Most of us have heard of the ALS and have associated it with non formal and informal learning. ALS or the so called Alternative Learning System has been successfully implemented in Orion District. Two of its major programs are the Basic Literacy Program and Balik Paaralan Para sa Out of School Youth and Adults under the CEP or Continuing Education Program. The said programs give chances to school drop outs to obtain non formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills. ALS provides a wide range of alternative pathways in order for these school drop outs to raise functionality in literacy and upgrade their skills in preparation for A& E Test (Accreditation and Equivalency Test ) A & E Test is administered by the DepEd yearly in order to give chances for those school drop outs to go back to school.
A total of 45 School Drop outs of Orion District successfully have taken and passed the Accreditation & Equivalency Test last June 2008 and October 2008. Of these 45 dropt outs the oldest was 51 years old while the youngest examiner was 16 years of age. Passers will be able to get certificate which is equivalent to the graduate school diploma of the formal education system. This leads them to acquire formal education and be enrolled in college or in any universities choosing any course they wanted. Also, such certificate issued to A& E passers can seek employment particularly those jobs which require high school diploma. Six ( 6) out of 10 Top A&E Passers in Bataan were from Orion District as a matter of fact both Top 1 and Top 2 are both from Orion. No wonder why Orion District ALS gathered the second place in terms of rank for the over all
A & E Test Results, Division Level. Credit should be given to its Mobile Teacher Victor R. Lazaro and Orion ALS Coordinator Crizelda P. Cruz- for such effort and assistance given to these out of school youth and adults. Who knows, in the future, out of these 45 school drop outs , some turn to be a teacher, engineer or the like. Indeed, ALS gives options to those who are in a different life situations and make them a productive individual of the community in the future.
By: EDGARDO L. DESTREZA – Daan Pare Elem. School
