(NAR) VOL. 9 NO. 3 / JULY - SEPTEMBER 1998
— out-of-school youth (OSY)4. The Nonformal Education A&E System is one of the key components of the ADB-funded Philippines Non-formal Education Project. The development of the system is currently on going and is scheduled for pilot testing in four sites (2 urban and 2 rural) in February 1999. It is anticipated that the NFE A&S System will be fully implemented nationwide upon successful completion of the pilot test phase, currently targeted for June 1999.
— out-of-school adults aged 25 and above
— functional illiterates
— completers of the Functional Education and Literacy Programs (FELP)
— unemployed OSY and adults
— elementary and secondary education drop-outs
— industry-based workers
I. A&E Curriculum Framework — which comprises a continuum of National Literacy Standards of essential skills, knowledge, attitudes and values desired for nonformal basic education and which are designed to be parallel or comparable to the formal school system.6. As per Presidential Executive Order No. 733 of 1977, entitled “Linking Formal and Nonformal Education” the National Educational Testing and Research Center (NETRC) in coordination with the BNFE will be responsible in the administration of tests processing and placement including the issuance of certificate for elementary equivalent and diploma for high school equivalent signed by the Secretary of DECS.
II. A&E Prototype Learning Materials — which will be based on the A&E Curriculum framework and will be designed to provide learning support for OSY and Adults who wish to continue learning outside of the formal school system, particularly in preparation for certification of learning achievement through successful accomplishment of a National NFE Accreditation and Equivalency test.
III. Accreditation and Equivalency System — which comprises two forms of accreditation:
1. A&E Testing individual learners which will be based on the A & E Curriculum Framework and content of the prototype learning materials and will be designed to facilitate learner’s movement from one learning level to the next higher level and for certification of learning achievement as parallel and equivalent to the formal education system.
2. Accreditation of institutions/agencies/organizations offering A & E related Nonformal Education programs. This will involve institutional arrangements with partner NFE agencies to facilitate articulation of programs and formulation of National Standards to ensure quality control A & E related NFE programs offered by independent NFE service providers.
IV. A & E Learning Support Delivery System — designed to provide learners a range of alternative pathways in order that they may continue to learn outside of the formal school system. This includes utilization of the prototype learning materials and a range of learner support strategies and structures, (such as learning facilitators, learning group sessions and learning centers) alternative delivery modes (i.e. self-instruction, classroom-based instruction, peer learning, multi-media) and an A & E administrative support system.