Breaking Education Barriers: UCC Takes Distance Education to Prisons
Story: GEORGINA APPIAH
The University of Cape Coast has so far graduated sixty-three (63) inmates at Nsawam Medium Security Prison, positioning UCC as a global pioneer in inclusive and rehabilitative education.
Dubbed; ‘Prison Education Programme’, it began as a visionary partnership with the Plan Volta Foundation to provide tertiary education to the inmates.
Despite early funding constraints, UCC boldly absorbed the full cost of the programme, providing tutors, learning materials and academic support.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, made the disclosure at the 10th to 15th sessions of the 57th Congregation of UCC.
“On 27th March 2025, 63 inmates graduated through this initiative, an achievement that has drawn international acclaim and positioned UCC as a global pioneer in inclusive and rehabilitative education”, he explained.
He maintained that “this Programme stands as a powerful testament to our belief that education is a universal right, capable of transforming lives, restoring hope and rebuilding futures”.
The Vice Chancellor indicated that three major facilities, including; Agona Nyarkrom and Dominase campuses and the CoDE studios and E-conference facility in the main UCC Campus had been completed.
He announced that the Agona Nyarkrom, Dominase and Accra campuses had now received full accreditation and officially recognized as satellite campuses of the University of Cape Coast.
”Nyarkrom and Dominase Campuses commenced operations in the 2024/2025 academic year, enrolling 430 students in regular full-time programmes in Nursing, Nutrition and Medical Laboratory Science, running in tandem with those at the main campus”, Professor Nyarko Boampong stated.
He touched on infrastructural challenges bedeviling UCC in its bid to ensure inclusive education and expanding access to underserved areas.
The Vice Chancellor thus appealed to government agencies, development partners, NGOs, corporate bodies and philanthropic individuals to support the University.
“Together, we can create a future where quality education is accessible to every Ghanaian”, he emphasized.
Professor Nyarko Boampong disclosed that UCC had again maintained its position as the top-ranked university in Ghana and the highest-ranked institution in West Africa.
”In terms of research quality, UCC remains unmatched, holding the number one spot in Ghana and the Sub-Region”.
