DepEd awards micro-certificates to 400 ALS learners

Around 400 Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners have received micro-certificates from the Department of Education (DepEd) in recognition of their life skills for employment.

The ALS program offers an alternative form of instruction for out-of-school youth, adults, and senior citizens to earn formal credentials for essential competencies such as communication, leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara praised the ALS learners during the Micro-Certification Program awarding ceremony, emphasizing that achieving life goals can be a deliberate process.

Angara stated that progress can come in steps and small victories, and that ALS measures success not by how high one has climbed, but by how far they have come.

DepEd collaborates with organizations such as Unicef, DOLE, TESDA, and local government units to enhance the employability and community engagement aspects of the ALS program.

Research conducted between 2022 and 2025 by DepEd, Unicef, the Australian Council for Educational Research, and the University of Melbourne has confirmed the validity of using micro-certifications to assess life skills.