Policy and pedagogy: a critical analysis of the Alternative Learning System - Accreditation and Equivalency Program in Pasay City

Abstract

Education is the cornerstone of every society aiming to achieve progress, and as such, education should be a very appropriate topic of study. Considering the Philippine context, one may even find studying the educational process a necessity. It is quite evident that not all Filipinos have access to 'good' education, let alone education. This is so because of the current structure of Philippine society---the great inequity and inequality that abound us make education one of the greatly missed bare necessities. And there are also problems within education and educational systems in the Philippines. These are glitches found in the complex system and social processes governing the state of education in the country. That the aspects of administration, governance, facilitation of learning, pedagogical approaches should be improved is the general way to the development of education in the Philippines. Therefore, it is just apt to glance at the Alternative Learning System and its particular Accreditation and Equivalency Program because this is the most common resort of the poor and the marginalized when they are bothered by the concern of getting a high-school or elementary diploma. In gist, the true essence of education is lost in the process of haggling for a diploma and establishing band-aid programs that have misplaced priorities and objectives. Furthermore, the importance of pedagogy and the teacher-student relationship were emphasized on this study, because this process has a very direct and possibly lasting effect on the students. In conclusion, the study aims to criss-cross through the entire program and explore its strong and weak points, with the aim of finally recommending possible solutions to diagnosed problems.