The graduate prisoners serving their jail terms at Kericho medium prison are playing teacher roles by coaching their fellow inmates, who are undertaking their primary and secondary school education while behind bars.
According to the penal institution deputy officer in charge who doubles up as the Principal of the Prison High school, Senior Superintendent of Prisons (SSP) Lennar Chepkirui Chepkwony, prison officials identified two inmates who have Bachelor’s degrees and assigned them the responsibility of preparing the prisoners for their KCPE national examinations in addition to teaching them various subjects in the secondary KCSE syllabus.
She revealed that the penal institution started the prison secondary school on April 27, 2022, with 13 inmates in their Form One class, while those preparing to sit for their KCPE national examinations are 19 at the prison primary school.
“The two graduate prisoners are remorseful for the offences they committed, and if need be, we would wish they would rejoin their teaching careers, and this will be our joy. They are teaching other prisoners who have enrolled for their secondary school education as well as those who are preparing to sit for their KCPE examinations slated for December this year.
They are teaching alongside our qualified prison officers, some of whom have attained university degrees, while others are PI teachers who know exactly what is expected of them as they have schemes of service and their lesson plans are up-to-date,” said Chepkirui.
The prison school principal added that education is an effective form of rehabilitation for prisoners, as it creates an avenue for the inmates to turn their lives around and become better citizens in their communities.
“Education is an important tool of rehabilitation and reformation for prisoners that can change their behaviour and character irrespective of their offences. It provides an avenue for a prisoner’s transformation to become better people in their communities,” said Chekirui.
She noted that currently, the penal secondary school has 13 inmates in their Form One class, along with 19 others who are preparing to sit for their KCPE exam at the prison primary school.
The Principal appealed to well-wishers and people of goodwill to assist them with books and writing materials required for smooth operations at the prison secondary school, as well as funds to construct a Form Two class for next year’s intake.
In January this year, a graduate inmate, Joshua Ondengo, 26, an alumni of the Rongo University class of 2019, who graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Education majoring in Mathematics and physics, was sentenced to serve two years in prison for the offence of obtaining by false pretence.
Ondengo said he is teaching Mathematics and Physics at the prison’s secondary school.
“Once bitten, twice shy, so I am now more focused on my future. I was sentenced on January 18, 2023, and I accepted my fate. I cannot deny the offence, as I purchased a stolen phone, and I am remorseful. I know that my two-year jail term will change me from my previous lifestyle, where I failed to have God in my life and turned to other ideologies, which landed me in jail. I am now teaching my fellow inmates who are pursuing their secondary school education Mathematics and Physics because this is what I majored in and I liked the two subjects. It is my prayer that I start my own farming business once I get released from prison,” he said.
Yet another graduate inmate, Philemon Sigei, 28, an alumni of the Kenyatta University class of 2019 who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education majoring in Physics and mathematics, was sentenced to serve two years in prison in April this year for the offence of swim swapping after he failed to pay a fine of Sh80,000. He is teaching Kiswahili and History at the prison secondary school.
“From the conviction, I have realised I ought to embrace self-discipline, and I have realised I wasted my time. I am teaching inmates enrolled at the secondary school here Kiswahili and history, but I am keen on undertaking my master’s degree upon getting released from prison,” said Sigei.
On the other hand, prison-trained teacher Kenneth Langat, who doubles up as a prison officer, said the inmates are thoroughly prepared for the KCPE national examinations and those undertaking their secondary classes do not miss their daily lessons, adding that he teaches Kiswahili and History for both primary and secondary classes.
Last year, an inmate serving a three-year sentence for possession of illicit brews scored 318 marks in his KCPE at the penal institution but was released on completion of his sentence.
Currently, the prison has its own examination centre, christened Kericho Prison 2, where inmates sitting for their class eight national examinations undertake their KCPE before proceeding for their secondary school education at the prison secondary school.
The male prison facility located in the Keongo area on the outskirts of Kericho town was established in 1965 and currently holds over 400 inmates, serving prison sentences for various offences.
By Sarah Njagi
