Prisons officers complete training

Forty prisons directors and senior managers drawn from the fourteen prisons completed a four day prison management training on prison systems and correctional strategies. According to the Commissioner General of Prisons, Mary Gahonzire, the training conducted by the International Centre for Prisons Studies (ICPS), centred on international human rights, identification of relevant standards and implementation, problem identification and analyzing options for improvement of prisoners’ welfare. A statement from National Prison Services (NPS) notes that emphasis was also put on management of prisons inspections and how prisons can partner with other stakeholders in the wider justice sector to improve management. “Participants were taught how to improve appropriate regimes for prisoners within the Rwandan setting and how monitoring of these regimes is done. We have at the moment capable young men and women doing the work, but they are not trained as much as our country requires. The training will improve their skills for best practices,” the statement says. It further states that NPS and ICPS are in the process of signing a Memorandum of Understanding regarding training officers to build their capacity in professional prisons management. “For purposes of sustainability, some personnel will soon be given a training of trainers’ course so that they pass on the knowledge to others. The resource persons from ICPS are experts and have helped other countries in practical prison reform projects,” the statement further reads. Ends