Dar Es Salaam — WHEN President Jakaya Kikwete paid a visit to the prisons in Dar es Salaam four years ago, he promised to ensure prison environment is improved and prisoners treated humanely.

The President promised that his government would ensure that prisons are facilities meant to help reform prisoners by ensuring they receive their human rights and return them as productive members of the society.

True to his word, in 2007 the first prisoner from Ukonga, Haruna Gombela, graduated with a degree in law putting Tanzania in the history books.

Two years down the lane and another prisoner graduated last Monday with Upper Second Class honours degree in law.

Semayoga Michael Ernest (37) became the second prisoner to graduate with a bachelor degree in law from the Open University of Tanzania (OUT).

The first prisoner, Haruna Gombela, who graduated in the same discipline in 2007, is now taking his Masters degree in Law at the same university.

Both inmates attribute their success to the environment in the prison, which they say has changed for the better, although they feel more still needs to be done.

The Minister for Home Affairs, Lawrence Masha, who was present during the graduation ceremony expressed satisfaction that the prisoner's Reform Program was going well.

"This is a clear indication that the reform exercising of prisoners is on the right track and at the same time this will boost the moral of other prisoners to follow in his foot steps," Mr Masha said.

Mr Masha added that the government was keen on seeing prisoners reformed into productive members of the society once they get out of prisons.

The minister said imparting education and vocational training to the inmates, will give them skills to have a life once they get out of jail.

"Equipping them (the prisoners) with sound education will keep them out of criminal activities, once they complete serving their sentences," he said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is also keen on improving the study environment in prison by working together with the ministry of Education and Vocational Training together with the Open University of Tanzania to improve learning environment in the prison.

"Without any kind of skills, they will be back here in no time but with an educational certificate under their arm, they will not be back in prison," the minister noted.

The three stakeholders will work toward improving the learning environment at the prison by establishing a library and looking for sponsorship for prisoners interested= in pursuing higher learning.

"We want to see more prisoners graduating with degrees in future but this will be done within budget allocation," the minister said.

Semayoga could not contain his happiness when he was awarded the degree by the university's Chancellor, Mr John Samwel Malecela, in a colourful special graduation ceremony held at the Ukonga Prison grounds.

He was all smiles, describing the event as a turning point in his life and promising to assist prisoners, who will need his assistance in legal matters.

He plans to ask for sponsorship from the government and well wishers to enable him enrol for a Master degree in law at the Tanzania Law School in February next year. The sixth born in a family of seven got involved in illicit drug deals that landed him in prison in

Malaysia, where he served seven years before he was brought back to finish his ten-year sentence in his home country.

Set to get out of Ukonga in August 2010, Semayoga plans to keep on assisting prisoner, who according to the graduate, many do not know their basic legal rights.

'Prisoner's rights' is also the basis of his Thesis for his degree. Married with one child who is in Form Six, Semayoga was sponsored by his brother who is a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam and conducts part time teaching at OUT.

His wife is in the United States of America studying. Semayoga said hard work, commitment and determination saw him graduate on Monday but he also attributed the success to the environment at the prison, which he says has changed for the better.

The Commissioner General of Prisons Augustino Nanyaro said reforming prisoners was a priority of the prisons department that would ensure prisoners are equipped with skills to make them productive members of the society once they get out of prisons.

He expressed pride and hope that many more prisoners will be interested in pursuing studies while in prison.

The prison department ensured Semayoga was allocated duties that allowed him enough time to study and help other prisoners prepare their appeals.

"It is the hope of the prison department that this event will sensitize other prisoners to follow in the same footsteps," he noted.

The commissioner General said, the prison department also allows different forms of learning, including distance learning for interested inmates.

"The department knows that education is one of the basic rights of an inmate and we will strive to provide it to those interested," he explained.

He added that the department also provides primary education from Class Five to Class Seven to inmates aged between 16 and 21 years old.

They also provide vocational training in different fields. "Those receiving primary education and who passed their Class Seven national examinations receive presidential pardon to continue with their education," he explained.

Haruna Gombela, who was also clad in a graduation gear expressed pride that Semayoga followed in his footsteps.

Since his graduation in 2007, Gombela says with the help of prison officers, he has helped prepare appeals for many prisoners. He however said the number of those venturing into higher learning was small because many do not have the right qualifications.

"I believe we will be getting more prisoners graduating in future, if the government establishes special classes for such prisoners to help them reach a level that qualifies them to join diploma and degree courses," he explained.