Inmates In Prison School Have Less Distractions, Spend More Time Studying
Last month, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) premiered a new series, ‘Inside Maximum Security’, which showed viewers never-seen-before footage of inmates and their lives in Changi Prison.
They followed it up with the 2nd episode on 23 Jan, which followed the inmates through experiences like divorce and the passing of a loved one.
On Sunday (30 Jan), CNA uploaded the 3nd episode, titled ‘Breaking Bad Habits’, which touched on the intense mugging of inmates who go to school behind bars.
It turns out that the prison syllabus condenses 4-5 years of secondary school into 1 year.
Inmates selected to study in prison school
Singaporean students may think their school life is stressful.
However, it may not compare to that of 41-year-old Iskandar, who was fortunate enough to be selected to study in the prison school.
Only half of about 600-800 applicants per year are selected to study courses ranging from Normal (Technical) Level, O Level, diploma and degree.
They’re selected based on factors including conduct and the length of their sentence they have left.
4-5 years compressed into 1 year
What may sound challenging is that the inmates get 4-5 years of a normal secondary school curriculum squeezed into 1 year.
In this way, more inmates can benefit from prison school education, said the officer-in-charge.
Anyway, since they don’t have any distractions from TV, the Internet and social media, they can spend more time studying and time passes very fast.
Thus, they’re actually busier than inmates not in school.
In fact, it’s not surprising for them to ask for more worksheets.
Inmates study on the floor
While students in the “free world” have the benefit of facilities like libraries or Starbucks to study in, inmates don’t have the luxury.
Instead, they typically study sitting on the floor.
Iskandar said as he’s getting on in age, it’s not the most comfortable way to study.
However, he perseveres anyway because he knows that with it’ll be easier for him to find a job after release with educational qualifications.
Being able to get a job also means there’s less chance of him re-offending.
Break time in the open-air yard
Another perk of prison school is that student inmates can have a break in the open-air yard twice a week.
This is different from those in maximum security, whose yard is indoors.
For Iskandar, the 1st time seeing the open sky since incarceration was when he went to the prison school.
This was a particular treat because he hadn’t seen the open sky for a long time, being confined indoors up till then.
Inmates have active exercise regimen
However, it doesn’t mean that inmates who’re not in school slack off in any way.
Though they’re in maximum security, many still pursue an active exercise regimen when they get yard time.
Just like student inmates have less distractions interfering with their studies, inmates interested in keeping fit are also able to better focus on that.
Former personal trainer Rusdi, 33, also gives his fellow inmates tips on workout techniques.
According to Rusdi, he’s also part of a group that does high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
It’s even more intense than sessions found outside, he said.
Inmates become fitter in prison
As the majority of inmates are drug offenders, they came into prison scrawny and skinny, the director of operations explained.
However, they ironically leave prison much fitter.
That’s due to the lack of drugs, better nutrition and exercise they get, he said.
A roof over their head is foremost
While an education and a fitter body will indeed help inmates after release, sometimes what they need most is a roof over their head.
Boon Keng, 34, is anxious over where he’s going to live after he comes out in Jul, as his mother had passed away while he was in jail so he can’t go back to living in her place.
Neither is he in contact with any of his siblings.
Thus, he’s had to seek help from his personal supervisor (i.e. prison officer) to make a request with Family Resource Centres for accommodation after release.
Lack of accommodation will affect work
While accommodation is an important primary need, it’ll also affect other things like his work, Boon Keng said.
Lack of a place to lay his head down at night means he won’t have enough rest to concentrate on working, he explained.
Without work, he’ll face money issues and be more likely to re-offend.
In fact, that’s the reason why he repeated his offence the last time and ended up in jail again, he said.
How inmates prepare for ‘life outside’
The overarching theme of Episode 3 was how inmates prepare themselves for “life outside”, where they would have the freedom to make their own decisions.
This is important as what they do in prison will determine whether they’re successfully rehabilitated into becoming good citizens, or fall back into crime.
Stay tuned for the next episode, where they reveal more about Boon Keng’s seemingly challenging search for accommodation.
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Featured image adapted from Channel NewsAsia.
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