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  9. PM should put education at the heart of prison reform

Prime minister should put education at the heart of prison reform

8 February 2016

Education is the key to reducing re-offending, and governors should work closely with educators to ensure it is at the heart of prison reform, Â鶹¹ÙÍø said today.

Speaking in response to the Prime Minister's announcement that six new reform prisons would be created this year, Â鶹¹ÙÍø said governors need to give learning a strong voice within prisons and invite education staff to sit on boards and senior management teams.

The union also said that prisoners needed to have access to a broad range of courses and be given greater incentives to engage in learning, with equal pay for working and learning within prisons.

Â鶹¹ÙÍø general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'We know that there is a clear link between increasing skills and reducing reoffending, and this reform is a great opportunity to put education at the heart of the prison system.

'Prison educators need a strong voice at the top of prison management, working closely with governors to ensure that learning remains a priority within each prison, and that there is a broad and balanced curriculum available.

'We also need to pay prisoners to learn- this is the only way to reduce incentives for prisoners to spend their time in low-skilled work rather than gaining skills which will better prepare them for a life after prison.'

Last updated: 25 February 2016