---
title: Prison Education and Adult Education
description: "## Interview with Alan Smith ![](https://www.prison-education-wiki.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Scherm­afbeelding-2025-10-06-om-14.02.17.png) How in your view does Prison Education fit into the overall picture of adult learning? Are there any significant differences in teaching inside or outside the walls? ### Alan Smith: - Though there may…"
url: "https://epea.org/docs/prison-education-and-adult-education/"
updated: "2025-10-20"
category: Formal education
tags:
  - formal education
  - informal learning
  - reintegration
  - soft skills
  - teachers training
---

# Prison Education and Adult Education

## Interview with Alan Smith

![](https://www.prison-education-wiki.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Scherm­afbeelding-2025-10-06-om-14.02.17.png)

How in your view does Prison Education fit into the overall picture of adult learning? Are there any significant differences in teaching inside or outside the walls?

### Alan Smith:

- Though there may of course be some differences at first sight, I am really convinced that Prison Education should be seen as an **integral part of Adult learning** generally. There are several aspects to this. Firstly, there is the **human rights aspect**. Education is a basic right, and as such enshrined in international conventions and the **Charter** of Fundamental Rights of the EU. It is too often forgotten that this right continues even when someone is in prison.
- Second, Prison Education is a **prime example of what Adult learning at its best can give to society**. For example:
  - Prison Education **reaches out to marginalised** individuals with negative experience from formal learning at school, providing them with a **second chance route to learning**, qualifications, and in particular to enhanced self-esteem. That is particularly important, given that **prisoners on average have much lower educational attainment** levels than those of the community at large.
  - Prison Education helps improve basic skills in the extended sense of **acquiring all forms of “literacy” needed for active participation** in modern society (so not just reading and writing but also numeracy, digital literacy, financial literacy, consumer literacy, promoting a sense of civic awareness and healthy life-styles and so on).
  - Furthermore, Prison Education contributes strongly to attaining other **social goals** such as combatting radicalisation, tackling substance abuse and of course reducing re-offending, the “price” of which in human, social and economic terms is astronomical.
- And third, Prison Education is an area where many of the **key features of modern Adult learning strategies** can be put to best effect:
  - Developing **innovative approaches to non-formal learning**;
  - “Placing the **learner at the centre**” instead of regarding adult education as a “take it or leave it” offer;
  - Finding creative and effective means of **recognising non-formally acquired knowledge, skills and competences**, and:
  - Putting in place the **guidance and counselling** services needed to make the learner-oriented strategies a real success.

All these are crucial not just for Prison Education, but also for Adult learning as a whole. And there are certainly things which **Adult Education in general can learn from Education in the context of prisons**.

All this is vital not only for Prison Education, but also for Adult Education in general. Furthermore, it´s often forgotten but should be clearly acknowledged: There are many things which Adult learning as a whole can learn from the provision of adult learning opportunities for prisoners!