By Merlina Hernando-Malipot The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has instructed all higher education institutions (HEIs) to “accept” Alternative Learning System (ALS) passers who wish to enroll in their various schools, colleges and universities for Academic Year (AY) 2018-2019. Commissioner Prospero de Vera III CHED officer-in-charge J. Prospero De Vera III, in a statement, enjoined public and private HEIs all over the country “to accept the application for admission of completers” of the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System (ALS) who also passed the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test - High School (HS) level. Recently, De Vera CHED recently issued Memorandum Order (CMO) 10 or the “Policy on Alternative Learning System Completers and Passers of the A&E Test in Relation to the Implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program.” This was issued in support of the DepEd’s Order 27 (DO 27) issued on in relation to the ALS. According to De Vera, the said policy documents emphasize that beginning AY 2018-2019 and for subsequent academic years, “passers of previous A&E Tests HS level, and the November 2017, March 2018 and upcoming 2019 A&E Tests HS level, who are all high school graduates of the old basic education curriculum for ALS…,” can now be accepted as first year students under the new higher education curricula, “subject to admission policies and requirements of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).” To ensure college readiness of students under the new higher education curricula, which took effect this academic year, De Vera said “the admitting HEIs may require bridging programs for the general education component.” De Vera noted that in addition, HEIs are reminded that ALS A&E Tests HS level passers should present their certification based on the certificate of rating with at least 60 percent passing score issued by the Department of Education (DepEd). The certification should be authenticated with signature of the schools division superintendent (SDS) and the seal of the schools division office. “This will resolve earlier confusion with some HEIs that did not accept ALS passers with certifications with eligibility for entry into Senior High School,” he added. Although classes may have already started in June, De Vera encouraged ALS passers “to check out HEIs that have shifted their academic calendars to August” or “consider other options” such as enrolling in skills development programs offered by Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) that are offered year-round or take Grade 11 in any recognized Senior High School (SHS) and choose a specific field of interest. Meanwhile, Education Secretary Leonor Briones assured that DepEd is determined to continuously provide ALS learners “with more options in life.” She also noted that DepEd continues to find way to provide “better opportunities for our learners outside the formal school system.” Under the newly signed DO 27 or the “Amendment to DepEd Order 42, s. 2015 (High School Graduates who are Eligible to Enroll in Higher Education Institutions in School Year SY 2016-2017) in Relation to the Alternative Learning System (ALS),” ALS completers who passed previous A&E Tests for High School Level, including those held in November 2017 and March 2018, are already considered high school graduates under the old curriculum. Likewise, ALS learners who will finish the program’s high school level in 2018 are also undertaking the old curriculum, thus, are “considered high school graduates when they complete the program and pass the A&E Test to be conducted in 2019” and are therefore “eligible to pursue higher education.” Despite setbacks in the development of the ALS curriculum to cover SHS equivalent in formal education, its completion and full implementation is expected in 2019. In 2016, ALS saw 96,634 of its learners pass the A&E Test-High School Level.