DepEd ARAL Program: A Complete Guide for School Heads

The Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program is the Department of Education’s (DepEd) national tutoring program for learners from Kindergarten to Grade 10 who fall behind in reading, mathematics, and science. Republic Act No. 12028, the ARAL Program Act approved on October 16, 2024, created it, and DepEd Order No. 018, s. 2025 sets how schools run it. The work falls on the school: “The school heads shall manage the program at the school level” (DO 018, s. 2025, Item 103).

As of November 9, 2026, ARAL-Reading is in its second school year, ARAL-Mathematics starts in Term 2 of School Year (SY) 2026-2027 under DepEd Memorandum No. 060, s. 2026, and tutors are engaged under DepEd Memorandum No. 001, s. 2026 as amended by DepEd Memorandum No. 061, s. 2026. The 2026 summer classes ran from May 6 to June 2, 2026 under DepEd Order No. 010, s. 2026. ARAL-Science, the remaining component, has no implementing guidelines yet.

ARAL replaced the programs many teachers still remember. DO 018 repealed DepEd Memorandum No. 001, s. 2024 on Catch-up Fridays and DepEd Order No. 013, s. 2023 on the National Learning Recovery Program (Item 115), and DO 010 states that the National Learning Camp “shall no longer be implemented” (Encl., item 9). Its rules are spread across a law, its implementing rules, three DepEd orders, six numbered memoranda, and several unnumbered memoranda from the Office of the Secretary.

Key findings

• ARAL covers three groups of learners from Kindergarten to Grade 10: those returning from a furlough, those below the minimum proficiency levels in reading, mathematics, and science, and those failing in examinations and tests. Learners from Kindergarten to Grade 6 come first, and learners in the Alternative Learning System are included (RA 12028, Secs. 3 and 6; IRR, Sec. 4).
• Sessions are short and small. During the school year, a tutorial may not exceed one hour per learning area on weekdays or two hours on weekends. Groups of five are recommended, up to fifteen when teachers are short; ARAL-Mathematics uses 1:10, up to 1:15 (DO 018, s. 2025, Items 61 and 64; DM 060, s. 2026, Encl. 1, item 19).
• The school head now selects external tutors. DM 061, s. 2026 discontinued the district screening committee and gave selection to the school head; the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) approves the engagement agreement (Encl., items 17, 20, and 27).
• Tutoring is voluntary for DepEd teachers, who may never tutor their own learners. Their tutoring counts as teaching load; it is paid as overload only for time beyond six hours of actual teaching, up to two hours a day, and weekend, holiday, and vacation tutoring earns vacation service credits outside the yearly cap (RA 12028, Sec. 7; DM 061, s. 2026, Encl., items 6.d and 31.a).
• External tutors are paid by the hour at the Prime Hourly Teaching Rate of a Teacher I. DM 061 prints ₱297.14 for FY 2026; its own formula gives ₱297.23 (DM 061, s. 2026, Encl., item 31.b).
• ARAL-Mathematics starts in Term 2 of SY 2026-2027, or once a school is ready, for learners rated Not Proficient or Low Proficient in the Rapid Mathematics Assessment. It uses self-paced worksheets and an Individual Mathematics Intervention Plan (DM 060, s. 2026, item 2; Encl. 1, items 7 and 24).
• Two 2026 joint memoranda released the main ARAL funds: ₱3.77 billion in Program Support Funds for external tutors, session materials, and monitoring, and ₱2.26 billion for ARAL learning resources. No learner or teacher may be made to pay for materials (Joint Memoranda of June 3 and April 21, 2026; DO 018, s. 2025, Item 111).

The issuances that govern ARAL in November 2026

DM 001, s. 2026 operationalizes the tutor section of DO 018 (Encl., item 3), and DM 061 repeals “All other provisions of DM 001, s. 2026, and other related issuances that are inconsistent with this Memorandum” (memorandum, item 3). Where the two memoranda differ, DM 061 governs.

