Effectiveness of inmates’ educational programs in Ilorin Remand Home, Nigeria

Received Dec 12, 2019 Revised Jul 29, 2020 Accepted Aug 29, 2020 Investigating the effectiveness of inmates’ educational programs was the major focused of this research in Ilorin remand homes, Nigeria. Specifically inmates’ views on effectiveness of vocational and literacy educational program were investigated. This study was descriptive survey.108 inmates were sampled using simple random sampling technique. Two research questions were formulated and a researcher’ designed questionnaires containing10 items in two sections with 4-point rating scale was used for data collection while data collected were analyzed using mean scores and standard deviation. The result showed that most inmates positively acknowledged literacy education in recreational, guidance and counseling, religious and social sciences as highly effective and effective respectively and the result also established that most inmates acknowledged vocational education in fashion designing, laundry/dry-cleaning, catering/home management, metal fabrication and electrical maintenance work as highly effective and effective respectively. It was concluded that literacy and vocational education policy for the inmates should be vigorously pursued and implemented in Ilorin, Nigeria. In addition, government and private organization should invest in inmates’ literacy and vocational education to correct the erroneous impression that under play inmates’ education which leads to their stigmatization at the point of re-entry into the society.


INTRODUCTION
Nigeria like many other developing countries contends with the issues of youths' indulgence in criminality. This problem often lands and relends the expected future leaders in remand homes and they are thereby addressed as inmates (offenders or reoffenders). The inmates in remand homes are categorized into convicts and awaiting trial. Those awaiting trials are not always considered in educational program for the inmates, this should not be the case as both categories need to be transformed and rehabilitated. The issue of offending and reoffending of inmates in remand homes may be attributed to many factors. The causes of youths involvement in crime are sometimes connected with poor governance, corruption, unemployment, drug addiction, bad peer influence, decaying infrastructural development, stagnant economy, and widespread of poverty that have bedeviled the social life of developing nations [1]. This implies that Nigeria is plagued with poor socio-political environment which does not assist the disadvantaged population to thrive well. Busari, et al. [2] also opined that instability in family and children exposures to physical, sexual and emotional domestic violence have been associated with delinquent behaviour among youths.
The inmates in remand homes obviously form part of disadvantaged population in a given polity. Their problems sometimes could be home grown as it opined by Otu [3] that poor marriages, lack of parental controls, ineffective parental behaviour and failure to provide a natural and loving environment are responsible for the rise in delinquency. Therefore the prolonged or short stay of inmates in remand homes without functional rehabilitation program for them may truncate their normal educational aspiration in life. Akinyemi [4] reported that inmates' perception about receiving societal services, skill and formal education acquisition have been positive. This is a manifestation of inmates' readiness to undergo literacy and vocational trainings in remand homes. The only means for this to be actualized is to provide the inmates with variety of learning experiences under both literacy and vocational educational programs. According to Prabhakar, et al. [5] lack of proper informal and formal education is detrimental and dangerous to the uprightness of inmates in remand home. However, in order to maintain a peaceful living environment, the convicts and awaiting trial inmates that are remanded in correctional homes need to be exposed to one form of education or the other. The issue of correction of inmates needs not to be misconceived for punishment but relevant in what [6] described as a process of giving inmates education, counseling rehabilitation and functional integration into the society. This shows that adequate attention needs to be given to rehabilitation and reformation of inmates' characters in remand homes rather than focusing on continuous use of punitive measure on them.
Igbinovia, et al. [7] opined that continuous education for prisoners is imperative in order for them to be employable with educational and opportunities whenever they are re-integrated into the society. This buttresses the observation of Anyanwu, et al. [8] that remand home is an interim room to enhance stable, safe, fair and warm communal living environment for character training. Sound character training of inmates now depends on effectiveness of available and organized educational program which its implementation is vested on the teachers in the remand home. Odera [9] also observed that educational programs in remand homes are very critical in rehabilitating and reforming inmates. This shows that some educational programs are needed to be provided for inmates during the period of their detention.
