Various Factors Affecting the Enrollment of Students in Alternative Learning System of Maasim District

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The prime purpose of Philippine education is to protect and promote the right of every Filipino to quality, equitably and culture-based education. To cater the needs of the learners, the government formulates different programs and strategies with the cooperation of national agencies who shared common goals and objectives in education. In particular, Education for All 2015 is one of the programs, which continuously answer the barrier that hinders every learner to achieve complete education and aims to achieve that by the next generation, all Filipinos are educated. It is also mandated under this program, that by the year 2015 there will be zero drop-out rate in all schools and illiteracy will be eradicated in the Philippines.

METHODS

This study will utilize descriptive-correlative method of research to describe the various factors affecting the enrollment of students in Alternative Learning System. The respondents of this study will be the students of in Alternative Learning System Maasim District, who are officially enrolled for the school year 2017-2018. The researchers employed simple random sampling to get 50 respondents out from 70 students of the total population. The instrument used in the study is the questionnaire adapted and modified from Bacus (2012). The gathered data of this study will be analyzed and interpreted using frequency, weighted mean, and z-test.

RESULTS

As evaluated by the students, they always have positive attitude towards school based on the over-all mean of 4.68. Specifically, they are always interested to attend ALS classes (x=4.72), enjoy listening to the teacher's lecture (x=4.82), and find ALS lessons challenging and interesting (x=4.58). They often have self-confidence in class (x=4.46) and always want to continue their studies even if they get low scores in test (x=4.84). The students also responded that they often participate in household chores such as taking care of siblings (x=4.34), washing clothes (x=4.26), fetching water (x=4.08), and taking care of sick parents (x=4.26). They also always clean the house (x=4.74). However, the students in ALS seldom participate in augmenting family income (x=2.12). They seldom engage in farming (x=2.44), labor (x=2.22), fruits and vegetables farming (x=1.98), fishing (x=1.56), and vending foodstuff (x=2.40). To summarize, the students always have positive attitude towards schoo l, o ft en part i cipate in h ouse ho l d chore s, bu t se ldo m help au gment fam i ly in come.

DISCUSSIONS

The student in the ALS have positive attitude towards school even if they are engaged in household chores and in augmenting family income. They have low socio-economic status, but are encouraged to study due to the wholesome personality traits being manifested by their teachers. The most dominant reasons why students opted to enroll in the ALS are due to lack of family support and being over-aged compared to regular students. Lessons in the ALS should include topics on developing vocational or technological skills, which can prepare them for employment after graduation. Department of Education, regarding ALS program, so that more unschooled youths will be informed of their educational opportunity, should conduct information dissemination.