STATE DEPARTMENT FOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES SET TO ADOPT MODULARIZED COMPETENCY BASED EDUCATION AND TRAINING

By Nicholas Kigondu

The State Department for Correctional Services is collaborating with academic institutions as it moves to ensure incarcerated individuals are provided with continuous access to quality education.

Speaking during a meeting with officials and staff of the Kiambu National Polytechnic, Principal Secretary Dr. Salome Beacco said her department is exploring various options in efforts aimed at ensuring the success of training and education programmes for offenders.

“We want offenders who are passionate about education to benefit from the first day of their incarceration through to and beyond the day of their release,” noted the PS.

According to Kiambu National Polytechnic Principal Sammy Waititu, the institution is providing flexible courses through a modularized Competency based education and training that can be tailor-made to address the needs of the prison population.

“Our system is designed to offer competency-based certificates after every module of three months which allows for exit and re-entry at any given stage,” said Waititu.

The PS challenged the leadership of the polytechnic to consider integrating financial literacy modules in their training noting that significant number of crimes committed by those in prisons were money related.

“Integrating financial literacy across the various courses on offer could greatly reduce criminal acts in the country and in effect reduce overcrowding within our correctional facilities.” Said the PS.

The department, under the leadership of the PS, is implementing a raft of targeted reforms meant to transform the country’s correctional services including enhancing access to formal and vocational training for offenders with the realization that offenders’ education is a cost-effective way to reduce crime and incidences of recidivism.