What ARAL is and what it replaced

RA 12028 sets the program’s purpose: “a free and effective national learning intervention program to ensure that all learners who are struggling in their lessons, especially in reading, mathematics, and science, will be able to attain the competencies set by the Department of Education (DepEd) in their respective levels” (Sec. 2). DO 018 makes it “the umbrella program of DepEd for learning recovery” with four components (Encl., Item 4):

The first three replaced the subprograms of the National Learning Recovery Program: the National Reading Program, the National Mathematics Program, and the National Science and Technology Program (DO 018, Encl., Item 4). The Bawat Bata Makababasa Program and the Literacy Remediation Program were folded into ARAL (DO 010, Encl., item 8).

ARAL supports the classroom; it does not replace it. DO 018 states that “The ARAL Program complements, rather than replaces, daily teaching-learning processes” (Item 23). A learner who misses a lesson objective is not automatically an ARAL learner. The teacher first gives the interventions written in the Daily Lesson Log or Daily Lesson Plan, and a learner who still falls behind, as shown by formative and midline assessments, “may be referred to the ARAL Program” (Item 25). DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 on classroom assessment adds that remediation “shall begin as early as Week 5 following the first ST” and may run through classroom interventions, “programs such as ARAL”, or other school-based strategies (para. 68). The guide to DO 015, s. 2026 covers that classroom side.

How the components were phased in

DO 018 planned ARAL-Reading and ARAL-Mathematics from SY 2025-2026, the summer programs from the end of SY 2025-2026, and ARAL-Science from SY 2026-2027 (Item 117). The rollout has followed the later memoranda:

Which learners ARAL covers

RA 12028 covers learners from Kindergarten to Grade 10 in public schools who fall under any of three groups (Sec. 3):

1. Learners returning from a furlough. A furlough is “a temporary, voluntary or involuntary absence from the school” for personal, family, health, financial, or other reasons (DO 018, Item 13.11). The school identifies them through the Learner Information System (LIS), where they are tagged “Balik-Aral”; for a learner not yet tagged, the previous enrollment must be established and documented (IRR, Sec. 4(a)).
2. Learners below the minimum proficiency levels in reading, mathematics, and science, identified through assessments at the start of the school year (RA 12028, Sec. 6).
3. Learners failing in examinations and tests, identified through classroom-based assessments by their teachers (RA 12028, Sec. 6). The IRR includes both formative and summative assessments (Sec. 4(c)).

Four more rules shape the list:

• Priority goes to Kindergarten to Grade 6 (RA 12028, Sec. 6) and to “all learners who have not yet achieved foundational skills per grade level” (DO 018, Item 34).
• Alternative Learning System learners are covered. The IRR extends the rules to Kindergarten to Grade 10 learners “including those enrolled in the Alternative Learning System” (Sec. 4), and DO 018 applies to community learning centers (Encl., Item 7). DM 064 promised separate rules for ALS learners in ARAL-Reading (Encl. 1, item 5).
• Private school learners may join on request. Learners in qualified private schools who are similarly situated receive the same interventions upon request; when slots are limited, beneficiaries of the Educational Service Contracting scheme come first (RA 12028, Sec. 3; DO 018, Item 9).
• Learners already at the minimum may join summer classes, but only after the priority groups are served (RA 12028, Sec. 3; DO 018, Encl., Item 8).

What the subject areas cover

ARAL covers the essential learning competencies in reading and mathematics for Grades 1 to 10 and in science for Grades 3 to 10, with reading and mathematics prioritized (RA 12028, Sec. 5; DO 018, Items 31 and 32). Kindergarten has no separate ARAL class: its foundational literacy and numeracy work “shall be integrated into the developmental domains following the blocks of time” (DO 018, Item 33).

The assessment cut-offs

DO 018 names the profiles that qualify a learner for intervention (Item 39). The two subject memoranda then narrow the list for actual sessions:

DO 018 sets who may be served; the memoranda set who must be served first. For SY 2026-2027, schools “may utilize available assessment information prescribed under DepEd Order No. 018, s. 2025 in identifying learners who may benefit from ARAL interventions and in organizing appropriate learner groups” (Joint Memorandum of August 28, 2026, item 3). DM 060 is silent on Nearly Proficient learners in mathematics; DO 018 still lists them, so serving them after every Not Proficient and Low Proficient learner has a group is consistent with both.

