Plans to improve prison education system

Funding sought to refurbish workshops

The Isle of Man prison is applying for funding so it can offer inmates a range of vocational courses, including joinery, plumbing and brickwork.

A bid to the Manx Lottery Trust has been submitted, which if approved will go towards refurbishing construction workshops at the facility in Jurby.

It’s part of greater efforts by prison authorities to improve education, with the lockdown period used as a ‘blank canvas’ to introduce new regimes so ‘nothing clashes’ with inmates’ education.

Development of a ‘young offender programme’, where those aged 18-24 will have to attend lessons in subjects like maths, English, and cookery, is underway.

Nine officers at Jurby are also aiming to gain a qualification so they can assess the vocational courses taken by offenders.

Education at the facility is provided by University College Isle of Man, and as of July this year, 63 per cent of the prison population of 86 were receiving some form of education.

The update was given following a Tynwald written question by Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse, who wanted to know about literacy and numeracy levels among the prison population.

Most offenders are set to have ‘disengaged’ from education at an early age, and either didn’t go to school or were excluded.

In the response from Home Affairs Minister Graham Cregeen, he said education is a key factor in reducing reoffending, as it gives prisons skills to help them develop into positive members of the community.