Education in NSW prisons -- L-edukazzjoni fil-ħabsijiet ta' NSW

 

Currently, for those condemned to spend time in NSW prisons, there are opportunities for education that some inmates in this state decide to take.

 

As probably everyone can appreciate, a good level of education is of great help (though not essential) for one to be able to form part of society, participate productively in the nation's economic life and provide materially to the daily needs of family and self.

 

On the other hand, a low level of education reduces opportunities during life, is a major factor in a low income and may lead to criminality.

 

Therefore, one can understand that education is a platform of the struggle against crime, both in avoiding one being attracted to participate in a criminal act, and if one has already fallen into this trap, to have a foundation to take part in new activity which is not criminal.

 

The most fundamental education is naturally that of literacy and numeracy.  In fact, one might be surprised to read that today, in 2016, you could encounter so many people in whom this ability is lacking, and especially so in prison inmates.  Statistics show that 10% of prisoners in NSW say that their literacy level is an impediment to their search for work and/or further study.1

 

Today, in certain jails and under several conditions, inmates can learn a number of trades, such as warehousing, forklift driving and others.  Currently, 21.9% of those eligible participate in such education.  Until the end of their period of custody, these inmates finish their sentence, not only with ugly memories of a long time away from their family, but with a TAFE certificate recognised around Australia that can help them find work as soon as they step out of their jail.

 

I'd like to add that, exceptionally, there are 0.6% of eligible prisoners who are also studying in advanced educational programs, which includes a university degree.  One cannot not see in the inmates undertaking this study, a will (at least while being in jail) of changing their lives radically as soon as their sentence is over.

 

I remember, while in Malta, a particular inmate who was studying at the University there while serving time, and was impressed by his newfound sense of having an aim in life, an acceptance that his past life had to change, and an appreciation of the opportunity that was being provided him.

 

Here in NSW, this year the state government has just announced a radical change in the correctional services education system.  The government has stated2 it aims to double the rate of prisoners participating in literacy and numeracy (which today amount to 3.8% of eligible inmates in NSW)3, and that this kind of tuition does not necessarily need to be provided by professional teachers4, which includes those qualified in adult education.

 

I understand the government intention being that non-professional teachers be employed by private education operators, which are paid less than teachers today so that the government can pay less per inmate than it does today, resulting in the service being potentially more widespread.

That the tuition be done by non-professionals is far from being ideal, however this is not what is worrying me most.

 

Although the government is saying that it also wants to increase vocational education (i.e. the learning of trades) by 20%, the NSW Federation of Teachers is saying that the government intends to stop industrial courses leading to a TAFE certification, such as First Aid, forklift driving, Food Hygiene and Safety and others, and reduce other courses like carpentry, laundry and others.5

 

I don't know whether this termination or reduction of courses is really happening, however if so will be a big blow to the prospects of prison inmates after they are released.  Apart from this, I think this step would go against government policy to reduce the reoffending rate by 5% by 2019.6  The positive of having more inmates having literacy and numeracy would be offset by the negative of other inmates being unable to take a further step beyond that, and therefore this step would be counter-productive.

 

Until today, inmates studying and obtaining a trade certificate while in prison, have the prospect of an adequately paid career after leaving jail.  With the proposals that are being mentioned, this possibility seems no longer to be there, always if what's being reported by the Teachers Federation is correct.

 

I say, is this really the limit of society's ambition for those people who have their brush with the law?  What will happen to those inmates who already have a basic level of education and would like to utilise productively their period locke up by improving their education?  Shall we take away one of the few prospects of positive activity they have in jail?

 

Is it possible that at the same time of the government investing a $3.8 billion expansion in corrective services,7 is there a need to cut investment in teaching of trades?  Is not the use of non-professional teachers to teach literacy and numeracy not enough?  When one recalls that NSW is the wealthiest state in Australia, and this year is estimated to have a surplus of around $4 billion, is there really the need for this step?

 

I think this is penny pinching gone too far.  As a society that has a corrective services system, where jails are a place for correction and rehabilitation, I believe we all have an interest that a prison inmate, if he/she enters a jail, does so once and once only.  If what is being said about the NSW government's intentions is true, this would be one step forward and another back.

 

My hope is that the reduction in vocational courses reported by the NSW Teachers Federation is unfounded.

 

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Bħalissa, għal dawk li jiġu kkundannati fil-ħabsijiet ta' NSW, hemm xi opportunitajiet ta' edukazzjoni li wħud mill-ħabsin ta' dan l-istat jiddiċiedu li jutilizzaw.

 

Bħal ma probabbilment kulħadd japprezza, livell ta' edukazzjoni tajba hija importanti (imma mhux essenzjali) sabiex wieħed ikun jista' jifforma parti mis-soċjetà, jipparteċipa b'mod produttiv fil-ħajja ekonomika tal-pajjiż, u jipprovdi materjalment għall-bżonnijiet ta' kuljum tal-familja tiegħu u tiegħu nnifsu.

