MEETING THE NEEDS OF ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGED SECTORS: STATUS OF ALS FOR CAPABILITY BUILDING PROGRAM

Angelica  Ordanza-Cortez,

MEETING THE NEEDS OF ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGED SECTORS: STATUS OF ALS FOR CAPABILITY BUILDING PROGRAM

Abstract:

The service delivery and challenges encountered by Alternative Learning System (ALS) implementers, teachers, and facilitators in four Schools Division Offices (SDOs) of the Department of Education situated in Nueva Ecija, Baler Aurora, and Occidental Mindoro for School Years 2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2020-2021 are described in this paper. Descriptive survey method was utilized in the study. Gathered data were treated utilizing frequency count, percentage, and ratio and proportion and were presented using graphs and tables. Results showed that the number of enrollees in ALS for elementary and secondary levels increased every year before the pandemic and decreased in this time of pandemic while the rate of graduates before and during the pandemic was critically low. Each ALS teacher is dealing with more than 100 ALS students. These teachers were hired despite being inexperienced in handling ALS programs and not a graduate of any ALS-related program as there was no Higher Education Institution in Region III and MIMAROPA Region that offered ALS-related programs. Research likewise revealed the need for the provision of instructional materials intended for ALS students and capability building programs for ALS teachers.