International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue XII, December 2022|ISSN 2454-6186
The Status of Prison Education in Selected Correctional Facilities of Western Zambia.
Mate Situmbeko1 and Kalisto Kalimaposo2
1Kambule Secondary School, University of Zambia, Zambia
2University of Zambia, School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Sociology and Special Education, Zambia
Abstract: This study investigated the status of rehabilitation education in selected correctional facilities of Western Zambia. The study was located within an interpretive qualitative paradigm and used an embedded case study approach built on the premise that reality has multiple layers and is complex. The study involved 43 participants selected through purposive sampling techniques from three correctional institutions in Western Zambia. Data was mainly collected through one-to-one interview. Focus group discussions and observation were also used to triangulate data obtained through one-to-one interviews. The objectives of the study were; to establish the nature of teaching and learning in selected correctional centres; to investigate the learning environment in selected correctional centres, to assess the benefit of correctional education provided in correctional centres to inmates and to find out the challenges faced in the provision of correctional education in selected correctional facilities of Western Zambia. The study observed that learner centred methods were limited, teachers could not apply methods like group discussions due to various factors. The study also revealed that correctional education centres were grossly under resourced in terms of teaching and learning materials. Classroom infrastructure was inadequate and not conducive for learning. The study recommended inter alia that correctional centres should be more receptive to other stakeholders and partner with other organisations in addressing their educational challenges. Additionally, curriculum review should be considered to suit the needs of inmates as most of them were adults.
Key words: Correctional education, rehabilitation, inmate, curriculum, prison.
I. INTRODUCTION
A correctional facility, is a facility in which inmates are forcibly confined and denied a variety of freedoms under the authority of the state. In simplest terms, a correctional facility can also be described as an institution in which people are legally held as a punishment for a crime they have committed. On the other hand, correctional education refers to a wide variety of education programs available to men and women under correctional supervision. The types of programs range from basic skills training to college and vocational training that provide the skills necessary for people to obtain employment upon release (Sepeto, Kalimaposo, Mubita, Milupi and Mundende, 2022).
The introduction of correctional education started as elementary education in Zambia. It was introduced to prisoners in Northern Rhodesia and during that time, special attention was given to whites only, blacks were not given the opportunity