S'pore inmate, 29, completes A-level Math exam in Prison School while serving 14-year sentence

He is currently serving his fourth stint in jail for drug-related offences again.

Ruth Chai | February 20, 2023, 11:48 AM

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Time in jail is perceived as a bleak outcome, but it can be a place of opportunity for others.

To 29-year-old Jake (not his real name), his current 14-year jail sentence proved to be the wake-up call he needed to turn his life around.

Against all odds, he picked up his textbooks for the first time in 13 years and studied diligently.

He received his A-level results on Feb. 17, scoring a C in H1 Mathematics, tangible proof that hard work and perseverance does pay off.

Jake receiving his A-Level certificate

Jake's journey

Steely resolutions

Jake is in jail the fourth time -- all four stints are for drug-related offences.

He is currently serving his 14-year-sentence, and had decided to enrol himself in Prison School to improve himself further.

When asked about his motivations for doing so, Jake replied that he had wanted to make his parents, especially his father, proud.

He said: "If my parents haven't given up on me, why should I give up?"

When he broke the news of his enrolment to his parents during their fortnightly visits, his parents were pleasantly surprised at his resolve to study.

In addition to this motivation, Jake shared that since his incarceration was so long, he feared getting left behind in the workforce if he did not have any qualifications.

As Jake previously worked as a fitness instructor, he is currently working towards a degree in marketing in order to aid his return to the workforce.

Trials and tribulations

The A-level journey is tough enough as it is, but it's difficulty was compounded by a multitude of additional challenges.

In the first year of his two-year curriculum, Jake took the A-Level paper for H1 Mathematics, a subject which he dreaded as he said that he did not have the affinity for math.

Jake explained that it was difficult to resume studying after 13 years.

The last time he studied was during his secondary school days.

In addition, drug withdrawal symptoms affected his cognitive abilities. He often found himself forgetting material that he had learnt the previous day.

To overcome this, Jake resigned himself to a rigorous routine of writing and rewriting information that he had learnt in a bid to help him memorise. His seven cell mates were also there to provide support and learn alongside him.

The onset of Covid-19 had also proved cumbersome. Tablet use was heavily restricted, and the inmates were unable to go out, cutting their contact from the outside world almost entirely.

Google could not be used to supplement their learning, and whatever questions they had could not be answered immediately.

In spite of such difficulty, the inmates were nonetheless still heavily motivated to learn.

Jake had classes from 8:30am to 3pm, five days a week, and would study with other inmates from 7pm until lights out at 10pm. He would sometimes wake up early to do additional work.

Jake would sometimes refer to as many as five textbooks to understand and solve a question.

Their restrictive use of the internet did not just inhibit their learning, but their stress management too.

It is all too easy for common folk to search up YouTube and TikTok for a quick break to de-stress, but this was a luxury that inmates could not afford.

Instead, they took too more traditional methods of de-stressing -- playing basketball and telling jokes to one another.

Immediately after taking the H1 Mathematics paper, Jake fretted about not finishing the paper, and thought that his careless mistakes would result in him getting a D grade.

Nevertheless, when expressing his concerns to his parents, his mother told him that she was still proud of him.

Words of encouragement

Despite the challenges, Jake persevered with the support of his family, friends and teachers.

Jake's Principles of Accounts teacher, Tan Teck Khiang, 50, provided him with much encouragement and would tell Jake that it was okay to make mistakes in class.

Tan helped Jake manage his expectations and set realistic goals for himself.

The teacher had been teaching in mainstream schools since 2011, prior to being posted to the Prison School in July 2021.

He remembered feeling "excited" about his posting, as the experience was something new and that he did not know what to expect.

He was pleasantly heartened by the positive and determined attitudes of the inmates, who often pestered him for additional learning materials and work.

Tan described Jake as a "happy-go-lucky" student, and was delighted to see Jake's efforts pay off.

Jake (left) showing his A-Level certificate to Tan (right)

Jake pointed to his father as his biggest supporter.

Back then, his relationship with his father was strained. He would berate his father for not seeing things through his perspective.

However, his father started volunteering at prison, teaching other inmates religious studies.

Through his actions, his father made an effort to understand Jake's motivations and perspective, which ultimately touched his son.

Background

Prison School, located with the premises of Institution Tanah Merah 1, houses inmates who have opted to pursue their education during their incarceration.

With higher educational qualifications, ex-offenders would have a better chance to compete in seeking employment or creating other economic and social benefits for themselves and their families, helping them reintegrate into society.

This year, a total of 16 candidates sat for the GCE A-Level examinations in Prison School.

Ten candidates qualified to apply for polytechnic, private degree courses or full-time local university courses.

All photos via Singapore Prison Services