The Department of Education (DepEd) formally launched the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program as part of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s agenda on education.
ARAL aims to address the learning crisis in the country and strengthen students’ foundational skills.
The program was launched simultaneously nationwide, led by members of the DepEd’s Executive Committee (ExeCom) who participated in activities across the country and coincided with the celebration of the President’s birthday and International Literacy Day.
It underscores the Philippines’ dedication to promoting quality education as a UNESCO Member State.
“Committed din tayo na bumuo ng mas matibay na foundational skills.”
In accordance with Republic Act No. 12028, signed by Marcos last year, the ARAL Program will provide tutorial support to students from Kindergarten through Grade 10 in Reading, Mathematics, and Science to help them reach the skills expected of their level.
“Layunin natin sa ARAL na hindi lamang tiyakin na makakahabol ang ating mga mag-aaral na nahuhuli sa klase—committed din tayo na bumuo ng mas matibay na foundational skills, dahil ang Key Stage 1 ang pinakamahalagang yugto sa pag-unlad ng bawat bata,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.
DepEd has identified 6,713,352 students as beneficiaries of the program, which will be assisted by 447,537 tutors and 45,084 school heads.
“Kaya’t lubos ang pasasalamat natin sa ating mahal na Pangulo na tiniyak na maisasabatas ang programang ito,” Angara added.
For School Year 2025–2026, ARAL will prioritize Reading to provide immediate help to students in need—especially low and high emerging readers, as well as frustrated readers. To date, the DepEd has identified 6,713,352 students as beneficiaries of the program, which will be assisted by 447,537 tutors and 45,084 school heads.
The study will begin in the second quarter of SY 2025–2026. In future phases, the program will be expanded to include ARAL-Mathematics (Grades 1–10), ARAL-Science (Grades 3–10), and ARAL-Summer Programs.
In preparation for the program, DepEd conducted training for tutors, distributed learning resources, and launched the ARAL School Readiness and Responsiveness Audit (ASRRA).
ARAL Tutor are composed of teachers, para-teachers, pre-service teachers, and other individuals who will receive the necessary training and compensation.
They will also work with parents and guardians through orientations to strengthen their role in supporting their children’s learning at home and reinforcing lessons from the program.
During the launching, Angara, along with members of DepEd’s ExeCom, distributed EduKahon—the Department’s standardized school recovery kit—demonstrating DepEd’s dedication to ensuring the continuity of learning even during times of delay.
The ARAL Program is based on the success stories of DepEd’s previous literacy initiatives such as the Kada Bata Makabasasa Program (BBMP) and the Nationwide Learning Recovery Program (NLRP), both of which resulted in significant improvements in reading and learning outcomes of the students who participated.
