2021 DepEd Alternative Learning System (ALS)

WHAT IS DEPED ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS)?

It is a parallel learning system in the Philippines that provides a practical option to the existing formal instruction. When one does not have or cannot access formal education in schools, DepEd ALS is an alternate or substitute. ALS includes both the non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.

ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS) LEGAL BASES

1987 Philippine Constitution

Provides for the recognition and promotion of other forms of education other than formal education.

Article XIV, Section 2, Paragraph (1) declares that the State shall establish, maintain and support a complete, adequate and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and society; and paragraph (4) concisely encourages nonformal, informal and indigenous learning systems as well as self-learning, independent and out-of school study programs particularly those that respond to community needs.

Republic Act 9155

The Governance Act for Basic Education otherwise known as the Republic Act 9155 mandates the Department of Education to provide nonformal and informal education to out-of-school children, youth, and adults in the Philippines through the Alternative Learning System.

2016 ANNUAL POVERTY INDICATOR SURVEY RESULT

Almost 10%, or 3.8 million of the estimated 39 million Filipinos 6 to 24 years old were out-of-school children and youth (OSCY), according to the results of the 2016 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS). This is a significant improvement from 2014 which indicated that about 32%, or 12 million Filipinos were OSCY.

OSCY in APIS refers to 6 to 14 years old who are not attending formal school; and 15 to 24 years old who are currently out of school, not gainfully employed, and have not finished college or post-secondary course.

Of the 3.8 million OSCYs, 87.3% were 16 to 24 years old, 7.7% were 12 to 15 years old and 5% were 6 to 11 years old.

The proportion of OSCYs was higher among females (68.9%) than males (31.1%)

2014		2016
Reasons	Percentage	Reasons	Percentage
Employment or looking for work	25.5%	Marriage and family matters	42.3%
High cost of education or financial concern	22.9%	High cost of education or financial concerns	20.2%
Lack of personal interest	14.2%	Lack of personal interest	19.7%

ALS TARGET LEARNERS

• Elementary and Secondary School Leavers
• Out-of-School Children – 6-14 years old
• Out-of-School Youth – 15-24 years old
• Out-of-School Adults – 25 years old and above
• Anyone who has not completed 12 – year of basic education.

Who Are The Last Mile Learners?

Last Mile Learners – those who remain unreached even after various efforts to reach them

ALS	ALS & ADM	ALS & ADM
Children at risk on the streets	Children in indigenous peoples (IP) communities	Children who live in difficult circumstances
Kariton Klasrum	IPEd	Pedals and Paddles Project
Children with disabilities (CWDs)	Out-of-School Youth (OSYs)/ Inmates	Children in off-grid schools and barangays
SPEd	Abot Alam/ALS	LightEd PH

TARGET POPULATION OF ALS

Estimation using Education Levels:

Age Group	2008	2013
12-26	5,522,488	4,775,673
27-64	15,980,523	15,203,396
Total:	21,503,011	19,979,069

Estimation using Literacy Levels:

Age Group	2008	2013
12-26	5,845,438	4,925,363
27-64	15,276,087	14,736,589
Total:	21,121,525	19,661,952

(Source: World Bank)

Estimation using household surveys (PSA, FLEMMS 2008 & 2013), the estimate is between 5 to 6 million

Note: In special cases, out-of-school children 11 years old & below are also being targeted and served by ALS.

DEPED ALS PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

1. ALS Accreditation & Equivalency Program
2. The Mobile Teacher Program
3. The eSkwela / e-Learning Program
4. Balik Paaralan Out-of-School Youth Prog (BPOSA Program)
5. The “Kariton Klasrum”
6. The Abot-Alam Program
7. ALS for Differently-Abled Person [Special Education in ALS]
8. ALS ALIVE
9. Indigenous Peoples Education for ALS
10. Special Interest Programs

DEPED ALS DELIVERY MECHANISMS

Deped Delivered	No of Learning Facilitators
Mobile Teachers	2, 973
Full-Time District ALS Coordinators	2,275
Part-Time District ALS Coordinators	164
DepEd Procured
Literacy Volunteer	1,363
Organization (Service Providers)	10
Balik-Paaralan para sa Out-of-School Adult	58
Partner
Individual	2,423
Organization	63

DepEd ALS programs are carried out by learning facilitators who may be directly employed by DepEd or through service providers and partners. These learning facilitators go to a sitio or barangay to conduct learning sessions.

They can be grouped into three main categories: 1) DepEd-delivered, 2) DepEd-procured, and 3) DepEd partners-delivered.

1. DepEd-delivered refers to the ALS program implementation directly carried out by DepEd ALS implementers, such as the Mobile Teachers, and District ALS Coordinators who are both employed by DepEd and hold regular teacher items;
2. DepEd-procured refers to the ALS program implementation carried out by service providers contracted by the DepEd through the Schools Division Superintendent, such as NGOs, people’s organizations, literacy volunteers, and other community-based organizations (CBOs)
3. Non-DepEd Financed/Partners refers to the implementation of ALS programs by non-DepEd organizations, such as Local Government Units (LGUs), NGOs, and other government organizations, international donor agencies, church-based organizations and individuals on a voluntary basis using their own resources.

