The Ministry of Education has signed three Memoranda of Understanding with the Ministry of the Interior to enable the Ghana Prisons Service to manufacture sanitary pads, school uniforms and school furniture for public schools, marking a new phase of inter-ministerial collaboration.
The agreements are intended to boost local production while supporting inmate rehabilitation through structured and productive work. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu described the initiative as a practical approach to addressing supply needs in schools while equipping inmates with useful vocational skills.
He said engaging inmates in meaningful production not only reduces the likelihood of reoffending but also ensures that public schools benefit from quality, locally made items at competitive cost. “This is about linking education, industry and rehabilitation in a sustainable way,” he noted.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak said the MoUs set clear minimum production allocations for the Prisons Service and establish a joint implementation committee. The committee, he explained, will oversee accountability, value for money and timely delivery of supplies to schools across the country.
The Director-General of Prisons, Mrs Patience Baffoe-Bonnie (Esq.), welcomed the partnership, describing it as a “game changer” for the Service. She said the initiative would reposition the Prisons Service as a productive institution, provide inmates with employable skills and help break the cycle of recidivism.
Officials say implementation will begin immediately, with pilot production expected to support selected public schools in the coming months.