A new law, the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act, has been signed by President Marcos Jr. on Friday to address pandemic learning losses.
During the signing in Malacañang, President Marcos Jr. emphasized the ARAL Program's importance in addressing learning gaps, citing the 2018 PISA results where 75% of Filipino students fell below proficiency in reading, math, and science.
"This disheartening trend remained alarmingly the same, highlighting the urgency of the learning crisis that we confront today. It is imperative therefore that we acknowledge this massive challenge, determine the necessary steps, and prioritize the implementation of learning interventions," Marcos said.
"With the signing of the ARAL Law, we embark on a definite journey to champion the right of every Filipino child to quality education, ensuring as well that it is accessible to all," he added.
The ARAL Program Act is among the administration's 20 priority measures identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) for passage this year.
In a separate statement, Senator Win Gatchalian, who authored and sponsored the bill in the Senate, said the ARAL Program seeks to improve students' proficiency in key subjects and prepare them for higher education or the workforce.
"The ARAL law will boost efforts to address learning loss and the education crisis hounding the country," he said.
ALSO READ: DepEd To Develop 10-Year Plan To Resolve Educational Crises
What We Know So Far About the ARAL Program
Filed by lawmakers from EDCOM 2, the ARAL Program's main objective is to help students recover from pandemic learning losses and catch up with the required standards for their grade levels. But how exactly is the government planning to make this happen?
Under the law, the Department of Education (DepEd) will spearhead the ARAL Program, a free national learning intervention program that will tap teachers and para-teachers, and pre-service teachers or those students enrolled in a teacher degree program offered by Teacher Education Institutions, to tutor struggling learners and help them attain the competencies set by the agency.
The ARAL Program will prioritize enhancing students' skills in key learning areas, specifically reading and mathematics for Grades 1 to 10, and science for Grades 3 to 10. It will also focus on building the foundational literacy and numeracy competencies of Kindergarten learners.
To ensure effective and accessible learning, tutorial sessions will be offered in three flexible modes: face-to-face, online, or blended learning, allowing learners to choose based on their needs and circumstances.
However, DepEd hasn't clarified yet how often students will have structured tutorial lessons or if these will be on top of their regular classes.
An annual evaluation is needed to collect comparable data for to determine the program's impact, while the impact evaluation will be submitted to Congress not later than six months after the end of every school year of implementation.
Click here to learn how to develop your child's literacy skills at an early age.
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