Behind the prison walls of Westgate Correctional Facility reside individuals whose potential is too often overlooked. Many were failed by uneven access to opportunity long before they ever entered the justice system. In a society where education is one of the clearest paths to self-sufficiency and progress, denying it to those who seek a second chance is short-sighted and unjust.

My experience as an educator spans every level of learning, from primary school classrooms to postsecondary lecture halls. Education promotes growth in every setting, but in prisons, its greatest impact is restoration, not academics. It offers individuals the tools to rebuild their lives and reconnect with a future many had stopped imagining.

At both Westgate and the Co-Ed Facility, I have seen individuals register for General Educational Development classes and come ready to learn. The problem is not their willingness. The problem is that no one consistently shows up to teach them. Without structured instruction, even the most motivated students are left with nowhere to go.

We cannot claim to believe in rehabilitation if we do not invest in one of its most critical foundations. GED instruction must be a permanent part of Bermuda’s correctional strategy, supported with trained educators, predictable schedules and appropriate resources.

The GED is a key that unlocks access to employment, apprenticeships and further education. It strengthens self-confidence and personal discipline. Most of all, it restores a sense of direction. It tells someone, “You are still capable. You are not done.”

This vision continues the work of those who have long understood the value of education behind prison walls. Neletha Butterfield, through the Care Learning Centre, has shown that learning must remain accessible, even in confinement. Her example reminds us that education is a right, not a reward.

We must also acknowledge that Bermuda’s prison population reflects broader systemic failings. Many who are incarcerated come from communities where access to quality education and support has long been limited. This represents part of the same pattern that leads too many into the justice system in the first place.

If we want to break the cycle of incarceration, we must change the conditions that create it. Education is one of the most powerful tools to do so.

Prison should be a turning point, not a dead end. With access to learning, people can leave with skills, qualifications and a renewed sense of purpose.

To make that possible, GED programmes and the like must be consistent, properly funded and treated as essential. Investing in education within our prisons is an investment in the wellbeing of our entire society.

If we don’t teach them, who will?

• Quinton Sherlock Jr is the deputy leader of the Free Democratic Movement and ran as a candidate in St George’s West (Constituency 2) in the February 2025 General Election. He is a businessman, educator and community advocate. He holds a master’s degree in psychology and has taught across all levels of Bermuda’s school system, including within its correctional facilities