OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE COLLEGE SEMINARY

Freire’s Liberating Education through Critical Pedagogy: An Analysis of the ALS

Program Towards an Enhanced Implementation.

A Thesis
Presented to the Faculty of
Our Lady of La Salette College Seminary
Silang, Cavite

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

Presented by
Sem. Christian C. Pagayanan
Y. 2022-2023

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 ..............................................................................................................……….......3

INTRODUCTION …..................................................................................................…………………….....3

1.1 Background of the Study ….....................................................................………………………....3

1.2 Review of Related Literature …...............................................................……………………......5

1.3 Statement of the Problem …...............................................................……………………………..7

1.31 Main Problem ….........................................................................……………………………..7

1.32 Sub Problems …...........................................................................………………………..7

1.321 Sub Problem 1 …....................................................…………………………………..........7

1.322 Sub Problem 2 …..........................................................………………………………..7

1.323 Sub problem 3 …......................................................…………………………….......7

1.4 Thesis Argument …..........................................................................……………………………............8
1.41 General Thesis Argument …....................................................………………………………........8
1.42 Specific Thesis Argument …..................................................………………………………..........8
1.421 Specific Argument 1 ….................................................…………………………………......8
1.422 Specific Argument 2 ….................................................…………………………………......8
1.423 Specific Argument 3 …..................................................…………………………………....8
1.5 Rhetorical Strategies …......................................................................……………………………..........8
1.51 Rhetorical Strategies of the 1st Sub-Problem …......................………………………………......8

1.52 Rhetorical Strategies of the 2nd Sub-Problem ….........................………………………………..8

1.53 Rhetorical Strategies of the 3rd Sub-Problem …...................………………………..........8

1.6 Significance of the Study ….....................................................................9

1.7 Scope and Limitation …............................................................................10

1.8 Theoretical Framework ….........................................................................11

1.9 Definition of Terms …...........................................................................11

1.10 Intellectual Biography …............................................................................12

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

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1.1 Background of the study

The paper intends to present Freire's philosophy of education as emancipatory to the

dehumanizing pedagogy of the old tradition. The conventional teacher-centered

education objectifies the learners inasmuch as they are compelled to do what is told or

demanded by their teacher. The banking system makes the minds of the students mere

storage of knowledge without enriching the minds of the students to think critically

through dialogical approach. This makes students get involved in the process of

learning. Freire's book The Pedagogy of the Oppressed clearly emphasized on the need to

liberate the students from oppression of all forms. Students must learn to fight against

their oppressors. For Freire our educational system has to be change or develop which

learners has to develop critical reasoning and not to be oppressed. Education becomes a

catalyst of change that helps transform oppressive structures. Instead of being spectators,

the students must be actors themselves in the process of learning.

Freire emphasizes as well the need for dialogue between students and teachers and

be both makers or creators of knowledge. 1According to Shor , the educators must not

become authoritarian in their roles in the Process of learning but rather act as guides or

facilitators to help the Pupils focusing to their energy and showing efforts on making

priorities regarding the topics or subjects that they intend to analyze.The writer finds

Freire's philosophy of education appropriate enough to emancipate the ALS students who

are generally if not all are marginalized members of society. Freire's pedagogy is an

antidote or a response to the dehumanizing situation of the ALS students because it

1
Francis, Emad N. Augustinian philosophy: Between critical pedagogy and neo-scholasticism. Liberty University, 2012.

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Fosters Critical Consciousness: Freire's pedagogy encourages learners to develop critical

consciousness, which means they gain a deeper understanding of the social, economic,

and political forces that oppress them. This awareness helps them challenge and resist

dehumanizing conditions.

It Promotes also Empowerment by engaging in a dialogical and participatory

approach to education, Freire's pedagogy empowers learners to take control of their

learning and, by extension, their lives. This empowerment can counteract the dis

empowerment often experienced by marginalized groups. Freire’s Pedagogy also is

widely regarded as an effective response to dehumanizing situations, its success in any

specific context may depend on various factors, including the commitment of educators,

the willingness of institutions to implement it, and the broader socio-political

environment. Nevertheless, it is seen as a powerful tool for fostering humanization and

social change among marginalized groups, including ALS students.

