to him, produced art and crafts to stay productive and build post-release skills, but these items often remained unsold on shelves due to few buyers, despite the time and efforts invested.
The situation, he said had led to discouragement, lost motivation, reduced interest in vocational training, limited self-reliance and missed income for personal support or materials.
He made a strong call for support from government agencies, philanthropists, civil society organisations, churches, businesses and the public.
Supporting the purchase and promotion of inmates’ crafts he said would not only help them financially but also build their confidence and prepare them for productive lives after release.
“If given the right support, prison craft work can become a powerful tool for rehabilitation, empowerment, and reintegration,” he said.
He said the donation aimed to empower prisoners with knowledge and skills for rehabilitation and reintegration into society, fostering personal development and reducing recidivism.
He expressed the Agency’s firm commitment to supporting complementary education for inmates, in line with its mandate to provide non-formal education opportunities to out-of-school children, adolescents and adults across the country who lacked access to mainstream schooling.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey /Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Isaac Arkoh