The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to expand its Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program nationwide, with full funding now secured in the 2026 national budget. The move aims to accelerate improvements in reading and mathematics among struggling learners across the country.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized during a Malacañang briefing that the P8.93-billion allocation marks the first time ARAL will be fully funded since it became law.
“Dito po sa ARAL Program, unprecedented din po iyong spending (Here in the ARAL Program, the spending is also unprecedented),” Angara said. “Ito iyong para humabol tayo dahil lumalabas na nahuli na ang ating mga bata sa reading and math (This is meant for us to catch up because it turns out our children have already fallen behind in reading and math),” he added.
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Early Successes in Reading Gains
Mid-year assessments, submitted by 96 percent of schools as of January 5, show that the proportion of struggling readers has already dropped compared with the start of the school year.
Grades 3 to 6 learners recorded an average improvement of five points in reading readiness, while Grades 7 to 10 gained six to nine points. In total, this represents 3.42 million students in Grades 3–6 and 1.72 million in Grades 7–10 moving closer to grade-level proficiency.
DepEd cited individual success stories, such as Rachel from Iriga City, who gained confidence reading in both Filipino and English after participating in the ARAL program. The department attributed these results to structured remediation, focused tutorials, and continuous learner monitoring, interventions that will now reach students nationwide.
Scaling Up for 2026 and Beyond
With the full 2026 funding, DepEd plans to deploy 440,000 ARAL tutors, including both DepEd personnel and volunteers. The program is projected to reach 6.7 million learners in School Year 2026–2027, more than double the 3 million learners served in 2025.
Expanded coverage will also strengthen tutor training, provide improved learning materials, and enhance monitoring systems, including integration with the Learner Information System.
Angara noted that support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Congress signals a commitment to move from short-term learning recovery to permanently embedding remediation programs within the Philippine education system.
The nationwide expansion of ARAL is expected to significantly narrow the learning gap in reading and mathematics, empowering Filipino students with stronger foundational skills. By increasing access to structured support, the program helps learners gain confidence in the classroom, laying the groundwork for long-term educational progress and a more competitive workforce.
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