The Alternative Learning System (ALS) is a ladderized, modular non-formal education program in the Philippines for dropouts in elementary and secondary schools, out-of-school-youths, non-readers, working Filipinos and even senior citizens.  It is a part of the education system of education of the Philippines but an alternative to the regular classroom studies where Filipino students are required to attend daily.  The alternative learning system only requires students to choose schedules according to their choice and availability.  The program has two different schematics for conducting instruction; school-based and community-based. On the school-based program, instructions are conducted in school campuses while in the community-based program, formal instruction are conducted in community halls or on private places. ders, working Filipinos and even senior citizens. It is part of the education system of the Philippines but an alternative to the regular classroom studies where Filipino students are required to attend daily. The alternative system only requires students to choose schedules according to their choice and availability.

       The program has two different schematics for conducting instruction; school-based and community-based. On the school-based program, instructions are conducted in school campuses while in the community-based program, formal instruction are conducted in community halls or on private places.           The ALS program follows a uniform lesson modules for all academic subjects covering the sciences, mathematics, English, Filipino, social studies, current events among others. Delivery of instructions are provided by government-paid instructors or by private non-government organization.

Aside from schematics, the program has two levels; elementary and secondary. Students have to start from elementary level, then proceed to high school level. If a student is a graduate of elementary under a formal classroom system, the student is automatically admitted to the secondary levels depending on which year level the student stopped schooling.

KABULTAN (KArunungan ng mga Katutubo sa BULubundukin ng TANay

I.  PROGRAM TITLE:  KABULTAN

II.  PROGRAM STARTED: 2005

III.  OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM: 

There are five ( 54 ) core areas by which the structure and content of the Indigenous Peoples Core Curriculum for the Indigenous Peoples Education was anchored upon. These are:

Family Life It tells about the life of an IP as a member of the family from birth to to death.

Health, Sanitation and Nutrition This brings into fore the IPs care and the environment and how each interplays with each other. It features the indigenous practices, knowledge and superstitions on hygiene, health and food.

Civic Consciousness It highlights the rich worldwide of the IPs ranging their life ways, identify and history. It is loaded heavily within their aspirations, needs and sentiments.

Economics and Income It presents the system of community management of supplies and demands among the IPs.

Environment This core area deals about IPs communion with nature.

IV.  OBJECTIVES:

1.  to appreciate indigenous perspective on ways of living together and using resources sustainably.

2.  to appreciate the role of indigenous knowledge and traditional ways of learning in  maintaining the sustainability of a community.

3. To understand the role of modern education in undermining indigenous knowledge of ways of teaching and learning

4. To identify opportunities for integrating relevant aspects of indigenous knowledge and approaches to teaching and learning into the school curriculum.

V.  SECTOR BENEFITED:

VI.  NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES:  120 IPs annually

VII.  FUNDS ALLOCATED:  Php 9,000 quarterly

Accreditation & Equivalency

I.  PROGRAM TITLE:  Accreditation and Equivalency

II.  PROGRAM STARTED:  2005

III.  OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM:

          The Alternative Learning System Accreditation and Equivalency ALS A&S System is a new nonformal education initiative of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports “Alternative Learning System (DepEd-BALS). It provides an alternative means of learning and certification for out-of-school youth (OSY) and adults aged 15 years old and above, who are unable to avail of educational opportunities of the formal school system, or who have dropped out of formal elementary or secondary education.

This project is intended to mainstream the formal education system unnerved communities and assist individuals through ALS Accreditation and equivalency ( A & E ) Program in order to acquire equivalency credentials for gainful employment majority of the indigenous peoples residing at these mountain Brgy.Dumagats and Remontados are little on no formal schooling.

The main objective of the program is to empower the Filipino OSY and adults to continue to learn on their own way, so they may improve the quality of their family, community and country.

IV.  OBJECTIVES:

1.  To empower Filipino out-of-school youth and adults to continue to learn on their own so they may improve their quality of life and that of their family, community and country.

2. To provide out-of-school youth and adults with learning opportunities by which they may gain knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will enable them to think critically and creatively ; act innovatively and humanely and achieve their learning goals in order to become a contributing member of Filipino society.

V.  SECTOR BENEFITED:

VI.  NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES:  two hundred twenty-five (225) annually

VII.  FUNDS ALLOCATED: 

Mobile Library

 I.  PROGRAM TITLE:  MOBILE LIBRARY

II.  PROGRAM STARTED: 2005

III.  OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM:

    The Department of Education ( Dep.Ed.) through the Bureau of Alternative Learning System ( BALS ) encourages the upgrading and sustainability of basic literacy skills of the Functional Education and Literacy Program ( FELP) completers, out of school children, youth and adults who reside in remote and often deprived, depressed ad underserved barangay in the community.

