ALS K to 12 curriculum launched

EVEN before the culmination of the K to 12 Cycle from Kindergarten to Grade 12, the Department of Education (Deped), through the Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD), launched the ALS-K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum.

This is done to ensure that the Alternative Learning System (ALS) curriculum is aligned with the K to 12 Program, and to provide learning opportunities that will empower out-of-school youth (OSY) and adult learners to improve their quality of life and become more effective contributors to society,

According to the report found in the official webpage of DepEd, www.deped.gov.ph that like the K to 12 Curriculum, the ALS-K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum is expressed in content standards, performance standards, and learning competencies. It also defines the minimum competency standards for learners an alternative pathway of learning and certification parallel to the formal school system.

DepEd Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Service and ALS G.H. Ambat underscored the importance to adjust the previous ALS curriculum that would help dispel notions of disparity between ALS graduates and graduates from the formal system. She added that DepEd is true to its mandate that no learner [will be] left behind. With this new curriculum, DepEd hopes that the ALS learners would have the same quality of education that would avail them of the four exits of K to 12: higher education, employment, entrepreneurship, or middle-level skills development.

On the other hand, BCD Director Jocelyn Andaya explained that the revision of the curriculum undertook a comprehensive review and revision process involving a series of consultations and workshops with curriculum experts in formal and non-formal education from within and outside the DepEd. The outputs of workshops were further reviewed by national and international consultants, Deped subject experts, and ALS learning practitioners, supervisors, and other ALS stakeholders.

Andaya said it took two years because the office, as well as the former office handling the program, the Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS) painstakingly went into the said rigorous process.

The ALS curriculum reflects the set of knowledge, skills, and competencies that learners should develop to meet the minimum requirement of basic education and is comparable to the formal school curriculum. The curriculum includes both the formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.

Andaya further explained the menu of possible learning interventions and pathways responsive to the needs, context, circumstances, and diversity of learners that the refined ALS Curriculum provides.

The Bureau emphasized that ALS is not an “inferior” curriculum because the new curriculum gives equivalency options and alternative programs similar to formal schooling, such that a learner can move and transfer seamlessly from one education system to another. This scenario illustrates the scheme: a learner can have formal education from Kindergarten to Grade 3, then shift to non-formal education for Grades 5 to 6, and reintegrate seamlessly into the formal system for Junior High School (JHS) because the essential skills are covered by both curricula.

Furthermore, assessments are in place to ensure readiness of learners for the next level of schooling. The use of flexible learner options helps ensure this fluidity and permeability from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

It can be recalled that since its conception, ALS utilizes learning modules. Each module is complete in itself and contains the description of the module, objectives, learning activities, and pre- and post-tests.

The Bureau added that although the framework is organized in strands, the intention is that instruction should be created around topics of importance to learners. This is the basic difference between the K to 12 Curriculum and the ALS Curriculum. The topics should provide an opportunity for the integration of skills.

This Corner hopes that with this development, all the queries relevant to the significance of ALS in the implementation of the K to 12 Curriculum will be answered.

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Director’s Cut: (This portion features the thoughts of lawyer Alberto Escobarte, CESO IV, Regional Director, DepEd-Davao to all stakeholders and recipients of the efforts to improve the basic education). "Let me assure you that in the performance of my official duties and even my private acts will be guided and guarded by my Oath of Office, The Panunumpa ng Kawani ng Gobyerno, the Philippine Constitution and all the laws that govern our actions.”

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You can access DepEd Updates, latest issuances, photos and other relevant information through our website: http://www.deped.gov.ph and our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/deped.regionxi. For comments, suggestions and/or contributions, send your email to region11@deped.gov.ph. For queries, complains and other concerns for the different schools divisions email them to davao.city@deped.gov.ph, davao.delsur@deped.gov.ph, davao.delnorte@deped.gov.ph, tagum.city@deped.gov.ph, panabo.city@deped.gov.ph, igacos@deped.gov.ph, davao.oriental@deped.gov.ph, digos.city@deped.gov.ph, mati.city@deped.gov.ph and compostela.valley@deped.gov.ph.