Justice Minister Lamola Rubbishes Claims Inmates Get Free Ride for Tertiary Education Sparking Mixed Reactions

• Justice Minister Ronald Lamola did not take kindly to the rumour that his department pays for inmates' higher education
• Lamola was quick to clear the air claiming that the tertiary education of inmates who pass matric behind bars is paid for by family or bursaries
• While some South Africans doubt the minster's explanation, others claimed inmates deserved a second chance in life to

JOHANNESBURG - The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola has hit back at claims that inmates in South African prisons get a free tertiary education on taxpayers' dime.

This comes after Lamola sparked a fierce debate on social media by posting a picture of the top four inmates who passed their matric exams with six distinctions each.

The minister also announced that inmates in SA's correctional institutions had secured a matric pass rate of 87.5%, a 10.5% improvement from the pass rate in 2021, TimesLIVE reported.

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Some netizens celebrated the inmates for taking the steps to turn their lives around, but some complained that the inmates will continue their studies while being funded by the government.

Lamola wasn't having any of it and cleared the air through a follow-up tweet claiming that the justice and correctional services department does not pay the higher education fees of inmates.

The justice minister added that the responsibility of paying university fees falls squarely on the shoulders of the inmates' families or sponsors.

Lamola also sought to dispel the notion that inmates were wasting their time pursuing an education and that the correctional department was wasting its resources by offering the option.

The minister said that there is no law prohibiting employers from hiring a person with a criminal record.

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South Africans are divided over the fact that inmates can pursue a higher education

Social media was abuzz with netizens adding their opinions to the debate. While some didn't believe Lamola's claims that the correctional services department doesn't pay for inmates' tertiary education, others said they deserve to turn their lives around.

Below are some comments:

@Biglove57733997 claimed:

"I don't believe you... Forgive me."

@Sibusis18710564 commented:

"These people should be doing community service, all departments' offices are dirty, yet we have inmates chilling in prisons."

matshidiso_rose asked:

"What about the victims?"

@LesegoKat added:

"What I know is that the families pay."

@johnieMag questioned:

"Quick one Minister, are they eligible to apply for NSFAS funding?"

Blade Nzimande gives NSFAS-funded students free pass on paying registration fees leaving SA divided

In another story, Briefly News reported that students funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) don't have to deal with the headache of paying higher education registration fees.

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This comes after the Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande announced that the financial aid scheme will be making all upfront payments to universities and TVET colleges.

The payments will extend beyond registration fees to include all costs relating to tuition fees and living allowances, SABC News reported.

Source: Briefly News