Kenya largest and oldest correctional facility, the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, is the latest institution in the country to get a new tuition block that will provide inmates with a platform to pursue academic goals and other literacy interests.

The construction of a tuition block is part of ongoing prison reforms to give inmates a second chance in life. The reforms that began more than 20 years ago have seen inmates excel in high school examinations and quality for university where pursue courses in engineering, medicine, law and education, among others. A few others published best-selling books or set up thriving businesses upon release.

Recent assessments put the population of Kamiti Maximum Security Prison in Kenya hat about 4,100 inmates. The facility was originally designed for a capacity of 1,400, the prison that build during colonial era consistently exceeds its capacity, leading to overcrowded living conditions and various challenges such as limited sanitation and violence among inmates.

The prison is famous for housing high-profile inmates and has a complex history, including its role in detaining political prisoners during the Mau Mau Uprising and later political detainees.

The classroom project – courtesy of the M-Pesa Foundation – is part of a broader reform agenda to empower reformed offenders, particularly after expiry of their sentences. The classroom block comprises a staffroom, an ICT lab and an ablution block that create a better environment for inmates to pursue education and skills development.

Speaking during the launch, Correctional Services Principal Secretary Salome Beacco pointed out that the facility will help equip offenders with critical skills to aid their reintegration into society. Dr Beaccon said the fully equipped tuition block will go a long way in advancing formal and vocational training within correctional settings, adding that it will ensure those who benefit from the facility are wholly rehabilitated and reformed.

According to the principal secretary, the prisons department has undertaken a host of reforms to expand both formal education and training programmes.

“These include registering prison facilities as public learning centres and establishing digital and science laboratories to help inmates gain valid academic certificates and successfully reintegrate into society,” Dr Beacco explained.

While appreciating the donation by M-Pesa Foundation, Commissioner General of Prisons Patrick Aranduh noted that it was important to equip inmates with skills and knowledge that would support their reintegration into society, thereby reducing recidivism.

M-Pesa Foundation Executive Director Karen Basiye pledged her organisation’s commitment to supporting the state department in its endeavour. Ms Basiye announced that the foundation will explore the possibility of further collaboration in areas that include health, education, economic empowerment and environmental conservation.

“The options include the possibility of establishing a TVET model workshop in one of the country’s correctional facilities,” Basiye said.

Meanwhile, the initiative to build the facility reaffirms the government’s commitment to strengthen rehabilitation and prepare offenders for successful reintegration into society after s4erving their jail terms.

• A Tell Media / KNA report /