DepEd eyeing deployment of 2,000 more mobile teachers to strengthen ALS program

By Merlina Hernando-Malipot

In line with its continued efforts to strengthen the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program, the Department of Education (DepEd) is eyeing the deployment of 2,000 additional mobile teachers starting this year.

(Juan Carlo de Vela/Manila Bulletin file photo)

DepEd Alternative Learning System (ALS) Assistant Secretary G.H. Ambat, in an interview with the Manila Bulletin, said more ALS mobile teachers will be hired and deployed this year to reach more communities where learners do not have access to formal schooling.

“This 2018, we’re deploying 2,000 additional mobile teachers wherein most of them will go to Bicol and Davao and in regions 10, 12, Caraga,” Ambat said. She explained that the new batch of ALS mobile teachers “will be deployed to ARMM even if it’s not under the DepEd Central Office.” This, she explained, “is in light of the Marawi siege” in 2017 which displaced thousands of learners. She noted that 90 mobile teachers were requested by DepEd ARMM secretary.

In 2016, there were 2,722 mobile teachers and as of 2017, there are 2,967 ALS-DepEd mobile teachers. However, Ambat said“it’s not enough so we’re adding more.” She noted that there are still “so many communities that are not reached by mobile teacher.”

Based on the latest mapping that was done, Ambat said DepEd needs an additional 5,000 to reach more learners. Initially, she requested for 5,000 items for ALS mobile teachers but it was reconsidered because it may remain unfilled. “Even in formal schools, we have so many unfilled positions last year,” she said. The additional 2,000 items, she said, are “more realistic” and it will also include items for Special Education and for multigrade levels.

ALS mobile teachers are usually licensed but in areas where there no licensed teachers, DepEd allows individuals to teach especially if they will be teaching basic literacy such as writing, counting or reading. “However, these teachers are not employed by DepEd,” Ambat explained.

Ambat said that each mobile teacher is required to have at least 75 students or learners that they meet once or twice a week. However, she noted that ALS teachers “need to give more time to their learners.” Ideally, she noted that “for urban areas, it should be 75 but in areas that are hard to reach, it should be less than that. “

The ALS is a 10-month program wherein the learners have an Individual Learning Agreement (ILA). “This is a major consideration because it’s one thing to map them, another thing to get them enrolled and it’s also another thing for them to complete the program” and eventually, take the Accreditation and Equivalency Test (A&E) which will enable them to move to a higher level.

Considered as one of the DepEd’s “flagship program,” the ALS program focuses on inclusion which continues to bring education to a greater number of out-of-school youth and adult learners nationwide. It is a parallel learning system under DepEd that provides a practical option to the existing formal instruction. For 2017, DepEd ALS had 641, 584 enrollees.