Sixty-three inmates from the Nsawam Medium Security Prison have graduated with undergraduate degrees from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) through its College of Distance Education (CoDE).
This significant achievement highlights the transformative power of education as a tool for rehabilitation and second chances.
Among the graduates, three earned First Class honors in Bachelor of Education (JHS Education), while 10 secured Second Class Upper Division. The overall best graduate, Mathew Milluzieh, achieved an impressive CGPA of 3.8.
The graduating class comprised 58 males and five females, all of whom defied the odds to pursue higher education behind bars.
In recognition of their academic success, UCC announced a scholarship package for those wishing to pursue master’s degrees upon completing their prison terms.
In an address read on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Prof. Denis Aheto, commended the graduates for their resilience, acknowledging the challenges of studying while incarcerated. He revealed that UCC had invested nearly ¢2.5 million in waiving tuition fees, hiring tutors, and providing learning materials to ensure that inmates had access to quality education.
“By choosing education, you are making a powerful statement about your commitment to personal growth and positive change. Past circumstances do not define future potential,” Prof. Boampong said.
He appealed to the government, corporate bodies, and NGOs to support the program so that it could be expanded to other correctional facilities nationwide.
Deputy Minister of the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, praised UCC’s initiative, reaffirming the government’s continued support for the Ghana Prisons Service’s rehabilitation programs. He encouraged the graduates to view their degrees as a stepping stone to a better future.
The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, also congratulated the graduates, describing them as pacesetters. She assured them that the service was dedicated to helping inmates further their academic journey and reintegrate into society with valuable skills.
“You now have the opportunity to be changemakers, leaders, and role models,” she said.
Prince Solomon, President of the Plan Volta Foundation, called on the National Identification Authority (NIA) to provide Ghana Cards for the graduating inmates, enabling those who have served their sentences to participate in national service. He also urged the government to offer automatic employment to those with education degrees, particularly in teaching roles.
“We are yet to receive government support for this program, but we urge authorities to step in and help sustain it,” he emphasized.
