The Department of Education (DepEd) will start implementing the Academic Recovery and Assistance for Learning (ARAL) Program this school year 2025–2026, in line with Republic Act 12028 signed into law by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in October 2024.
The ARAL Program, which is mandated under the new law, is a free tutoring initiative aimed at addressing learning gaps in key subject areas. It will cover reading and mathematics for Grades 1 to 10, and science for Grades 3 to 10.
The ARAL Program is part of the government’s continuing efforts to improve foundational skills and mitigate learning loss among Filipino students, DepEd Undersecretary Gina Gonong said over DZBB.
Under the program, all schools will conduct a beginning-of-school-year assessment to identify learners who need targeted academic interventions. Students found to require assistance in reading and mathematics will be enrolled in tutorial sessions separate from their regular classes, Gonong said.
“These sessions may be conducted before or after classes or on weekends, depending on the school’s capability and the availability of tutors,” Gonong said.
“However, we encourage our field units to conduct the tutorials on weekdays to minimize disruption to students’ weekend schedules. Weekend sessions should only be held in special cases,” she sadded.
The program limits sessions to not more than one hour per day on weekdays and a maximum of two hours per day on weekends, she added.
Unlike regular class instruction, Gonong said the learners’ regular teachers will not be the ones to conduct the tutorials. Instead, DepEd will hire additional personnel, including licensed teachers, teacher applicants, private school educators and qualified pre-service teachers with the competence to handle remedial instruction.
Recognizing that not all parents may immediately support the program despite its mandatory nature, Gonong said that DepEd said it will launch an advocacy campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of ARAL.
“We will work closely with the field, school heads, and parents to ensure successful implementation,” she said.
The ARAL Program was developed in response to a 2018 assessment revealing that 75 percent of Filipino learners fell below minimum proficiency levels in core subjects.
To address this learning gap, the program will provide structured tutorial sessions aimed at helping students master essential competencies and recover from learning loss.
Under the law, qualified private schools will also receive comparable support to assist struggling learners.
It also mandates partnerships with telecommunications companies to offer free access to DepEd-exclusive learning management systems and subsidized data plans for disadvantaged students. Broadcast networks, as part of their public service obligations, will be required to air supplemental tutorial videos.
To encourage private sector participation, donations made to the ARAL Program through the Department of Education will be tax-exempt and treated as allowable deductions from donors’ gross income.
