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Chapter 5
HISTORICAL, LEGAL BASES AND POLICY GUIDELINES OF
ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM

Learning Objectives:
1. Cite historical events, legal bases, and policies of alternative learning system
2. Compare and contrast ALS program from the multi-grade classes
3. Compare the scope and learning competencies of ALS from the formal school

WHAT IS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM OR ALS?

● A FREE education program implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd)

● A parallel learning system provides opportunities for out-of-school youth and adult
(OSYA) learners to develop basic and functional literacy skills and access equivalent
pathways to complete basic education.
● This parallel learning system aims to provide a practical solution to our fellow men who
do not have access to formal education. Hence, this non-formal substitute was
implemented.

WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM IN THE

PHILIPPINES?
● Many Filipinos do not have a chance to attend and finish formal basic education (Grades
1-6 and Grade 7-10) due to many reasons. Some drop out of schools, while some do not
have schools in their communities. Since every Filipino has a right to free basic
education, the Government establishes ALS to provide all Filipinos the chance to have
access to and complete basic education in a mode that fits their distinct situations and
needs.
● Education gives an individual tool needed to be gainfully employed and self-sufficient as
well as increases self-worth. Education is vital in fighting poverty. As statistics have
shown, only six (6) out of ten (10) grade one enrollees finish elementary and only four
(4) finish high school. ALS caters to those who were unable to attend a school or finish
elementary or high school.
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HISTORICAL, LEGAL BASES AND POLICY GUIDELINES OF ALTERNATIVE

LEARNING SYSTEM

● May 21, 1908, Non-formal Education started in the Philippines as a civic movement.
● Act. No. 1829 provided for the giving of Civico educational lectures in towns and
barrios.
● On December 4, 1914, the Act was amended by Act. No. 2424 making public school
teachers in charge of conducting lectures.
● Commonwealth Act No. 80 was passed in 1936, creating the office of Adult Education
under the Department of Instruction.
● Executive Order No. 94, dated October 4, 1947, converted the office of Adult Education
into the Adult and Community Education Division under the Bureau of Public Schools.
● Provisions of the 1973 Philippine Constitution that have relevance to Non-formal
Education:
● Article II Sec. 4. The State shall strengthen the family as a basic social institution.
Parents' natural right and duty in rearing the youth for civic efficiency and the
development of moral character shall receive the aid support of the government.
● Provisions of the 1973 Philippine Constitution have relevance to non-formal Education.
● Article II Sec. 5. The State shall recognize the vital role of the youth in nation-building
and shall promote their physical, intellectual, and social well-being.
● Presidential Decree No.1139, which took effect on May 13, 1977, created the position
of Undersecretary for Non-formal Education, who has the overall responsibility for the
non-formal education programs of the department.
● The Office of Non-formal Education became a fully staffed Bureau by virtue of Batas
Pambansa 232, otherwise known as the Education Act of 1982. This law created the
Bureau of Continuing Education.
● The 1986 Philippine Constitution Article XIV Section 2 gives particular focus to non-
formal Education, "The state shall encourage non-formal, informal and indigenous
learning systems as well as self-learning, independent and out-of-school study programs,
particularly those that respond to community needs, and provide adult citizens, the
disabled, and out-of-school youth with training in civics efficiency and other skills."
● Executive Order No. 117 Sec. 15, series of 1987 spells out the Reorganization of the
Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports to redefine the mandate, powers, and functions
and for the other purposes, provided among others, renaming of Continuing Education as
the Bureau of non-formal Education.
● Executive Order No. 356 - Renaming the Bureau of Non-formal Education to Bureau of
Alternative Learning System (BALS)
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● WHEREAS, it is declared State policy to protect and promote the right of all citizens to
quality basic education and to promote the right of all citizens to quality basic Education
and such Education accessible to all by providing all Filipino children in the elementary
level and free Education in the high school level. Such Education shall also include
alternative learning system for out-of-school youth and adult learners." (Sec. 2 of R.A.
9155, the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001.)
● WHEREAS, Section 12.1 Rules XII of R.A. 9155 stipulates that "the alternative Learning
System is a parallel learning system to provide a viable alternative to the existing formal
education instruction, encompassing both the non-formal and informal sources of
knowledge and skills."
● WHEREAS, the Dept. of Education, through the Bureau of Non-formal Education, is
mandated to ensure that all learning needs of marginalized learners are addressed.
● WHEREAS, one of the most important initiatives in Non-formal Education in the
Philippines in the last 10 years is the Alternative Learning System (ALS), which is a
major component of basic Education with a clearly defined role within the overall
educational goals.
● WHEREAS, ALS will respond to the need for a more systematic and flexible approach in
reaching all types of learners outside the school system.
● By the power vested upon Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo did hereby order Section 1.
The Bureau of Non-formal Education is hereby renamed to Bureau of Alternative
Learning System (BALS)
● The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides the recognition and promotion of other
forms of education other than formal education. Article XIV, Section 2, Paragraph (1)
declares that the State shall establish, maintain and support a complete, adequate and
integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and society; and
Paragraph (4) concisely encourages non-formal, informal, and indigenous learning
systems as well as self-learning, independent and out-of-school study programs
particularly those that respond to community needs. The Governance Act for Basic
Education, otherwise known as the Republic Act 9155, stipulates the establishment of
the Alternative Learning System (ALS) to provide out-of-school children, youth, and
adults population with basic education.
Click the link to read more
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1126428#:~:text=Alternative%20Learning%20System
%20institutionalized

WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT IN ALS?

● ALS has three levels: Basic Literacy, Elementary and High School.
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● In the Basic Literacy Program (BLP), reading, writing, and basic math are taught. Those
who are non-literate or have not attended any formal schooling at any point in their life
are required to start here.
● The elementary and high school levels prepare their respective learners with the
knowledge required to pass the Accreditation and Equivalency Test (AET) given by the
DepEd to both levels.

WHERE IS ALS BEING TAUGHT?

● ALS has two (2) settings, school-based and community-based.
● The school-based setting would occur in classrooms in public schools if DepEd managed
or private schools managed by private schools that are accredited, service providers.
● The community-based setting takes place in barangay halls or barangay provided spaces,
community learning centers provided by public or privately-run institutions, or service
providers’ learning centers. DepEd’s mobile classrooms also belong to this setting.

OBJECTIVES OF ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM

● The ALS program aims to obtain the benefit and the needs of the learner and the
educator. The following are the visions that this program aspires to achieve:
● A special program for learners with disabilities and providing learning techniques and
instructional materials that suit the learning pace;
● Provide quality attention and basic education to out-of-school children in special cases,
adult learners, and indigenous people;
● Easy access to educational programs for learners residing in remote areas and conflict-
affected communities;
● Hire and deploy ALS Teachers and Facilitators to provide ALS programs, especially in
far-flung areas, conflict-affected communities, and communities experiencing
emergencies;
● To improve the level of literacy among Filipinos;
● To promote caring, self-reliant, independent, and productive citizens by encouraging
them to pursue and accomplish; and
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● To provide flexible learning programs and learning content and as well as to integrate
formal and non-formal and informal educational strategies and approaches to the ALS
learners.

Chapter 6
ALS programs and Curriculum

HOW DOES ALS WORK?

● There are three major programs on ALS that are being implemented by the Department of
Education, through the Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS). One is the Basic
Literacy Program and the other is the Continuing Education Program –
Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E). Both programs are modular and flexible. This
means that learning can take place anytime and anyplace, depending on the convenience
and availability of the learners.

1. Program for illiterates: Basic Literacy Program (BLP)

● The Basic Literacy Program (BLP) aims to eradicate illiteracy among out-of-school
youth and adults (in extreme cases, school-aged children) by developing basic literacy
skills of reading, writing, and numeracy.
● There are four programs under the Basic Literacy Program. Each one is designed to meet
the specific needs of out-of-school learners. One is the Basic Literacy Project under the
Literacy Service Contracting Scheme (LSCS) and Accreditation and Equivalency under
Learning Support Delivery System (LSDS). Two (2) Districts clustered one Learning
group, and some were implemented one (1) learning group. One (1) District with 100
learners per group for LSCS and 150 learners for LSDS. This is a 600-800 hour learning
program funded by The Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS).

2. Program for dropouts of formal Elementary and Secondary Levels: Continuing

Education: Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Program
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● The Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Program aims to provide an alternative

learning pathway for out-of-school children, youth, and adults who are literate but who
have not completed the 10 years of basic education mandated by the Philippine
Constitution. School dropouts can complete elementary and high school education
outside the formal school system through this program.

