The Department of Education (DepEd) issues the enclosed policy titled Creation of the Bureau of Alternative Education (BAE) of the Department of Education (DepEd) in compliance with Republic Act No. 115101, also known as the Alternative Learning System Act.
The creation of the Bureau Alternative Education (BAE) is one of the salient provisions of the Alternative Learning System Act to serve as the focal office for the implementation of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) programs of DepEd. The BAE is headed by a Director who shall have powers and functions to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the ALS programs.
All DepEd Orders (DOs) and other related issuances, rules and regulations, and provisions, which are inconsistent with this policy are repealed, rescinded, and/or modified accordingly.
This DO shall take effect upon its approval. Certified true copies of this DO shall be filed with the University of the Philippines Law Center-Office of the National Administrative Register (UPLC-ONAR), UP Diliman, Quezon City.
For more information, please contact the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Alternative Learning System Program, 2nd Floor, Rizal Building, Department of Education Central Office, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City through email at asec.als@deped.gov.ph or at telephone number (02) 8631-8495.
Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.
Table of Contents
Creation of the Bureau of Alternative Education in the Department of Education
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES
The Alternative Learning System (ALS) in Basic Education for Out-of-School Children in Special Cases and Adults was institutionalized under Republic Act No. 115101, also known as the Alternative Learning System Act, on December 23, 2020.
One of the salient provisions of the law is the creation of the Bureau of Alternative Education (BAE)1 2, headed by a Director, which shall serve as the focal office for the implementation of the ALS programs of DepEd and shall have powers and functions3 to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the ALS programs.
In compliance with the aforesaid law, DepEd submitted to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) the proposal for the creation of the BAE and its organizational structure and positions, which shall serve as its staffing complement to perform its mandated functions.
In May 2021, DBM approved the creation of the BAE with two functional divisions, namely: the Policy and Quality Assurance Division (PQAD) and the Program Management and System Development Division (PMSDD), along with its respective staffing complement.
Likewise, DepEd, in consultation with concerned government agencies and other education stakeholders, crafted the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) as mandated by the Alternative Learning System Act4. The IRR sets the parameters and details of the provisions of the said Act, including the creation of the BAE and its powers and functions.
SCOPE
This DepEd Order (DO) provides for the creation of the BAE at the Central Office in compliance with the Alternative Learning System Act and shall follow the DBM – approved organizational structure and its staffing complement. It covers the specific functions of the BAE, its two (2) divisions, and the transitory provisions on the designated DepEd personnel to lead and manage the Bureau.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
For purposes of these guidelines, the following terms are defined/understood as follows:
refer to processes in ALS that comprise of exams and other assessments deemed appropriate and anchored on the competencies of the ALS K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum (BEC).
refers to a person at least eighteen (18) years of age.
refers to a parallel learning system that provides a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction. It encompasses both nonformal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.
refers to the enhanced ALS program of the DepEd anchored on the ALS K to 12 BEC.
refers to Republic Act 11510 or An Act Institutionalizing the ALS in Basic Education for Out-of-School Children in Special Cases and Adults and Appropriating Funds Therefor.
refers to either a school-based or a community-based physical space to house learning resources and facilities of the learning program for out-of-school children in special cases and adults. It is a venue for face-to-face learning activities and other learning opportunities for the development and improvement of the learner’s quality of life.
refers to the five-year (2019-2024) strategic plan/roadmap of the ALS Program to ensure that the systems improvements of the ALS K to 12 BEC (known as the ALS 2.0) are aligned with the strategic directions of DepEd to (i) Expand Access to Basic Education, (ii) Improve Quality and Relevance, and (iii) Modernize Education Management and Governance.
refers to the comprehensive curriculum indicating the competency, content, key stages, and standards for the ALS program. The ALS K to 12 BEC is benchmarked on the DepEd K to 12 formal school curriculum and focuses on the 21st Century Skills: information, media and technology skills, learning and innovation skills, communication skills, and life and career skills.
refer to out-of-school children in special cases, out-of-school youth, and out-of-school adults which include, among others, indigenous peoples, learners with disabilities, teenage mothers or female childbearing youth, socioeconomically disadvantaged learners, children in conflict with the law, persons deprived of liberty, rebel returnees, learners in emergency situations, and other marginalized sectors who have not completed basic education and are enrolled in the ALS Program.
created through DepEd Order No. 03, s. 2019 to serve as the focal office in the DepEd Central Office for the coordination and integration of a range of activities under the ALS Five-Year Strategic Roadmap towards the full development and operationalization of the ALS 2.0 program.
refer to DepEd employed teachers who implement the ALS programs.
refers to an authorization pursuant to laws or other legislative enactment requiring Congressional action, directing the spending of public funds for a specific purpose, up to a specified amount under specified conditions.
refer to persons engaged either by DepEd or any local government unit (LGU) to deliver ALS programs to out-of-school children in specials cases and adults.
refers to diverse forms of learning that are intentional or deliberate but are not institutionalized. It is a lifelong process of learning by which every person acquires and accumulates knowledge, skills, attitudes and insights from daily experiences at home, at work, at play and from life itself towards literacy.
