To allow students who are lagging behind in terms of academic competencies to catch up with their peers, President Ferdinand Marcos signed into law the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act.
During the signing ceremony of the new law in Malacañang last Friday, the chief executive said the legislative measure seeks to provide support to students, who are reentering school after a hiatus and low proficiency in reading, mathematics, and science.
“At the heart of this law lies a steadfast commitment to a free and effective learning intervention for our learners from Kindergarten to Grade 10 within our public education system,” Marcos said.
It will provide the qualified beneficiaries with free tutorial from para-teachers and teachers, provided that they will not tutor their learners.
They will be provided free access to the Department of Educations’ (DepEd) Learning Management Systems, subsidized data plan.
The tutorial sessions may be face-to-face, online, or through blended learning.
“These will encompass a multitude of tools—from web-based applications and online educational platforms, to digital libraries and other knowledge hubs—fostering continuous learning for both students and educators,” Marcos said.
As an additional support for the ARAL beneficiaries, the law will require a portion of the mandated allotment in each broadcasting network’s daily total airtime to be allocated for supplemental tutorial videos on essential learning competencies.
The law exempts any donation, contribution, or grant made to the ARAL Program through the DepEd—whether in cash or in-kind—from donor’s tax and considered allowable deductions from the donor’s gross income.
“This initiative is designed to encourage support and partnership from individuals and organizations dedicated to uplifting the quality of education in the Philippines,” Marcos said.
He said the new law aims to address the low proficiency of 75 percent of Filipino students in reading, mathematics, and science as revealed in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
“This disheartening trend remained alarmingly the same, highlighting the urgency of the learning crisis that we confront today,” the President said.
ARAL is part of the priority measures of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.
The new law will take effect 15 days after its publication from the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara hailed the passage of the law, noting that it is “a critical intervention” at a time when education needs the most support.
“This law demonstrates our collective resolve to uplift the state of education in the Philippines. With ARAL, we can help students regain their momentum and achieve the learning milestones they deserve,” Angara said as he expressed his gratitude to President Marcos for prioritizing the measure.
Aside from Angara, the signing was witnessed by Senate President Francis Escudero, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, and Rep. Roman Romulo and other members of the Congress and officials of DepEd. With a report from Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
