56 defy prison walls, pass MSCE

Fifty-six inmates have turned their time behind bars into a step towards a different future after passing the 2026 Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations.

The 56 are among 74 inmates who sat for the examinations, giving the Malawi Prisons Service a 75.6 percent pass rate.

The achievement represents an improvement from last year, when 68.7 percent of inmates who sat for the examinations passed.

Although their circumstances have placed them behind prison walls, the successful candidates have demonstrated that their determination to learn can survive even in confinement.

Malawi Prisons Service Public Relations Officer Steve Meke said the results reflect the importance of keeping inmates engaged through education and other rehabilitation programmes.

“The highest performing inmate has scored 14 points this year, whilst last year scored 16 points,” Meke said.

While the highest individual performance has dropped from last year’s 16 points to 14, the bigger achievement is the increase in the number of inmates who successfully completed their examinations.

Meke said the Prison Service will continue engaging government for support towards prison education, arguing that education can help inmates change their behaviour and prepare for life after prison.

He said educated and engaged inmates have less time to indulge in undesirable practices and can also become role models to fellow inmates.

For the 56 successful candidates, the MSCE results represent more than numbers on a results sheet. They offer a reminder that a person’s circumstances do not necessarily have to define their ambitions.

And for the Prison Service, every inmate who chooses a classroom over idleness is another opportunity to make rehabilitation meaningful and help build safer prisons and communities.