A new chapter in second chances is unfolding in Nueva Ecija, as the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) teams up with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to offer college education to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

Through the newly launched College Education Behind Bars (CEBB) program, PDLs at the Cabanatuan City District Jail will soon have the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Industrial Technology or a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship—even while serving their time.

“We are not just opening books—we are opening doors,” said NEUST President Rhodora Jugo. “This initiative brings dignity and direction to those who deserve a second chance. Education is a bridge toward reintegration and meaningful transformation.”

Set to roll out in Academic Year 2025-2026, the program will pilot with select PDLs and gradually expand to include more students, including those nearing release. Learning will be conducted in a hybrid format, with NEUST faculty teaching on-site inside the jail facility and complementing this with modular or online learning tools.

BJMP Regional Director JCSupt. Paulino Moreno Jr. hailed the partnership as a critical move in affirming the rights of PDLs. “This is more than education—it’s a chance to start over. We’re not just preparing them to rejoin society, we’re helping them become contributors to it,” he said.

NEUST Director for Curriculum Development Nancy Joy Mangansat shared that this effort reflects NEUST’s deeper mission: to make quality education inclusive and empowering for all sectors of society—including those behind bars.

With education now reaching even the walls of confinement, NEUST and BJMP are proving that change is always possible—and that every person has the potential to learn, grow, and begin again.