At least 179 inmates of the Cebu City Jail Male Dormitory graduated from the Alternative Learning System on Tuesday, August 30, 2022.
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A total of 179 male inmates from the Cebu City Jail completed their Alternative Learning System courses on Tuesday, August 30, 2022.
Like their graduation song, Liwanag sa Dilim, the inmates believe that even if they are inside the city jail, their graduation is a stepping stone towards achieving their dreams.
“It was a very sad moment, we didn’t even realize how important it is to continue our education while we are still in the outside world. But God has given us this situation into gaining our goals one step at a time. There is always a choice,” an inmate, a proud member of the LGBTQ community, who graduated With Honors from high school said.
For his part, Jail Superintendent Metz Milton Placencia, jail warden, said that the ALS classes started last September 2021.
For junior high school, they have 130 enrollees for high school and 52 for elementary. Three of these were already freed from jail and the 179 were those who graduated.
Alternative Learning System is a parallel learning system in the country that provides opportunities for out-of-school-youth and adult learners.
It is designed to enable inmates to have access to education aside from the formal education system or classroom-based.
Placencia said that education among inmates is always a part of their program.
“Yung pagkakakulong naman ay hindi naman talaga natin ma-aasure kung talagang may kasalanan o wala. Regardless kung may kasalanan o wala, guilty or not, the BJMP is here helping our brothers behind bars na maging kapakipakinabang yung stay nila sa jail,” Placencia said.
Here are some photos taken during the event. /rcg
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