“A Case Analysis on Alternative Learning System”
(SPECIAL TOPIC 3)
INTRODUCTION
Poverty touches at levels of life. It affects family dynamics, life conditions and the
ability to dream or pursue education. In this period of globalization, development and
technical revolution, education is considered as the first step of every human activity.
Education is regarded as the major contributor to the improvement of living standards of
disadvantaged groups. For many poor Filipinos, education is a means to a better life like what
they say, “Education is the key to success”. Though, Education plays a very important role in
the development not only the child but also the nation, we cannot deny the fact that there are
problems that we uphold in terms of education. Some of it are the out of school youth and
cannot afford schooling. And luckily Alternative Learning System was implemented but it
doesn’t mean also that there are no problems that ALS encountered. Basically, ALS cannot
provide and suffice the needs of the learners compared to a formal education. We all know
that having such conducive place to learn, books that the students can rely on will improve
and develop the skills and cognitive level of the students.
The government’s vision for nonformal education is revitalized and epitomized
through an Executive Order No. 358 S. 2004, renaming and reinventing of the Bureau of
Nonformal Education to Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS) whose vision is to
view the Philippines as a nation where all the citizens, especially the marginalized individual
or group of learners who could not equitably gain access to formal education because of
unwanted conditions, be given equal access to quality education by taking an alternative
learning system that will enable them to become productive workforce and members of the
land.
The Philippines has been targeting the Education for All. This goal of the government
in terms of the education of the Filipinos cannot be addressed alone by the formal systems of
education, those who cannot afford to go to formal schools are addressed to by the
Alternative Learning Systems and Programs implemented by the Department of Education.
The ALS has been of great help in the literacy program of Dep.Ed. Those drop-outs from
formal schools were accepted in the ALS and were mainstreamed to the formal schools,
while others were qualified to work as a result of their trainings provided by the ALS
programs. At present, the ALS in our country is not yet successful in the attainment of it’s’
goals. To compare it to other ALS in other Asian countries, I would say they are at the same
wavelength. The ALS programs of the Asian countries may have helped in addressing the
educational needs of the less privileged citizens but still there are more citizens who were not
able to avail of the education provided by the formal schools or even the alternative learning
systems. Much effort has still to be done. The formal schools should tie up with the
alternative learning systems to fully address the needs of all the citizens of each country.
SHORT TERM SOLUTION
In summary, most of the stdents in our country have performance classified as
“falling further behind” or with performance getting lower. While substantial investments
have been poured into the establishment of basic education facilities, these were not enough
to ensure that those who finish the ALS programs in elementary and secondary levels
complete basic education with satisfactory achievement level. The basic education system
should be responsive to the differentiated needs of learners where a “one-size-fit all” or
conventional interventions are not enough or will no longer work.
Moreover, it may be true that the ALS of the Philippines as well as other Asian
countries have been of great help, but the education that they offer to the learners cannot
suffice the educational needs for them to qualify for higher education and even to land in
good and decent jobs. The students may have acquired the basic literacy but that is not
enough for them to qualify for pursuing higher education especially if they go back to formal
schools. The quality education is at risk. They may have learned the basics of education but
then again, in our current society wherein it is very competitive, the need for higher education
is the demand to qualify for jobs.
It was also noted that more male students drop out from schools, be it in the formal
schools or in the alternative schools. The cited reason why more male learners drop out from
school than female is due to poverty. More male students are asked to look for jobs that
would contribute to the income of the family. This has to be addressed, or else time will come
when more male will not be qualified to work due to being uneducated or worst being
illiterate.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Redesign the ALS program viz. Ladderized Technical and Vocational Skills Program
of TESDA or even programs related to Entrepreneurship.
Increase DepEd’s budget for the Bureau of Alternative Learning System to enable it
to continuously undertake policy, provide conducive classroom and books that the
students can rely on.
Government should also offer more subjects to the students of Alternative Learning
system.