Learners with disabilities and Indigenous Peoples learners

Learners in Grades 2 to 10 who fail assessments and show developmental delays or signs of learning difficulty “shall be referred to the multidisciplinary team of the Inclusive Learning Resource Centers (ILRCs) or to other professionals for further assessment” (DO 018, Item 46). DM 064 sets the steps: the tutor, with the subject teacher and class adviser, lists such learners for the school head; the school head refers them to the multidisciplinary team; the team designs interventions with the parents, which may lead to an Individual Education Plan; and where no ILRC exists, support may come from local health units or partner institutions (Encl. 1, Annex A). Teachers also give the Multi-Factored Assessment Tool at the start of the year (Encl. 1, item 14).

The participation of learners with disabilities follows DepEd Order No. 044, s. 2021, with assistive devices and Filipino Sign Language for Deaf learners; sessions for Indigenous Peoples learners are contextualized, and the Indigenous Peoples language “shall be considered in learning delivery, especially in Grades 1 to 3” (DO 018, Item 59). The guide to RA 11650 and inclusive education explains the ILRC system.

The ARAL cycle in one school year

Every ARAL learner follows the same cycle (DO 018, Items 19 to 22 and 44):

1. Beginning-of-school-year (BOSY) assessment to find the learners who need intervention.
2. Tutorials, with progress checks through teacher-made formative tests and regrouping as learners improve.
3. A midline (MOSY) assessment. For SY 2026-2027 its testing window is September 21 to October 23, 2026 (DO 009, s. 2026, Annex B).
4. A decision for each learner: exit when grade-level competencies are reached, continue when the learner improves but remains below grade level, or receive “extended intervention or specialized support”, in which case teachers submit the names to the school head, who acts under Item 46 (Item 44). The decision is collaborative, “involving tutors, classroom teachers, and other education professionals” (Item 44).
5. The end-of-school-year (EOSY) assessment, after which learners who still need support join the summer programs (Item 22).

DO 018 was written for four quarters: BOSY assessments in the first two weeks up to one month of the school year, midline assessments after the second quarter examination, and EOSY assessments one month before the final examination (Item 47). Under the three-term calendar, DO 009, s. 2026 sets the testing windows for SY 2026-2027 (Annex B):

Schools discuss assessment results and interventions in collaborative expertise sessions in the first two weeks of the school year and at least once a week after that, or in the monthly Learning Action Cell (LAC) sessions (DO 018, Item 48). The guide to the learning action cell covers how to run those sessions.

When ARAL sessions are held and how long they last

Session length and timing

The 2026 summer programs set two hours per learning area per day (DO 010, Encl., item 31). The IRR’s one-hour weekday limit (Sec. 17) makes no exception for summer, and no issuance reconciles the two.

Pull-out or after class

DM 064 and DM 060 allow three schemes: pulling learners out of their regular classes during class hours, sessions before or after class hours or on weekends, and “other strategies” approved by the SDS (DM 064, Encl. 2, item 17; DM 060, Encl. 1, item 16). DO 018 allows the same (Item 60).

DO 009, s. 2026 is stricter. Within the Instructional Block, ARAL sessions “shall be conducted after classes, for a duration of 30-60 minutes on designated days, two (2) to four (4) times per week” (item 13). Its own sample class programs, however, also place ARAL in the last class period on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for Key Stages 2 and 3 and in daily slots for multigrade classes (Annex A, Tables 4, 5, and 7). DM 060, issued after DO 009, again lists pull-out. No issuance says which prevails. The course that satisfies all of them is to schedule ARAL after classes or in a dedicated ARAL slot written into the class program, as DO 009’s samples show, rather than pulling learners out of their own Reading or Mathematics periods.

DO 009 also protects the slot. School-based co-curricular activities happen only after class hours, and division or regional activities are scheduled “alongside or immediately after the ARAL Program sessions” (Annex A). In small schools, End-of-Term Block sessions are organized around teachers’ other tasks, and “External tutors may be engaged to facilitate ARAL Program sessions” (Annex A, End-of-Term Block, item a.1). The three-term calendar guide covers the rest of DO 009.

Group sizes

A tutor, by definition, teaches “a single learner or a small group consisting of a maximum of 15 learners” (DO 018, Item 13.21).

