Two men and women serving time at the Davao City Jail received their four year Degree from University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) Mintal Campus a ceremony held at the facility on Tueasday , June 28, 20233. This commencement ceremony celebrated graduates of both the 2020 and 2021 and 2023 classes, as COVID-19 put a halt to both in-person learning and gatherings for over a year. This degree program, made possible through the SETBI College Education Behind Bar program partnership with the BJMP and University of Southeastern Philippines ( USeP), makes higher education accessible to offenders currently incarcerated, and prepares them for successful reentry. “Only a few short years ago, being in prison was the end of the road,” said Anthony . “We didn’t have anything to hope for to change our future. The opportunities that SETBI College Education Behind bars brings is already influencing our lives.” Anthony who has been incarcerated for 8 years, “College has not been easy, especially for me,” he continued. “I finished high school over 40 years ago. But this graduating class had to overcome many burdens, including corona-related hardships.” While the rest of the world moved to online learning, SETBI students remained modules based due to their restricted access to the internet. During the COVID Davao City jails facilities were closed to all outside visitors and volunteers, meaning students could not receive direct instruction from their professors. “This group of students overcame many challenges. Congratulations for their success !!!