There are scores of theories to explain educational needs for inmates; these include theories of behaviorism, constructivism and transformative learning and re-integrative shaming theory. The four theories are relevant to this study as all of them lay emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge in terms of cognitive, affective and psyhcomotive learning. Behaviorists look at learning as a conditioning and a system of rewards and targets in education. Constructivists believe that a learner's ability to learn relies largely on what he already knows and understands, and the acquisition of knowledge should be tailored process of practical and construction. Transformative learning theory focuses upon the often-necessary change that is required in a learner's preconceptions and worldview. The re-integrative shaming theory is about systemic integration of a number of crime and delinquency into a model to explain the criminality and delinquency at individual and community pedestals. Concept of shaming is central issue in re-integrative theory because it deals with efforts to oblige offenders to exhibit remorse, attitudinal change and showing means of restoring peace, justice and orderliness back to the community. This is the basis for this study because inmates could be remorseful if they are effectively educated to learn to be responsible rather than constituting nuisance and burden to the community, they belong. The concept of shaming here is far from ideas of excluding, humiliating or stigmatizing the inmates but giving them ample opportunity through learning process to feel regret of their action to the victims of their offence. Provision of educational programs for the inmates should be based on these four educational theories because conditioning or rewarding of inmates for learning will energize them to actively involved in functional learning as suggested by constructivist in order to transform their lives for better and ushering them back to the society as instructed by re-integrative shaming theory [10].
The effectiveness of educational program is directly observed from the inmates' positive change of attitude towards avoidance of offending and reoffending [11]. Studies have shown that some educational program have been designed for inmates in remand homes for example Akinyemi [4] identified vocational and literacy as the two core areas of educational programs designed for the inmates in the correctional services institutions. The literacy aspect takes care of basic elementary and post elementary educational program as it is in learning some formal academic subjects, Coates [12] opined that larger proportion of prisoners were assessed on reception as having English and Math at entry level 1-3 (equivalent to expected primary school levels of attainment) than Level 1 and 2 combined (GCSE level).This shows that the inmates could have gotten some basic education prior their conviction which provides soften ground for them to acquire further education in the remand homes. Therapy and counseling services are as well rendered under literacy educational services for the inmates. Esiri [1] opined that learners require guidance and counseling service to address some antisocial behavior such as unexcused absences, refusal to stay in seat, vulgar language, harassment, hoodlum, cultism, truancy, vandalism, alcohol addicted, excessive tardiness, making threat, belligerence etc. The vocational aspect of inmates educational program aims at developing entrepreneur skills in the inmates through exposing them to trainings such as furniture making, fashion designing, home appliances maintenance, cobbler work, soap making, printing, barbing, photography, carving, metal work, art/painting, Leather works, laundry work, auto mechanical work, brick laying, plumbing/pipe fitting etc. Ogunleye [13] examined the contribution of vocational skill acquisition to prison inmates reintegration in the society and found out the strong relationship between prison inmates reintegration into the society and vocational skill acquisition. It can be inferred from this submission that effectiveness of vocational education for the inmates is connected to the usefulness of such vocational skills when the inmates are discharged from prison. In the same vein, Anyanwu, et al. [8] in their studies observed that vocational education in Enugu Prison is tutored theoretically without attention giving to practical aspect which is culminated into inmates disinterest in available vocational program. This implies that vocational activities as the name stands ought to be practical oriented for better mastery of the skills, it is not worthwhile if is imparted in abstract manner. The department in charge of training inmates in the remand homes has a number of instructors in the areas of literacy and vocational education. Coates [12] observed that there are estimated over 4,000 teachers (excluding around 1200 'industry' instructors) working in prisons, including private prisons. The expectation here is to have qualified instructors to implement the designed educational programs for the inmate effectively.
Another area of educational program that deserves in remand homes recently is learning of sport and recreational activities. Sarkin [14] observed that sport and recreation service is among educational program provided for the inmates in the modern time. The study conducted by Igbinovia, et al. [7] on the effects of rehabilitation programs on inmate in prison indicated that 66.5 percent of the rehabilitation programs went for recreational activities. This implies that sporting and recreational activities for inmates are worthwhile, effective and viable to influence the inmates to adjust positively in the society after the jail term. Gallant, et al. [15] observed that rapid increase in inmates' population and high rates of recidivism of inmates necessitate sport and recreation policy for the inmates. According to them, the effectiveness of sport and recreational services for the inmates include improved self-esteem, reduction anxiety and stress, decreased depression and feeling of hopelessness, decreased insomnia and reduced level of anger and aggression. This shows that inmates can be literate in some sporting skills such football, basketball, volleyball for their wellbeing and becoming responsible citizen on release. Coates [12] observed that prisons education should be effectively available and to collectively function for employment opportunities for the inmates on release.
