MAKHADO – Inmates at the Makhado Correctional Services, who used education as the only means to change their presence circumstances, celebrated their graduation ceremony held at the prison on Tuesday.

According to a prison warder, Ms NV Ledwaba, Stanley Khosa, Conwell Mabasa, Emmanuel Foromo, Godfrey Makhado, David Makwela and Thomas Masithi have all completed the Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) levels. “These offenders are like ants; if you try to block them, they climb up, climb around and climb under,” she said.

On behalf of the offenders, Emmanuel Foromo from Ha-Kutama said that Mrs Ledwaba gave them faith that, when they get out, they are not going to commit crime, but work. He said that, by empowering them with education, the Correctional Services made them realise that education is the personal engine of achievement.

Foromo completed his senior certificate in 2001 and presently he has enrolled for LLB with the University of South Africa.

The head of ABET in the Department of Education in the Vhembe district, Mr Love Masia, said that offenders must understand that they are in prison in order to be rehabilitated. “It doesn’t matter where you are acquiring your education from; even here in this prison, there is no department of education. The education you are obtaining is the same as other people out there they are acquiring,” he said.