3. Sustainability/Lifelong Learning Program

● It includes the Mobile Library Project, the operation of Community Learning Centers, the
Adolescent Friendly Literacy Enhancement Program (AFLEP), and other ALS
interventions are initiated at the community level.
● The Facilitators, Instructional Managers, Mobile Teachers, and District ALS
Coordinators have underscored the need for advocacy, social mobilization, and linking up
with other stakeholders. They have also been conducting regular literacy mapping thru
household surveys. The purpose is to measure the basic functional literacy levels.
Literacy mapping also provides a basis for designing programs and projects that would
best fit the community's needs.

Click the link to read more about the Basic Literacy Program and Continuing
Education Program-Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E)
https://sites.google.com/a/balangacityschools.com/als/HOME/als-program
https://www.deped.gov.ph/ae-test/

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FORMAL EDUCATION AND ALS?

The following differentiates Formal Education from ALS:
Setting:
● In formal education, classes are primarily held in classrooms (classroom-based) while in
ALS (community-based), classes are held either in barangay hall or barangay hosted
space, in a regular classroom in cases where the service provider is a private school, in a
community learning center hosted by the service provider, or in a space allotted by an
institution such as the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
● In formal education, the one imparting knowledge is called a teacher, while in ALS, the
person is called learning facilitators, such as mobile teachers, district ALS Coordinators,
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instructional managers likewise, the one being taught is called a student, while in ALS,
the person is called a learner.

Mode of Learning:
● Formal education uses Pedagogy or the science of child learning, while ALS uses
Andragogy or the science of adult learning.
● In formal education, students learn at the same pace. In ALS, learners learn at their own
pace due to its modular nature. Likewise, students use books or ebooks (for the
technologically advanced schools), while in ALS, learners use printed modules that are
self-paced, self-instructional, indigenous, and integrated.
● The knowledge taught is divided and classified into the five major subjects: Filipino,
English, Maths, Science, while in ALS, knowledge imparted is divided into the five
learning strands.

Completion:
● In formal education, the elementary course takes six (6) years to complete and another 6
(6) years for high school, while in ALS, it takes about ten (10) months each for the
elementary and high school courses.
● Upon completion of a course, formal education gives a school diploma signed by the
head of the school, while in ALS, after passing the Accreditation and Equivalency Test
(AET) given by DepEd, ALS graduates will receive a diploma also given by DepEd and
signed by no less than the Secretary of Education.

WHAT ARE THE FIVE LEARNING STRANDS OF ALS?

The five learning strands form the basic curriculum for the Alternative Learning System:

Learning Strand 1. Communication Skills (Filipino and English)

● The goal is to help learners achieve the ability to clearly express their ideas and feeling
orally and non-verbally using listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
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Learning Strand 2. Problem Solving and Critical Thinking (Mathematics)

● The goal is to help learners achieve numeracy skills, openness to change, awareness of
options, ability to make critical and informed decisions, innovativeness and creativity,
scientific thinking, and future orientation.
Learning Strand 3. Sustainable Use of Resources and Productivity (Science)
● The goal is to help learners possess the ability to earn a living (employed or self-
employed), sustainable use of resources including time and productivity, and use of
appropriate technology.
Learning Strand 4. Development of Self and a Sense of Community
● The goal is to help learners possess the abilities and traits of self-development, a sense of
personal and national history and identity, cultural pride, and understanding of civil and
political rights.
Learning Strand 5. Expanding One’s World Vision
● The goal is to help learners possess the ability to respect diversity, peaceful resolution of
conflicts, global awareness, and solidarity.

Online Resources:
https://www.deped.gov.ph/als-programs/
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1126428
https://www.deped.gov.ph/k-to-12/inclusive-education/about-alternative-learning-system/
https://www.deped.gov.ph/ae-test/
https://sites.google.com/a/balangacityschools.com/als/HOME/als-program
https://ajkalingacenter.wordpress.com/alternative-learning-system-als/
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1v2xmaster/chapter/writing-for-success-
comparecontrast/
https://papersowl.com/blog/transition-words-for-compare-and-contrast-essay
Retrieved from https://legalresearchph.com/2021/10/02/republic-act-11510-or-the-alternative-learning-
system-act-a-promise-to-a-better future/#:~:text=11510%20of%202020%20also%20known,
pathways%20to% 20complete%20basic%20education on March 19, 2021.

Videos to watch on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnznP3xm5Wo&t=66s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi5HNoWs6Bo&t=180s