Gatchalian bats to lure more out-of-school youth ahead of class opening

Senator Win Gatchalian is seeking to strengthen the Alternative Learning System (ALS) as part of the education sector's recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in reaching out to more than four million learners who did not enroll this coming school year and give them a second chance.

Though the economic downturn and fears of the virus are pushing the spike in the number of out-of-school children and youth, Gatchalian explained that the ALS program will bridge these learners' reintegration in the formal school system when the virus is suppressed and the economy bounces back.

ALS is the Department of Education's (DepEd) parallel learning system that increases learning opportunities for out-of-school youth, adults, and children in special extreme cases. It also covers those who cannot access formal education due to economic, geographic, political, cultural, and social barriers. These include persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, children in conflict with the law, persons deprived of liberty, migrant workers, and other marginalized sectors.

According to Gatchalian, DepEd should tap the ALS program in a final stretch to reach learners who are at risk of dropping out of school. Gatchalian pointed out that enrollment turnout for ALS has been dismal for this coming school year. As of August 27, there are 361,398 ALS learners enrolled for this school year, only 49 percent of 738,929 learners enrolled last year.

Based on the World Bank's May 2018 Philippines Education Note, at least 24 million Filipinos aged 15 and above have not completed basic education.

"Ang ALS program na ito ang sasalo sa mga hindi makakapag-aral. Importanteng may mekanismo na sasalo sa kanila. 'Di pwedeng putulin yung paghihikayat na pumasok itong mga out-of-school youth," said the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Gatchalian is the principal author and sponsor of Senate Bill No. 1365 or the ALS Act, which will institutionalize ALS under the proposed Bureau of Alternative Education and put up an ALS Community Learning Center (ALS CLC) in every city and municipality, making the program more accessible to potential enrollees.

Like DepEd's Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP), the proposed measure also utilizes a mix of learning modalities such as digital learning, modular instruction, and radio and television-based instructions, among others.

The Senate approved the ALS Act on third and final reading last May. The House of Representatives has passed its version of ALS on third and final reading this August. A bicameral conference committee will soon convene to reconcile differing provisions on the measure.

"Sa pagbangon ng ating sektor ng edukasyon mula sa pandemya ng COVID-19, mahalagang mabigyan natin ng pangalawang pagkakataon ang mga naudlot ang pag-aaral. Sa pamamagitan ng ALS, hindi lamang mga kabataan ang ating aabutin, mabibigyan natin ng pangalawang pagkakataon ang bawat Pilipinong napagkaitan ng edukasyon," Gatchalian ended.

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Gatchalian layong hikayatin ang mas maraming out-of-school-youth habang papalapit ang pasukan

Isinusulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang pagpapalakas at pagpapalawig sa Alternative Learning System o ALS bilang bahagi ng pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon mula sa pinsalang dulot ng COVID-19 pandemic. Ayon sa senador, bibigyan ng programa ng pangalawang pagkakataon ang mga huminto at hindi nakatapos ng kanilang pag-aaral, lalo na ang mahigit apat (4) na milyong hindi nagpa-enroll ngayong taon dahil sa epekto ng pandemya.

Ang ALS ay isang programa ng Department of Education o DepEd na layong bigyan ng pagkakataong makapag-aral ang parehong bata at nakatatandang hindi maipagpatuloy ang kanilang edukasyon dahil sa iba't ibang uri ng mga sagabal na kanilang kinakaharap.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, mahalaga ang papel ng ALS upang maabot ang mga mag-aaral na nanganganib na huminto sa pag-aaral. Ayon sa datos ng DepEd nitong Agosto 27, merong mahigit tatlong daang libong (361,398) nagpatala sa programa para sa darating na pasukan. Katumbas nito ang apatnapu't siyam (49) na porsyento lamang ng mahigit pitong-daang libong (738,929) nagpatala sa programa noong nakaraang taon.

Ayon sa pinakahuling pag-aaral ng World Bank, may dalawampu't apat na milyong Pilipinong may edad labing-lima (15) pataas ang hindi nakatapos ng high school.

"Ang ALS program na ito ang sasalo sa mga hindi makakapag-aral. Importanteng may mekanismo na sasalo sa kanila. 'Di pwedeng putulin yung paghihikayat na pumasok itong mga out-of-school youth," pahayag ng Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Si Gatchalian ang may akda at sponsor ng Senate Bill No. 1365 o ang ALS Act na sisiguruhing bawat lungsod at munisipalidad sa bansa ay may ALS Community Learning Center. Ito ay upang masigurong ang programa ay aabot sa lahat ng hindi pa nakapagtapos ng kanilang pag-aaral at nais ipagpatuloy ito.

Tulad ng programa ng DepEd para sa blended learning ngayong taon, isinusulong ng panukalang batas ang iba't ibang paraan ng pagtuturo tulad ng online learning, paggamit ng modules, radyo, telebisyon, at iba pa.

Pasado na sa Senado at Kamara ang kani-kanilang bersyon ng panukala sa programang ALS. Inaasahang magkakaroon ng bicameral conference committee na bubuo ng pinal na bersyon ng panukalang batas.

"Sa pagbangon ng ating sektor ng edukasyon mula sa pandemya ng COVID-19, mahalagang mabigyan natin ng pangalawang pagkakataon ang mga naudlot ang pag-aaral. Sa pamamagitan ng ALS, hindi lamang mga kabataan ang ating aabutin, mabibigyan natin ng pangalawang pagkakataon ang bawat Pilipinong napagkaitan ng edukasyon," pahayag ni Gatchalian.