Prisoners would be expected to complete the Adult Basic Education Training programme from levels one to four, the department said in a statement today.

“We are working towards turning our prisons into schools, and we want offenders to read, read, read, study, study, study and work, work, work,” the statement read.

“[The] key to rehabilitation is empowering offenders to have skills to function effectively in society on their release but, equally important, is to ensure that offenders are actively involved in productive activity.”

The department said the education courses were important for rehabilitating prisoners before they were released back into their communities.

Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele called on inmates studying for matric to improve their pass rate to 100% from the 90% average of the past six years.

The department said there were 1 873 inmates studying for Grade 12 in the prison system.