The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has conferred bachelor’s degrees upon 63 inmates of the Nsawam Medium Security Prison in the Eastern Region through its College of Distance Education (CoDE).
This initiative, aimed at providing tertiary education to incarcerated individuals, underscores UCC’s commitment to inclusive education.
Academic Achievements:
Bachelor of Education (JHS Education): Three inmates graduated with First Class honors; 10 with Second Class Upper Division; 19 with Second Class Lower Division; six with Third Class; and one with a Pass.
Bachelor of Commerce (Management): One inmate earned Second Class Upper Division; seven obtained Second Class Lower Division; three received Third Class; and six secured Passes.
Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting): Two inmates achieved Second Class Upper Division; two attained Second Class Lower Division; one received Third Class; and two secured Passes.
The graduating class comprised 58 males and five females. Notably, Mathew Milluzieh was recognized as the Overall Best Graduating Student, achieving a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.8.
Support and Recognition:
In recognition of their academic excellence, UCC, represented by Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Denis Aheto and CoDE Provost Professor Anokye Mohammed Adam, awarded special prizes to the First Class graduates.
The university has also pledged scholarship packages to these graduates, enabling them to pursue master’s programs with CoDE upon completing their prison terms.
Institutional Commitment:
Vice-Chancellor Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, in a speech delivered by Professor Aheto during the 9th Session of the 57th congregation, highlighted UCC’s investment of nearly ₵2.5 million to waive tuition fees for inmate education.
He emphasized the university’s dedication to ensuring that inmates willing to pursue tertiary education are not denied this opportunity.
Professor Boampong also called upon organizations such as GETFUND, the Scholarship Secretariat, NGOs, corporate bodies, and compassionate individuals to collaborate with UCC to sustain and expand this program to other correctional facilities nationwide.
Government and Prisons Service Support:
Deputy Minister of the Interior, Mr. Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, affirmed the government’s commitment to supporting rehabilitation programs within the Ghana Prisons Service.
He commended UCC for its proactive approach to inmate rehabilitation and encouraged the graduates to view this achievement as the beginning of a new chapter, utilizing their acquired knowledge and skills to build better futures.
“Government remains committed to the continuous rehabilitation of all inmates because we recognise it as an essential component of our justice system. So we are ready to partner with all stakeholders, including civil society organisations (CSOs) to achieve this goal,” he reaffirmed.
Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, praised the collaboration between Plan Volta Foundation and UCC in bringing tertiary education to inmates.
She urged the graduates to apply their knowledge for societal benefit and expressed the Prisons Service’s readiness to support inmates in furthering their education, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning for employability post-incarceration.
This milestone reflects a significant step towards the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates, demonstrating the transformative power of education in fostering personal growth and societal contribution.
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