30 inmates finish elementary, high school via ALS

A total of 30 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City finished their elementary and high school education through the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education (DepEd), Lawyer Caesar Distrito, spokesman of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and village chief of Barangay Singcang-Airport, said on Sunday, August 11.

Distrito said that he’s a believer in the quote “Education never stops, Education is the great equalizer, and Education is the solution to getting out of poverty.”

“I believe this because I’m the living example that education can help in our lives,” he said.

He added that it’s the reason why he attended the graduation of the PDLs.

“Just try to imagine that a 20 to 50-years-old PDLs inside the jail, found a second chance through this opportunity and finished their education,” Distrito stressed.

Distrito noted that the PDLs were given another hope in their belief that they can no longer study but, here they are, they were inside the jail and now they finished their education.

“What they couldn't do outside, they completed it inside the jail,” Distrito said.

He said that this is their second chance and that once they are released from jail, they will be proud that they finished their education.

He added the families of the PDLs also attended the graduation and most of the parents and their partners were seen crying with joy.

“Thank you DepEd for this program as you renewed the hope in everyone’s heart and mind,” Distrito said.

ALS is a parallel learning system in the Philippines that provides opportunities for out-of-school youth and adult (OSYA) learners to develop basic and functional literacy skills, and to access equivalent pathways to complete basic education./MAP