MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS) PROGRAM

Abstract

Despite the increasing school dropouts every year, there is the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education (DepEd). ALS caters the learning needs of the out-of- school children, youth and adults. However, ALS is considered as second class in terms of curriculum, programs, implementers, learning materials, venues, and the like. There are two major programs on ALS that are being implemented by the DepEd, namely the Non-formal Education program (NFE) and the Informal Education (Infed) program. Under the NFE are the Basic Literacy Program (BLP) and the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) System. ALS programs are modular and flexible. This means that learning can take place anytime and in any place, depending on the convenience and availability of the learners. It happens outside the classroom, is community-based, is usually conducted in community learning centers, barangay multi-purpose halls, libraries or at home, managed by ALS learning facilitators, such as Mobile Teachers, District ALS Coordinators, Instructional Managers at an agreed schedule and venue between the learners and Learning Facilitators. The study is all about how ALS in the National Capital Region (NCR) was enhanced through monitoring and evaluation. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is an integral part of every program, project or activity. It plays an important part in measuring the quality of every program, and helps to attain the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 by 2030 which is quality education. DepEd needs to enhance and intensify the existing policies of the monitoring and evaluation component of ALS. In this study, the researcher used quantitative research in order to describe the characteristics of the target population. The researcher used the eight (8) DepEd division offices in NCR. The study used two (2) vii sets of modified monitoring instruments to determine the effectiveness of ALS program implementation in NCR. There are two set of instruments: M&E 001 (ALS Implementers) and M&E 002 (ALS Learners). In view of the foregoing significant findings of the study, the conclusions are the qualification standards, roles and functions, competence, and capability are not a guarantee for an effective learning facilitators; limited implementation of the ALS programs such as BLP and A&E Programs also show significant effect in the whole implementation of ALS; the number of frequency of monitoring and evaluation of ALS programs shows significant effect to the quality of ALS programs; the level of satisfaction of learners can also be measured in the venue and learning facilitators; and likewise, the attainment of the learners can be measured to the achievement of the learning goals and objectives. Based on the significant findings and conclusions of this study, the researcher recommends that the existing ALS monitoring and evaluation process be reviewed to meet the needs of the DepEd monitoring team; that the policy on the ALS monitoring and evaluation be enhanced in order to be useful to the needs of the DepEd monitoring team; and that the implementation of policy on ALS monitoring and evaluation be intensified by conducting capability building program for the monitoring team. From this study, the researcher will help DepEd to decide on the enhancement of the existing policies.