ALS PROGRAMS

Programs/ Projects	Target Learners	Modalities	Multimedia Materials
NonFormal Education (NFE)
Basic Literacy Program (BLP)	Illiterates	1. face-to-face 2. radio-based instruction 3. computer-based instruction/ eSkwela 4. independent learning 5. TV instruction	1. print materials 2. digitized modules 3. radio script 4. TV episodes
Accreditation & Equivalency (A&E) Program	Drop-outs
Informal Education (InfEd)
Focus: 1. Self-development 2. Community development and Entrepreneurial 3. Livelihood Development	Drop-outs and Special Interest Groups

1. Nonformal Education

A. Basic Literacy Program
B. Continuing Education – Accreditation & Equivalency Program

• Elementary Level
• Secondary Level

2. Informal Education

(Personal interest, Community development, Skills & Livelihood, Entrepreneurship)

ALS CURRICULUM

Goal:

LIFELONG LEARNING

process whereby every individual acquires attitudes, knowledge, values and insights from daily experiences

As a learning process beginning at birth and ending only with death ( formal, informal and nonformal, alternative) which allows individual to continue learning and developing knowledge and competencies, necessary for the effective participation in solving real life problems and in functioning effectively in the society.

Objective:

FUNCTIONAL LITERACY

• a functionally literate person must be able to:
• Communicate effectively
• Solve problems scientifically, creatively and think critically
• Use resources sustainably and be productive
• Develop oneself and a sense of community
• Expand one’s world view

The BEC – ALS:

• contains a learning continuum of essential and functional skills, knowledge and values appropriate for ALS basic education designed to be comparable to the basic education in the formal school system
• drawn from the 1997 Philippine Elementary Learning competencies and 1998 Philippine Secondary Schools Learning Competencies
• structure and content was based on the national definition of functional literacy and its major indicators developed by the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC)

Curriculum Framework

New Definition of Functional Literacy

A range of skills and competencies, cognitive, affective and behavioral which enables individuals to:

• live and work as human persons
• develop their potentials
• make critical and informed decisions
• function effectively in society within the context of their environment and that of the wider community (local, national, regional & global)

in order to improve the quality of their life and that of society.

What are the ALS A&E Learning Modules?

These are the most important source of learning under ALS A&E System

• It contains information on different topics of interest
• It includes discussions, activities, self-assessment exercises, drawings, articles and other sources of information

ALS 5 Learning Strands

1. Communication Skills (English & Filipino)
2. Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
3. Sustainable Use of Resources/Productivity
4. Development of Self and a Sense of Community
5. Expanding One’s World Vision

ALS Principles of Learning

1. does not only take place within the four (4) walls of the classroom;
2. is fun with the use of active learning strategies;
3. is not compartmentalized into subjects but it is integrative and holistic;
4. Teachers and schools are not the only sources of learning;
5. is enhanced when the needs, interests and experiences of the learners are considered;
6. acquired outside the school system is equivalent to learning acquired in the schools (recognition of prior learning); and
7. Mother tongue is necessary to acquire basic literacy skills.

ALS Modalities

1. Face to Face Learning Session / Structured Learning Session
2. Independent / Home Study / Modular / Self-Learning
3. Radio-Based Instruction [RBI]
4. eSkwela / e-Learning

School Heads, LGUs , Academe, NGOs Roles in Sustaining the ALS Program

1. Building / providing of ALS Learning Centers
2. Maintenance of Existing ALS Learning Centers
3. Providing Training Costs and Payment of Salaries for Instructional Managers
4. Providing budget for Reproduction of Learning Materials. Learning Modules, Cassette Tapes, Cassette Recorders.
5. Put in Place the Means for Generating Resources for Various ALS Programs / Projects via legislations.
6. Monitoring and Evaluation of the Program.

ALS Post-Implementation Support System

1. Graduation/ Completion Ceremony
2. Counseling
3. Referral

Formal agreements with agencies, institutions and organizations

Memoranda of Agreement with other educational institutions and organizations that Secondary Level Passers can enroll in post-secondary schools and vocational training programs, college / university courses subject to the usual screening procedures

Memorandum of Agreement signed between DECS and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)

Provides NFE A&E Secondary Level Certificate Holders access to TESDA administered post-secondary schools and vocational training programs offered in TESDA Regional and Provincial Training Centers

Civil Service Commission (CSC) Resolution No. 000499

Civil Service Commission (CSC) issued CSC Resolution No. 000499 recognizing the NFE A&E Elementary and Secondary certificates as valid documents for permanent appointment to government positions provided other requirements are met.

Administrative Order No. 116

Administrative Order No. 116, Mandating all concerned government agencies and local government units to support the NFE A&E System that provides an alternative means of certification of learning to those Filipinos aged 15 years and above who are unable to avail of the formal School System or have dropped out of formal elementary and secondary education

ALS A&E Assessment and Certification System

Provide two levels of certification of learning achievement comparable to formal education

1. Elementary level
2. Secondary level

The NFE Accreditation and Equivalency Tests

The NFE A&E System offers learners the possibility of certification through successful completion of an NFE A&E Tests at two levels – Elementary and Secondary Levels. The tests at both levels are paper and pencil-based tests and use predominantly multiple choice based questions. (Plans are being made for having other forms of assessments such as portfolio assessment and other nonformal assessment methodologies).

