Transformative dialogues (re)privileging the informal in prison education

Prime Minister David Cameron noted in his speech about prison reform that education in prison should be something that it is given priority in terms of penal and rehabilitative practice. Whether or not this welcome rhetoric results in effective change in practice remains to be seen. Nevertheless, in order for education in prison to be effective there are a number of issues that need to be acknowledge and addressed. As such this paper will argue that the delivery of education in prison, beyond the basic provision of Numeracy and Literacy levels 1 and 2, is desirable, essential and necessary. However, I will also argue that in order for prison education to work efficiently and to serve the interests of the prisoners, the institution and the wider public we need to move away from the current disciplinary practices and ideologies that exist within prison education and instead re-privilege those skills that arise when learning occurs for learning’s sake