UG, Prison Service roll out groundbreaking mental health, leadership courses for officers

A major step toward transforming Guyana’s correctional system was taken on Tuesday with the launch of accredited mental health and strategic leadership courses, through a partnership between the University of Guyana and the Guyana Prison Service.

The initiative unveiled during the Guyana Prison Service’s ongoing Annual Senior Correctional Officers Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre marks the first time the University of Guyana will deliver specialised training for senior prison leadership.

Delivering virtual remarks, Vice Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin hailed the move as part of a broader shift in how society treats offenders and those who manage them.

“There is a trajectory for transformation and reform within the prison service, and this is a wonderful thing.

“We must move away from punitive approaches to rehabilitative ones, and from seeing people as without any good possibility,” she said.

She stressed that understanding the prison environment and the individuals within it is “critical to the stability of the country.”

At the heart of the initiative is a Mental Health and Neurological course, designed in response to research on the well-being of prison officers.

Senior Lecturer Dr Melissa Ifill said the study revealed deep concerns about stress and trauma among officers, driven by harsh conditions, long hours, and limited compensation.

“It was really to gather how prison officers are feeling,” she explained, adding, “The same way in which we recognise there is a need for first aid physically, there is also a need for first aid mentally.”

The course, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, will equip officers with tools to identify and manage mental, neurological, and substance use disorders, respond to emergencies, and better understand stigma and vulnerabilities within the prison population.

Participants will earn a certified qualification with academic credits upon completion. In addition, a Strategic Correctional Leadership course is being introduced to strengthen decision-making and leadership in an increasingly complex security environment.

Lecturer Dr Mishel Moriah described the programme as “timely and necessary,” noting that it was “carefully designed to strengthen the leadership capacity of officers.”

The 15-week, four-credit programme is open to senior officers with at least 10 years of service, a recognised bachelor’s degree, and relevant correctional training. It is fully accredited and can serve as a pathway to further academic advancement.

Deputy Director of Prisons Kevin Pilgrim said the initiative aligns with a wider regional vision.

“We will humble ourselves, share our resources, and seek to collaborate with everyone who has that vision, pushing towards a unified Caribbean,” he said.

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