The economic poverty that afflicts the ALS students is triggered by the monopoly of

the capitalist system as well as due to the government's failure to promote the common

good by alleviating the people from poverty through effective economic programs, free

education , public health, among others.Then and only.then education becomes liberating

to the students.

1.2 Review of Related literature

2.21 On the Notion of Freire’s Liberating Education.

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 What do we mean when we say "Liberating education" this term is refers to an

approach to education that emphasizes the empowerment of individuals and communities

by providing them with the knowledge, 2According to Plato, A just society constantly

strives to provide each individual with the finest education possible, according to their

abilities. So it means it is the responsibility of our society to provide a good quality

education to the young generations. 3St. Augustine believed that a lived experience is the

source of education's transformative power and that this experience is a crucial

component of learning.4The ultimate aim of education is to help people know the Idea of

the Good, which is to be virtuous. 5 John Dewey said School ought to prepare for social

ends. Dewey moreover supports a model of school having connections with the real life

of children. Life experience should be connected to education. In additional according to

Freire 6it is understandable that the role of the teacher is very significant what ever the

situation he/she will be going to face As he or she dialogues with the pupils he or she

must draw their attention to points that are unclear or naive, always looking at them

Problematically.

In Paulo Freire's view, educators' job is not to impart information to pupils, but

rather to work with them to develop new ways of thinking through dialogical
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relationships.. Dialogue is another important element of Freire’s liberating

pedagogy.this Brazilian philosopher describes dialogue as the encounter between Persons

mediated by the world in order to name the world. According to Ira Shor 8 Dialogue

2
Murphy, Madonna M. "Plato's Philosophy of Education and the Common Core Debate." Online
Submission (2015).
3
Francis, Emad N. Augustinian philosophy: Between critical pedagogy and neo-scholasticism. Liberty
University, 2012.
4
Ibid
5
Sikandar, Aliya. "John Dewey and his philosophy of education." Journal of education and Educational
Development 2, no. 2 (2015): 191.
6
Freire, Paulo. Education for critical consciousness. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2021.
7
Cortez, Franz Giuseppe. "The Philippine Engagement with Paulo Freire." Kritike 7, no. 2 (2013).
8
Shor, Ira, and Paulo Freire. A pedagogy for liberation: Dialogues on transforming education. Greenwood
Publishing Group, 1987.

5
 belongs to the nature of human beings of communication. Dialogue seals the act of

knowing which is never individual even though it has its individual dimension.

According to John Dale and Emery Hyslop Margison dialogue is therefore an

exclusively human capacity to transform,name and rename the world.At this point in our

time students are still oppressed around the world and this is the challenge for all of us

how we bring our ideas on Education into reality 9.In education ‘there is no guarantee that

the teacher’s hopes coincide with the student’s’ and reconciling these hopes involves

‘hard work, patience, and courage. This three things are also very important in education

it is like a key of the teachers to help the young generation in achieving their goals in life.

1.22 ON CRITICAL PEDAGOGY

In understanding on Freire’s concept of Critical Pedagogy we must consider all the

challenges of implementation.This Philosophical concept of critical pedagogy contemplates

how education can provide the young individuals with the powerful tools to make their lives

better and strengthen the government , to create a more egalitarian and just society, and thus

to deploy education in a process of progressive social change. According to Paulo Freire the

young individuals learn a moral discourse that includes ethical guidelines to social

evaluation. and another support for this based on his Pedagogy of hope Freire argued

that10Students must be encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and not to be

dependent on their educators to interpret the world for them. So it means the students are

also encouraged to do something for themselves in order to achieved their goal in life they

must strive to achieve their dream in life and also in terms of education of Children The

family plays a significant role in the lives of out-of school youth.

9
Te Riele, Kitty. "Pedagogy of hope." Making schools different: Alternative approaches to educating young
people (2009): 65-73.
10
Waghid, Y. "Higher education transformation and a pedagogy of hope." South African Journal of Higher
Education 22, no. 4 (2008): 745-748.