The ALS Mobile Library is a follow – up measure to help to sustain the learner’s gain from the FELP. It aims to bring under one roof the interagency efforts promoting literacy and sustaining literacy gains of ALS Learners along with the enhancing access to other government basic services and development activities for local communities. To respond to this urgent needs among ALS learners and completers , a mobile Library have been set and implemented in the District of Tanay.

The four fortunate barangays who are the recipient  of this programs are: San Andres, Mamuyao, Cuyambay and Laiban. They had been selected because these barangays have the Basic Literacy Program, Functional Education and Literacy Program Completers, and the on going ALS activities are successful being implemented.

For almost a month of endeavors. Sacrifices and careful planning with a very supportive members of the Local Government Units ( LGU’s) headed by a former mayor Hon. Tomas Ricardo A. Tanjuatco and all barangay officials, Mrs. Rodina R. Espiritu, District Supervisor, collecting of print and non- print materials like books, pamphlets and other reading materials and setting of barangay Library the ALS first Municipal Mobile Library will be launched, October 14, 2004 in the three barangays.

The three barangays wholeheartedly accepted the proposed programs as evident during attended meetings in their barangays.

ALS Mobile Library sustain as well as increases the basic literacy skills of out – of – school youth and adults, especially those who have already completed the Dep.Ed BALS Basic Literacy Program.

It is install and put into operation in the barangay to sustain the literacy and continuing education gains among learners.

It raises awareness on and provide access to the government development activities for one self and the community.

It forges / strengthens partnership the Dep.Ed and the LGUs, NGOs and other stakeholders in ALS. Through the Mobile Library , learners are made aware of this roles and responsibilities in improving the quality of their lives.

IV.  OBJECTIVES:

1.    Harness under the program the interagency efforts to help out of school children and adults to continue their non-formal education.

2.    Sustain literacy gain of ALS learners.

3.    Raise awareness on and provide access to the government development activities for oneself and the community.

4.    Put up a community needs based Mobile Library to serve learners in identified areas.

5.    Operate the Mobile Library with functional system and procedures to be followed by the community learners.

6.    Provide measures to sustain resources for the literacy and continuing education of the learners.

V.  SECTOR BENEFITED:

VI.  NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES:  FOUR (4) Barangays

VII.  FUNDS ALLOCATED:  Php 18,000 quarterly

VIII.  OUTPUT:

I.              Launching of the Project

A.   Pre – Implementation Period

A day after the selection sites:

1.    Courtesy call with Governor Rebecca Ynares

2.    Courtesy call with the three Barangay Captains of Cuyambay, Mamuyao and San Andres.

3.    Meeting with ALS Implementers, NGO’s Dep.Ed., LGU’s Barangay Captain, SK, DSWD, DILG with the following agenda to be discussed.

a.    Orientation of AL Mobile Library

b.    Selected Sites

c.    Administrative Sep – Up

d.    Book Shower

4.    Needs Assessment

5.    Book Shower

6.    On site orientation of implementers and training of librarians in the ALS Mobile Library and distribution of ALS ML books and equipments

7.    Put up and set up community learning center

8.    Acquisition of bookshelves, tables and chairs through donation.

9.    Solicitation of books, purchased of reading materials with the assistance of District Supervisor and District ALS Coordinator.

10. Classifying and coding of books have been conducted with the designated librarian.

11. Meeting on the launching of ALS Mobile Library with the Municipal Literacy Coordinating Council.

12. Launching of ALS Mobile Library was attended by the higher officials headed by Mrs. Nelia Montero , Regional ALS Supervisor, Mrs. Araceli A. Amores, Division ALS Supervisor, Mrs. Rodina R. Espiritu, District Supervisor, School Heads, District and School ALS Coordinator, Municipal Employees and Barangay Official.

B.   Implementation Period

The launching was successful. Different books from individual persons, different organization such as Rotary Club of Makati ( Book Across the Sea), St. Mathews Publishing House, Library of Congress were gathered and had been put – up in strategic places in barangay San Andres, Cuyambay and Mamuyao. Almost one thousand books of different kinds were given to the Mobile Library of the above mentioned barangays. These books were arranged properly according to the code indicated for ease and comfort of the user especially during the mobilization of these materials. Because the books will be brought to the

assigned Puroks by the barangay Brigade / Purok Leaders headed by the Barangay Captains and SK Barangay Chairman, this composed the organizational Set – up of the Barangay LS Mobile Library. In support to the program they were also present in the launching of this activity.

The launching of the ALS Mobile Library was strongly supported by the community people. They have accepted wholeheartedly the responsibilities given to them and most especially the Dumagats and Remontados who belong to the targeted learners of this program.

Here are some of the activities during the implementation period.

