More than 18,000 inmates graduated from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s (BJMP) educational and vocational programs for the 2025-2026 school year,  jail officials announced Thursday.

The graduates traded their standard yellow prison uniforms for caps and gowns during ceremonies held across the country’s jail facilities.

Officials said the academic milestone aligns with a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide educational opportunities to incarcerated individuals to aid their eventual reintegration into society.

According to jail bureau data, 2,045 inmates completed elementary school, 4,315 graduated from junior high school, and 1,696 finished senior high school.