Alternative Learning System Curriculum

If one were to ask the man on the street what he understand of the word “education”, almost
always, his answer would be “going to school in order to learn”. To the common man, education
is predictably associated with learning that takes place in schools. This is general perception
historically based on tradition.

Every Filipino has a right to free basic education. But many Filipinos fail to avail of it, for various
reasons. In attending to this issue, DepEd has set up the Alternative Learning System (ALS) to
provide all Filipinos the chance to gain access to basic education in a mode that fits their distinct
situation and needs. ALS is a learning system that provides a practical option to the existing
formal instruction, for the out-of-school children, youth and adults who do not have access to
formal education in schools, ALS lives up to its name- it offers an alternative. It offers non-formal
sources of knowledge and skills.

The Alternative Learning System is a parallel learning system in the Philippines that provides a
practical option to the existing formal instruction. When one does not have or cannot access
formal education is schools, ALS is an alternate r substitute. ALS includes both the non-formal
and informal sources of knowledge and skills.

The Alternative Learning System is a free education program implemented by the department of
education (DepEd) under the bureau of alternative learning system which benefits those who
cannot afford formal schooling and follows whatever is their available schedule. The program
provides a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction, encompassing both the
non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.

The Alternative Learning System only requires learners to attend learning sessions based on
the agreed schedule between the learners and the learning facilitators.
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 uniform lesson modules for all
academic subjects covering the science, mathematics, English, Filipino, social studies, current
events among others. Deliveries 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.
 Principle and Theories behind the Curriculum

1. Learning to learn focuses in a combination of a broad general knowledge with the

opportunity to work-in-depth on a small number of subjects.
2. Learning to do pertain to the acquisition not only of an occupational skill but also, more
broadly, the competence to deal with many situations and work in teams.
3. Learning to live together deals on the development of an understanding of other people
and appreciation of interdependence in a spirit of respect for the values of pluralism,
mutual understanding and peace.
4. Learning to be is the development of one’s personality and ability to act with ever greater
autonomy, judgment, and personal responsibility.

Paulo Freire

Used “problem-posing” methods to raise awareness of social issues and to stimulate action by
disadvantaged groups. Using process of problem analysis, reflection, and action, his approach
to education was based on the belief that community members need to be encourage to think
critically about problems in their daily lives in order to make decisions and take action.

Howard Gardner

Gardner’s work on multiple intelligences has had an enormous impact on the field of education.
Gardner posits at least seven intelligence (musical, spatial, linguistic, logical/mathematical,
bodily/kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal), and asserts that successful learning
experiences should engage as many of these intelligences as possible.

David Kolb

Kolb popularized an awareness of learning styles, and created a model that suggests four
different categories of learning-concrete experimentation, reflective observation, abstract
conceptualization, and active experimentation. Kolb created a methodology for incorporating
these four categories into every learning experience the “experimental learning cycle”.

Bernice McCarthy

McCarthy expanded on Kolb’s work and the research on left and right brain process to create
her 4MAT System. McCarthy suggested four learning types, imaginative learners, analytic
learners, common sense learners, and dynamic learners.
 Analysis of the components of the curriculum

Objectives

After completing this module, you should be able to:

 Explain how the ALS evolved

 Discuss how ALS compares with formal basic education, and
 Describe the major ALS programs and their specific target learners.

Content

The ALS Curriculum reflects the set of knowledge skills and competencies that learners should
develop to meet the minimum requirements of basic education. It is comparable to the formal
school curriculum. The teaching and learning processes and resources are based on the ALS
Curriculum.

 To protect and promote the right of all the citizen to quality basic education
 To promote the right of all citizens to quality basic education and such education
accessible to all by providing all Filipino children in the elementary level and free
education in the high school level. Such education shall also include alternative learning
system for out of school youth and adult learners. (sec 2 of P.A. 9155, the governance
of basic education act of 2001.)
 To provide a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction encompassing
both the non-formal and in-formal sources of knowledge and skills.

Plan and Document

To improve the socio-economic status of the OSY and the poor by enhancing their basic
educational capability through functional education and literacy, and continuing
education programs, which will enable them to become more self-reliant, be integrated
more effectively into the social and economic enhancement and self-growth
opportunities.

The promotion of literacy programs for the attainment of basic skills that include
numeracy and functional literacy and which are the basic needs for every individual;

The developments of livelihood skills which manifest in the individual specific

competencies that prepare, improve, and enhance employability and economic
productivity.

The expansion of certification and equivalency programs, which are administered by the
formal education subsystem, into non-formal sector.

The Philippine policy makers coined the term “Alternative Learning System” an
expansion of the non formal education to include overlapping concepts and practices of
alternative schools, adult education, informal learning, recognition of prior learning, and
lifelong learning.
Learning experiences