In line with its continued efforts to strengthen the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program, the Department of Education (DepEd) is eyeing the deployment of 2,000 additional mobile teachers starting this year. DepEd Alternative Learning System (ALS) Assistant Secretary G.H. Ambat, in an interview said more ALS mobile teachers will be hired and deployed this year to reach more communities where learners do not have access to formal schooling. “This 2018, we’re deploying 2,000 additional mobile teachers wherein most of them will go to Bicol and Davao and in regions 10, 12, Caraga,” Ambat said. She explained that the new batch of ALS mobile teachers “will be deployed to ARMM [Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao] even if it’s not under the DepEd Central Office.” This, she explained, “is in light of the Marawi siege” in 2017 which displaced thousands of learners. She noted that 90 mobile teachers were requested by DepEd ARMM secretary. (Merlina Hernando-Malipot)
