Following the Second Congressional Commission on Education’s (EDCOM II) findings on the dismal enrollment in the Alternative Learning System (ALS), Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to address gaps in the ALS law’s implementation to increase completion rates among its learners.
According to the EDCOM II’s Year Two Report, enrollment in ALS averages at 600,000 annually while completion rates are alarmingly low. The report stated that for School Year 2023-2024, only 302,807 (46.2%) out of 655,517 learners completed the program. A 2021 UNICEF study revealed that the absence of financial support, the need to work, and the lack of interest contribute to high dropout rates.
Among the interventions that Gatchalian proposes is a guidance and counseling program that would encourage ALS learners to stay enrolled. He also emphasized that ALS learners should be informed about the skills that they can develop and the jobs that they can get after completing the program.
“Mahalagang maunawaan ng ating mga mag-aaral sa ALS ang mga oportunidad na maaari nilang matanggap sa ilalim ng programa. Ang ALS ay nagbibigay ng pangalawang pagkakataon sa ating mga kababayan at hindi natin ito dapat sayangin,” said Gatchalian, author and sponsor of the ALS Law.
The ALS is a parallel learning system that provides a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction. Under the “Alternative Learning System Act” (Republic Act No. 11510), the ALS was institutionalized, strengthened, and expanded to provide increased opportunities for out-of-school children in special cases and adult learners, including indigenous peoples, to pursue an equivalent pathway to complete basic education. Out-of-school children in special cases include learners with disabilities, children in conflict with the law, and learners in emergency situations.
The EDCOM also flagged that while the ALS law was signed in 2020, many of its implementing guidelines are still pending. These include the guidelines that will help LGUs to tap the Special Education Fund (SEF). Revenue regulations that will allow private institutions to receive tax incentives for contributions to ALS also remain unavailable. The Commission also flagged that DepEd has not yet released the guidelines on the recognition of private ALS providers.