Therefore, remand home apart from being a temporary custody for detained inmates also doubles as learning institution. This is the reason Abba [16] advocated for all inclusive educational opportunity for inmates in remand home regardless of their difference in ages and gender. All inclusive education for the inmates should comprise of literacy and vocational education. The effectiveness of vocational and technical training programs is observed when there is reduction of institutional problem behaviors by replacing inmates' idle time with constructive work [17]. In view of this, culture of literacy and vocational education for the inmates ought to be effective, imperative and to commence on the first day of the inmates jail term. Otu [3] observed that among the factors that could bring criminal back to prison include discrimination, stigmatization, lack of aftercare service, substance abuse, peer influence and he suggested qualitative handling of inmates by providing literacy and vocational program as a way out to control problem of inmates recidivism. Also, Davis, et al. [18] opined that availability of correctional education in remand home is meaningful and effective when it reduces issue of the inmates' recidivism. It is expectation that inmates that participate in correctional education programs should have lower chances of recidivism (that is going back to the offence) than those who do not participate. This situation will enhance effectiveness of literacy and vocational education received by the inmates while in the prison because they would become more knowledgeable, responsible and practical oriented to jettison idleness and criminality [19].
The challenges experienced in remand homes cannot be overemphasized. The challenges would have negative influence on inmates' education. Challenges facing remand homes educational program in Nigeria include increase in crime waves and eventual inmates 'congestion of remand homes, paucity of fund to provide adequate tools for the inmates to work with and inadequacy of teachers and vocational instructors to educate inmates [10]. This put big question on the credibility and effectiveness of literacy and vocational education provided in remand homes. Also, Esiri [1] reported inadequacy of training workshops for inmates and poor maintenance culture in prison establishment which are conditions that contribute to inmates' negative response to correctional efforts. Similarly, Otu [3] observed that Nigerian prison lacks resources to support vocational and qualitative formal education system. This underlines the fact that it would be very difficult to record effectiveness in inmates vocational and literacy education outcome amidst of lack of resources in remand homes.
Coates [12] observed that the performance of correctional services in year 2014/15 shows that 2 prisons were 'Outstanding'. Nine Prisons were 'Good', 27 prisons 'Required Improvement' and 7 were 'Inadequate'. This outcome is also not healthy enough to believe that all is well with educational program in the remand homes to achieve effective and desirable objectives of correctional education. Coates [12] also lamented that three fifths of inmates leave prison without an identified employment or education or training outcome. Ajah, et al. [20] also observed that despite success recorded in socio, political economic reforms in Nigeria, inmates' custodian centers have not made appreciable effectiveness of educational training on the inmates. Owan, et al. [21] described overcrowding of inmates home as a source of harsh and threatening situation for the smooth acquisition of remand home education by the inmates. These conditions speak high volume of ineffectiveness of correctional services in remand homes to provide effective literacy and vocational education for the inmates in Nigeria. Many researchers have worked on the inmates' educational program, for examples Ajah [6] examined Educational Training of Inmates in Awka and Abakaliki Prisons, Nigeria, Asokhia, et al. [22] studied Assessment of Rehabilitation services in Nigerian Prisons in Edo state, Harun Abubakar, et al. [23] examined Participation of Prison Inmates in Vocational Skills Acquisition Programs for Self-Reliance and Sustainable Economic Growth in Sokoto State, Nigeria, Salaam [24] found out Screening for Signs and Symptoms of Juvenile Delinquency in Kajola Local Government Area of Oyo State and Ekpenyong, et al. [25] investigated Urban Poverty and Juvenile Delinquency in Nigeria: Through the Lens of Port Harcourt Remand Home Inmates but none of these studies has majorly examined the effectiveness of inmates educational program in Ilorin remand home as focused in the this study. This appears to be a gap which this study is trying to fill. It is on this basis that the researchers intend to examine effectevieness of inmates' educational program in Ilorin remands homes, Nigeria.

RESEARCH METHOD
Descriptive survey research design was used. The population for this study was all the inmates of remand homes in Kwara State Nigeria. The target population for this study comprised of convict inmates of remand home in Ilorin, Kwara State Nigeria. There were 108 convict inmates were sampled for the study using simple random sampling technique as main respondents of this study.
Research designed instrument titled' Effectiveness of inmates educational program in Ilorin, Nigeria (EOIEPIN) was used to collect data. The section A of the questionnaire requested for personal information of the respondents. Section B of the questionnaire contains ten items to collect data on effectiveness of literacy education in remand homes while section B contains another ten items to collect data on effectiveness of vocational educational in remand homes. Each of the items in section A and B was based on four point rating scale model (highly effective, effective, less effective and not effective). The face and content validity of items in the questionnaire were ascertained through correction from experts in the Department of Social Science Education, Faculty of Education, and University of Ilorin. The correction and suggestions were used to prepare the final draft of this instrument. The instrument was trial tested on inmates that were not participated in the study. The Cronbach co-efficient alpha formula was used and a reliability estimate of 0.89 was found. The data collected were analyzed using mean scores, standard deviation and ranking. The criterion mean value was 2.50 and items with mean values of 2.50 and above were regarded as positive (highly effective and effective respectively) while those values less than 2.50 were considered negative (less effective and not effective).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The following questions were answered in this research: 1. How effective are the literacy education program that available in Ilorin remand home, Nigeria? 2. How effective are the vocational educational program that available in Ilorin remand home, Nigeria?
