Some of us are not familiar to the ALS Program by the Department of Education. The what, who, how, are the most frequent questions asked about the programs. What is ALS ? What are their programs and Projects? Who are the beneficiaries of the program?. These are some of the questions that we need to find out and answer, to be able to learn and understand the Alternative Learning System.
What is Alternative Learning System?
—- The Alternative Learning System (ALS) is a free education program implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) under the Bureau of Alternative Learning System which benefits those who cannot afford formal schooling and follows whatever is their available schedule. The program provides a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction, encompassing both the non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills. ALS aims to open more educational opportunities for Filipino citizens of different interests, capabilities of demographic characteristics, socioeconomic origins and status as well as addressing the needs of marginalized groups.
What are the different Programs and Projects of ALS?
—– Alternative Learning system offers a lot of programs for out of school youths and adults, but the major programs offered are the following.
Accreditation and Equivalency Test – it is a certification of learning for out-of-school youth and adults aged 11 years old and above for elementary and 15 years old and above in secondary who are unable to go to or have dropped out of the formal school. It is comparable to an elementary and secondary education of the formal school system. They will receive a certification signed by the secretary of Education.
Basic Literacy Program – The BLP is an intensive community-based learning intervention for illiterate out-of-school children, youth and adults who are willing to learn the three basic literacy skills.
– Ability to read with comprehension
– Ability to compute simple problems
– Creative thinking and problem solving
Informal Education ( INFED ) / Livelihood Training – InfEd is an education activity that addresses the special needs and interest of the marginalized and other interest groups of learners, making use of the life skills approach for personal development.
Who are their target Clienteles?
—- target learners for basic literacy programs are the illiterate out of school youths and adults, for the ALS A & E Test the target learners are the following.
– Completers of Basic Literacy Program
– Out of School youths and Adults
– Elementary and Secondary drop-outs
– Unemployed/ underemployed
– Street children and youth
– People with disabilities
– Inmates
– Rebel Returnees
– Indigenous people
These things will help you learn and understand more about the ALS programs and Projects. It will serve as an alternative way of learning to those youths and Adults who wanted to continue their schooling and finish their levels.
By: MR. ALBERT J. MALLARI | TEACHER II | DISTRICT ALS COORDINATOR, SAMAL DISTRICT, SAMAL, BATAAN
