The latest diktat from our Education managers is that our Open University tutors will no longer be allowed to see us in the Education Department.
The new arrangement is that we must send them a Visiting Order and see them in the course of our domestic visits.
Leave aside the utter contempt this shows for the aspirations of those trying to build a future for themselves, or the attitude of Education managers towards education.
The reality is that neither prisoners nor visitors are permitted to bring books, papers, etc into or out of domestic visits. This is a security measure.
How, then, does an academic tutorial go when no one involved has so much as a pencil or book to hand?
Already two people have abandoned their undergraduate courses in response to this stupidity. It renders the attempt to educate a nonsense.
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noooooo! they mustn't give up. I have done OU and wasn't able to go to any tutorials at all. I can't believe this will be a long-standing decision - on what basis has it been made of, do you know? Perhaps your friends could continue, making a note of the points they don't understand, and then just asking a tutor in a visit? This might just be a temporary thing? Otherwise, they'll be kicking themselves for giving up.
ReplyDeleteHaving worked in a prison education department I can only express no astonishment. Not much moral courage to be found amongst those who float to the top.
ReplyDeleteNo surprise, perhaps, but rage. Ungovernable amounts of that. These things need to be known. And you're making it known, Ben.
Appalled.
Ditto, this is dreadful news, it sucks. I sincerely hope you can get out of that place as soon as possible Ben, all the best.
ReplyDeleteShocking stuff, outrageous.
ReplyDeleteWhat can we do?
Almost unbelievable - although I know Ben would not lie!
ReplyDeleteWhoever can dream up these ridiculous things?
Please don't give up - any of you - I thought prison was about rehabilitation as well as punishment - got it wrong again!
Like Daniel says - what can we do?
Surely one for the Ombudsman, if ever there was?
ReplyDeleteThat's utterly despicable. If I was the cynical type I'd say it looks like they didn't want people to get an education just to keep them in a job....
ReplyDeleteIt's pants. HMP Shepton Mallet is not only an ancient prison, it has ancient ideas; might as well bring back the treadmill!I am sure Daily Mail readers would love this,though ...http://bit.ly/byshZG
ReplyDeleteThere's an election coming up, expect a lot of bullshit decisions that pander to the Daily Mail masses and Outraged of Tunbridge Wells.
ReplyDeleteThis is all about the new prison education contract holders, not being asked to supply (because they did'nt know it existed!)this service and not being given the money to support it by the LSC!Not in contract is all we hear (I work in a prison Education Dept, formally fully supporting/funding OU learners and others)There may be hope of sorting it out in future but don't hold your breath
ReplyDelete