By Norman C Calib-og | BSEd 4 | Learning Facilitator

The Department of Education Region 10 and Schools Division Office Cagayan de Oro City kicked-off its three-day Program Implementation Review (PIR) to the Xavier University-Night School Program - Alternative Learning System (XUNSP-ALS) to assess its quality and effectiveness and stimulate planning for strategic development to advance the program priorities. 

The Education Program Supervisor of DepEd-ALS Region 10, Dr. Ray Butch D. Mahinay and the Education Program Supervisor - Alternative Delivery Mode; together with the Education Program Specialist-II for ALS, Dr. January Gay T. Valenzona, Division ALS Coordinator, Ms. Juliet N. Dolero along with the ALS teachers; and the Dean of the School of Education, Dr. Edralin C. Manla along with the Project Lead of XUNSP-ALS and the Director of the Arrupe Educational Center, Mr. Ismael B. Salarda and the Learning Facilitators attended the PIR at the Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, Learning Resource Center on November 23-25, 2022.

The rationale of this activity was to: (1) conduct an evaluation of NSP-ALS programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) in terms of relevance, coherence, efficiency, sustainability, effectiveness, and impact using the ALS M&E tool; (2) propose an implementation plan for SY 2022-2023; and (3) discuss other matters pertinent to ALS

In front of the DepEd personnel from the Schools Division Office of Cagayan de Oro City and DepEd Regional Office-X, XU-Night School Program Head, Mr. Salarda and the Learning Facilitators presented the program itself and the activities conducted for School Year: 2021-2022. During the presentation, the team of personnel from DepEd were able to ask questions about the program operations.

The PIR proper started in the afternoon and in the succeeding days where the six areas of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework were discussed. These areas focused on the program evaluation namely its relevance, coherence, efficiency, sustainability, effectiveness, and impact.

Considering what transpired in the discussion, Dr. Mahinay shared that the XUNSP-ALS will be included in the training on the Republic Act 11510 or Alternative Learning System Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) after other clusters in the region have already finished the said training. This training will help capacitate the XUNSP-ALS’ personnel and the Learning Facilitators. He also mentioned, “We are done already with the six clusters involving 500 plus ALS teachers in region 10, Dr. January and I were both trainers ani na activity, and then for clusters 7, 8, and 9, we will be including  the XUNSP to be one of the participants,” expressed by the Regional ALS Focal Person of DepEd-Northern Mindanao, Dr. Mahinay.

Meanwhile, a SWOT Analysis workshop transpired on the second day of the PIR including  the workshop on responding to internal and external factors. On the third day, an ocular inspection with the participants to the Arrupe Educational Center Office(AEC) where the Night School Program is being lodged transpired. Right after office visitation, updates about the Regional ALS were also given by Dr. Mahinay.

The XUNSP-ALS is one of the Top Five Finalists in the 2022 National Literacy Awards under the Outstanding Literacy Program category.