The second time the University offers such services in this part of the country. Community engagement is one of the core values of UNIMAK
The institution is blessed with astute leadership that is always willing and ready to provide quality service to its community.
It has been proven that being incarceration does not mean there is no optimism for the future. Globally, there were people who had been imprisoned but immediately after their tenure, yet, they made indelible contributions for the common good.
On that view, the University of Makeni (UNIMAK) has deemed it necessary to equally provide an enabling environment for the inmates as their inputs worthy to harness. The institution has started to engage those convicts with quality education.This has raised eyebrows as the first tertiary institution in the country to facilitate such platform for the internees.
Among the Correctional Centres in the country, Makeni Correctional Centre has been chosen to benefit from the humanitarian gesture although, there are plans to extend it to other correctional Centres in subsequent period.
Even though, the learning platform was in existence for a while but due to the unforeseen circumstances led to moratorium, but it has been resumed to help restore hope in the lives of the jailbirds as there is life after Correctional Centres.
In order for any inmate to be admitted, the university made it crystal clear that, West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) with a minimum of 2 credits in any field of study as the threshold.
Th university chose Community Developement as a certificate course for the inmates (students) which will last for six months before the administration will issue out their credentials. Communication Skills, Leadership Entrepreneurship and among others are to be taught.
The Director of Academic Affairs at the University of Makeni (UNIMAK), Rev. Father Dr. George Gbamanja emboldened the internees together with Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS) to put more premium on the project.
The Officer -in- Charge of the aforementioned centre, Chief Superintendent of Corrections- Abu Bakarr Kamara claimed that the university did not demand charges from the beneficiaries and made a clarion call to other humanitarian bodies to tap on the back of the university either material or financial aid as that would ensure sustainability..
However, all classes are fully conducted within the confines of the Correctional Centre that has capacity for thirty students (inmates).
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