FIFTEEN Mazowe Farm Prison inmates are rubbing shoulders
with Mazowe High School students sitting for Ordinary Level examinations, a
senior Correctional Officer has said.
Officer in charge of Mazowe Prison, Superintendent Francis
Makonese said through the support from their provincial office, they have
managed to register an Examination Centre with ZMSEC and their inmates are now
able to sit for their Grade Seven, O’Level and A Level examinations.
He said this in his speech at the Africa Prison Day
celebration held at Mazowe Farm Prison on Saturday.
“We are celebrating this day under the African Correctional
Service Association (ACSA) theme ‘Deepening Reforms in African Prisons, a
Critical Objective’,” said Supt Makonese.
“Rehabilitation is key to deepening reforms in prisons and
it is therefore imperative that Mazowe Prison embarks on rehabilitation
programmes that seek to empower, restore the lost functioning ability among
inmates and make them law abiding citizens who are ready to contribute
meaningfully towards the development of their community and country.
“We hope to produce lawyers, doctors and teachers through
our educational programmes. “This year we have registered 15 candidates who are
currently sitting for ‘O’ level examinations.
“Allow me to express my sincere gratitude to our neighbour
Mawzowe Boys High School who are assisting us on how to conduct the
examinations as our centre is in its infancy,” said Supt Makonese.
He appealed to all civic and faith based organisations, the
corporate world and stakeholders as well as some individual persons and the
whole community at large that we are open for collaborative engagements that
aim to improve the welfare of our offenders as well as fight stigma that is
normally associated with imprisonment.
Supt Makonese said Mazowe Farm Prison’s core business is
farming and their activities have created a fertile ground on which meaningful
rehabilitation can take place as most inmates partake in them not only to
produce enough for commercial purposes but with a primary view to gain relevant
life survival skills for their sustainable livelihoods.
He said the development impacts positively on inmates,
families and the country’s socio-economic growth.
Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Service chief staff
officer of Mashonaland Central province Rutendo Mandinyanya graced the
celebrations that saw some inmates from Bindura meeting their families.
Faheem Somanja, Mazowe Boys High School and Fireforce Band
provided entertainment. H Metro
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