EdTech in prisons: the digital learning gap nobody is funding

Technology-assisted learning in prisons is underfunded, inconsistently deployed and rarely mentioned in national EdTech strategies. The population it could serve is one of the most disadvantaged in the country.

By · · FE / Training

EdTech in prisons: the digital learning gap nobody is funding

Further education in prisons is a statutory duty. Every person in custody is entitled to education, and for many that means access to courses that could, with the right support and technology, provide a route back into the job market on release. The reality of what is available and how it is delivered varies dramatically between establishments, and technology is both an enabler and a limiting factor. Prison education contracts in England are held by a small number of large providers operating under arrangements commissioned by the Ministry of Justice. The technology infrastructure within priso