BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance institutionalizing the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in all the city barangays, providing guidelines for its implementation and for other purposes it may serve, for the welfare of today’s youth.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated the institutionalization of the ALS in the regular operations of the city and its barangays will effectively and efficiently help in providing education to a larger portion of the citizenry with the mass involvement of the private sector in ALS ventures through organized means and systematic methods of implementation.
The ordinance mandates the 128 barangays to implement the ALS program for out-of-school-youth (OSY) and adult-aged learners in the barangay level and pursue the mapping of the OSY as outlined under existing rules and regulations.
Yangot pointed out the ALS program shall be conducted in an existing barangay structure, whether this is owned by the barangay government, the City Government or a private entity within the jurisdiction of the said barangay.
The ordinance provided that the facility will be enjoined to devote at least four days of every month for the purpose of conducting the ALS program and whenever possible, a new structure may be constructed and established for the purpose of the ordinance.
Under the ordinance, the program shall be implemented by the barangay ALS Coordinator, punong barangay, administrative officer, barangay kagawad, instructional managers, volunteer teachers, other needed personnel among others.
The Office of the City Schools Division Superintendent shall have administrative supervision over the implementation of the ALS program while the barangay ALS Coordinator shall closely coordinate and consult all matters related to the program with the said office.
Further, the education department shall, within 60 days, after the effectivity of the ordinance, formulate the implementing rules and regulations in line with the provisions of the local legislative measure and guided by the principle of efficiency and expediency in conducting ALS at the barangay level under the measure.
In addition, the education department, in coordination with the Punong Barangay, shall conduct ocular inspections, monitoring and evaluation of the facility to ensure the proper implementation of the program.
The ordinance provides the program operational expenses shall include allocations for learning modules and other supplementary learning materials, maintenance and other operating expenses, such as training of the instructional managers, utilities expenses, repair and maintenance of the facility, instructional manager honorarium, teaching aid and transportation expenses among others.
Yangot sought the allocation of the amount of P5 million for this year and every year thereafter from the general fund of the city or from any available fund source as city counterpart for the implementation of the ordinance.
By Dexter A. See
