The Department of Education reported there are more than four million out-of-school youths and adults (OSYAs) enrolled in the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program.
“The numbers have shown that the Department has been putting concerted effort to reach out OSYAs nationwide and give them a chance to have a diploma in all basic education levels,” Sec. Leonor Briones said.
Based on the report of Assistant Secretary for Alternative Learning System G.H. Ambat, the enrollment numbers during the current administration are 80.32 percent higher than the past two administrations on a yearly average.
The DepEd also highlighted said 288 public schools and two private schools from 10 regions are now implementing the ALS-Senior High School program to provide more opportunities to the OSYAs to elevate their professional careers in the long run.
In 2019, DepEd Region 5 launched the pilot implementation of the ALS-SHS program in four schools, wherein after two years, 62 learners were able to complete the course and obtain their diplomas.
It was also noted through the partnership with Unesco Jakarta and Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) Philippines, the country developed and launched the new K to 12 aligned learning modules.
DepEd also emphasized the improvement of the passers for the Presentation Portfolio Assessment (PPA), where 71.42 percent of qualifiers from school year 2019-2020 passed the said assessment while 87.55 percent passed in school year 2020-2021 for the elementary level.
On the other hand, 83.56 percent of the qualifiers from school year 2019-2022 succeeded in the PPA, while 93.51 percent of qualifiers from school year 2020-2021 received their certificate in the Junior High School level.
Last Dec. 23, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11510 institutionalizing the ALS program and creating the Bureau of Alternative Education, which will ensure that no learners are left behind by providing a parallel learning system for non-formal education.
“DepEd would like to extend its gratitude to our partners in the legislature, especially the Senate Committee on Basic Education chaired by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, House Committee on Basic Education and Culture Representative Roman Romulo, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, and Tingog Partylist Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, for championing the right of every Filipino to quality basic education, whether through formal or non-formal means of instruction,” Briones said. – Press release
