More than 1,500 inmates across Ghana's prison facilities have participated in formal education programmes since 2019, with many achieving a 100 per cent pass rate, according to the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs Patience Baffoe-Bonnie (Esq.).

The figures were contained in a statement issued to mark Nelson Mandela International Day, observed annually on 18 July.

Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie said expanding access to education remains a key pillar of the Ghana Prisons Service's rehabilitation agenda, aimed at equipping inmates with the knowledge and skills needed for successful reintegration into society.

"Through collaborations with stakeholders such as the Ghana Education Service and educational institutions, the Service has expanded access to education within the prisons," the Director-General said in the statement, which was shared on social media.

According to the statement, more than 1,500 adult and juvenile inmates enrolled in Junior High and Senior High School programmes across various prison facilities between 2019 and 2026, with many recording a 100 per cent pass rate.

The Director-General also highlighted efforts to expand access to tertiary education for inmates through partnerships with higher education institutions.

"On the educational front, over 700 inmates have benefitted from formal education and have been certified to pursue further studies through partnerships with tertiary institutions such as the University of Cape Coast, Accra Metropolitan University and Pentecost University, among others, with scholarships," the statement said.

Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie explained that the educational programmes form part of the Service's broader Think Prisons 360 Degrees Initiative, which seeks to transform prisons from custodial institutions into centres of rehabilitation, education and skills development.

"These efforts are aimed at equipping inmates with the necessary knowledge, skills, and values to become responsible, productive, and law-abiding citizens," the statement noted.

The Ghana Prisons Service reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that inmates leave prison not as outcasts, but as educated, skilled and productive citizens capable of making meaningful contributions to national development.