Inmates given chance to continue basic education through DepEd’s ALS program 

Cebu City, Philippines—Around 10,467 inmates or Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) will be given an opportunity to continue their studies in basic education through the alternative learning system (ALS) program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

Amaryllis Villarmia, information officer of DepEd Region 7, said that the agency signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, together with officials from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Region 7 for the ALS program to be made available to the inmates.

During the MOA signing, DepEd was represented by Assistant Secretary G.H. Ambat while BJMP-7 was represented by regional director Jail Chief Superintendent Paulino Moreno Jr.

“Our mobile teachers are already prepared for deployment and we are also hiring additional mobile teachers,” Villarmia said.

She added that the ALS program will cover different types of modules for the entire school year.

PDLs will then be assessed after they complete the program, whether they they’ll be told to continue in elementary or get elevated in high school.

The list of PDLs was also formally turned over by BJMP-7 to DepEd-7.

Jail Chief Inspector Mary Jane Inopia, community relations officer of BJMP-7, told CDN Digital that PDLs who were included in the list have voluntary submitted themselves for the program.

“Some have already taken the Assessment and Equivalency Exam so that they can enrol in ALS,” Inopia said.

She said that they’ve prioritized PDLs who don’t know how to read and write in their selection process.

Currently, Inopia said that they are now preparing areas that will be occupied for the classes of PDLs in different jail facilities.

Inopia said there are around 38 jail facilities within the region. /bmjo