MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/27 December) — Instead of the usual reunion party, the 1994 batch of high school graduates from Bukidnon State College (now university), is launching a financial support and advocacy project for learners of the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System (ALS).
Some 90 members of HS Batch 1994 celebrated their 20th year by launching the “Adopt-an-ALS learner” project.
ALS is a parallel learning system under the Department of Education (DepEd) that provides a practical option to the existing formal instruction.
According to deped.gov.ph/als many, Filipinos do not have a chance to attend and finish formal basic education due to many reasons. Some drop out from schools while some do not have schools in their communities.
“Since every Filipino has a right to free basic education, the government establishes ALS to provide all Filipinos the chance to have access to and complete basic education in a mode that fits their distinct situations and needs,” it said.
Wendy Egoy, coordinator of DepEd ALS Malaybalay West district, welcomed Batch 94’s help and hopes other alumni associations would do the same.
The batch piloted the project in June 2014 with one fellow, 26-year old Jeffralyn Bularong, an orphaned polio survivor from Malaybalay City. She told her teachers she is determined to study as she wants to be a teacher.
Bularong is one of around 400 learners attending Egoy’s ALS district.
When she attended the Bukidnon State University College of Teacher Education bridging program for ALS learners, her teachers endorsed her for support by the batch. BSU-CTE held the bridging program starting in 2013 as its extension program.
HS Batch 94’s community outreach committee chose Bularong as the learner to support because she displayed positive traits such as her self-reliant initiatives. She polishes nails and does nail art in her free time so she can earn for fare and her personal needs. She lives with a relative in Brgy.
