Program allows dropouts into high school, college

School drop-outs and out-of-school youths will now have the chance to be accelerated to high school or college as the Department of Education-Cebu City Schools Division encourage them to avail of the free Alternative Learning System.

Vicky Veloso, ALS Education Supervisor, the DepEd has already scheduled the Accreditation and Equivalence Test for the ALS on February 11 next year.

"ALS provides a very practical curriculum," said Veloso, who added that the curriculum includes five subjects namely: Basic Communication Skills in English and Filipino, Numeracy and Science, Livelihood and Natural Resources, Social Studies and Current Events and Composition Writing.

Veloso said the said the program is an improvement of the Non-formal Education program that was established by the national government in 1999.

Under the program, drop-outs aged 14 and below can take the A and E Test that would entitle them to get a diploma in elementary and enroll in any high school of their choice.

Those aged 15 years old and above, upon qualifying the exam, are accelerated to college level for whatever course they would want to pursue. Armed with a certificate of completion signed by no less than the Education Secretary, qualifiers also have the option to apply for work in any government office, Veloso said.

Over 1,000 applicants in Cebu City took the exam last year. Of that numbers, fifty-five percent passed the A and E Test for elementary while another sixty-five percent passed the exam for high school and were accelerated to college.

So that many out-of-school youths can avail of the program, Veloso said the Division Office ordered the District Coordinators and Mobile Teachers to go to the different barangays for a door-to-door campaign.

"This is a very good program which benefited thousands already. People should take advantage of this opportunity", Veloso said. - Garry B. Lao/BRP