refer to those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on equal basis with others.
refers to any organized and systematic educational activity carried outside the framework of the formal education system to provide selected types of learning to a segment of the population.
refers to a document prepared by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for agencies without fiscal autonomy. It reflects the specific positions in the approved staffing pattern.
refers to the process by which plans, concepts, programs, provisions (in the law) are put into operation or use, for them to be easily measured, monitored, and/or evaluated.
refer to persons at least eighteen (18) years of age and above who did not complete basic education.
refer to children in the official school age who are not enrolled in the elementary or secondary schools due to special cases such as economic, geographic, political, cultural or social barriers, including learners with disabilities or conditions, indigenous peoples, children in conflict with the law, learners in emergency situations, and other marginalized sectors.
refers to individual identified in Section 3 of Republic Act 10742 (Sangguniang Kabataan Act of 2015) who did not complete basic education.
refer to any person deprived of personal liberty as a result of conviction for an offense. It also refers to any person arrested or detained by reason of a criminal charge, who is detained either in police custody or in jail awaiting trial or final conviction.
refers to a collection of an ALS learner’s achievements, assembled specifically for assessment. It contains formal records that document the learner’s background and experience, the learning process she/he has followed, and work samples selected by the learner to show what she/he can do. It also contains records documenting the learner’s prior learning and records documenting the learner’s progress toward achieving stated learning goals.
POLICY STATEMENT
The Department issues this policy to ensure that the establishment of BAE in the Central Office (CO) shall institutionalize the ALS program to strengthen and expand it to serve and provide increased opportunities for out-of-school children in special cases and adults learners, including indigenous peoples, persons deprived of liberty, and learners with disabilities, for them to be able to develop basic and functional literacy and life skills, and pursue an equivalent pathway to complete basic education5.
FRAMEWORK / PROCEDURES / STANDARDS
A. Organizational Structure
The BAE shall be under the Curriculum and Instruction (CI) strand. Supervision of operational activities and strategic leadership shall be under the Assistant Secretary for Alternative Learning System (ALS) Program. The Assistant Secretary for ALS Program shall report to the Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction as well as to the Secretary.
The organizational structure of the BAE under the CI strand is presented in Enclosure No. 2 of this Order.
The BAE shall be composed of two (2) Directors (IV and III), twenty-six (26) technical staff, and four (4) administrative staff.
The creation of positions shall be based on the Notice of Organization, Staffing and Compensation Action (NOSCA) No. 00022021-014 issued by the DBM last May 14, 2021.
The BAE may engage Consultancy, Contract of Service (COS) or designate/reassign personnel from other offices to form part of the said Bureau, consistent with existing policies.
The BAE shall establish appropriate communication and coordination channels, and implementation mechanisms within DepEd Central, Regional, and Schools Division Offices for the planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of ALS programs. Appropriate communication channels shall also be established for partners and stakeholders.
The current Regional and Division ALS Focal Persons assigned in the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD) and Curriculum and Implementation Division (CID) shall continue to serve as such until the governance structure at the field level are established.
B. Powers and Functions
The BAE shall have the following powers and functions6, among others:
a. Establish minimum quality standards in the development of the ALS curriculum and learning materials, program planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and management, including certification of learning outcomes, recognition of service providers, competency standards for ALS personnel, and requirements for ALS learning environments, among others;
b. Promote and ensure the certification and accreditation of learners through alternative learning programs, both nonformal and informal in nature, as anchored on the competencies of the ALS K to 12 BEC;
c. In partnership with other National Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs), and the private sector, ensure access to educational opportunities for learners of different interests, learning needs, capabilities, demographic characteristics, and socioeconomic status, who have been unable to complete formal basic education;
d. Coordinate with various agencies and industries for skills development to promote learners’ employability, efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness in the labor market, as well as assist learners to become entrepreneurs;
e. Coordinate, encourage close partnerships, and establish linkages with LGUs and the private sector on matters pertaining to the sustainable implementation of ALS programs, post-program support activities and community mapping, and manage a nationwide database for out-of-school children in special cases and adults; and
f. Such other powers and functions as may be necessary for the effective and efficient implementation of ALS programs, projects, and activities.
To effectively and efficiently cany-out the functions of the BAE, the two (2) divisions under BAE shall perform the following functions, among others:
a. Policy and Quality Assurance Division (PQAD)
i. Lead the formulation of policies and standards on enhancement and implementation of ALS curriculum, learning delivery, development of ALS learning resources, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and management, including assessment, accreditation, and certification of learning outcomes, recognition of external partners, competency standards for ALS personnel, and requirements for ALS learning environments including school-based and community-based learning centers;
ii. Manage and improve a reliable Management Information System (MIS) for out-of-school children in special cases, out-of-school youth, and out-of school adults. This includes data management related to identification and tracking of prospective learners in coordination with local ALS implementors, learner enrolment, learner progress monitoring, learner assessment and certification, and post-program tracking of completers. The MIS may also cover other program elements, such as learning materials utilization, ALS teacher capacity building, ALS service contract management, among others. The MIS shall be used for program planning, improvements, and policy formulation;
iii. Coordinate with the Bureau on Education Assessment (BEA) on test development, regular administration of the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) test, including the issuance of A&E Certificate of Rating;
iv. Lead the development of and oversee other A&E-related assessments and certification processes;
v. Coordinate with DepEd and non-DepEd ALS implementers in relation to accrediation and certification of learners;
vi. Coordinate with DepEd field offices for the issuance of ALS certificate and diplomas; and
vii. Conduct evidence-based research/studies for the continuous development of the ALS program.
