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On 15-19 May 2023, UNESCO organized an international benchmarking training in the Republic of Korea, for the Philippine Department of Education’s (DepEd) Alternative Learning System (ALS) officials.  The event was part of the capacity building for DepEd’s personnel, within UNESCO’s Better Life for Out-of-School Girls to Fight Against Poverty and Injustice in the Philippines project funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

The successful training brought together 10 selected participants from DepEd’s Bureau of Alternative Education and other relevant offices, to strengthen the capacity of ALS leadership in building and implementing the ALS programme in the country.

The Philippine DepEd team, led by Dr Mee Young Choi, Officer-in-Charge and Representative of UNESCO Jakarta, gained valuable insights into key Korean organizations providing lifelong learning and alternative (non-formal) education to marginalized and disadvantaged groups, especially women and girls, in the Republic of Korea. Participants visited Korean education institutions, including KOICA Headquarters, and interacted with each institution’s personnel for a deeper understanding of the country’s educational system and specific roles and contributions to non-formal education.

The Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea, the Korean Educational Development Institute (KEDI), the Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) Center, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the National Institute for Lifelong Education (NILE), Modu School/Lifelong Learning, the School of Global Sarang, and KOICA Headquarters Office, were represented during the training, sharing the latest developments and best practices of  lifelong learning and alternative education.

The selected key officials from the Bureau of Alternative Education, the External Partnerships Service/International Cooperation Office, the Planning Division and the Office of the Undersecretary for Curriculum and Teaching, are expected to use the valuable insights and experiences from the Republic of Korea, to strengthen the ALS in the Philippines.

The capacity building training contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4, supporting out-of-school girls in realizing their right to education and access to inclusive, equitable and quality learning.