Two elderly inmates serving life sentences will be among the 17 candidates sitting this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), at Kericho GK main prison.
Speaking to KNA, officer-In-Charge of the Prison, Wilfred Kati, said the prisoners serving various sentences are among those who chose to pursue their primary education after being convicted.
He exuded confidence that the inmates would perform better, noting that the Prison Department had continued to support the education program fully.
“Seventeen prisoners are from Kericho GK main prison while two are from Kericho GK Medium Prison. All will perform well in the national examination since they were adequately prepared by their three trained teachers,” he said.
Kati said education was an effective form of rehabilitation for prisoners, since it provided an opportunity for employment for the released inmates in addition to creating an avenue for the prisoner’s transformation to better persons in their community.
Kati added that security measures and Covid-19 protocols had been finalized, adding that he did not foresee any problem ahead of the exams.
“We will provide tight security for the inmates sitting for their 2021 KCPE at the prison facility. In addition, we will provide face masks as well as handwashing basin with soap and flowing water. Sitting arrangement will be adhered to according to the KNEC examination guidelines, where every candidate has to sit at least 1.2 meters from the next candidate,” said Kati.
One of the trained teachers who doubles up as prison warden, Dennis Mwangangi, said the inmates will perform better than last year since they were adequately facilitated with learning materials.
“This year I am confident that the mean score will be 250 marks up from previous year’s 213. The Prison Department has greatly assisted with learning materials for the inmates preparing for the national examination,” said Mwangangi.
An inmate serving life sentence for murder at the facility, David Kiplangat Tonui, 62, expressed hope he will perform well, saying he had prepared well.
“I am hoping that I will excel in my examinations. I am expecting to score above average. Our teachers have prepared us well and we are ready for it. I opted to go back to school so that I can learn the basics of common law and be able to defend as well as launch my own appeals in court,” said Tonui.
On the other hand, 60-year-old, Richard Kiptanui Mutai, 60 also serving life imprisonment for murder said he opted to go back to school with the hope that one day he will be pardoned and use his education on a business he will set up.
This year’s KCPE exam will be done between March 7 and 10.
By Sarah Njagi
