49 Masantol OSYs graduate via ALS
MASANTOL - Some 49 former out-of-school youth in this town are now a step closer in reaching their dreams as they finally completed their high school education via the Alternative Learning System (ALS).
The ALS is a parallel learning system implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) throughout Philippines to provide a practical option to the existing formal instruction inside school p r em i ses.
Here, Mayor Danilo Guintu said that the ALS system provides hope to Masantoleño youth who dropped out from school and were hindered from receiving secondary education in formal institutions due to financial constraints.
He stressed that local government gathered the out-of-school youth in town who wanted to finish their studies and enrolled them in the ALS system offered by DepEd specially for this town.
“This is a special opportunity that is offered to our youth here and we wanted every out-of-school youth, especially those who wanted to go to school but could not because of financial restraints, to grab this opportunity that will help them create a better future for themselves and their families,” Guintu said.
The students spent at least 800 hours taking ALS classes, which include livelihood training, and complete some requirements before they can take the ALS Accreditation and Equivalency exam that will serve as gauge for the competency of students, Guintu explained.
And on Monday morning, students who passed the examination finally reaped their months of efforts and sacrifices and personally received their ALS diploma from DepEd.
“We are very proud to see our children finally securing their ticket to a better future. I hope that they will use it in achieving their dreams and create a better future for themselves. We also thank the support showcased by their families throughout the children’s journey in the ALS,” Guintu said.
Mary Jane Sonza, who is a graduate of the ALS system, meanwhile urged the graduates to continue pursuing their dreams and maximize the opportunity awarded to them.
Sharing her personal journey, Sonza said that from a school dropout, she is now set to realize her dream of becoming a teacher after she recently secured her college degree in Bachelor of Science in Education. “You must not stop from here, rather just use our certificates as a stepping stone into further reaching your goals,” she said.