Prisoners celebrate matric results
THE TSWELOPELE Correctional Centre in Kimberley yesterday celebrated the 79 percent matric pass rate achieved by the 19 inmates who wrote their the National Senior Certificate examinations last year.
Only four inmates did not make the cut, but they have already applied to write their supplementary examinations, which will commence in February.
The Head of Development at the centre, Oduetse Malefo, congratulated the inmates for pushing through despite the challenges they faced. “Unlike matric pupils who are registered at public schools, the inmates faced challenges regarding access to resources. We asked the Sol Plaatje University for examination papers, which were used to prepare the inmates for their exams. The Department of Education also gave us a screen which was used as a blackboard during classes. Nine teachers were also roped in to assist.
“Despite the challenges they faced, the inmates never gave up hope and persevered until the last day,” said Malefo.
He added that of the inmates who passed, three received bachelor’s degree passes, 11 obtained admission to diploma and one a certificate pass. One inmate obtained a distinction for isiXhosa.
Malefo said the centre’s top achiever, Jasson Statoe, who passed with a bachelor’s degree admission, was released on parole shortly after the exams concluded.
Malefo pointed out that there were options to study further for those who had passed.
“Tswelopele Correctional Centre has been identified as a Unisa hub, which means inmates can register to further their studies at Unisa. The centre is also one of the examination centres for Unisa, so inmates do not have to be transported to another centre to write their examinations.” There were also messages of support from various stakeholders who attended yesterday’s event.
Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Sol Plaatje University, Professor Yunus Ballim, applauded the inmates for their unquenchable thirst for education.
“Your geographical location should not curb you from learning. It does not matter where you are, you have access to learning,” said Ballim.
The Regional Commissioner of Correctional Services, Subashin Moodley, said that although the inmates were incarcerated, they managed to break the boundaries.
“Inmates are in a hopeless situation but you have chosen to remain optimistic. You did not choose a path of despair and death.”
She also pointed out that the 2017 group of matrics from the centre had improved the pass rate by 4.6 percent from 2016.
The Northern Cape MEC for Education, Martha Bartlett, also congratulated the inmates on their performance.
“The inmates have over the past three years proven that they have not let their circumstances stop them from reaching their potential. The centre had a pass rate of 92 percent in 2015, with only one of the 11 inmates failing that year’s examinations. In 2016, when 23 inmates sat for their senior certificate examinations, the pass rate was 74 percent. That percentage has now improved to 79 percent in 2016.
“The increase in the number of inmates who chose to write the examinations is an indication that they have aspired to greater things. It shows that they have not reached a place of hopelessness.”
Bartlett also advised the inmates to strive for a better life.
“You must continue your plans of furthering your studies as some of you will be released on parole and when that happens you will be equipped for employment. The mistakes you made previously resulted in you ending up in this correctional centre .... do not repeat those same mistakes again.”