Republic of the Philippines

San Antonio High School

Schools Division of Paranaque City

Introduction:

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 2019, the San Antonio National High School Paranaque ALS Program was established through the effort of our ever-supportive school head, Dr. Maria Rhodora P. Espino through the supervision of our Division ALS Supervisor, Dr. Angelica A. Libera together with Mr. Richard B. Villanueva being the ALS Instructional Manager /Coordinator of ALS SANHSP.

Below is the ALS Vision, Mission and Programs offered here in Schools Division of Paranaque City:

VISION

To empower Filipino out-of-school youth and adults to continue to learn on their own so they may improve their quality of life and that of their family, community, and country.

MISSION

To provide out-of-school youth and adults with learning opportunities by which they may gain knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will enable them to think critically and creatively; act innovatively and humanely and achieve their learning goals in order to become a contributing member of Filipino society.

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 is a ladderized, modular non-formal education program in the Philippines for dropouts in elementary and secondary schools, out-of-school youths, non-readers, working Filipinos and even senior citizens. It is part of the education system of the Philippines but an alternative to the regular classroom studies where learners are required to attend daily. The alternative system only requires students to choose schedules according to their choice and availability.

The program has two different schematics for conducting instruction: school-based and community-based. On the school-based program, instructions are conducted in school campuses while in the community-based program, formal instruction are conducted in community halls or on private places. The ALS program follows a uniform lesson module for all academic subjects covering the sciences, mathematics, English, Filipino, social studies, current events among others. Delivery of instructions are provided by government-paid instructors or by private non-government organization.

Aside from schematics, the program has two levels: elementary and secondary. Students must start from elementary level, then proceed to high school level. If a student is a graduate of elementary under a formal classroom system, the student is automatically admitted to the secondary levels depending on which year level the student stopped schooling.

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.

The program cuts the time needed to finish high school, hence, significantly cuts the expenses as well. Aside from giving hope to the less fortunate, it also provides opportunities to Out-of-School Youths (OSY) and adults elementary and secondary school dropouts; industry-based workers; housewives; maids; factory workers; drivers; members of cultural minorities; indigenous people and the disabled/physically challenged.

Training for instructional managers and coordinators are also provided by the program and supports the learner’s accreditation and equivalency (A&E) review.

1.ALS ACCREDITATION AND EQUIVALENCY (A&E) TEST aims to offer learners two learning achievements at two learning levels– Elementary and Secondary. It is a paper and pencil-based test, using multiple choice and composition writing. The test items are based on the learning competencies of the five learning strands of the ALS Curriculum.

Elementary Level

12 years old

Secondary Level

A.) Youth – 16 to 24 years old

B.) Adults – 25 years old and beyond

2. eSkwelais not separate from DepED-ALS. The difference mainly lies in the mode of ALS delivery; at an eSkwela Center, ICTs (electronic modules, Learning Management System, module guides, computers, Internet/World Wide Web) are utilized to deliver ALS. On the other hand, print modules are used in the traditional ALS. However, they uphold the same set of learning ideals (learning that is self-paced, project-based, and learner-centered; life skills approach). Learners from both delivery modes (traditional ALS and eSkwela) may aspire to take the A&E exam; upon passing this exam, the learner will be given an A&E certificate of completion, equivalent to a high school diploma.
   
   

3. BASIC LITERACY PROGRAM (BLP)is an intensive community-based training for illiterate out-of-school youth and adults, who are willing to learn basic literacy skills. The target learners are the non-literates who are out-of-school children, youth, and adults.
   
   
4. Informal Education (INFED)is a lifelong process of learning by which every person acquires and accumulates knowledge, skills, attitudes, and insights from daily experiences at home, at work, at play and from life itself. All members of the community who have interests in special areas such as social, civic, aesthetic, cultural, spiritual, political, recreational, physical, and other fields of lifelong learning are INFED learners. Hence, INFED learners are not confined to marginalized groups nor to those in disadvantaged areas. Every course conducted under the INFED program may be accredited most especially if the resource person/s who conducted the course/activity is/are connected with the accrediting agency. Learners who have finished technical-vocational INFED courses who plan to apply and work abroad should pass the TESDA National Certificate (NC) test and be certified accordingly.
   
   
5. Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE)The ALIVE in ALS Program aims to improve the quality of life of Muslim out-of-school youth and adults through ALS, thereby contributing the peace efforts of the government. Livelihood and entrepreneurship training and support network are included in the program, in coordination with the Technic al Education.

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.

ALS K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum Learning Strands