20/10/2026
The Department of Basic Education has announced plans to send matric learners to prison after discovering that inmates achieved a higher pass rate than the national average.
Under the proposed programme, Grade 12 learners will be sentenced to 12 months in correctional facilities, where they will receive accommodation, three meals a day, supervised study sessions and around-the-clock security at no additional cost to their parents.
The department says this initiative will ensure that law-abiding children are no longer denied access to quality prison schools.
Parents will be permitted to visit their children during designated visiting hours but will not be allowed to take them home during school holidays. Learners who achieve distinctions may qualify for early release, while those who fail their examinations will have their sentences extended until they demonstrate sufficient academic rehabilitation.
The department has also advised parents to cooperate with the programme and refrain from applying for bail, warning that premature release could interfere with their children’s academic performance.
Source: voiceofrsa.com