 

Mill-banda l-oħra, livell ta' edukazzjoni baxxa tnaqqas l-opportunitajiet matul il-ħajja, hija fattur prinċipali għal dħul baxx u tista' twassal għall-kriminalità.

 

Għalhekk, wieħed jista' jifhem li l-edukazzjoni hija pilastru tal-ġlieda kontra l-kriminalità, kemm li nevitaw li wieħed jitħajjar jipparteċipa f'att kriminali, u jekk wieħed ikun waqa' f'din in-nassa, biex ikollu l-pedament biex jieħu sehem f'attività ġdida li mhix waħda kriminali.

 

L-iktar edukazzjoni fundamenta naturalment hi li bniedem ikun jaf jikteb, jaqra u jgħodd (literacy and numeracy).  Fil-fatt, wieħed jista' jiskanta jaqra kif illum, fl-2016, għadek issib tant u tant persuni li din l-abbiltà m'għandhomx, u l-ħabsin b'mod partikulari.  L-istatistika turi li 10% tal-ħabsin f'NSW jgħidu li l-livel ta' litteriżmu tagħhom huwa impediment fit-tiftix tagħhom għax-xogħol u/jew għal studju ieħor.1

 

Illum ukoll, f'ċertu ħabsijiet u taħt diversi kundizzjonijiet, ħabsin jistgħu jitgħallmu diversi snajja, bħax-xogħol fl-imħażen, is-sewqan tal-forklifts u oħrajn.  Bħalissa, 21.9% ta' dawk eliġibbli jipparteċipaw f'edukazzjoni ta' dan it-tip.  Sat-tmiem tal-priġunerija tagħhom, dawn il-ħabsin jispiċċaw is-sentenza tagħhom, mhux biss b'memorji koroh ta' żmien twil 'il bogħod mill-familja tagħhom imma b'ċertifikat tat-TAFE rikonoxxut mal-Awstralja kollha li jista' jgħinhom isibu xogħol malli jgħaddu 'l barra mill-għatba tal-ħabs.

 

Inżid ukoll li eċċezzjonalment, hemm 0.6% tal-ħabsin eliġibbli li qed jistudjaw fi programmi avvanzati ta' edukazzjoni, li jinkludu lawrja minn università.  Wieħed ma jistax ma jarax f'dawk il-ħabsin li qed jistudjaw, rieda (talinqas waqt li qiegħdin il-ħabs) li jibdlu ħajjithom radikalment malli tispiċċalhom is-sentenza tagħhom.

 

Jien stess niftakar, meta kont Malta, lil ħabsi partikulari, li kien qiegħed jistudja l-Università t'hemmhekk waqt li kien qed jiskonta s-sentenza tiegħu, u kont impressjonat bis-sens ġdid ta' skop f'ħajtu, bl-aċċettazzjoni li l-ħajja tiegħu tal-imgħoddi kellha tinbidel, u tal-apprezzament tal-opportunità li kienet qiegħda tingħatalu.

 

Hawnhekk f'NSW, din is-sena l-gvern statali għadu kif ħabbar bidla radikali tas-sistema tal-edukazzjoni fil-ħabsijiet.  Il-gvern stqarr2 li jrid jirdoppja r-rata ta' ħabsin li jipparteċipaw f'programmi ta' litteriżmu u numeriżmu (li llum ilaħħqu 3.8% tal-ħabsin eliġibbli f'NSW)3, u li dan it-tip ta' tagħlim m'hemmx għalfejn jiġi mogħti minn għalliema professjonali4, li jinkludi dawk li huma kkwalifikati fit-tagħlim tal-adulti.  

 

Jien nifhem li l-intenzjoni tal-gvern tkun li jiġu mpjegati  għalliema li mhumiex professjonali ma' operaturi privati tal-edukazzjoni, li jitħallsu inqas mill-għalliema tal-lum u għalhekk il-gvern ikun jista' jħallas inqas għal kull ħabsi, sabiex is-servizz ikun iktar mifrux.

Li t-tagħlim isir minn min mhux professjonali huwa l-bogħod milli jkun ideali, imma din mhix l-iktar ħaġa li qed tinkewetani.

