Exploring The Lived Experience of Alternative Learning System (Als) Junior High School Learners in Siargao Island: Implications for a Learner-Centered Intervention Program

This study explored the lived experiences of Alternative Learning System (ALS) junior high school students on Siargao Island, Philippines, while enrolled in the program, focusing on the challenges they encountered, their coping mechanisms, and their adaptability, which led to the proposed learner-centered intervention. This was done through a qualitative method, using a phenomenological research design, with twenty (20) ALS junior high school learners as primary participants, three (3) of their parents, and three (3) teachers as secondary participants. Data were gathered through in-person interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed nine (9) themes: experiencing education as a second chance for personal growth and empowerment, navigating barriers to education with resilience and determination, finding support, acceptance, and shared responsibility in the learning environment, structural barriers to educational access, multiple role management and time allocation constraints, challenges in self-directed learning and learner self-efficacy, adaptive learning and self-management strategies, social support systems in learning persistence, and motivation, resilience, and commitment to education. These indicate that the learners' lived experiences while enrolled in the program are characterized by challenges that require coping mechanisms and adaptability to overcome. The study proposed the Siargaonon ALS Learners’ Support and Empowerment (SALS LSE) Program, which is derived from the findings and contains components, outcomes, strategies, implementation approach, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, responsible entity/stakeholders, and timeline and resources needed, which are designed to address structural, social, and cognitive barriers while targeting the strengthening of adaptive skills and learner resilience. The study concluded with recommendations for ALS policymakers and decision-makers to adapt the program during implementation.