At least 12 vocational schools worth Rwf4 billion have been constructed in five correctional facilities across the country.

They include Rwamagana, Huye, Nyarugenge, Nyanza and Rubavu correctional facilities under the support of the Dutch government.

According to George Rwigamba, the Commissioner-General for Rwanda Correctional Services (RCS), the schools will train around 3,000 prisoners in each intake of six months.

 The inmates, he noted, will acquire skills in masonry, plumbing, motor vehicle mechanic, electricity, construction, tailoring, carpentry, leathercraft, ICT, hairdressing and beautification as well as welding.

He said 36 RCS staff have also been deployed in TVET and IPRC schools as part of the long term strategy to hone their skills so they can train the inmates

Johnston Busingye, the Minister for Justice, urged prisoners to avoid recidivism and make use of acquired skills to create employment in their communities once released out of jails.

"Human beings are human whether they are in prison or not. We think about inmates in a sustainable way, give them hope and the future by equipping them with the skills. They are in jail and the next thing for them should be thinking of avoiding bad choice and create employment using the skills," the minister stated.

He said that most of the youth in prison had dropped out of school, and therefore should leverage vocational schools to improve their skills.

 "We can change that story of dropping out of school and pave the entrance, into the job market, for them," he said.

Prisoners speak out

Stanislas Dusabumukiza, one of the inmates who is now acquiring skills said: "I have started to plan about how I will deploy my skills to create jobs once I get out of the jail.  I am ready to approach financial institutions to acquire funding for starting up my own enterprise."

Gaspard Nsabamungu, a former casual labourer and farmer, is keen on acquiring electrical technician skills.

"I also plan to venture into modern farming," he added.

Jean Damascene Musabimana who doing welding said that he had no job before being imprisoned. "The TVET skills will help me to start my business because where I come from there are few wielders."