Delivery modes, venues, and class suspensions

Sessions may be face-to-face, online, or blended (RA 12028, Sec. 15; DO 018, Item 58). As far as practicable they are held in the public school where the learners are or were enrolled, and the school must ensure the safety of learners and tutors under RA 11313, the Safe Spaces Act (RA 12028, Sec. 15; DO 018, Item 62). When in-person classes are suspended, schools “shall automatically implement” alternative delivery modes under their learning continuity plans, and tutors work with family members who can tutor at home (DO 018, Item 65). DepEd Order No. 022, s. 2024 governs suspensions; the guide to class suspensions explains it.

ARAL-Reading in practice (DM 064, s. 2025)

ARAL-Reading teaches to a learner’s reading ability rather than age or grade (DM 064, Encl. 1, item 3). In Key Stage 1, learners are grouped by grade and proficiency level (Encl. 2, item 6); in Key Stages 2 and 3, by reading profile rather than grade (Encl. 3, item 15). Before sessions start, schools run the BOSY assessments and the readiness audit, profile and group learners, recruit and train tutors, prepare class programs, orient tutors, parents, and learners, and conduct vision and health screening (Encl. 1, item 9). Regional and division technical working groups coordinate the program (Encl. 1, item 10).

Key Stage 1: Grades 1 to 3

The CRLA is given at BOSY, at the middle of the year (MOSY), and at EOSY (Encl. 2, item 3.2). Grades 2 and 3 enter ARAL-Reading on their BOSY results; Grade 1 learners enter on their MOSY results (Encl. 2, item 3.3). Low and High Emerging learners join; Developing and Transitioning learners remain in regular classes (Encl. 2, item 4). After the MOSY, Grade 2 and 3 learners who reach Developing or Transitioning exit and continue with classroom-based remediation until they are grade-level ready (Encl. 2, item 23).

The language of the sessions follows DepEd Order No. 020, s. 2025 on the medium of instruction (Encl. 2, Table 2):

DM 064 recommends a seven-part Key Stage 1 session: motivation, review, discussion, practice, assessment of learning, closing, and homework (Encl. 2, item 20 and Table 5). The curriculum is phonics-based and starts with a week of social-emotional learning and pre-reading activities (Encl. 2, Annex A). The school head finalizes the grouping and submits it to the Schools Division Office (SDO) (Encl. 2, item 8), and makes sure suitable spaces are available for sessions (Encl. 2, item 13).

Key Stages 2 and 3: Grades 4 to 10

All Grade 4 to 10 learners take the Phil-IRI at BOSY: first the Group Screening Test (GST), then, for those who need it, the Individualized Reading Assessment (IRA) (Encl. 3, item 8).

Learners whose IRA results are two or more grade levels below their grade go to ARAL-Reading Basic, for gaps in phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, decoding, and basic fluency (Encl. 3, items 5.1 and 9.2). Learners who can decode but struggle with fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension are served by ARAL-Reading Plus (Encl. 3, item 5.2). In DM 064’s referral flow, they first receive classroom accommodations and remediation, and those still below grade level at the MOSY are endorsed to Plus (Encl. 3, Figure 2 and item 13). Basic learners may be assessed further with the CRLA, whose results feed the learner’s Individualized Reading Intervention Plan (IRIP) (Encl. 3, items 10 and 11).

The method is Teaching at the Right Level: assess, group by level rather than grade, teach to the reading profile, monitor regularly, and move learners forward as they improve (Encl. 3, item 7). A Grade 6 learner who cannot yet decode may be grouped with Low Emerging Grade 4 learners, using age-appropriate texts (Encl. 3, item 15). A sample 30-minute session runs a 5-minute warm-up, 15 minutes of core instruction, 7 minutes of practice and feedback, and a 3-minute wrap-up (Encl. 3, Table 5). Each week the tutor gives a formative assessment, analyzes it, updates the IRIP, teaches to it, and records changes in groupings and profiles (Encl. 3, Table 6). DM 064, written for four quarters, has tutors give a summative assessment at the end of each quarter (Encl. 3, item 36).

A learner may exit ARAL-Reading, exit with classroom support, exit ARAL-Reading Basic once foundational skills are secure, exit ARAL-Reading Plus, or remain in the program (Encl. 3, item 37). Tutors document every decision with assessment results and IRIP records (Encl. 3, item 39).

