Deped to name Asec for ALS

EDUCATION Secretary Leonor Briones is planning to appoint an assistant secretary specifically for the Alternative Learning System (ALS), as part of their expansion program to focus on those who have no access to formal education.

“During the rationalization program of the previous administration, ang ALS medyo na-submerge kasi ang focus ay ang formal education,” Briones said last August 18 during the Social Development Summit at SMX Convention Center in Davao City.

Based on the data posted on Deped website, there are about 600,000 who passed the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Program who are now in high school and college.

“Napakaliit pa ng bilang na ito kung ihahambing sa kabuuang bilang ng gusto nating mahagip sa programa kaya lalong dapat na pag-ibayuhin ang ALS,” Briones said.

Part of the plan of Deped is to bring ALS to some drug rehabilitation centers and remote areas. She also said that they are eying to establish ALS schools abroad where

there are many Filipinos who have no chance to enroll in a formal education.

“Dalhin natin ang edukasyon kung saan naroroon ang ating mga kababayang gusting matuto kahit anong edad o estado sa buhay,” Briones said.

Recently, a total of 92 inmates from the Davao City Jail Main, Annex and Female Prison in Ma-a, Davao City, graduated from ALS through the support of DepEd and the Philippine Women’s College of Davao (PWC).

Assistant Inmates Welfare Development/ALS instructional manager J03 Sherwinkit A. Academia said that the ALS helped inmates complete their studies even behind bars.