Application of the Literacy Training Service component of the National Service Training Program in New Bilibid Prison (Philippines)

Abstract

In 2000, the government of the Philippines launched its National Service Training Program (NSTP), a compulsory 2-semester course component for all the country’s Bachelor and technical vocational students. There is a choice of three subject areas, one of which is the Literacy Training Service (LTS) module. This is designed to train students in teaching literacy and numeracy skills to schoolchildren, out-of-school youths and other citizens in need of their services, including prison inmates. This article looks into the application of NSTP-LTS at New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila. The author’s study involved 24 students (13 female, 11 male) from the University of the Philippines teaching 40 male inmate learners incarcerated in the national penitentiary’s medium security compound over a period of two months. Many of the inmate learners (aged 14–61) had very low literacy and numeracy skills, and some had never been to school at all. The university students were immersed in an environment entirely unknown to them and performed roles from which they obtained a different perspective and understanding of society. The inmate learners were eager to avail of this opportunity to participate in second-chance education. Despite the many benefits of this learning process for all participants, in her conclusion, the author points out several challenges which still need to be overcome to optimise the application of NSTP-LTS in correctional institutions of the Philippines.