Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 11510)
The short title of Republic Act No. 11510 is the "Alternative Learning System Act".
The State policy is to promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and take steps to make such education accessible to all, prioritizing measures that reduce social, economic, and political inequalities by providing alternative learning opportunities to out-of-school children in special cases and adults.
Out-of-School Children in Special Cases are children of official school age who are not enrolled in elementary or secondary schools due to economic, geographic, political, cultural, or social barriers, including learners with disabilities, indigenous peoples, children in conflict with the law, learners in emergency situations, and other marginalized sectors.
The ALS is a parallel learning system providing a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction. It encompasses both nonformal and informal sources of knowledge and skills tailored to respond to learners' needs and circumstances.
The objectives include providing quality support to out-of-school children and adults, ensuring equitable access to alternative education programs, promoting lifelong learning through the ALS K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum, capacitating and deploying qualified teachers and facilitators, designing programs for learners with disabilities, integrating nonformal and informal education approaches, improving literacy and access, and supporting learners to return to or pursue formal education.
The Bureau of Alternative Education (BAE) is created to serve as the focal office for the implementation of ALS programs, handling policy formulation, curriculum development, program delivery, quality assurance, learner assessment, and establishing linkages with partners.
The BAE's powers include establishing quality standards for ALS curricula and materials, promoting learner certification, ensuring educational access to marginalized learners, coordinating skills development and employment opportunities, fostering partnerships with LGUs and private sectors, managing nationwide databases, and other functions necessary for ALS implementation.
ALS Teachers are DepEd-employed teachers who implement ALS programs. The Act mandates hiring ALS Teachers with created teaching positions and salary grades, provisions for their promotion based on Civil Service qualifications, and equal opportunities in promotion and compensation. Community ALS Implementors may augment human resources but, after three years, only ALS Teachers shall be hired.
ALS programs include the Basic Literacy Program, Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Programs, Indigenous Peoples Education Program, Academic-Focused Bridging Programs, and Functional Education and Literacy Programs, delivered using various modalities such as modular instruction, online learning, face-to-face sessions, media-based instruction, blended learning, workshops, and inclusive learning environments.
LGUs partner with DepEd to identify and mobilize learners, provide learning environments and facilities, contribute resources such as Community ALS Implementors and learning centers, promote post-program activities, introduce local innovations, and allocate portions of the Special Education Fund to support ALS.