The inmate's views of learning literacy educational program in Ilorin remand homes, Nigeria are presented in Table 1.
On how effective are the literacy education programs that available in Ilorin remand home, Nigeria? As shown in Table 1 the inmates view revealed that items 10, 5, and 4 ranked 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd with mean score of 3.0 which is above the criterion mean of 2.50, it can be deduced that, inmates in remand homes positively acknowledged that learning of sporting and recreational skills, exposure to guidance and counseling services, and religious studies are highly effective. Closely related is item 7 that ranked 4 th with mean scores of 2.95 which also above 2.50 but less than 3.0.This means that inmate view about learning of social sciences subject in remand is equally positive and effective. In the same vein, items 1, and 9 ranked, 5 th and 6 th respectively. Since their mean scores are less than the criterion mean value of 2.50, then the inmates' view of learning of mathematics and humanities subject in remand home is negative and thereby less effective. Conclusively, items 6, 3, 8 and 2 ranked 7 th , 8th, 9 th and 10 th respectively. Since their mean scores are 1.0 above which less Secondly the inmate's views of learning vocational educational program in Ilorin remand homes, Nigeria are presented in Table 2.
On how effective are the vocational educational programs that available in Ilorin remand home, Nigeria? Items 7, 9, and 8 ranked 1 st , 2nd and 3 rd with their mean scores of 3.0 above are higher than the criterion mean value of 2.50; this indicated that the inmates in Ilorin remand home positively recognized learning of fashion designing, laundry/dry cleaning and catering/home management as being highly effective. Furthermore, item 10and 3 ranked 4 th and 5 th respectively with their mean scores 2.0 above greater than the criterion mean value of 2.50; this indicated that the inmates in Ilorin remand homes also positively acknowledged that learning of metal fabrication work and electrical maintenance work in the remand home were effective. In addition, items 4, 2, and 5 ranked 6 th , 7 th , and 8 th with their mean scores of 2.0 less than the criterion mean value of 2.50; this indicated that the inmates in Ilorin remand home negatively acknowledged that learning of automobile mechanic repair; building construction and communication gadget repair were less effective. Conclusively, items 6 and 1 ranked 9 th and 10 th with their mean scores of 1.0 less than the criterion mean value of 2.50; this indicated that the inmates in Ilorin remand home also negatively acknowledged that learning of make-up/event planning and craft work were not effective. On a general note, the outcome of this finding gives a signal that importance of literacy and vocational education for the inmates in remand home could be highly effective, effective, less effective and not effective. The concepts of highly effective and effective connote positive measures that cannot be ignored in discussing effectiveness of literacy and vocational education of inmates in remand home. Therefore, based on the findings, sporting/recreational, guidance and counseling services and religious/moral education, and social sciences subject under literacy education were rated highly effective and effective respectively. This is in line with view of [14] that sport and recreation service is among educational program provided for the inmates in the modern time. The result also confirm finding of Igbinovia and Omorogiuwa, 2019 that recreational activities account for 66.5 percent of the rehabilitation programs that are effective in remand homes. It is amazing that subjects that could have enhanced inmates' literacy levels such as Mathematics, English/Native languages, Science and Computers studies were all found at the negative sides of inmates view because they were rated less effective and not effective respectively. This is not good enough for the well-being of inmates education in remands home which should be all inclusive. This is not in line with the advocacy of [16] that all inclusive educational opportunity should be given to the inmates in remand home regardless of their difference in ages and gender. The researchers in this study perhaps not interested in the inmates differences but aligning with the concept of all inclusion of educational opportunity which the finding found lacking in the remand home because it is as if some subjects might be played down or not given special attention perhaps due to the bad perception of "accused", "criminal" status of the inmates as learners.
Similarly, the finding from vocational aspect of inmates' education revealed that fashion designing, laundry/dry-cleaning, and catering/home management, electrical maintenance and metal fabrication works were positively rated highly effective and effective respectively. This result is in line with the finding of [13] in which strong relationship between prison inmates reintegration into the society and vocational skill acquisition were found. The aforementioned vocational areas are good to transform inmates' life well on release as confirmed in submission of [19] that vocational education received by the inmates while in the prison would enhance them to be more knowledgeable, responsible and practical oriented in order to jettison idleness and criminality. These results also confirm assertion of [17] that the effectiveness of vocational and technical training programs is to reduce institutional problem behaviors to replace inmates' idle time with constructive work. However, some other vocational areas of inmates education such craft work, building construction auto-mobile mechanics, communication gadgets repair and make-up and event planning works were negatively rated less effective and not effective.
