Use donations wisely, inmates told

INMATES in prisons across the country have been urged to use the educational system, as well as donations which they receive from Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS) partners to better themselves for life after prison.

ZPCS Commissioner-General Paradzai Zimondi said while prisons were there to punish criminals, they were also meant to correct them and set them for a new life after prison.

As such, Comm-Gen Zimondi urged inmates to make use of the educational system in prison, a system he said was aimed at improving their lives for a better future outside prison walls.

In an interview on the sidelines of a donation of seven desktop computers and the official opening of Whawha young offenders counselling rooms by Childline at Whawha Prisons on Wednesday, Comm-Gen Zimondi said the prison education system supported by such partners, managed to turn young offenders into brilliant pupils.

“Our education system here at Whawha has managed to change the lives of some of our inmates,” he said.

“Through the support which we continue to get from our partners like Childline, which has managed to pay examination fees for 17 Grade 7 pupils, 44 pupils for ‘O’ level and 11 pupils for ‘A’ level, we hope to change lives for the better.”

Comm-Gen Zimondi said the inmates who were about to seat for their examinations also went for a career guidance lecture at Gweru Polytechnic College to prepare them for examinations and professions they could consider after secondary education.

“We have these inmates who had the chance to further their education whilst in prison,” he said. “They managed to go for a one day career guidance lecture at Gweru Polytechnic College where they were being advised of what they are supposed to do before sitting for their examinations.”

Childline National Director Mrs Stella Motsi said they were there to encourage the interests of young offenders, as well as the Zimbabwean community.

“We started working together with the ZPCS in 2010 working on quite a number of projects and this year we have managed to donate seven desktops which will be used at the Whawha young offenders counseling rooms,” she said.

“We hope that this young generation will benefit from the little we have given them for they are our tomorrow’s leaders.”