Mrs. Perfetua Z. Isagan routinely handles a basic education class for a motley group of youngsters at Kalibo Pilot Elem. School (KPES). Her current crop of 12 entrants (18 last year) is part of the program of DepEd called Alternative Learning System (ALS) under RA 9155 otherwise known as Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 which aims to provide a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction encompassing both the nonformal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.
DepEd Memo No. 409 S. of 2004 signed by Sec. Florencio B. Abad renamed the Bureau of Non – formal Education to Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS).
BALS is mandated to: a) address the learning needs of marginalized groups of the population including the deprived, depressed and underserved citizens, b) coordinate with various agencies for skills development to enhance and ensure continuing employability, efficiency, productivity and competitiveness in the labor market, c) ensure the expansion of access to educational opportunities for citizens of different interests, capabilities, demographic characteristics and socio – economic origins and status, and d) promote certification and accreditation of alternative learning programs both formal and informal in nature for basic education.
Mrs. Isagan is not a bit perturbed by heterogeneous level of educational attainment of her ward. She has a student said to be a fourth grader but has reverted to functional illiteracy after 6 – 7 years. Another is a second year high schooler but left school for the last three years. Reasons given for quiting school are poverty, family and psychological problems (slow learners and physically handicapped). With ALS, students are offered rare opportunity to equip themselves with mental, social and physical development without feeling the stigma and skepticism attached to adult literacy programs.
Students who are absent from daily classes due to work pressure may by arrangement opt for home study learning modules that are very practical and helpful. Convenient target of ALS are young housewives and household assistants who have time at their disposal. “If there’s any success for me, it is the realization that formal education is extended free to marginalized sectors of society.” Mrs. Isagan declared.
An important program of ALS is Accreditation and Equivalency (A & E) test which gives out – of school youth opportunity to secure either elementary or high school certificate to qualify them for enrolment in the next level of education or employment. This annual event is staged at KPES, one of 32 testing centers in the entire country.
Mrs. Amelia M. Pastrana – Lim, Education Supervisor I, said that “of the 156 examinees who took the A & E test last February 20, 2005, 9 or 5.76 percent hurdled the test for secondary level. For elementary, 4 out of 20 or 20 percent passed the test. Among the secondary qualifiers are from KPES namely: Glerybe C. Ambay and Cherry P. Peralta. District Supervisor Pablito T. Ipadala beams with pride that two of their ALS graduates on skills training are now employed at Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Hospital and another in Singapore. Both are accomplished dressmakers.
District ALS Coordinator Isagan follows a hectic and demanding schedule of teaching instruction: Monday (AM) – English, Tuesday (AM) – Filipino, Wednesday (AM) – Science, Thursday – Division Office (no class), Friday (whole day) – skills training on Dressmaking, Tailoring or Electricity (TESDA). The afternoons are devoted entirely to Mathematics. Supervisory jobs are made in 7 barangays where ALS are implemented. These are Elem. Schools of New Buswang, Andagao, Pook, Caano, Nalook, Gen. F. Castillo and Briones, all in Kalibo.
Non – formal education has long been operationalized by DepEd for the last 25 years. It has significantly contributed to the improvement of the educational status and vocational skills of marginalized learners. Funding for materials and equipment like tables, chairs and cabinet is surprisingly non – existent forcing mentors to solicit from Sangguniang Panlalawigan members and LGU.
Fortunately, Mayor Raymar A. Rebaldo of Kalibo is among those avid supporters and leading advocates of the program. Mrs. Isagan avers that in several instances, she was generous with the needs of poor students like notebook, ballpen, and ID picture. “You have to understand their inadequacies and concerns hence this personal sacrifice on my part”, she said.
This bureaucratic oversight must be properly addressed to by DepEd in coordination with LGU’s to achieve targets in the face of meager resources and rising public expectations. Lackluster performance in A & E test on examinees this year only proved utter government neglect and prejudice. Any educational investment for out – of school youth and adult learners would have a profound effect since they are part of our precious human resource. Making them productive members of society can have tremendous impact on themselves and to the whole community. /MPhttp://madyaas_pen@yahoo.com
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