Prison exam results

Young prisoners scored better in their English exams than candidates on the outside. Pass rates were about 50 per cent in the English A syllabus and 59.3 per cent in the tougher B syllabus - both slightly above this year's overall average.

Some 77 inmates took 173 papers in 20 subjects, gaining a pass rate of 60.69 per cent. The best results were in Maths and Accounting.

Correctional Services Department spokesman Leonel Rodrigues said: 'They have a lot more interest in learning English than almost anything else. The fact they are in prison means they tend to concentrate more. Accounting is the most popular, but English comes in second.'