Modules in Special Topics in Education Alejandro L. Giray, Jr.

2 ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS)

Teaching and learning are no longer confined to the classroom or the school
day. There are many ways that can offer a great deal of flexibility in when, where,
and how education is distributed.

What do I Alternative Learning System is a parallel learning system that provides a

need to
practical option to the existing formal instruction. When one does not have or
learn?
cannot access formal education in schools, ALS is an alternate or substitute. ALS
only requires learners to attend learning sessions based on the agreed schedule
between the learners and the learning facilitators.

In this module, the learners will be acquainted with alternative learning

system. Specifically, at the end of this module, the learners are expected to:

 describe the features of alternative learning system.; and

 explain the importance of alternative learning system in the
delivery of instruction to those who do not have or cannot access
format education in schools.

WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM?

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
What do I education in schools, ALS is an alternate or substitute. ALS includes both the non-
need to formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.
know?
WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM IN THE
PHILIPPINES?

Many Filipinos do not have a chance to attend and finish formal basic education
due to many reasons. Some drop out from schools while some do not have
schools in their communities. Since every Filipino has a right to free basic
education, the Government establishes ALS to provide all Filipinos the chance to
have access to and complete basic education in a mode that fits their distinct
situations and needs.

WHAT IS THE BASIS OF ALS IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PHILIPPINES?

The 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 non-formal,
informal and indigenous learning systems as well as self-learning, independent
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Modules in Special Topics in Education Alejandro L. Giray, Jr.

and out-of-school study programs particularly those that respond to community

needs.

The Governance Act for Basic Education otherwise known as the Republic Act 9155
stipulates the establishment of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) to provide
out-of-school children, youth and adults population with basic education.

HOW DOES ALS WORK?

There are two major programs on ALS that are being implemented by the
Department of Education, through the Bureau of Alternative Learning System
(BALS). One is the Basic Literacy Program and the other is the Continuing
Education Program – Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E). Both programs are
modular and flexible. This means that learning can take place anytime and
anyplace, depending on the convenience and availability of the learners.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEM

AND THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS) NON-FORMAL
EDUCATION?

Formal Education system is classroom-based, managed by trained formal school

teachers.

ALS Non-Formal Education happens outside the classroom, community-based,

usually conducted at community learning centers, barangay multi-purpose hall,
libraries or at home, managed by ALS learning facilitators, such as mobile teachers,
district ALS Coordinators, instructional managers at an agreed schedule and venue
between the learners and facilitators.

ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM 2.0

The Alternative Learning System (ALS) is a parallel learning system in the

Philippines that provides opportunities for out-of-school youth and adult (OSYA)
learners to develop basic and functional literacy skills, and to access equivalent
pathways to complete basic education.

A viable alternative to the existing formal education system, ALS encompasses

both non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills. As a second chance
education program, it aims to empower OSYA learners to continue learning in a
manner, time and place suitable to their preference and circumstances, and for
them to achieve their goals of improving their quality of life and becoming
productive contributors to society.

In 2016, the ALS Program began undergoing reforms as part of strengthening,

intensifying, and expanding its implementation. Three years of consultation,
review and development of policies, training, and evaluation with partners in the
government, local and international non-government agencies, and civil society
organizations led to the finalization of the enhanced ALS K to 12 Basic Education

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Modules in Special Topics in Education Alejandro L. Giray, Jr.

Curriculum, the development of the ALS Program 2.0, and the rollout of the five-
year ALS 2.0 Strategic Roadmap.

THE ALS K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM

The ALS Program uses a contextualized non-formal curriculum which is

substantially aligned with the K to 12 Curriculum for Basic Education of the formal
school system, but it is not the mirror image of the formal school curriculum. It is
aligned but not identical. This takes into account the prior learning of its learners
and reflects the indicators of functional literacy into six interrelated learning
strands.

The table below shows the six learning strands and corresponding topics or skills.

The ALS Programs

The Department of Education implements non-formal education programs

through the ALS. Non-formal education is defined by UNESCO as “education that
is institutionalized, intentional and planned by an education provider. The defining
characteristic of non-formal education is that it is an addition, alternative and/or
a complement to formal education within the process of the lifelong learning of
individuals. It is often provided to guarantee the right of access to education for
all. Non-formal education can cover programs contributing to adult and youth
literacy and education for out-of-school children, as well as programs on life skills,
work skills, and social or cultural development.”

The non-formal education programs in ALS are Basic Literacy Program (BLP) and
Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Program.

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Modules in Special Topics in Education Alejandro L. Giray, Jr.

The ALS Program also provides opportunity for learning through Informal
Education (InfEd). Informal Education, defined as a “lifelong learning process
acquired outside the formal school system but complements learning acquired in
both non-formal and formal basic education,” creates opportunities for self-
development, community development, entrepreneurship, and skills development
in response to the individual’s learning interest.

 The Basic Literacy Program (BLP) is a program component of ALS aimed at

eradicating illiteracy among OSYA, and in extreme cases, school-aged
children, by developing the basic literacy skills of reading, writing, and
numeracy.

 The Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Program is a program

component of ALS aimed at providing an alternative pathway of learning
for OSYA who have the basic literacy skills but have not completed the K
to 12 basic education mandated by the Philippine Constitution. Through
this program, school dropouts are able to complete elementary and high
school education outside the formal school system.

 Consistent with the goal to intensify its second chance education program
and make it more responsive to the needs of the learners, DepEd
integrated the Life Skills for Work Readiness and Civic Engagement
Program developed under the Mindanao Youth Development project of
USAID.

The Life Skills for Work Readiness and Civic Engagement Program aimed
to address the mismatch between skills taught in school and skills
demanded in the workplace that have left young people unable to find
jobs, start their own businesses, or otherwise contribute to their
communities.

