Out of 321 Alternative Learning System (ALS) graduates, the 66-year old woman, Mrs. Erlinda Ulep wowed the crowd as she receive her Gold Medallion Damili Awards of Excellence given by San Nicolas Mayor Melanie Grace P. Valdez during the mass graduation of the ALS held at San Nicolas Elementary School, Ilocos Norte on July 4, 2015.

Mrs. Ulep is a native of San Nicolas town, a former Barangay Health Worker (BHW) and presently acting as the Women’s Club President in their barangay. She has proven that old age and poverty don’t get in the way of achieving education provided one is filled with a lot of inspiration, armed with God’s love and loaded with determination to continue learning. For her, age doesn’t matter in terms of education. Being a single mom of her two children, she was challenged and inspired to continue with her studies when she learned about the ALS program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

ALS is a module-based learning system that allows students to come in with their preferred time and modules to read. The self-learning modules can be accomplished by the learners at their own convenient time assisted by the ALS Mobile teachers. This free DepEd Program is open to all interested learners who have to undergo functional literary test first. Successful test takers will be given a certification of learning achievements at two learning levels- elementary and secondary. Expected learning competencies are communication skills in both English and Filipino, problem solving and critical thinking, sustainable use of resources and product, self development and expanding one’s world vision.

ALS is an instrument of changing lives. Just like Mrs. Ulep, once a dreamer, now an achiever in spite of her age and life challenges. ALS has touched her life magnificently.