On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng presented Saiful, 25 and Qing Xiong, 24 (not their real names), with their awards at the Kaki Bukit Centre Prison School.

They are the first inmates to complete the Gold award while still in jail.

Both men, who are in jail for drug related offences, worked together in the prison school for two years to complete the various tasks needed to earn the award.

A total of 113 other men and woman from three prison institutions - Changi Prison, Chang Women's Prison and Kaki Bukit Centre Prison School - also received their NYAA awards on Monday.

The programme which started in 1992 was set up to mould those between 14 and 25 years into responsible and self-reliant adults.

Participants either chase a bronze, silver or gold award and undertake activities such as community service, learning new skills and doing a sport for a certain period of time.

To bag the gold award, participants have to take on a project benefiting the community.

'They can gain greater awareness of their roles in society and learn how to positively use their skills, talents and knowledge to contribute back to the community and nation,' said DPM Wong at the event.

For Saiful and Qing Xiong, the most challenging part of the programme was completing a 9 metre by 3 metre underwater mural with detachable marine animals within 1 1/2 months.

Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.