Second-chance education should not be second-class: the Philippines’ Alternative Learning System
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Even before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there were 258 million school-age children and adolescents not attending school across the world, and 781 million adults were unable to read or write in any language. These numbers may rise significantly as the impact of extended school closures around the world is felt. Countries’ second-chance education systems were already under pressure – and often seen as second-class. Now the pandemic is creating a large new demand for them, increasing the urgency for reforms.
The Philippines has one of the world’s largest second-chance education programs. Known as the Alternative Learning System or ALS, it has had 5.5 million young and adult learners 15 years old and older in the last 10 years. The World Bank has been advising the Department of Education on how to improve its performance and move to a new level. ALS is a viable second-chance program that benefits its learners but also one that needs to continuously improve to help learners achieve their maximum potential. The Philippines’ experience with ALS can be relevant to countries around the world facing the same crisis.
The Alternative Learning System (ALS)
Completing basic education is a gateway for all to further education and vocational training as well as to formal employment. Without basic education, people are vulnerable to extreme poverty. ALS is an education system supporting people who, for various reasons, have not received a minimum-desired level of formal education. A core component of it is the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Program, which allows learners to earn official certificates equivalent to regular school diplomas through a national exam.
In the last three years, the Department of Education reported that, on average, 130,000 learners passed this exam annually, a big jump from 58,000 passing per year between 2005 and 2015. Our previous study found that those who passed earned approximately PHP 7,400 (US$148) – or roughly 50% more monthly, compared with the average among high school dropouts. They were twice as likely to have full-time formal employment compared to those who did not pass the A&E, and 60% of ALS learners who passed the A&E secondary-level exam enrolled later in further education and training.
How does ALS achieve these results? Flexibility is a critical feature. Adult learners have high opportunity costs for learning, especially if they have to give up work to study. Learners have diverse academic backgrounds, skills, and motivations for learning. ALS is designed as a blended learning program, a combination of self-paced, modular-based learning with instruction by mobile teachers that is tailored to developing countries like the Philippines.
ALS also plays a big role in geographic areas where education faces significant risks due to conflicts, natural calamities, or remoteness. Our most recent study found similar benefits of the ALS program in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, one of the Philippines’ least developed region, which has been formed recently after several decades of armed conflict and civil unrest. ALS is providing basic education to many people in the region, who did had opportunities to learn for a long time, while waiting for the fruits of a new and better school education system.
Challenges in the ALS
Despite its successes, there is significant room for improvement to help learners achieve their potential.
One key challenge is the shortage of fundamental inputs. There were not enough ALS learning materials in the field to enable effective modular-based learning both at home and in face-to-face sessions. Operational funds provided to mobile teachers were not enough to cover the full costs for teaching aids, additional learning materials, and transportation to visit learners. On average, these funds only covered 60% of the costs, and teachers often had to meet the gap by paying out of their own pockets.
Typical learning environments for ALS, such as open-air space under a tree or simple structures made by light materials such as palm tree leaves and bamboos, do not adequately keep adult learners focused on learning. And the teaching force for ALS has come up short both in quantity and quality. As the backbone of the program, teachers need better, continuous professional development.
Most importantly, ALS’ system components, designed a few decades ago, need a comprehensive upgrade. The use of ICT technology could be expanded and made more systematic, to support learning delivery and learning management, as well as assessment and certification in ALS.
Opportunities - ALS Version 2.0
The Department of Education has recognized these challenges. In 2019, with assistance from the World Bank, it developed a new strategic roadmap for the reform program. Known as “ALS 2.0,” it’s an opportunity to fix long-standing issues, as well as a chance to ensure that these reforms receive adequate resources and support. Other key partners, such as SEAMEO-INNOTECH, USAID, ADB, DFAT, and UNICEF, have come together to provide support.
And this agenda is more important than ever, as COVID-19 disrupts the Philippines’ basic education system. The first priority must be to provide continuing learning opportunities for students and prevent them from dropping out of school. However, a stronger ALS can give those who leave the formal school system an extremely important second chance. We hope the lessons learned from our studies will improve the ALS for the Philippines and also help other developing countries that face similar challenges.
Thank you for being part of the ALS program. We consider the ALS teaching profession as a passion, an apostolate and a calling. We are happy to see the OSY and OSA succeed in their lives. That is our fulfillment as an ALS implementers
I am willing and happy as part of the als implementer.
