The New England region won’t be unaffected either, with the Teachers Federation confirming three jobs from the Tamworth Correctional Centre and three from the Glen Innes centre are on the chopping block.

The union has accused NSW Corrective Services of planning to replace the educators with under qualified clerks and they feared that teachers in other institutions could also be replaced.

Minister for Corrections David Elliott announced the move in May, saying the delivery of most education and training courses in NSW prisons will be outsourced to specialist training organisations.

The move followed a recent review that found the current system was not sufficiently focused on job skills.

A public forum was held in Parliament House on Tuesday night where the Community Justice Coalition, International Commission of Jurists and the NSW Teacher’s Federation attended.

“Research highlights the importance of education as a very significant factor in reducing recidivism. Removing specialist teachers from the prisons as proposed by the Government requires public justification after consultation with all the stakeholders.

“The lock down of prisoners in cells for over 18 hours a day gives very little time for education, especially with the huge increase of imprisonment,” said Community Justice Coalition President John Dowd.