Enrolling inmates into tertiary institution a step in right direction-Former MP

A Former Central Regional Minister, Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, has stated that UCC’s initiative of enrolling 59 inmates into tertiary education is a step in the right direction.

Background
59 Inmates of the Nsawam medium-security prisons were matriculated to begin their tertiary education at the Nsawam Prisons to study as distant students of the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
Being the first time in Ghana tertiary education has been taken to the doorstep of prison inmates, the initiative is to make sure convicts benefit from their diploma courses while in prison.
The UCC also opened a prison campus inside the Nsawam prisons to help inmates qualified for diploma courses to also benefit.
Reacting to the above on Atinka TV’s Morning Agenda, a segment on Ghana Nie, Aquinas Tawiah Quansah observed that UCC is a pace-setter when it comes to such initiatives, and was optimistic that it will be able to execute the initiative successfully.
“UCC started distance education and it was successful. You will be shocked that out of the 59, two or more inmates will come out with first class. In the next five years you will see other universities buy into the idea when it becomes successful, like what happened with distance education which is being done by other public universities,” he said.
Aquinas Tawiah Quansah urged the inmates not to be discouraged because of their environment, rather strive to achieve something more profitable while in prison.
“The inmates shouldn’t say because of the environment they cannot learn, especially those with hard labour. When you go to some of the prisons like Ankaful, they have some decent facilities that can be used for such programmes. This is a move in the right direction,” he added…
For his part, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikoi South Constituency, Ahmed Arthur expressed excitement about the issue.
He suggested that the prisons employ psychologists and motivational speakers who will encourage the inmates and motivate them on the need to improve themselves while in prison before they go out.
“What I think the prisons need is a psychologist and motivational speakers who will understand the prison environment so that they can go in there and motivate the prisoners to understand the need to improve themselves within the four walls before they come out,” he said.
Ahmed Arthur added that, “There are a lot of young, intelligent and talented guys in there but they are wasting their time because they have no focus and they have no direction; And so we need people who will go in and have an interaction with them, a session with them to bring their minds to certain things that happens outside their world.”
He challenged UCC to make the initiative a national programme to help more inmates, calling on government to provide the facilities in the prisons that will facilitate the teaching and learning process.
“I believe where UCC has taken this initiative to is a good one but they have to go a step further to make this a national programme to help inmates. NGO’s should also take it upon themselves to employ these prisoners because when they come out and they do not get jobs, they end up in same situations got them into prison.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori