They marched to the office of State Member for Bathurst, Paul Toole, to protest against a new education model to be rolled out across the state’s prisons which will see 155 qualified teaching positions cut, including, protesters say, 20.5 jobs from local jails.

The protesters said replacing qualified teachers with trainers from registered training organisations will have a detrimental effect on prisoners.

NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF) Bathurst representative Kristy Donlan said teaching in the prison system was very complex and this was why qualified teachers, not trainers, are needed.

“I teach inmates with low level literacy, they’re aged from 18 to 75 years old,” Ms Donlan said.

“Their literacy level is equivalent to an eight-year-old.

“They’ve fallen through the cracks and we’re trying to give them hope so they can see a life outside jail.”

Ms Donlan said Bathurst Correctional Centre’s teachers have been working there for an average of nine years and in this time confidence has been built up between teachers and inmates.

“It’s a big thing for someone to admit they can’t write,” she said.

Corrective Services Teachers Association president Stewart Burkitt said many prisoners already have “below functional literacy” and educating them leads to a 15 per cent drop in recidivism.

Mr Toole said he was unaware the protest had been organised until they arrived outside his Howick Street office, and said if they had of made an appointment he would have been able to talk with those concerned.

“I’ve made representations on behalf of the teachers and it’s important that education is maintained and improved so that we see less recidivism from inmates once they are released,” he said.

Despite the proposed changes, Mr Toole said there may be an opportunity for some of the teachers to remain.

NSWTF Corrective Services organiser Rob Long said with four prisons in his electorate, Mr Toole has more than any other minister.

Lithgow Correctional Centre was the only local jail to escape the proposed cuts.