By Chito Chavez
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has further strengthened its program that provides alternative education to its inmates to transform them to be productive citizens ones they have served their time.
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In a press briefing BJMP spokesman Senior Inspector Xavier Solda at present there are 7,141 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in the country who have availed of the alternative learning system (ALS) of the government while serving their time in prison.
Of the number, 1,518 are elementary pupils while 5,581 are high school students.
Solda said that jail personnel with teaching degrees had aided the Department of Education (DepED) in conducting lectures and other educational activities during the 10-month learning period.
Being a priority project, Solda said the BJMP has required all wardens to provide space or room for the ALS participants while allotting time at least two hours a day three to five days a week for the program.
He added the provision of free education among PDLs is to give them some sort of confidence when they return back to their community after their release.
“Prayoridad naming ang pagbibigay ng edukasyon sapagkat nakikita naming na mas produktibo ang oras nila habang nasa loob sila ng kulungan (It is our priority to provide education to make their time more productive during their incarceration),’’ Solda said.
Solda noted the PDLs can use their DepED certificate for the next level whether they are still in confinement or have serve their tie in prison.
Latest data show that of the 3,817 who passed the equivalency test, 599 are elementary while 3,218 are high schools.
The top five regions with the highest passing rate are Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), Region 11, MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Region 1 and Region 12.
CAR is 100% with all of its 41 takers passed while Region 11 is 97% with 142 out of the 147 takers passed; MIMAROPA, 87% (76 out of 87); Region 1, 85% (297 out of 351) and Region, 83% (172 OUT OF 207).
Apart from the DepED’s ALS, the BJMP has also made PDLs busy for the separate basic vocational technical education under the government’s Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
“We want to educate them to reinforce their thoughts to do what is right not the wrong and help them realize the consequences and impact of their actions should they decide to go back to their old ways,” Solda said.
