Jubilant Scenes at Luzira Prison as Inmates Excel in UCE Exams

There was jubilation at Luzira Upper Prison as all 27 students who sat for the 2024 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams excelled, qualifying to advance to the next level of their education.

Among the candidates, 26 were male, one was female, and one was on death row, making the achievement even more remarkable.

The head teacher of Luzira Upper Prison Inmates School, Gilbert Niwamanya, attributed the relatively low number of candidates to recent changes in the education curriculum, which led many inmates to opt out.

"The change in the curriculum affected many of our learners. Some found it difficult to cope, while others chose not to continue. That is why we had a smaller number sitting for UCE this year," Niwamanya explained.

Despite the challenges, the performance of the inmates was commendable, with Fine Art emerging as the best-performing subject. However, Physics, which is part of the science curriculum, proved to be more difficult.

Bosco Oyoo, an inmate and head teacher at the school, highlighted the lack of access to well-equipped laboratories as a major factor impacting performance in the sciences.

“Fine Art was our best subject this year. However, we struggled with sciences, especially Physics, because we lack proper laboratory facilities. This greatly affected our performance,” Oyoo said.

Among the 27 candidates was 25-year-old Kaweesi Joweria, the only female inmate to sit for the 2024 UCE exams. Kaweesi performed admirably, scoring four Cs, one A, and one D.

Having been imprisoned at the age of 17 in 2016, Kaweesi reflected on her journey, noting that while five female inmates initially registered for the exams, four dropped out due to health complications and personal challenges.

“We were five at the beginning, but along the way, some faced health issues while others couldn’t balance studies with their circumstances in prison. I am grateful I managed to complete the exams,” Kaweesi shared.

Kaweesi had hoped to continue her education outside prison but was disappointed when her appeal to the High Court was denied.

“I was hopeful that I would get a chance to study outside prison, but when my appeal was rejected, I had to accept my reality. Now, I am focusing on completing my education while still here,” she said.

Despite these setbacks, Kaweesi remains determined to pursue a career in accounting or journalism once she is released. “My dream is to become an accountant or a journalist when I finally regain my freedom. I believe education will open doors for me,” she said with optimism.

Similarly, 61-year-old Jamil Kafeero, the oldest candidate, expressed his ambition to study law once he is freed.

“It is never too late to follow your dreams. I have always wanted to study law, and now that I have passed UCE, I am one step closer to achieving that goal,” Kafeero said.

The outstanding performance of the inmates has brought attention to the potential of education as a transformative tool behind bars.

Prison authorities are hopeful that such success stories will inspire more inmates to pursue their education and help foster positive change within the prison system.