1.    Borrowing of books by the barangay Librarians from the structured library.

2.    Borrowing of books by the Purok Leader from barangay librarian.

3.    Transporting the reading materials to the three lead sites had been done.

4.    Moving the library bag by the Purok leaders from one household to another as per scheduled.

5.    Informing attention to the Purok leaders and Barangay librarian.

6.    Maintaining the storage of Community Learning Center.

C.   Post Implementation Period

     Activities undertaken during the post implementation are as follows:

1.    Regular conduct of meeting with barangay officials and Librarians one a month to upgrade the data in library.

2.    Close monitoring and supervision of Mobile Teacher and ALS Coordinator.

3.    Solve problems encountered by Purok Leaders and Librarians.

4.    Conducted home visitation and interviews to the different households.

5.    Follow – up classifying and encoding of books.

6.    Continuous solicitation of supplementary reading materials.

II.            Findings

·         On Local Partnership

The Local Government Unit of Tanay has been very supported to

the ALS Mobile Library through given of Honorarium to the Librarian. It was also  institutionalized in Barangay Laiban. Some NGO’s and GO’s donated books in the ALS Library.

·         On Learners / Beneficiaries

At first some families are not interested  to read books but through the motivation and encouragements of the librarian they now interested to read books. Some of them have no time to visit the library because they are busily working for their income. The librarian time schedule in using the library within the available time of the people in the community. Poor health conditions, for having poor eyesight. Younger children were assigned to read the textbooks to their parents. Distance of residence to Brgy. Library. Assigned Purok Leaders to transport the books from one place to another.

·         On Set – up / Installation of the ALS Mobile Library

-       Type of Mobile Library

Library in Cuyambay         Type 2 a semi – concrete mostly made out of light materials

Library in Mamuyao           Type 3 a typical barangay learning center, concrete and   

                                               secured , mostly made out of cement and other concrete  

                                               building materials

Library in San Andres       Type 1 simple temporary ( make – shift)

Library in  Laiban               Type 1 simple temporary ( make - shift)

-       Content ( Most borrowed materials)

Most borrowed book are story books. English, Math and Science for their ready references.

-       Scheduled of Rotation /Movement of the Mobile Library

         The books was scheduled to one family every week. It will transport from one family to another.

-       Person involved including the library custodian and librarian

·         On Storage of Book

The books are arranged by subject area.

III.           Impact

·         In the community

Common to all literacy and continuing education programs and projects is the ultimate goal of empowering people to attain the necessary knowledge, attitude, values and skills ( KAVS) for the uplifting of tier lives. When the clientele of the programs gave an account on how their lives have been improved; when beneficiaries have landed on good jobs and employee d in gainful activities; we thank and gratitude have been expressed; when significant changes in their outlook in life have been noticed; when significant gains have been attained / achieved – then and only then can we say that Alternative Education has offered prospects of bright future for them, that Alternative Education works.

·         Individual Learner / Beneficiary

The learner/ beneficiaries are now aware that they have library within their barangays , they can read and learn.

IV.          Best Practices

To sustained institutionalize the ALS Mobile Library Project in Tanay, The District of Tanay adopt the “ Handog Aklat Para sa Mamamayang Salat sa Kaalaman”. Book Shower led by the LGU & ALS Dep.Ed Implementers was a success.

Proper Linkages / Networking with other institution, higher offices were done to solicit different reading materials. Financial assistance from the LGUs, NGOs & Pos were tapped to purchase comprehensive additional books and for the minimal incentives of the barangay Librarians.

The commitments of all the ALS stakeholders symbolize that they are committed to sustain the project.

V.           Financial Assistance

The Local Government Units has allocated funds for the honorarium of

         Four( 4)  ALS Mobile Librarian

                         1,000 x 12 months  = 12,000 per person

                           12,000 X 4 Librarians       = P 48,000 one year

      V.  Issues and Concern

1.    Need for sustained and vigorous linkaging and networking mechanism.

2.    The need to strengthen established community learning and resource center.

3.    Lukewarm attitude of some people towards the programs and projects.

4.    Insufficient number of reading materials..

5.    Lack of equipments like cabinet, bookshelves, tables and chairs.

To sustain and institutionalize the ALS Mobile Library Project in different barangays, The District of Tanay II plan to ask the support of government officials from the barangay level  Municipal level tap the assistance of the different government agencies, non – government organization, church based organization foundation etc. to uphold its commitment to give genuine public service to our less fortunate brothers and sisters who belong to the privilege and indigenous people in our community through ALS Mobile Library Project

VI.          Suggestion and Recommendation

      The following recommendations are:

1.    Solicit more additional reading materials.

2.    Acquire tables, chairs, cabinets and bookshelves.

3.    Request other agencies for financial support

4.    Conduct regular meetings with barangay Librarian and Purok Leaders.

5.    Motivate and encourage families to use the ALS Library.

6.    Have an interview with the families regarding the books they read.

7.    Strengthen the reading habits of the people in the barangay.

8.    Give incentives to Brgy. Librarians to encourage them to render their services.