Building up on its partnership with MYDev and the United States Agency
for International Development (USAID), the Department of Education is
mainstreaming the use of Life Skills for Work Readiness and Civic
Engagement in the Alternative Learning System to develop skills and
competencies needed for economic success, such as communications,
leadership, workplace safety, and financial literacy skills among its ALS
learners.

In MYDev, Life Skills include two sets of skills:

a. Work Readiness Skills – work-related skills needed by young people to
be successful at work in the formal, non-formal, and informal sectors
b. Civic Engagement Skills – values and skills for living in and helping to
improve quality of life in our community and overall society

In 2019, the Life Skills Program was rolled out in the BLP and A&E classes
of DepEd delivered ALS programs all over the country.

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Modules in Special Topics in Education Alejandro L. Giray, Jr.

ACCREDITATION AND EQUIVALENCY TEST

The ALS Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Assessment and Certification is a

process that comprises an exam and other appropriate assessments to measure
the competencies acquired by ALS learners based on the ALS K to 12 Basic
Education Curriculum (BEC).

Completers of ALS who are passers of the A&E Test are given certificates bearing
the Department of Education (DepEd) seal, the ALS logo, the Schools Division
Office’s logo, dry seal and designated signatories, and the school’s name (if the
A&E passer completed ALS under a school or an SBM School for ALS) or the
Community Learning Center’s name (if the A&E passer completed ALS under a
CLC). This duly signed official document certifies their competencies as
comparable graduates of the formal education system.

Under DepEd Order No. 27, series 2018 (Amendment to DepEd Order No. 42, s.
2015, or the High School Graduates Who are Eligible to Enroll in Higher Education
Institutions in School Year 2016-2017, in Relation to ALS), beginning school year
2018-2019 and for subsequent school years, passers of previous A&E Tests (high
school level), and of the November 2017, March 2018, and February and March
2019 A&E Tests (high school level), who are all high school graduates of the old
basic education curriculum for ALS, are eligible to:

a. Enroll in college/university as First Year students, subject to admission policies

and requirements of higher education institutions (HEIs); or
b. Take skills development training programs; or
c. Enroll in Senior High School at any public school, or private school of their
choice (subject to admission requirements).

ALS LEARNING MATERIALS

With the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) due to COVID-
19, the need for more online learning opportunities is more apparent. In response
to this, UNICEF Philippines created the ICT4ALS website to provide online
resources and apps that ALS learners, teachers, and implementers can explore and
use.

The ICT4ALS complements the DepEd Commons' pool of learning resources.

It also includes links to online webinars, courses, and tutorials that ALS teachers
can partake to learn more about ICT-based distance teaching and learning.

The ICT4ALS is co-developed and regularly updated by the UNICEF Philippines

Education team, the ALS Task Force, and various partners and volunteers.

Access ICT4ALS here: http://bit.ly/ICT4ALS

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Modules in Special Topics in Education Alejandro L. Giray, Jr.

In many countries, a mismatch between skills taught in school and skills demanded
in the workplace have left young people unable to find jobs, start their own
businesses, or otherwise contribute to their communities.

The Mindanao Youth Development (MyDev) project adopted Education

Development Center’s Work Ready Now! (WRN!) curriculum which delivers
relevant and effective work readiness and civic engagement training to youth,
giving them a second chance at economic success and better participation in their
communities.

Building up on its partnership with MyDev and USAID, the Department of

Education is mainstreaming the use of Life Skills for Work Readiness and Civic
Engagement in the Alternative Learning System to develop skills and
competencies needed for economic success, such as communications, leadership,
workplace safety, and financial literacy skills among its ALS learners.

FM-Opening Activity
FM_Module-1-Personal Development
FM_Module-2-Interpersonal Communication
FM_Module-3-Leadership & Teamwork
FM_Module-4-Work Habits and Conduct
FM_Module-5-Safety & Health at Work
FM_Module-6-Rights & Responsibilities of Workers and Employers
FM_Module-7-Financial Fitness
FM_Module-8-Exploring Entrepreneurship
FM_Module-9-Civic Engagement
FM-Closing Activity

Activity 1. Answer the following questions briefly but comprehensively. (Please

use separate sheet/s of paper for this activity)

1. What is the importance of ALS in the delivery of education to those people

who do not have or cannot access education?
What do I
2. How could alternative learning system be beneficial to learners? Cite
need to do?
examples of different groups of individuals. (e.g. Out-of-School Youth,
Drop Outs, etc.)
3. Choose one of the programs of ALS and discuss.

Activity 2. Interview a Mobile or ALS Teacher in your locality and ask the
following questions.

1. What is ALS and its importance?

2. Who are the target learners in the ALS?
3. What documents are required to enroll in the ALS?
4. Who are the teachers in the ALS?
5. What learning materials are used?

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Modules in Special Topics in Education Alejandro L. Giray, Jr.

6. Where are ALS classes conducted?

7. What are the options as an ALS graduate?
8. What if the learner wants to return to formal school?

Write their answers in your journal/answer sheets.

Look for a research output about this topic. Highlight the research problem/s and
the findings of the study. (Please use separate sheet/s of paper for this activity)

Title of Research ____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________
What does Author/s ____________________________________________________________________________
research say
about this?
Research Problem __________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

Findings ____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

Reflect on this questions. (Please use separate sheet/s of paper for this activity)

1. What are your thoughts about alternative learning system?

What 2. As a future teacher, are you willing to become a mobile or ALS teacher?
insights and
Why?
learning
have I
gained in
this topic?

REFERENCES

https://www.deped.gov.ph/k-to-12/inclusive-education/about-alternative-learning-
system

Where can I https://www.deped.gov.ph/als-programs/

get
additional https://www.deped.gov.ph/about-als/
information?

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