by Alfonso T. Ruda
DIPOLOG CITY, JULY 2(PIA)---For the first time in the history, a
graduation exercises was held inside the Dipolog City Jail complex at Barangay
Upper Dicayas, Dipolog City.
Thirty-six(36)
detainees of the Dipolog City jail who passed the Accreditation and Equivalency
(A & E) Test given by the Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS) of
the Department of Education (DepEd) in November 10, 2011 held its graduation
exercises inside the jail complex last June 28.
Ms.
Catalina S. Barinaga, Dipolog City Schools Division BALS Coordinator said the first
of ALS graduates from the Dipolog City Jail was composed of 7 male and 29 female
wherein ten (10) of them are in the elementary level and 26 in the secondary
level.
According
to City Jail Warden, Jail Chief Inspector Allan Vargas, 80% of the graduates,
aging 19 to 40 years old are involved in illegal drugs or drug-related cases.
Vargas
said, this is the first time that a graduation was held at the city jail.
Aside
from Barinaga and Vargas, other personalities who witnessed the inmates’ graduation
include Ms. Ella Grace Tagupa, Dipolog City Schools Division Science Supervisor
who represented City Division Supt. Victorina Perez; BALS Coordinators; Mobile teachers;
friends and relatives of the inmates and residents of the city jail.
Tagupa
challenged the graduates to take advantages of the programs of DepEd purposely
for the so-called Depressed, Deprived, and under-privileged, to realize their
dreams of finishing their studies and become productive members of the society.
City
Jail Warden, Jail Chief Inspector Allan Vargas, in his speech has reminded the
graduates to keep their certificates and use it to pursue their studies (if
they intend to do so) once they get out of prison.
Vargas
disclosed that 80% of the graduates, whose ages range from 19 to 40 years old
are involved in illegal drugs.
In
response, Myrna Montefalcon and Antonio Montes, Jr., elementary and secondary
graduates respectively, expressed their heartfelt thanks to DepEd and ALS implementers
for coming out with the program for them, as well as the all-out support and
patience of the mobile teachers during the whole duration of their studies. Montefalcon
and Montes promised to be reformed persons once they return to the mainstream
of the society.(ATR/PIA9-Zambo Norte)