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 Parents serve as role models to their children, whatever the situation is. The mother

is viewed as the youth’s confidant and teacher. 11 So Therefore the education process for

the youth should begin first in the family.

1.23 ON THE ALS PROGRAM

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Everyone is aware that many of our fellow Filipino lack formal education. This is

the reason the government established initiatives to give all Filipinos access to education.

The Department of Education is responsible for implementing the Alternative Learning

System. This program's goal is to assist young people who are not in school, those who

are employed, and those who have physical impairments in receiving an appropriate

education even when they find it difficult to attend formal schooling. But even though

there is ALS Program there is still a lot of educational problem like the lacking of

teachers, and also the Problem of financial the students cannot buy school supplies

because they don’t have money. And one of the problem also is childhood labor the

children are being forced to work in an early age to give contribute to the Family’s

income instead of going to school to study because of Poverty this is the Problem also of

our country..The children who work as slaves arrive at from households with low

incomes in need of additional funding.

The kids don't work just a few hours a day. 13They frequently labor so much each

week that they quit their studies. In addition to the fact that children are not receiving an

education, child work carries a number of dangerous consequences.

1.3 Statement of the Problem

11
Miller, Robert G., Theodore L. Munsat, Michael Swash, and Benjamin R. Brooks. "Consensus guidelines for
the design and implementation of clinical trials in ALS." Journal of the neurological sciences 169, no. 1-2
(1999): 2-12.
12
Lozada, Regine Celine A. "ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS) PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENT AND
JOB PERFORMANCE OF IMPLEMENTERS." European Journal of Social Sciences Studies 8, no. 1 (2022).
13
Alonzo, R., and R. Edillon. "Eliminating child labor in the Philippines." Paper submitted to the International
Labour Organization as part of an ILO/International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)
study (2002).

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1.31 Main Problem: Within the Framework of Freire’s Concept of Liberating Education

through Critical Pedagogy, How does the Implementation of the ALS Program be

Enhanced

1.32 Sub Problems

1:What is Freire’s Concept of Liberating Education?

2:What Potential Weakness is Systemic to the ALS Program?

3: How does Freire’s Liberating Education enhance the ALS Program?

1.4 Thesis Argument/Statement

1.41 General Thesis Arguments

The paper will discuss how Freire's idea of liberating education through critical

analogy be a framework in analyzing ALS Education Program towards an enhanced

implementation.

1.42 Thesis Argument for the First Sub-Problem

The paper will discuss Freire's idea of liberating education through critical pedagogy

whose end is geared towards humanization of the learners.

1.43 Thesis Argument for the Second Sub-Problem

The paper will discuss the nature and objectives of the ALS program as well as

identify what weakness of the ALS program be resolved or strengthened.

1.44 Thesis Argument for the Third Sub- Problem

The paper will discuss how the ALS program be enhanced using as a framework

Freire's critical.pedagogy.

1.5 Rhetorical Strategies

This research is applied research it focuses on identifying and challenging

oppression in the ALS Program using Freire’s Philosophy of Education. This study may

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be used as a basis to improve the way the ALS program is implemented and make sure

that education is used as a vehicle for social change and empowerment.

1.51 Rhetorical Strategy Sub-Problem 1

The presentation of Freire's pedagogy as a philosophical framework consists of

identifying the weaknesses of the traditional educational system which Freire argued to

be dehumanizing and a failure to develop the student's critical minds. After exposing the

weaknesses of the traditional pedagogy, the writer will present how Freire's pedagogy of

the oppressed will serve as an intervention towards the liberation and humanization of

the learners.

1.52 Rhetorical Strategy Sub-Problem 2

The presentation of the topic ALS program includes the general.profile of the

learners as well as the nature and objectives of ALS program. The writer will also

identify the weakness of the ALS program and how they be resolved.

1.53 Rhetorical Strategy Sub-Problem 3

The presentation of the arguments on how Freire's pedagogy could serve as an

intervention in transforming or emancipating ALS program from its weakness. The

primary goal of the ALS program which is to enhance the learners' technical

knowledge and skills for economic growth, immediate employment and

competitiveness in the labor market may deprive the students of moral education,

critical thinking and personal development.

