Young offenders undergoing rehabilitation at the Nyagatare Children’s Correctional Facility say they have regained hope and confidence in life through education and vocational training provided at the center.
The facility accommodates children aged between 14 and 18, with a total of 395 currently enrolled, including 16 girls. Many of them say that after committing offenses and facing legal consequences, they lost contact with their families and felt hopeless about the future. Some believed their lives had come to an end.
Before being incarcerated, most of the children had dreams like any other — aspiring to become soldiers or to serve their country in other meaningful ways. However, their outlook on life has changed for the better since joining the correctional program, where they are taught by trained educators working with the Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS).
Those who had dropped out of primary or secondary school have returned to class, while others are pursuing vocational skills such as carpentry, welding, tailoring, computer studies, hairdressing, and beauty care. In addition to formal education, they receive psychosocial support and proper nutrition, including milk, eggs, vegetables, and fruits.
One 17-year-old said that before arriving at the center, he was undisciplined and had lost direction in life. “I thought I had no future, but now, through the education and guidance I receive here, I’ve regained hope. I dream of one day becoming a soldier who serves Rwanda,” he said.
Another student, currently in senior two, explained that after being sentenced, he initially felt hopeless, but the education program restored his confidence. “Everyone here studies with purpose. We take the same national exams as other students outside, and some of us have even earned scholarships,” he added.
The children encourage their peers outside the facility to obey their parents and focus on their education, emphasizing that knowledge is the foundation of development and that crime leads only to regret.
CSP Sengabo Hillary Emmanuel, spokesperson for the Rwanda Correctional Service, said that professional teachers and qualified inmates with teaching backgrounds are involved in instructing the children. “When we see them learning, performing well, and behaving positively during their stay here, we feel we’ve fulfilled our responsibility as correctional officers,” he said.
He also urged parents to take good care of their children to prevent them from ending up in the streets, where they can easily fall into criminal behavior.
Irere Claudette, the State Minister in the Ministry of Education, noted that children in correctional facilities receive all the necessary support to learn effectively, as education is their right. “We ensure they have teachers, books, and learning materials. They are also given time to revise with assistance from RCS staff,” she said.
Minister Irere added that these children sit for national examinations like other students, and when they pass and demonstrate good behavior, they can be granted presidential pardons. “Being in a correctional center does not take away their childhood. The goal here is to reform them, because without direction after leaving this place, life can easily leave them behind,” she explained.
The Nyagatare Children’s Correctional Facility was established in 2012 and mainly rehabilitates minors convicted of crimes such as theft, assault, drug abuse, and infanticide.