This result confirms assertion of [8] that vocational education is tutored theoretically without attention giving to practical aspect which is culminated into disinterest of inmates in available vocational program. It is also surprising that this kind of result could be found at the time that development of entrepreneur skill to combat unemployment problem is the order of the day globally. The reasons for the negative impression of inmates about some literacy and vocational education as expressed in this study are in line with the point raised by [12] that in 2014/15 report on overall effectiveness of prison service showed that only 2 prisons were 'Outstanding', Nine Prisons were 'Good', 27 prisons 'Required Improvement' and 7 were 'Inadequate'. This result is also confirming assertion of [Salam (2006)18] that inmates education is ineffective due to paucity of fund and inadequacy of teachers and vocational instructors to educate inmates. It can be deduced that shortage of teachers to educate inmate would hamper effectiveness of literacy and vocational education in remand homes. The main reason for literacy and vocational education for the inmates is to make them employable on release, however half-baked knowledge and none effectiveness of some of the educational programs as shown in the finding would rather make the inmates unemployed on released. This is supported by the assertion of [12] that three fifths of inmates leave prison without an identified employment or education or training outcome. It can be inferred that literacy and vocational education for the inmate are akin to formal, informal or non-formal education which the view of [5] in this study helps to understand that if they are not sufficient in children life, could be detrimental and dangerous to their the uprightness in the society. The same goes to the inmates in the remand home for if they lack insufficient literacy and vocational education as indicated in this finding, it would amount to more incarceration and recidivism.
The religious/moral education was also found effective in this study to curb crime and recidivism in remand homes. This is encouraging and good development in a right direction because collective sermon and spiritual talks from religious teachers, counselors and clergy in and outside of the remand homes would go a long way to soften the hardened-mind of inmates. Moral or religious education is imperative for the inmates and insufficient or lack of it spells enormous doom for the social settings. Therefore moral education is very powerful among the inmate's educational programs. This is in line with the observation of [18,9] that all educational programs in remand homes are very critical in rehabilitating, reforming and reducing recidivism in inmates. The result of this study also indicated that sporting and recreational education is highly effective in remand home. An adage says "every works without play makes Jack a dull boy" this is indeed the situation in a remand home where use of punitive measure continuously will rather compound the inmates problems instead of minimizing it. This result keys into the observation of [15] that the effectiveness of sport and recreational services on the inmates include improved self-esteem, reduction of anxiety and stress, decreased depression and feeling of hopelessness, decreased insomnia and reduced level of anger and aggression. These are states of mind that are required of the inmates while in prison to later become responsible citizens on release.
Conclusively, the result also shows that guidance and counseling service is highly effective in remand homes. It can be established that guidance and counseling takes larger portion of correctional services in remand homes due to numerous confrontational challenges and antisocial behavior exhibit by the inmates. This result confirms the submission of [1] that learners require guidance and counseling service to address some antisocial behavior such as unexcused absences, refusal to stay in seat, vulgar language, harassment, hoodlum, cultism, truancy, vandalism, alcohol addicted, excessive tardiness, making threat, belligerence etc. It is not understatement that both young and adult inmates in remand home need guidance and counseling services for uprightness.

CONCLUSION
Based on the findings, this paper confirms that there are some literacy and vocational education for the inmates in the remand homes and they are effective to certain extent in reducing recidivism among inmates in Ilorin, Kwara State. The researchers feel that despite positives, effectiveness and success recorded in some of areas of literacy and vocational education for the inmates in remand homes, there are more significant educational programs that suffer. This could be due to many more identified reasons in literatures and society ranging from bad governance, paucity of fund, corruption, over population of inmates, to lack of qualified correctional services officers. It could be stressed here that gone are the days when the main objective of remand home was to afflict offenders with punishment, torturing and incarceration, what is in vogue now is application of functional literacy and vocational education to achieve, reformation, rehabilitation, and this underlines the reasons for reform in changing nomenclature of prisons services to correctional services all over the world.
Arising from the findings of this study, we recommend that educational programs policy for the inmates should be vigorously pursued; all the literacy and vocational learning experiences should be sufficiently implemented. Government and private organization should as matter of urgency invest greatly in inmates' literacy and vocational education considering the long run benefit the society would derive from it and by so doing will correct the erroneous impression to under play inmates' education, which leads to their stigmatization at the point of re-entry into the society.