adminPaul Pindani in CHINHOYI
THE Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS) is committed to changing lives through the psycho-motors skills training of inmates in various courses, a senior correctional officer has said.
These remarks were recently made by ZPCS Deputy Commissioner-General, Christine Manetswa Manhivi, during a tobacco processing training graduation ceremony at Tobacco Research Board (TRB) in Banket.
Fifteen inmates, and two correctional officers, graduated after undergoing a one-year course in Tobacco Production.
Manhivi said the tobacco training course, together with other skills, were part of a rigorous regime of rehabilitation activities for inmates.
She said the provision of psycho-motor skills, sports and recreation activities and counselling, is proving to be a solid foundation, on which the ZPCS is building its methods of rehabilitation.
“These programmes are meant to add value to the inmates and ensure that they survive by riding on such imparted skills, which are key in widening their livelihood opportunities, once released from prison,” said Manhivi.
She said the ZPCS was now putting a lot of emphasis on psycho-motor skills largely due to the unwillingness of the outside world to employ the ex-inmates.
“This is a dilemma which needs an open-minded approach from both the outside world and Government to solve,” she said.
She said ZPCS has farms, which are potential top tobacco producers, such as Ridigita Prison Farm in Marondera and Hurungwe Prison Farm.
“This training programme is, therefore, important and leaves me to appeal to the outside world not to shun inmates who will have been released from prison,”said Manhivi.
She said the 21st century approach to rehabilitation of inmates needs community participation.
Since 2005, about 275 trainees, comprising 260 inmates and 15 officers, have benefited from the training courses.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter