Modern history shows the Open University is key to rehabilitating extremists — so why are we making cuts to prison education?

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | 28th April 2026 | Comment
Credit: South agency
Credit: South agency

Amid cuts to prison education hours in England, Lucy Carrier-Pilkington looks back at the historic success of the Open University in Northern Ireland and why it is still a valuable asset today.

New figures from the Ministry of Justice show that the number of planned education hours in prisons in England has been cut by 25% - representing a loss of 317,886 hours of education compared to delivery volumes before October 2025. Jon Collins, chief executive of Prisoners’ Education Trust, told The Mace: “It is madness to cut prison education just as signs of improvement were beginning to emerge.   “At a time when the government should be investing in education to reduce reoffending, this 25% cut to planned education hours is a massive blow.  “Evidence of the grim impact is starting to emerge from the 94 prisons included in the data – over three-quarters of the prison estate in England – with teachers made redundant, vocational courses cut, and people with additional needs disproportionately affected.  “Education should be the cornerstone of a safer, more hopeful prison system. We cannot tackle the crisis in our justice system by dismantli...

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