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USJ Prison Outreach Programme Empowers Incarcerated Individuals through Education - Certificate Award Ceremony for the Academic Year 2022/2023 held in the Coloane Prison

2024-03-28

28

Mar

28/03/2024

The Correctional Services Bureau held a graduation ceremony at Coloane Prison, summarising the learning achievements of 27 incarcerated individuals who completed their courses in the academic year 2022/2023 through the USJ Prison Outreach Programme.

Recently, the Correctional Services Bureau held a Certificate Award Ceremony for the 2022/2023 academic year at Coloane Prison, summarising the learning achievements of 27 incarcerated individuals who completed their courses in 2022/2023 through the University of Saint Joseph’s (USJ) Prison Outreach Programme.

This initiative witnessed a total of 27 incarcerated individuals who transformed their lives in participating in this outreach programme offered by USJ in the 2022/2023 academic year – among which 20 male inmates were studying Social Work, while 7 female inmates were studying Business Administration.

Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof. Jacky Ho, delivered an inspiring address during the event held in the men’s block of the Coloane Prison, acknowledging the remarkable progress made in correctional education, highlighting the transformative power of the University’s outreach programme, which have benefitted a total of 56 incarcerated individuals since inception. Prof. Jacky Ho expressed his vision for expanding the programme further, offering a more diverse range of courses to facilitate continual self-improvement and seamless societal reintegration for the incarcerated population.

The success of the prison outreach programme would not have been possible without the invaluable contributions of two benevolent organisations. Francisco Xavier Choi Man Wai, President of the Paróquia de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Taipa, and Ms Jolene Zhao Do Amaral Hong Ying, President of the International Ladies Club of Macau (ILCM), were recognised for their generous funding, which has paved the way for the programme’s expansion. Prof. Jacky Ho extended his heartfelt appreciation to these organisations and called upon other philanthropic entities to join hands in supporting this transformative initiative.

The ceremony served as a powerful catalyst, encouraging incarcerated individuals to persist in their educational pursuits and become beacons of hope within the prison community.

During the ceremony, Prof. Jacky Ho awarded certificates to 18 male inmates. In recognition of their unwavering dedication and academic excellence, the Director of Coloane Prison Lam Kam Sau, and the Head of the Social Assistance, Education and Training Division Ho Sio Mei, presented them with the Correctional Services Foundation Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement.

The ceremony was also attended by the University of Saint Joseph’s Administrator, Dr. Alejandro Salcedo, Director of the English Language Center, Prof. Duncan Miers, and Programme Leader of the Prison Outreach Programme, Prof. Helen Liu.

[Gift presented by USJ’s Administrator, Dr. Alejandro Salcedo]

[Gift presented by Francisco Xavier Choi Man Wai, President of the Paróquia de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Taipa]

[Gift presented by Ms Jolene Zhao Do Amaral Hong Ying, President of the International Ladies Club of Macau]