Components of the ALS A&E Certification System

• The ALS A&E standardized multiple-choice Tests
• An essay
• Portfolio Assessment

1. Multiple – Choice Tests
– covers competencies drawn from five (5) learning strands – comm skills,
– computer-scored
– 4 subtests with 160 questions for elementary, 200 for secondary
– time-framed (3 hrs. 30 min. elementary and 4 hrs. 15 min. secondary)

2. An essay (in Filipino)
– assess writing skills
– assessed using holistic scoring by a team of three (3) assessors
– based on Minnesota Standard Test of Written Composition

Test Passers must meet minimum requirements:

1. Elementary Level

– Multiple-choice test
– Essay writing test

*90 in multiple choice test with not less than 2 in essay

2. Secondary Level

– Multiple-choice test
– Essay writing test

*95-99 in multiple choice test with not less than 3 in essay
*100 and above in multiple choice test with not less than 2 in essay

ALS Test Passers

Elementary Test Passers are automatically accepted in 1st year high school [DepED Order no. 13 , s. 2003]

Secondary Test Passers are eligible to enroll in TESDA and Tertiary Education

DEPED ALS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS

ALS Enrolment

From 2005-2015, a total of 3,968,116 learners were enrolled in ALS and provided with alternative learning interventions through appropriate teaching-learning modalities.

ALS Completers

A total of 2,890,787 learners completed the ALS A&E Program from 2005-2015.

A&E Test Takers

From 2005-2015, there were 1,602,475 learners who took the ALS Accreditation and Equivalency Test

A&E Test Passers

From 2005-2015, DepED ALS has accredited a total number of 582,536 learners by declaring them as equivalent basic education graduates and issuing them with Elementary and High School Diplomas through ALS A&E Program.

DEPED ALS UPDATES

Enhancement of ALS curriculum with that of the K to12 Basic Education Curriculum

The Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD) is currently reviewing the ALS learning competencies versus the K to 10 competencies. The output of this initiative is an Enhanced ALS curriculum which is aligned to K to10. Additional competencies and learning materials are being proposed for development in ALS for it to become more relevant and up-to-date.

Continued Implementation of ALS Program and Projects

This year, hundreds of thousands more Out-ofSchool Youth, Children, and Adults are being served through various ALS programs.

• Visually and hearing impaired learners are now served through ALS for Persons with Disability as covered under DepED Order No. 46, s. 2014.
• ALS learning materials translated into major languages in the Philippines are also being used toeducateALS learners in their MotherTongue, including cultural minorities.

SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES

• Need-responsive Policy
• Issuances
• Active Support from
• Stakeholders
• Conduct of various activities to gain support
• Partnership with Private Corporations

ALS CHALLENGES

Changes in supervision

In the recent implementation of the DepED Rationalization Program, the functions of the former BALS was subsumed in the different bureaus under CI. This affected the supervision and management of ALS at the Schools Division Offices (SDO) nationwide since there is no more supervisor (EPS I) solely assigned to ALS. While some ALS supervisors were given new assignments, some SDOs assigned ALS to new ones. This poses a challenge to the effective implementation of ALS programs in so far as the turnover of responsibilities and capacity building are concerned.

Implementation of Senior High School under the Kto12 program

Offering of Senior High School to ALS, if adopted, would be a major challenge. Having no human resources available for various tracks, as well as the absence of infrastructure, facilities and equipment at the Community Learning Centers, adoption of Senior High School would be a challenge.

Lack of learning facilitators

ALS has only a little over 6,846 teachers to reach the target learners and provide them with appropriate alternative learning opportunities. Though various interventions are already in place, reaching millions of OSYs and providing them quality education through ALS is far still from reality.

Others:

• Mapping of potential learners
• Funding support
• Provision of more CLCs, facilities, and equipment
• Sufficient and relevant learning resources
• Integration of livelihood and employment opportunities
• Lack of interest (on the part of the OSYs)

DEPED ALS FUTURE PLANS

Full implementation of ALS LIS

With the integration of ALS in DepED’s Learner Information System (LIS), data collection and management would be improved for purposes of assessment, evaluation, planning, and policy formulation for ALS.

ALS to be offered in all schools

With all public schools as a “one-stop-shop” for basic education, ALS could further be advocated and utilized for the benefit of all types of learners.

Information and Technology (IT)-enabled ALS education

Current eSkwela program could be revitalized and ALS be made more accessible to a technologically-oriented generation of learners through IT-based distance education.

New ALS Assessment

With the new structure at the DepED Central Office, the newly established Bureau of Education Assessment could revisit the current continuing education A&E program assessment and certification system, and come up with an equivalency assessment for ALS learners, one that is more harmonized with the formal basic education system under K to12.

Senior High School for ALS

Technical Study will be conducted by BEA to determine common tracks for SHS for ALS learners