8 juveniles excel in PLE

Eight juvenile inmates who sat Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) passed in the First Division in the just-released results. Eight others passed in other grades. Similarly, the five juvenile inmates who sat for the O’ Level exams all passed in various divisions. One candidate came in the first division, two in the second division and two others in the fourth division, according to official figures. Speaking to The New Times on Wednesday, the Spokesperson Rwanda Correctional Services (RCS), Chief Inspector of Prisons Hilary Sengabo, said all juvenile inmates who sat for the exams passed. “We are very happy, we managed to teach juvenile inmates, prepared them for the examinations and they have passed. These are children who committed crimes, most of them had dropped out of school. Their success, therefore, is proof that we are both correcting them while providing them a formal education,” said Sengabo. He said RCS works with Rwanda Education Board to ensure that all children, inmates included, enjoy child rights including the right to education. “This is done in a bid to respect the rights of juvenile inmates as they are sentenced according to their respective age and are expected to go back to the society once they complete their sentences,” he added. He said the children who passed PLE would continue at O’ Level while those who completed O’ level are expected to undertake Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) within the prison. There are various trades inside the prison such as electricity, construction, tailoring and hairdressing, according to Sengabo Sengabo said, however, that three of the inmates were lucky to get their exam results at the same time they completed sentences and will go to public schools. Pacifique Itangashaka was the best in PLE with an aggregate 6, while Eric Ndagijimana emerged the best in O’ level with an aggregate of 23, according to RCS officials. Sengabo said that both levels are taught by other inmates and sometimes external teachers. There are about over 370 juvenile inmates in Nyagatare prison. According to the statistics from the Ministry of Education, 86.3 percent of the 228,048 candidates who sat for PLE passed, while in O’ Level about 90 percent of 96,595 candidates passed. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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8 juveniles excel in PLE