A total of 63 inmates from the Nsawam Medium Security Prison have successfully graduated from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) after completing tertiary education programs through the Prison Inmates Tertiary Education Programme (PITEP).

The graduates earned degrees in various fields, including a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Management options) and a Bachelor of Education in Junior High School Education. Their certificates were awarded through UCC’s College of Distance Education (CoDE).

The graduation ceremony, held within the prison facility, was part of UCC’s 57th congregation, marking the first cohort to graduate under PITEP.

PITEP: A Second Chance Through Education
PITEP, an initiative by the Plan Volta Foundation, provides free tertiary education to incarcerated individuals, equipping them with academic and professional skills to enhance their reintegration into society upon release. The program is implemented in collaboration with the Ghana Prisons Service.

Matthew Milluzieh, who emerged as the best student of the graduating class, reflected on how education has transformed their lives.

"We did not enter prison as students, but as individuals in need of reformation. Today, we leave this chapter not only as degree holders but as individuals with renewed ambition, ready to defy the stigma that being an inmate defines one’s future," he stated.

Milluzieh has been serving a 20-year sentence since 2018. In recognition of outstanding academic performance, two other inmates were awarded scholarships to further their education.

Recognition and Government Support
The event honored key stakeholders who played a crucial role in the program’s success, with plaques and citations presented to supporters of inmate welfare and rehabilitation.

Deputy Minister for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, praised the graduates for their resilience, emphasizing that their achievement proves the power of determination and personal growth.

“This milestone should not be seen as the end of your journey. You are now change-makers, leaders, and role models who can inspire others to pursue self-improvement and academic success,” he said.

He commended the Ghana Prisons Service for its innovative approach to rehabilitation and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustaining education-focused initiatives for inmates.

“The government remains dedicated to the rehabilitation of inmates, recognizing it as a crucial aspect of our justice system. We are ready to collaborate with all stakeholders, including civil society organizations, to sustain this initiative,” he added.

The success of PITEP reinforces the transformative role of education, offering inmates a second chance at life and equipping them with the tools to contribute meaningfully to society upon their release.