Manila: The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday commended 400 learners from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) who completed the Micro-Certification for Life Skills Program, an initiative aimed at enhancing employability and life readiness.

According to Philippines News Agency, the program was developed by DepEd in partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to equip ALS learners with essential life skills such as communication, leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving.

In a statement, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara highlighted the program's role in inspiring individuals to achieve life goals through 'micro-wins.' He noted, "Sa ating mga (To our) micro-certification completers, kayo po ang pruweba na hindi kailangang mabilis ang pagkuha ng life goals (you are the proof that life goals are not needed to be attained swiftly). It can come in steps, in modules, in micro-wins that eventually build a life of purpose and pride." He emphasized that ALS measures success not by the height of one's achievements but by the distance covered.

Under the life skills program, formal credentials were awarded to completers for each essential skill using a '360-degree' assessment. This comprehensive assessment method includes self-ratings, along with evaluations from teachers and community raters, to measure learners' life skills.

The pilot implementation of the program spanned eight school division offices, including Manila, Aurora, Batangas, Iriga, Lapu-Lapu, Misamis Oriental, Davao City, and South Cotabato, resulting in the issuance of a total of 2,854 micro-certificates to ALS learners.

To date, DepEd, UNICEF, the Assessment, Curriculum and Technology Research Centre, and the University of Melbourne have validated the reliability of assessing life skills through micro-certification, based on their studies from 2022 to 2025.