When he had his freedom, the thought of furthering his education was the farthest thing from John’s* mind.

A high school dropout, his efforts were instead focused on surviving the tough inner-city community of Maxfield Avenue while pursuing a career in music. But after a run-in with the law saw him serving a 20-year sentence, John said he had no other choice but to reevaluate his life. He decided to divert his attention towards academics. That decision is bearing fruit, as John is currently overjoyed after securing a grade 3 in the 2026 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations. A source inside the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre, where John is serving time, said that he and other inmates are still on cloud nine from their achievements.

“It’s a good look man, is seven of them out of about 10 pass English language. Four man do math and two pass. Couple a di man dem do CAPE law and dem sit and study by dem self and dem pass man. Man in here mash up principles of business and dem ting deh. They went to their classes inside the prison and they got materials to study and revise from. I feel really good for them because it shows that they are being reformed. They are really happy and still celebrating,” the source said.