The development of a nonformal alternative learning system for out of school youth and adults who are unable to avail of the educational opportunities of the traditional formal school system had been a dream of our government for so many years.Thousanads of out of school youths and adults from the impoverished sectors of the Filipino Society will have an alternative means to improve their basic education skills and competencies as pathway to a better tomorrow.
The target learners of the NFE A&E should be 15 years old and above as follows: functional illiterate, Functional Education and Literacy Program (PELP) completers,unemployed OSY and adults, elementary and secondary schools drop-outs,industry based workers and PEPT qualifiers who choose not to return to the formal school system.
The program aims to provide a system for assessing levels of and nonformal learning achievement based on a national NFE A&E curriculum covering basic and functional education skills and competencies designed to be comparable to the formal school system,to offer an alternative pathway which out of school youth and adults earn an educational qualification comparable to the formal elementary and secondary school system and enable OSY and adults to gain reading, writing, numeracy skills, to meet their learning goals as they define them,and to gain the skills they need to improve their economic status and to function more effectively in society.
The development of NFE A&E System was conceived under the umbrella of the Education for All-Philippine Plan of Action(EFA-PPA) and was incorporated as a core component of the ADB assisted Philippine Nonformal Education Project.The legal framework for the NFE A& E Sysyem development however precedes the decade of education for all battle cry, and is rooted in the general mandate for the development and promotion of nonformal education in the Philippines.
The NFE A&E Curriculum Framework contain the following Communication Skills,Problem Solving and Critical Thinking,Sustainable use of Resources,Productivity,Development of Self and a sense of community and Expanding One’s World Vision.In establishing the system,Memorandum of Agreement(MOA) between DECS and CHED was signed with pertinentprovisions.That as part of the articulation,CHED and its members instituitions recognizes the NFE A&E Secondary level certificate holders will be eligible for consideration of the Recognition of their Prior Learning through access to Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program(ESTEEAP).
That NFE A&E Secondary Level certificate holders will be accepted in to the post secondary education programs of CHED member institutions subject to the usual screening procedures of such institutions for regular enrollees.That DECS and CHED will work jointly to support efforts to strengthen skills and competency development of OSY and adults in preparation for the entrance to the post-secondary programs including the development academic focused bridging programs for NFE A&E Secondary Level Passers.
By: Girlie F. Sanchez | MT-1 | Alasasin Elem. School | Alasasin Mariveles Bataan
