Alternative Learning System
ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM-CALOOCAN
Studies show an increasing number of school age Filipinos that are out of school. A huge percentage of Filipino children and youth aged 6 to 17 years are not attending school. The Department of Education (DepEd) estimated that, in 2003, there were a total of 5.18 million out-of-school youth (1.84 million out-of-school children aged 6 to 11 years old, and 3.94 million young people aged 12 to 15) in the country. Further, around 17 million Filipinos about 20% of the population have not finished the country is basic education requirements.
Based from the National Statistics Office is most recent data, the city has, approximately, 1,022,431 residents thus, 33% of these were not even graduate of secondary education. These figures entail that the city has an estimated number of 338,503 illiterate residents.
As illustrated in the succeeding chart (2003 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey), parents cite these leading reasons why their children do not attend schools:
*working or looking for work (mostly males) - 30%
* lack interest in going to school - 22%
*high cost of education - 20% (n.b.basic education in the country is free; as such, cost would include personal transportation fare, meal allowance, clothing, expenses for materials, projects, etc.)
While the Department of Education seeks to bring these young people back to the formal education system, studies show that the existing full-time education model being used by traditional education systems does not work for these out-of-school youngsters.
THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM
In response to this, the Bureau of Alternative Learning System of the Department of Education (DepEd-BALS) has been mandated by virtue of Executive Order No. 356 (September 14, 2004), "to protect and promote the right of all citizen to quality basic education and to promote the right of all citizens to quality basic education and such education accessible to all by providing
Studies show an increasing number of school age Filipinos that are out of school. A huge percentage of Filipino children and youth aged 6 to 17 years are not attending school. The Department of Education (DepEd) estimated that, in 2003, there were a total of 5.18 million out-of-school youth (1.84 million out-of-school children aged 6 to 11 years old, and 3.94 million young people aged 12 to 15) in the country. Further, around 17 million Filipinos about 20% of the population have not finished the country is basic education requirements.
Based from the National Statistics Office is most recent data, the city has, approximately, 1,022,431 residents thus, 33% of these were not even graduate of secondary education. These figures entail that the city has an estimated number of 338,503 illiterate residents.
As illustrated in the succeeding chart (2003 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey), parents cite these leading reasons why their children do not attend schools:
*working or looking for work (mostly males) - 30%
* lack interest in going to school - 22%
*high cost of education - 20% (n.b.basic education in the country is free; as such, cost would include personal transportation fare, meal allowance, clothing, expenses for materials, projects, etc.)
While the Department of Education seeks to bring these young people back to the formal education system, studies show that the existing full-time education model being used by traditional education systems does not work for these out-of-school youngsters.
THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM
In response to this, the Bureau of Alternative Learning System of the Department of Education (DepEd-BALS) has been mandated by virtue of Executive Order No. 356 (September 14, 2004), "to protect and promote the right of all citizen to quality basic education and to promote the right of all citizens to quality basic education and such education accessible to all by providing