Prisoners in St. Kitts are using their time behind bars to further their education, with the assistance of correctional staff at Her Majesty’s Prison.
Prime Minister, Dr. Timothy Harris, is pleased with efforts to rehabilitate inmates.
Speaking at the first Her Majesty’s Prison Officers’ Awards Service at Immanuel Methodist Church in Sandy Point recently, Harris said there is a significant increase in CSEC/CXC and CAPE subject passes by inmates.
Data from 2012 to 2017, provided by Her Majesty’s Prison, show that in 2012, three residents sat exams in Accounts and English and attained a total of five subject passes; in 2013, thirteen residents sat exams in Accounts, English and Mathematics and attained a total of 17 subject passes.
In 2014, seventeen residents sat exams in Accounts, English, Mathematics and Human and Social Biology and attained a total of 16 subject passes, accumulating a total of 38 passes between 2012 and 2014.
In 2015, 23 residents sat exams in Spanish, Accounts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Principles of Business, Economics and Human and Social Biology and attained a total of 43 subject passes. In 2016, 16 inmates sat exams and returned a total of 33 subject passes in Biology, Integrated Science, Physics, Mathematics, Caribbean Studies, Communication Studies and Integrated Mathematics.
So far this year, two residents sat Social Studies and Principles of Business and attained two subject passes for a total of 78 subject passes between 2015 and 2017.
“They must all be congratulated, and so should all of you (prison officers) for your contribution to their success. These inmates will leave more able to engage in the field of work,” Harris said.
In an interview with the Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister, Superintendent of Prisons, Junie Hodge said officers encourage inmates to take classes and improve their education.
“There are one or two prison residents who have done so well that they too are giving back, because they are helping some of the officers to prepare for their CXC exams as well,” Superintendent Hodge stated.
