Luzira Women Inmates Outshine Expectations in UACE Results, Eye Law Degrees

In a powerful demonstration that education can offer a second chance at life, female inmates at the Luzira Maximum Security Prison have recorded stellar performances in the recently released Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results. Several candidates scored above 15 points in arts combinations, outperforming many traditional schools outside the prison walls.

The Luzira Inmate Education Program is run in partnership with the Uganda Prisons Service and various non-governmental organizations. Inmates study under the same curriculum as standard schools, despite severe resource limitations, including limited access to textbooks and zero access to internet research. Instead, they rely on dedicated prison teachers and well-behaved fellow inmates who act as peer tutors.

The best-performing female candidate expressed a desire to enroll in the Bachelor of Laws program under the Makerere University external learning scheme. “I want to study law so I can understand the justice system and help those who are marginalized and cannot afford legal representation,” she said during a celebratory gathering inside the prison wards.

Prison authorities have called upon the Ministry of Education to increase funding for inmate rehabilitation programs. They argue that correctional education reduces recidivism rates significantly, ensuring that when inmates finish their sentences, they reintegrate into society as productive citizens rather than returning to a life of crime.