Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says an expert advisory group has been appointed to support a new education strategy for prisoners, as the Government continues its focus on reducing reoffending through rehabilitation.

The group will provide advice on the implementation of the strategy under which, for the first time, every offender will have an education assessment when they enter prison. This will then be used to develop an individual learning and training plan for each offender.

All prisoners will be supported in gaining qualifications and employment experience, through targeted and results-focused learning programmes.

The new advisory group will also help develop a national framework for prisoners to help them achieve NCEA Level 2 and higher level trade qualifications. 

“Many offenders turn to crime, and return to crime, because they struggle with reading, writing and maths and are largely unemployable,” says Mrs Tolley.

“We want fewer victims of crime, and substantially less reoffending, and Corrections has already reduced reoffending by 11.4 per cent against the target of a 25 per cent reduction by 2017.

“It makes sense to focus on giving prisoners education opportunities, which can then help them gain qualifications, skills training and work experience.

“This is often the crucial difference between accessing training or employment and making a positive contribution to society on release, or returning to crime and ending up back inside the wire.

“Our new advisory group, which had its first meeting today, will have a vital role to play in guiding the design, development and implementation of offender education and training, and I want to thank each of the members for sharing their expertise with Corrections.”

The education strategy will run alongside huge increases in alcohol and drug rehabilitation and skills training, and the target reduction in reoffending will result in 18,500 fewer victims of crime each year by 2017.

The independent education advisory group members are:

• Roger Moses – Principal, Wellington College.
• Laurayne Tafa – Principal, Stanhope Primary School. Tina Lomax – Principal, Kingslea Special School. 
• Arthur Graves – National Manager Youth Guarantee, MOE.  
• Leanne Ivil – Chief Advisor Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITP) Investment, Tertiary Education Commission.
• Richard Thornton – Deputy Chief Executive (Qualifications) New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
• Sean Mason – Assistant Director Reducing Reoffending, Serco.