 

Għalkemm il-gvern qiegħed jgħid ukoll li jrid iżid l-edukazzjoni vokazzjonali (jiġifieri tas-snajja) b'20%, qed jingħad mill-Federazzjoni tal-Għalliema ta' NSW li l-gvern beħsiebu jwaqqaf korsijiet industrijali li jwasslu għal ċertifikazzjoni mit-TAFE, bħall-Ewwel Għajnuna, it-sewqan tal-forklifts, l-Iġjene u s-Sigurtà fl-Ikel u oħrajn, u jnaqqas korsijiet bħal dawk ta' mastrudaxxa, londri (laundry) u oħrajn.5

 

Jien ma nafx jekk dan it-twaqqif u/jew tnaqqis ta' korsijiet hux minnu, imma jekk iva naħseb li dan ikun daqqa ta' ħarta għall-prospetti tal-ħabsin wara li jispiċċaw is-sentenza tagħhom.  Mhux hekk biss, imma nara li dan il-pass imur kontra l-politika tal-gvern li titnaqqas ir-rata ta' nies li jerġgħu jidħlu l-ħabs (reoffending rate) b'5% sal-2019.6  It-tajjeb li iktar ħabsin isiru jafu l-kitba u n-numri ikun mnaqqas sew jekk oħrajn ma jitħallewx javvanzaw ftit iktar minn hekk, u għalhekk dan il-pass ikun kontra-produċenti.

 

Sal-lum, ħabsin li jistudjaw u jakkwistaw ċertifikat ta' sengħa waqt li jkunu l-ħabs, għandhom prospett ta' karriera adekwatament mħallsa meta joħorġu mill-ħabs.  Bil-proposti li qed jissemmew, din il-possibiltà tidher li mhix se tibqa' hemm, dejjem jekk dak li qiegħdin jgħidu l-Federazzjoni tal-Għalliema huwa minnu.

 

Jien ngħid, possibbli li dan hu l-limitu ta' ambizzjoni tas-soċjetà tagħna għal dawk in-nies li jxellfu difrejhom mal-ġustizzja?  X'se jiġri minn dawk il-ħabsin li diġa għandhom livell bażiku ta' edukazzjoni u jixtiequ jużaw produttivament iż-żmien ta' qafla tagħhom billi jtejbu l-edukazzjoni tagħhom?  Se noħdulhom waħda mill-ftit prospetti ta' attività pożittiva li għandhom fil-ħabs?

 

Possibbli li fl-istess żmien li l-gvern se jinvesti espansjoni ta' $3.8 biljun fis-settur tas-servizzi korrettivi,7 hemm bżonn li nqaċċtu investiment fit-tagħlim tas-snajja għalihom?  Li jintużaw għalliema mhux professjonali biex jitgħallmu l-litteriżmu u n-numeriżmu mhux biżżejjed?  Meta  wieħed jiftakar li NSW hu l-iktar stat għani fl-Awstralja, u li din is-sena huwa stmat li wara li jitnaqqas il-ħruġ mid-dħul se jibqa' madwar $4 biljun, verament hemm bżonn ta' pass bħal dan?

 

Jien dan narah tqanċiċ żejjed.  Bħala soċjetà li għandha sistema korrettiva, fejn il-ħabsijiet huma postijiet ta' korrezzjoni u rijabilitazzjoni, nemmen li lkoll għandna interess li l-ħabsi, jekk jidħol il-ħabs, jagħmel hekk darba biss.  Jekk hu veru dak li qed jingħad li huma l-intenzjonijiet tiegħu, il-gvern ta' NSW ikun qiegħed jagħmel pass 'il quddiem, u ieħor lura.

 

Ix-xewqa tiegħi hija li t-tnaqqis fil-korsijiet vokazzjonali rrappurtat mill-Federazzjoni tal-Għalliema ta' NSW huwa infondat.

 

 

 

1Statistitical Profile: Characteristics of NSW Inmate Receptions; Corrective Services NSW; 1st Edition; February 2013

2http://www.correctiveservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CSNSW%20Fact%20Sheets/better%20prisons/Better_Factsheet_8_InmateEducationVocationalTraining_INTERNET_050516_2.pdf, retrieved 13/12/2016

3Report on Government Services 2016; Australian Government; Table 8A.21

4http://education.nswtf.org.au/education18/news-features-1/prison-teachers-strike, retrieved 13/12/2016

5Prison teachers appalled as Baird Government slashes gaol education; NSW Teachers Federation Media Release; 1/12/2016

6https://www.nsw.gov.au/news/inmates-get-more-training, retrieved 13/12/2016

7http://www.correctiveservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/Better-Prisons, retrieved 13/12/2016

1Statistitical Profile: Characteristics of NSW Inmate Receptions; Corrective Services NSW; 1st Edition; February 2013

2http://www.correctiveservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CSNSW%20Fact%20Sheets/better%20prisons/Better_Factsheet_8_InmateEducationVocationalTraining_INTERNET_050516_2.pdf, retrieved 13/12/2016

3Report on Government Services 2016; Australian Government; Table 8A.21

4http://education.nswtf.org.au/education18/news-features-1/prison-teachers-strike, retrieved 13/12/2016

5Prison teachers appalled as Baird Government slashes gaol education; NSW Teachers Federation Media Release; 1/12/2016

6https://www.nsw.gov.au/news/inmates-get-more-training, retrieved 13/12/2016

7http://www.correctiveservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/Better-Prisons, retrieved 13/12/2016