Prisoners performance in national exams drops

The Malawi Prison Service has recorded a decline in both Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) and Primary School Leaving Certificate (PSLC) examination results compared to last year.

This year, 49 out of 70 inmates who sat for the JCE examinations passed, representing a 70 percent pass rate, down from 76 percent recorded last year.

Meanwhile, 27 out of 59 inmates who sat for the Standard 8 examinations passed, representing a 45.7 percent pass rate, a decline from last year’s 58.6 percent.

Malawi Prison Service public relations Officer Steve Meke, has confirmed the results, saying the service is expected to recruit more teachers to help improve education programmes in prisons across the country.

Meke has also commended the government for supporting education in prisons, saying the initiative is helping inmates acquire knowledge and skills that can enable them to become responsible citizens.