Salary Loan Table - RNG Coastal Bank RNG Bank offers salary loan for permanent DepEd teaching and non-teaching staff thru Automatic Payroll Deduction System (APDS). Features: 📍LOW INTEREST RATE 📍LOAN AMOUNT UP TO 500,000 📍5 YEARS MAXIMUM LOAN TERM 📍NO HIDDEN CHARGES 📍NO NEED TO GO TO THE OFFICE A Bank that is built with trust and integrity and committed to provide quality and safe banking services to its existing and future clients, RNG Coastal Bank, Inc . is a banking institution established in the year 1974. The Bank has 15 operating branches in the Visayas, 11 in Cebu and 4 in Bohol. Providing various financial products and services to its clients for almost 50 years, RNG Coastal Bank remains strong and continuously grows its number of branches to reach more Filipinos. Here are the branches of RNG Coastal Bank: RNG Coastal Bank Head Office Cor. Cabancalan Road, Talamban, Cebu City 6000 Labangon Branch Punta Princesa, (Labangon) Cebu City Asturias Branch Poblacion, Asturias, Ce...
📘 THE ARAL PROGRAM REIMAGINED: Building a Resilient and Inclusive Education System for Every Learner
Education in the Philippines has always been at the forefront of national development, but the COVID-19 pandemic unveiled glaring learning gaps among Filipino learners. In response, the Department of Education (DepEd) established the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program, more popularly known as the ARAL Program. Rather than simply viewing this as a remedial initiative, it’s time we looked at ARAL through a transformational lens—one that rebuilds the entire learning ecosystem to be more inclusive, resilient, and learner-centered.
🎯 A Fresh Take: ARAL Program as a Pillar of Educational Equity
Most discussions about the ARAL Program focus on tutorials and intervention materials, but its real power lies in its potential to transform education access in underserved areas. According to UNESCO, equitable learning is not just about access to school, but access to quality support systems that cater to learners' diverse backgrounds and needs. The ARAL Program, established under Rule III of the Department of Education’s IRR, is positioned as a national intervention strategy to respond to the learning deficits of K to 10 students—including Alternative Learning System (ALS) enrollees.
By shifting the spotlight from temporary catch-up measures to sustainable systems of academic care, the ARAL Program can evolve into a permanent fixture in basic education. This means institutionalizing customized support, mental health care, and nutritional assistance, not only during crises but throughout the learner’s academic journey.
🧠 The Science Behind Tutoring: Why ARAL Works
The backbone of the ARAL Program is its well-systematized tutorial sessions. These aren’t random help desks or last-minute cramming sessions. Citing research from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), structured tutorials, especially those provided one-on-one or in small groups, lead to significant learning gains, particularly in literacy and numeracy.
Moreover, ARAL tutors aren’t just academic aids—they are trained learning facilitators who are empathetic, data-driven, and guided by carefully developed intervention plans. According to John Hattie’s Visible Learning, feedback from trusted educators is one of the top influences on student achievement. The ARAL Program’s structure ensures that feedback is not just timely, but also personalized, motivating, and goal-oriented.
💻 Digital & Hybrid Approaches: Making ARAL Truly Accessible
One of the key pillars of the ARAL Program is its emphasis on effective and accessible delivery modes. In a post-pandemic world, education can no longer be confined to physical classrooms. The program encourages hybrid tutorials, tapping into online platforms and offline modular approaches to ensure no learner is left behind—whether in the mountains of Kalinga or the coasts of Samar.
According to the World Bank, learning continuity depends heavily on flexible delivery systems, especially for disadvantaged learners. ARAL’s commitment to reaching learners “where they are” is not only modern but essential. Future iterations must consider integrating mobile learning apps, community learning centers, and even radio/TV-assisted instruction, particularly in off-grid regions.
🧬 Beyond Academics: Mental, Social, and Nutritional Support
While most programs focus on academic competencies, ARAL goes further. It aligns with existing DepEd policies to provide social, emotional, nutritional, and mental health support, recognizing that academic recovery cannot happen in isolation. A 2023 report by Save the Children Philippines emphasized that learners with access to integrated well-being services showed higher academic motivation and better retention rates.
This whole-child approach ensures that learners not only catch up on competencies but are also resilient, self-aware, and empowered to ask for help. ARAL doesn’t just make learners smarter—it makes them stronger.
🎓 The Role of Teachers and Tutors: Heroes Beyond the Classroom
At the heart of the ARAL Program are its well-chosen and trained tutors. These educators undergo rigorous training to become more than just content experts—they become academic coaches, emotional anchors, and community leaders. The National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) and other DepEd units ensure they receive up-to-date training and proper compensation.
According to Brookings, quality instruction is the single most important school-based factor for student learning. Investing in tutors not just as short-term workers but as long-term mentors can change the trajectory of thousands of learners. ARAL should pave the way for recognizing tutoring as a professional pathway within the teaching career structure.
🔍 Data-Driven and Policy-Aligned: Making ARAL Sustainable
The ARAL Program isn't operating in a vacuum. It relies on precise learner assessments, policy integration, and collaborative planning with agencies like the Bureau of Education Assessment (BEA) and Policy and Planning Service. These ensure that interventions are evidence-based, not anecdotal.
Moreover, the program aligns with the National Learning Recovery Program, expanding its impact and making it a scalable model for other developing nations struggling with pandemic-era learning loss. The policy mandates the issuance of clear implementation guidelines within 45 working days, which highlights the urgency and seriousness of the initiative.
🌱 ARAL as a Long-Term Vision for Philippine Education
If executed with fidelity, ARAL could evolve from a reactive measure into a proactive educational safety net—one that ensures every Filipino child has the support they need to thrive, no matter the circumstance. It offers a new way of looking at learning: not just as a classroom activity, but as a community commitment to recovery, equity, and empowerment.
According to the Asian Development Bank, national recovery efforts must be human-centric and future-proof. The ARAL Program, when fully resourced and rooted in this vision, can be the blueprint for resilient, inclusive, and high-quality education in the 21st century.