A total of 74 inmates have successfully graduated, receiving diplomas in entrepreneurship and small business management from Makerere University Business School (MUBS).
Among these inmates, 44 achieved first-class honors, 27 received second-class upper honors, and three attained second-class lower honors.
The graduation ceremony took place at the Upper Maximum Prison in Luzira, and it was attended by the Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, representing the Internal Affairs Minister.
Dr. Byabashaija commended the inmates for their remarkable achievements and emphasized the transformative power of education, highlighting that Article 30 of the constitution grants all individuals, including inmates, the right to education.
“To the inmates, I have noticed that most of you are young people. You still have a lot of life to live. Use your time in this correctional facility to reflect on your life, accept full responsibility of your choices and take the necessary efforts to put yourself on the path to a successful life inside and outside prison. Take time to reflect on choices that led you here and those you will make going forward.”
Minister Gen Kahinda Otafiire also praised the efforts of the Uganda Prisons Service in promoting education within the correctional facilities, aligning it with the Uganda Vision 2040, which views education as a key element of social transformation.
He encouraged the young inmates to use their time in prison to reflect on their choices and take responsibility for their actions. He emphasized that education not only empowers inmates but also carries the responsibility to use knowledge for good and make positive contributions to society.
Otafiire emphasized that second chances are not merely given but earned, urging the inmates to use this opportunity to improve their lives, serve as an inspiration to others, and benefit from government programs aimed at empowering citizens.
The Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, praised MUBS for its role in training the inmates and expressed the intention to extend such educational services to regional prisons across the country, including facilities in Mbale, Mbarara, Gulu, and those housing female inmates.