18 Feb 2014

The Botswana Prison Service has embarked on a campaign to sensitise students in junior and secondary schools against crime and the consequences of juvenile delinquency.

The campaign, scheduled to take place in schools in the North West District, sought to emphasise the need to refrain from crime and take education seriously so that students could grow into responsible citizens.

The public relations officer of the Botswana Prisons Service, Senior Superintendant Wamorena Ramolefhe, said when addressing students at Tsodilo Junior Secondary School that they should refrain from deviant behaviour such as alcohol consumption, drug abuse and moving with bad crowds.

Mr Ramolefhe encouraged youth to invest time on learning. He added that conditions at the boys’ prison were harsh, hence the need to live a clean life and focus on education. He said the number of young offenders in prisons stood at 3 808 males and 125 females aged between 21 and above.

Fourty-eight of the young prisoners wrote standard seven examinations, 41 sat for junior certificate and 30 wrote the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education examinations in 2012.

He showed the students a video of young prisoners at Moshupa Boys’ Prison who shared their experiences and give testimonies. Young offenders warned students to refrain from deviance because it usually ended in imprisonment. One of offenders said he started drugs at age 13 years.

He said he regretted everyday all the bad things he did when he was young. “I used to insult my parents, came home late and had older friends who pressured me into smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol and I ended up here in prison,” he said.

“Now I am here at prison depressed and I have lost my dignity.” Other young offenders said they used to rape and rob people to satisfy their interests. They encouraged students to focus on their education and also respect teachers and parents. ENDS