5 towns in Leyte chosen pilot areas

TACLOBAN CITY — Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said that five towns in the province have been selected as pilot areas for the Alternative Learning SystemEducation and Skills Training (ALS-EST) for the out-of-school youths by the Department of Education-8.

These towns are San Miguel, Calubian, Hilongos, Kananga, and Tolosa, said the governor. He said the DepEd-8 launched the ALS-EST project, in partnership with these local government units and a non-government organization, last September 5 with an initial enrollment of 75 students.

DepEd-8 Regional Director Ramir Uytico told The FREEMAN that the ALS-EST project incorporates skills training to the existing ALS program, and will train less privileged students from the pilot areas on innovative technical vocational skills such as horticulture, electrical installation and maintenance, motorcycle/small engine servicing, cookery, agri-crop product, and shielded metal arc welding.

Uytico said this project is basically an expansion of the existing ALS to recruit out-ofschool youths and even adults, without formal schooling, so that many Filipinos will not be left behind in technical and vocational skills, and, as a result, make them ready for employment.

DepEd-8 also revealed that there are 21,000 ALS students enrolled in Eastern Visayas, most of them are out-of-school youths.