b. Program Management and Systems Development Division (PMSDD)
i. Lead the enhancement of existing ALS assessment tools, processes, forms, and other matters related to assessment and certification of learners;
ii. Lead the development and management of ALS K to 12 BEC- related activities, in coordination with the Bureau of Curriculum Development;
iii. Lead the development and pilot-testing of learning delivery modalities, assessment tools, and programmatic innovations (i.e. portfolio assessment and project-based learning);
iv. Coordinate with the Bureau of Learning Resources on the management of local development, quality assurance, and provision of ALS learning resources;
v. Lead the conduct of capability-buidling activities for DepEd and non-DepEd ALS implementers;
vi. Undertake advocacy and social mobilization interventions in support of the roll-out of the ALS Program;
vii. Partner with National Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs), and the private sector to ensure access to educational opportunities for learners of different interests, learning needs, capabilities, demographic characteristics, and socioeconomic status, who have been unable to complete formal basic education;
viii. Coordinate with various agencies and industries for skills development to promote learners’ employability, efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness in the labor market, as well as assist learners to become entrepreneurs;
ix. Encourage, establish, and maintain close partnerships/linkages with LGUs and the private sector on matters pertaining to the sustainable implementation of ALS programs, post-program support activities and community mapping, and manage a nationwide database for out-ofschool children in special cases, youth, and adults; and
x. Prepare budget proposals, financial reports and documents, manage the Program Management Information System (PMIS) account of the ALS program.
The PQAD and PMSDD shall coordinate and work closely with other functional units of the Department in the Central Office.
C. Funding Requirements
The amount necessary for the implementation of the Alternative Learning System Act shall be charged against those authorized in the current appropriations for the DepEd. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued implementation of the Act, including the construction or provision of the ALS CLCs and the payment of transportation and teaching aid allowances for ALS Teachers and Community ALS Implementers, shall be included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA)7.
The expenses to be incurred in the creation of positions of the BAE such as salaries, compensation, and benefits shall be charged against the Personnel Services (PS) of the DepEd subject to the existing civil service, budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations.
All other operational expenses of the BAE, such as, but not limited to, transportation, communication, supplies, and overhead, shall be charged against the ALS program budget. The BAE shall prepare and submit the annual ALS program budget proposal as its own line item in the DepEd budget proposal.
D. Transitory Provisions
It is the purpose and intent of this policy to set forth the structure of the BAE in the DepEd Central Office and the manner in which it is to operate and function.
The Alternative Learning System Task Force (ALS TF) was created through Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 03, s. 2019 to serve as the focal point and to provide a coordinated leadership for the integration, implementation, and delivery of the range of activities under the ALS roadmap towards the full development and operationalization of the new ALS 2.0 (ALS K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum) Program.
To ensure continuous implementation and delivery of the ALS 2.0 programs, to realize the ALS Five-Year Strategic Roadmap, and to achieve the goal of expanding and strengthening the program, the DepEd shall transition the ALS TF to the BAE. A separate Office Order shall be issued on the designation of Director and staff.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
The BAE shall monitor and evaluate the implementation of this DepEd Order to ensure compliance with its mandated office functions.
A biannual accomplishment and evaluation report shall be submitted by the BAE to the Assistant Secretary for the ALS Program. The report shall include the ALS 2.0 program implementation at the Regional and Division Offices which shall be submitted by the Regional and/or Division ALS Focal Persons as part of their mandated functions and responsibilities.
The BAE shall establish an evaluation, monitoring and quality assurance system to effectively monitor and implement the institutionalization of the ALS 2.0 program in the Department.
EFFECTIVITY
All existing Orders and Memoranda inconsistent with this Order are rescinded. This policy shall remain in force and in effect, unless sooner, repealed, amended, or rescinded.
This Order shall take effect upon its approval. Certified true copies of this DepEd Order shall be filed with the University of the Philippines Office of the National Administrative Register (UP-ONAR) at the University of the Philippines (UP) Law Center, UP Diliman, Quezon City.
REFERENCES
Philippines. Republic Act No. 11510: An Act Institutionalizing the Alternative Learning System in Basic Education for Out-of-School Children in Special Cases and Adults and Appropriating Funds Therefor, Republic of the Philippines, 2020.
DepEd Order No. 52, s. 2015, New Organizational Structure of the Central, Regional, and Schools Division Offices of the Department of Education.
DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2019, Creation of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) Task Force and Designation of Members Thereof.
DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2019, Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of Enhanced Alternative Learning System 2.0.
DepEd Memorandum 57, s. 2020, Amendment to DepEd Memorandum No. 19, s. 2019 (Assignments of Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries in the Department of Education.
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