Problems Encountered in Alternative Learning Systemin Urdaneta City Division

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Every Filipino has a right to free basic education. Hence, the Philippine government through the Department of Education has implemented the Alternative Learning System (ALS) as a crucial component of Philippine education to provide every individual the access to quality basic education to reduce illiteracy rate as envisioned in the Education for All (EFA) 2015 Philippine Plan of Action. Like any other organization, ALS in Urdaneta City has not been spared with challenges and problems.

METHODS

The descriptive research method was used particularly frequency, percentage, and mean to determine the problems encountered by the ALS teachers and learners. There were 7 mobile teachers and 175 learners who answered a questionnaire where some indicators were constructed by the researchers and some were adopted from the study of Mercado (2015).

RESULTS

It was found out that the leading problems encountered by the teachers were the following: students' tardiness/absenteeism, inability to deliver a lesson, unpredictable content of the examination, and unavailability of state-of-the-art equipment. Results also revealed that the leading problems encountered by the students were the following: teachers give too much memory works, there is a distraction in the learning environment, and they lack basic computer knowledge.

DISCUSSIONS

The results demonstrate the need for the establishment of interventions that will address the problems encountered by the ALS teachers and learners. Constant monitoring and application of these interventions will lead to the effective teaching and learning process between the teachers and the learners.