Matriculants writing the 2011 exams in three of the country’s jails achieved an 80 percent pass rate and are expected to further their education through correspondence.
Seventy-six inmates sat for the exam in the centres which offer matric across the country and are expected to apply to tertiary institutions soon, Nontsikelelo Jolingana, Chief Deputy Commissioner: Development and Care for Correctional Services, said yesterday.
“Our matriculants have done very well, given their circumstances. We are proud of them,” she said.
The highest achiever came from KwaZulu-Natal’s Use Thubeni School in Westville where 31 matriculants sat for their exam. N Malember, got two As, two Bs, two Cs and one D.
Gauteng had 28 inmates sit for the exam while 31 wrote matric at Port Elizabeth’s St Albans School.
“Gauteng achieved a 65.4 percent pass rate and 46.7 percent passed in Port Elizabeth,” Jolingana said.
Correctional Services pays for inmates’ education up until they write their matric exams. They are allowed to write their matric exams up until they are 23.
“We encourage and support them if they decide to study further but ask their families to pay for tertiary education. A lot of inmates enrol with institutions of higher learning, through correspondence and they go on to pass very well,” Jolingana said.
“Seven inmates from KZN recently enrolled with University of Port Elizabeth. We moved them to that city so they can be near the institution,” she said. – Ntando Makhubu