Deped told to tap P559-million FLO budget to address skills, learning gap

TO close the skills and learning gaps in the country, a leader of the House of Representatives on Wednesday asked the Department of Education (Deped) to use the P559 million under Flexible Learning Options (FLO) to expand resources and dedicate teachers to the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said the ALS “can help close the skills gap, which we estimated at 2.4 million workers, due to Covid-19 school lockdowns, and the reduce the impact on the economy of such a gap, which we estimated at P134 billion annually last year.”

“The economic costs of delaying school by one month to be 0.5 to 0.7 percent of GDP [gross domestic product] this year, and 0.3 to 0.4 percent of GDP for the entire productive life of this generation of students,” he said.

“The learning gap is serious, especially as we are one of the few countries left in the world that has not yet reopened most of its schools. It doesn’t look like a crisis yet, but if you leave it without any concerted national government effort, you will see its economically debilitating impacts once this generation begins to graduate in college,” Salceda explained.

According to Salceda, the pandemic likely forced many to stop from their classes, and many others will likely have to work to pay off pandemic debts.

“A logical conclusion regarding increased povertydue to the covid -19 pandemic is that we need to increase access to the Alternative Learning System. This has been one of the most effective anti-poverty measures of the Deped. More poverty means a greater need for ALS,” Salceda said.

“The ALS has been a very attractive path for learners who cannot afford to go to conventional school, but want to attain diplomas. That source of demand has increased during the pandemic,” he added.

Under the 2022 General Appropriations Act, Salceda said the government allotted P559 million under Flexible Learning Options for the implementation of ALS Programs, which includes the delivery of ALS services, ALS Community Learning Centers, and for transportation and teaching aid allowance for ALS teachers and ALS community implementors.