1.6 Significance of Study

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 The paper is indeed significant inasmuch as it is directly related to our

congregation's apostulate or charism. Our congregation runs school for economically

marginalized but deserving youth ( Out of youth boys). Our school offer ALS

Education/Program in elementary level Junior high level and Senior high level and

also to equip our students with technical vocational knowledge and skills for future

employment we offer them two vocational courses Shielded metal Arc

welding( SMAW NC1 and 2) and also Electrical installation and maintenance (EIM

NC2) The writer, however, has realized that education should not only cater to

economic ends but more so to the development of moral values as well as critical

minds of the students to help emancipate themselves from all forms of alienation or

oppression brought about by.unjust society. It is in this spirit that the writer has

chosen Freire's idea of pedagogy to help enhance ALS program towards holistic

education.

1.7 Scope and Limitation

The paper consists of three major variables which constitute the whole paper.

The philosophical framework which is Freire's idea of critical.pedagogy constitutes

the second chapter. Its main thrust rests on twofold ways, Freire's critique of the

"oppressive" traditional.pedagogy and the intervention he proposed to create a

liberating education. The next part of the paper is the presentation of the nature and

objectives of ALS program. The paper identifies as well some weaknesses of the

ALS program which.needs emancipation. The third part of the paper is the

discussion on how the philosophical framework.of Freire could serve as

an.intervention in the enhancement of ALS program.towards the liberation of the

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 learners and the educational.system as well.as the society as a whole. It should be

noted though that the paper does not include all.other levels of education but only to

the ALS program.

1.8Theoretical Framework

Liberating
Education

Paolo Freire’s
ALS concept of
Pedagogy
Program critical
Pedagogy

Enhanced
Implementatio
n

1.9 Definition of Terms

Critical pedagogy - aims to emancipate oppressed or marginalized groups by

developing the students critical thinking. ALS - Alternative Learning System (ALS) is a

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 parallel learning system.in the Philippines that provides opportunities for out-of-school

youth/adult learners to develop basic and functional literacy skills, and to access

equivalent pathways to complete basic education. Traditional education - is a teaching

style wherein the teacher is the sole source of knowledge and authority while students are

bound to listen and memorize whatever the teacher tells them especially during

examination time.

1.10 Intellectual Biography of Paulo Freire

Paulo Reglus Neves Freire was born in the northeastern Brazilian state of

Pernambucu on September 19, 1921, the youngest of four children in a middle-class

household. Sewing was his mother's trade. After serving in the Brazilian army, his father

worked for the Pernambuco Military Police before being forced to retire early due to

arterial sclerosis. 14Elza Oliveira, with whom Freire married in his early twenties, taught

him a great deal that would help him in his career as an adult educator. After a brief stint

practicing law, Freire joined the Social Service of Industry (SESI), where he developed

his empathy for the disparities between social classes. When Freire was appointed

director of Education at SESI, an employer-sponsored organization created to support

employees and their families, in 1946, his armory of educational ideas started to take

shape.

14
Roberts, Peter. "Paulo Freire." In Oxford research encyclopedia of education. 2017.

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 15
In June 1964, Freire was imprisoned in Brazil for 70 days as a traitor. After a brief

stay in Bolivia, he lived in Chile for five years working in the Christian Democratic

Agrarian Reform Movement. In 1967 he published his first book, Education as the

Practice of Freedom, bringing him acclaim and a position as visiting professor at Harvard

in 1969. In 1968 he wrote his famous Pedagogy of the Oppressed, published in Spanish

and English in 1970, but not in Brazil until 1974

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In 1979, after 15 years of exile, Freire was allowed to return to Brazil and did so in

1980. He joined the Workers’ Party (PT) in São Paulo and, from 1980 to 1986,

supervised its adult literacy project. With the triumph of the PT in 1988, Freire was

appointed Minister of Education for the City of São Paulo. His policy work and

innovations in literacy training as Minister continue to effect the city and Brazil to this

day.

15
Ibid
16
Ibid

13