ALs has proven itself useful to many of our youths today..They still have the chance to putsue their dream career despite the crisis...The program is one of the many successes of the deped..let's continue to support it.
I strongly agree that als program is one very important opportunity for every out of school youth to pursue their studies even in the tertiary level.In addition,they would become productive and useful citizen in the country.
Education should be the top priority and must be continued by all means.
Education should be the top priority and must be continued by all means.
ALS PROGRAM MUST BE CONTINUE LEARNING ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE STUDENTS OUT OF SCHOOL
ALS gives not only chances to those who weren't able to continue education in their younger age but it also gives opportunities to those who're more willing to learn and make their lives better...this is an integral program of DepEd and should be given much more attention too... Especially in this time of Pandemic
Thank you for the ALs program for helping youth to pursue thier studies.
ALS Education plays a vital part in this pandemic period and so the government should put more attention to it.
ALS is one of the best education in the OSY, it gives another chance to those students who stop their education because of financial problems. And we can see that there are successful people who are products of ALS.
ALS is important to every OSY in our country to help them bridge thier dreams to pursue their studies to obtain a degree in the future.ALS opens opportunity to the less fortunate achieve their ambition.
ALS plays a vital part in this pandemic period and so DepEd and goverment should join hand in giving full support to it.
Continuity of learning must be priority
Yes, I agree.
ALS program is a very good..it helps a lot to our out of School youth to continue learning and pursue there ambition.
All advocacy of DepEd for the benefits of the ALS
Thank you for sharing this. I have gain a lot of knowledge about ALS and how it works.
ALS plays a big role in DEPED
We need a big heart individuals & have a passion with love in teaching that not corrupt in any ways(in general) to have a better tomorrow. I pray?.
Als should not be taken dorgranted because some pupils who enrolled in this are also potential pupils some of them.cNnot enrol because of some factors such as poverty, age. Etc.
We are very thankful that our country give special attention to our ALS students.
ALS program gives the oppurtunity to our out of school youth to continue their studies despite of the pandemic crisis...
Thank you worldbank
I hope people working has a big heart & not to attempt to corrupt in any ways. I pray ?.
Has a big heart & God fearing persons.
Yes to Als
ALS can help more students
Its good that many agencies are iniciating for improvement of ALS..
I am agree that als program is very useful to our yourhs today to pursue their dreams despite of crisis.
ALS is very important way of learning to reach out the learners...Good job and God bless to ALS implementer..
This program is very useful especially for working and parent youth who diesn't have time to go in school.
This program is very useful especially for working and parent youth who diesn't have time to go in school.
ALS must be continue because it serves as a gateway for the out of school youth to continue their education. It could help a lot in eradicating ignorant and lessen issues on poverty in a long term. I would suggest, the government should intensify support on this program and provide enough resources for better implementation.
This program is very useful to our out of school youth, i also agree that this is the good alternative schooling especially in pandemic.
ALS is very important to those OSY who wanted to fulfill their dreams come true. As a teacher, i am fully supported this program of the DepEd.
Support the ALS program of the Department of Education to achieve the target quality of education of the learners particularly in ALS.
Support the ALS program of the Department of Education to achieve the target quality of education of the learners particularly in ALS.
OK for the opportunity
OK for the opportunity
Am willing to be part of ALS. ty
As an IM, I am very thankful for being a part of ALS 2.0 Impemeter because I’ve learned a lot of things, different kinds of challenges in reaching those people in the remote areas, especially to the OSYA people.
Hello guys sobrang nonsense na ng ALS dahil hindi na nila pinapadiretso ang graduates sa college kundi senior high it beats the purpose ng original ALS
ALS wil surely be a support to bridging the already widening gap between rich and poor but will enliven a system so broken up.
The Alternative Learning System (ALS) is indeed an avenue for Out of School Youth and Adults (OSYAs) who were not given the opportunities to continue their studies in the formal school due to poverty and other reasons. This is the way for OSYAs to pursue and realize their dreams of finishing Basic Education. I am a supporter of the ALS. It's a very helpful Second Chance Education Program,.
The second chance education in the Philippines is still improving, yet the learners and teachers struggle a lot, especially in this challenging time brought by Covid-19. Being in the ALS program is such a blessing. It motivates me to extend to the less fortunate ones. I am praying that one day, the success of the systematic program shortens the program to aid the learners and improve their living. I hope that all learning modules will be updated, with sufficient supplies, learning resources, and computers inside the learning center. A well-structured community learning center served as a source of learning because its conduciveness of learning must be visible.