A new classroom has opened at a Mindoro prison, intended to provide education and skills training to inmates in the Bansud District Jail.

The 42-square-meter facility, named ‘Silid-Kulay ng Pagasa’, was funded through proceeds from a charity run held in October.

“This classroom will encourage more inmates to enrol in our alternative learning system next year,” said Senior Inspector Nelmar Malimata, the acting jail warden.

The facility currently houses 301 detainees, with 52 already enrolled in education programs – 29 in junior high school and 23 at elementary level.

“Education gives inmates a sense of purpose and helps prevent them from returning to crime,” Malimata said during the inauguration.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) requires all prison wardens to allocate space and time for education, with inmates attending classes for at least two hours per day, three to five days a week.

In a related development, BJMP chief Ruel Rivera conducted inspections of several facilities in the Southwestern Tagalog Region on Friday, including jails in Mamburao, Sablayan, and San Jose.

The bureau reports progress in addressing overcrowding in Mimaropa region, which includes the islands of Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan.

The jail congestion rate has fallen to 169% as of January 2025, with 2,097 inmates now housed across 19 facilities in Mimaropa.

Photos: courtesy of BJMP Mimaropa