Social Work Students Visit Winneba Local Prison

Level 300 and Post Diploma 100 Students studying Social Work for the second semester of the Community Based Rehabilitation and Disability Studies Unit visited the Winneba Local Prison to learn about the responsibilities of the social worker.

The course, studied at the Department of Special Education (SPED) of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) is taught by Mrs. Florence Akua Mensah.

Social Work students at the Prison

The purpose of the visit, according to the Lecturer was for the course to prepare the students to link theory in the lecture hall to practice at the setting.

In an interview, Mrs. Florence Mensah expressed fulfilment in seeing her students enlightened about the roles of the social worker at the prisons. 

“I see they are happy, I see they are enlightened, I see they are fulfilled. I have been looking at them even when the lecture or the interaction was going on and I felt fulfilled as a lecturer because they were able to link theory in the lecture hall to practice at the setting.” She said.

Head of Department, Dr. Daniel Sunkwa Dogbe (seated right) and Mrs. Florence Mensah

The students also expressed their views on the visit. According to them, society had created wrong impressions on prisons as institutions that maltreat the inmates. They entreated the public to do well to visit the prisons and learn more about what goes on there. Some students share their perspectives.

“We have learnt that what society told us about prison was untrue. Prison is indeed a training centre that transforms most inmates to good behaviour. Society made us believe that prison deteriorates and ruins the lives of prisoners but we have come to comprehend that it is rather a correctional centre where people receive different kinds of rehabilitation such as guidance and counselling.

“The visit has really opened our mindset pertaining to Social Work, especially how to relate to the vulnerable. We have learnt that there are different kinds of people with different kinds of issues who need different interventions. So, as students aspiring to help the vulnerable we would say that the visit has been very helpful to our study.” Said the students.

The Unit also used the opportunity to donate toiletries and assorted items to the prisoners.

Chief Superintendent of Prisons Martin Anku-Blame took the students through the History of Ghana Prisons Service, Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, Rules and Regulations of Ghana Prisons Service whereas Assistant Chief Officer Paul Chirapanga spoke on the Responsibilities of the Social Worker at the Prisons.

In attendance were the Head of Department, SPED, Dr. Daniel Sunkwa Dogbe and Deputy Superintendent of Prisons Alexander Otu Bekoe.   

Students being taken through the History of the Prisons Service, Constitution of Ghana amongst others