TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 7 (PNA) – Drug dependents undergoing rehabilitation will not be deprived of access to formal education through the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Alternative Learning System (ALS) program, a top official said.

Introducing ALS in rehabilitation centers is just one of the department’s key priorities to create a greater positive impact to the basic education system, according to DepEd Undersecretary for curriculum and instruction Dina Ocampo.

She said strategies will be identified depending on who will be the students in the rehab centers.

The education department will also conduct trainings inside rehabilitation centers after the recruitment of volunteer teachers. Another option is to deploy existing ALS teachers to the centers.

“There should be detoxification process first supervised by the DOH before the implementation of ALS,” Ocampo told reporters here on Wednesday.

The government establishes ALS to provide all Filipinos the chance to avail of complete basic education “in a way that fits their distinct situations and needs.”

In news writing, no need to cite sources if it’s a general information or common knowledge.

The introduction of ALS to self-confessed drug dependent is one of DepEd’s strategies to expand the coverage of ALS at regional, national and local levels.

Alternative Learning System (ALS) stipulated in the Governance Act for Basic Education otherwise known as the Republic Act 9155, provides out-of-school children, youth, and adults population with basic education. (PNA)