COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
Recommendation Rec(2006)2
on the European Prison Rule

Education

28.1 Every prison shall seek to provide all prisoners with access to educational programmes which are as comprehensive as possible and which meet their individual needs while taking into account their aspirations.

28.2 Priority shall be given to prisoners with literacy and numeracy needs and those who lack basic or vocational education.

28.3 Particular attention shall be paid to the education of young prisoners and those with special needs.

28.4 Education shall have no less a status than work within the prison regime and prisoners shall not be disadvantaged financially or otherwise by taking part in education.

28.5 Every institution shall have a library for the use of all prisoners, adequately stocked with a wide range of both recreational and educational resources, books and other media.

28.6 Wherever possible, the prison library should be organised in co-operation with community library services.

28.7 As far as practicable, the education of prisoners shall:
    a. be integrated with the educational and vocational training system of the
        country so that after their release they may continue their education and
        vocational training without difficulty; and
    b. take place under the auspices of external educational institutions.

See Full Text