When the Department of Education (DepEd) issued DepEd Order No. 018, s. 2025, it launched the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program—not as a repeat of past initiatives, but as a recalibrated, data-driven response to the Philippines’ persistent learning gaps.
This post explores ARAL from a new perspective: not as a remedial add-on, but as an integrated, equity-focused strategy embedded in both policy and practice.
📊 Targeted Interventions Based on Data
ARAL begins where every strong intervention should: with diagnostics. Every participating learner undergoes Beginning of School Year (BOSY) assessments, including:
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The Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment (CRLA) for Grades 1–3
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The Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) for Grades 4–10
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The Multi-Factored Assessment Tool (MFAT) for developmental screening
According to DepEd, these tools help schools identify students who are farthest from grade-level proficiency in reading and mathematics. Rather than waiting for summative test results, formative assessments and classroom data also guide tutor assignments and student grouping.
💡 A Tiered Support Model—Priorities and Progression
One of ARAL’s strengths lies in its tiered intervention model. For SY 2025–2026, DepEd prioritizes:
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Low and High Emerging learners in Key Stage 1
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Learners at the Frustration level in Key Stages 2 and 3
Schools with the resources may expand to include Developing, Transitioning, and Instructional level learners.
Placement is not fixed. Learners move in or out of the program based on midline and End of School Year (EOSY) assessments. Those who achieve grade-level competencies may exit, while those still in need continue and may join ARAL Summer Programs for extended remediation.
This framework prevents the overgeneralization of student needs and maintains a sharp focus on learning recovery that scales with need.
👩🏫 Tutors and Training—Building Capacity, Not Just Numbers
Tutors are not just extra manpower—they are the core of the ARAL strategy. DepEd encourages schools to recruit from multiple sources:
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Teachers (excluding those assigned to the same learners)
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Retired educators
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Trained community volunteers
Tutors are trained in child development, reading intervention strategies, and psychological first aid. This ensures that every learner receives quality, compassionate instruction that recognizes their specific needs.
The Technical Working Groups (TWGs) at national, regional, and division levels oversee this process—providing coordination, monitoring, and training to sustain implementation integrity.
🧠 ARAL as Part of Broader Education Reform
ARAL is not an isolated project. It is aligned with Republic Act No. 12028, which institutionalizes learning recovery following disruptions caused by the pandemic and systemic weaknesses.
According to education policy experts, the older National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP) suffered from weak diagnostics and generic solutions. ARAL addresses this through:
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Clearly defined grade-level benchmarks
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Mandated progress checks
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Built-in post-program transitions
The program targets functional literacy by the end of Grade 10—positioning itself as a bridge, not a band-aid, to sustained educational improvement.
🌱 Why This Angle Matters for Schools and Communities
Looking at ARAL through a data and equity lens reveals a shift in strategy:
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It's not “more of the same” tutoring—it’s precision support built on evidence.
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It doesn’t treat all struggling students alike—it differentiates based on need and progress.
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It doesn't work in isolation—it is part of a legal and structural framework for long-term impact.
For schools, this means smarter resource use. For communities, this means real hope for learners who were falling behind. For DepEd, this means a chance to make meaningful, measurable progress.