The matric 2020 inmate pass rate has increased to 86.3% for full-time students and 81.3% if part-time students are included.
The announcement was made by Minister of Justice and Correctional service Ronald Lamola at the release of matric 2020 results at the Leeuwkop Prison on Thursday.
The matric inmate class of 2020 pass rate surpassed the Department of Education’s national 2020 pass rate of 76.2% and that of the leading province, Free State of 85.1%, Lamola gloated.
The matric inmates got 76 distinctions and 78 bachelor passes.
The inmate with the highest mark of 80.6% is Lwazi Tshabeni registered at Usethubeni Youth School in Durban. Tshabeni also achieved four distinctions.
“The performance is a great affirmation to the transformation journey the Department of Correctional Services has embarked on in rehabilitating prisoners. We are pleased with these results,” said Lamola.
He urged the matriculated inmates to further their studies and apply for bursaries.
“We do not pay for inmates higher education fees, their families do or they apply for bursaries,” he clarified.
Inmate pass rate the previous 5 years:
2015 - 72.9%
2016 - 72.1 %
2017 - 76.7%
2018 - 77.3%
2019 - 82.6%
Lamola said the pandemic had also affected the teaching and learning of the inmates.
He said the inmates were registered at 17 schools with normal set up classrooms, as per any public school. However, when the lockdown started, the inmate students were unable to attend the classes and therefore depended on online digital learning and on radio and television teaching and learning programmes.
He said the inmates were also housed in separate cells in order for them not to be distracted.
“We have 140 000 inmates, across the country. We can’t afford to leave them out on the country’s economy nor the education system. They can make vital contributions to society’s upliftment. And for the DCS, education is a fundamental pillar of rehabilitation,” he said.