Iligan Jail offers computer literacy program to clients
NOWADAYS, nearly every facet of life—from landing a job to interacting with online communities—requires at least a rudimentary understanding of technology.
However, continuing computer literacy, including digital knowhow, is nearly impossible for persons deprived of liberty (PDL) since prisons and jails are designed to be technologically isolated places. Cell phones and Internet-connected gadgets are prohibited for detainees in all but the most lenient minimum-security facilities.
As a result, reentering the mainstream exposes returning citizens to the digital divide, and increases their risk of recidivism because they have limited opportunities to use technology while incarcerated.
This is the reason Iligan City Jailmale Dormitory (ICJMD) and the College of Computer Science (CCS) of Mindanao University-iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) enrolled some PDLS to a computerliteracy class under the auspices of the project “Tech Behind Bars: A Digital Reformation for Inmates.”
The project, which includes a weekly class for PDL within the confines of the detention facility, started last April 29, where a team of professors from the CCS taught a total of 20 PDLS on keyboarding in batches.
Keyboarding, or the ability to input information smoothly using a keyboard while typing, is among the subjects of basic computer literacy. Soon, topics will have familiarization of an operating system, performing basic tasks such as using a word processor or sending emails, as well as troubleshooting basic computer issues.
“Remember, computer literacy enhances problem-solving skills, opens doors for career opportunities, and improves communication,” said associate professor Alquine Roy F. Taculin, who is one of the six teachers working on the project. “Computer literacy is crucial in today’s digital environment for both web browsing and issues-solving.”
PDL “Chris” admitted that prolonged confinement and restricted access to technology could impede his ability to adapt to a contemporary society. He wants to continue schooling after serving his fouryear jail term following a plea-bargaining agreement: “I need to keep myself digitally literate, because the digital world keeps on advancing. By doing so, I won’t be left behind when I enter school again.”
Chris’s case is just among the problems the project wants to address. Prof. Taculin noted: “The CCS team thinks that program participants will be better prepared to handle the risks of social exclusion and digital vulnerabilities when they reintegrate into a culture that depends heavily on technology.”
However, the project was not as simple as it seemed. A lot of obstacles had to be overcome, including logistical ones, for it to succeed. “For instance, the keyboarding lesson was divided into two sessions: one in the morning, and one in the afternoon, due to the limited number of computers available,” shared JO1 Vanessa C. Manguilimotan, who is the alternative learning system instructional manager. “These included two facility desktops that are also used for operations, and eight laptops from CCS, bulk of which are individually owned by instructors.”
However, in many cases, rehabilitation programs such as skillsenhancement packages often get the least attention. “But it often has the biggest payoff,” said City Jail Warden Carlo F. Obrique: “To meet the rehabilitation needs of our clients, we need not just mobilize service providers such as the academe, but also potential donors that could provide for the [logistics] required by the many projects we are doing for our clients.”
CCS’ initiative forms part of the “Behind the Bars” program inked between MSU-IIT and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Region X in November 2023, and is expected to run for two years. It seeks to mobilize the entire MSUIIT community to help prepare ICJMD’S PDL for their ultimate reintegration into society by giving them skills linked to entrepreneurship, literacy, craftsmanship, and interpersonal relationships.