What the school does for ARAL-Reading

• Orientation of parents and learners before sessions start, with the documentation submitted to the SDO (Encl. 1, items 30 and 32). DM 064 requires it for ARAL-Reading; for SY 2026-2027, the Joint Memorandum of August 28, 2026 says schools “may conduct orientation activities” for the parents or guardians of identified learners (item 8).
• Learning Action Cell sessions for reflection and adjustment, open to non-DepEd tutors (Encl. 1, items 28 and 29).
• Daily attendance records of tutors and learners (Encl. 1, item 36).
• Reports within 30 calendar days after the EOSY assessment: an accomplishment report, consolidated learner assessment data, and insights from the LAC sessions (Encl. 1, item 41).
• For Key Stage 1, materials not supplied by the Central Office may be bought from MOOE, subject to budgeting and procurement rules (Encl. 2, item 14). The guide to school MOOE covers those rules.

The CRLA action research topics suggest ways to study a school’s own reading results.

ARAL-Mathematics in practice (DM 060, s. 2026)

ARAL-Mathematics covers Key Stages 1 to 3 in all public elementary and secondary schools from SY 2026-2027 (DM 060, Encl. 1, item 3). In SY 2026-2027 it “shall commence in Term 2 or once schools are fully prepared and ready”, and schools needing more time coordinate with their SDO (item 2). DepEd reported in October 2026 that more than 11 million learners in Grades 1 to 10 need additional mathematics support, based on BOSY results (DepEd news release, October 28, 2026).

Preparing and grouping

Before sessions start, schools give the RMA as a diagnostic, profile and group learners, recruit, assign, and train tutors, prepare class programs, and orient implementers, tutors, parents, and learners (Encl. 1, item 5). Not Proficient and Low Proficient learners participate (Encl. 1, item 7). Groups are formed by ability, needs, and target competencies, and remain flexible: learners move to higher or lower groups as they progress (Encl. 1, items 8 and 9). Enclosure 2 describes the five proficiency levels for each grade from 1 to 10.

How a session runs

ARAL-Mathematics is practice-based and self-paced. Structured worksheets rise in difficulty in small steps, and a learner “shall remain on each worksheet until all items are answered correctly” (Encl. 1, items 11 and 13). The recommended session follows five steps, BOOST (Encl. 1, Table 1):

“Tutors act as facilitators rather than direct instructors”; they do not lecture to the group (Encl. 1, item 23). Each learner has an Individual Mathematics Intervention Plan (IMIP) listing gaps, target skills, progress, and notes for the next session in three domains: number and algebra, measurement and geometry, and data and probability (Encl. 1, item 24; Encl. 3). Progress is tracked through worksheet completion, and “no additional tests are required” (Encl. 1, item 25). A learner who finishes all worksheets for the grade may ask for more advanced ones; a learner who cannot progress after several attempts is referred to the school head for extended intervention or specialized support (Encl. 1, items 26 and 27).

The tutor’s guide and learner’s workbook are supplied to schools before implementation (Encl. 1, item 12). Schools may add DepEd LMS resources, Early Language, Literacy, and Numeracy modules, other remediation materials, and resources from the revised K to 10 Mathematics curriculum (Encl. 1, item 14), and may keep existing numeracy programs that the SDO approves (Encl. 1, item 29).

Who does what in ARAL-Mathematics

At the end of the school year the school head submits a report on accomplishments, challenges, and recommendations to the SDO (Encl. 1, item 35). Concerns may be raised with the ARAL Secretariat (Encl. 1, item 36).

ARAL-Science

DO 018 schedules ARAL-Science from SY 2026-2027 for Grades 3 to 10 (Items 31 and 117.3) and promises separate guidelines and a Rapid Science Assessment (Items 28 and 37). As of November 9, 2026, neither has been issued, and the resource schedule for SY 2026-2027 lists only Reading and Mathematics (DM-OULS-2026-248, June 15, 2026). The tutor rules already include Science among the specializations a Call for Applications may ask for (DM 061, s. 2026, Encl., item 9.c).

Who may be an ARAL tutor

RA 12028 allows teachers, para-teachers, and pre-service teachers, “Provided, That teachers shall not be tutors of their own learners”, and lets DepEd engage other qualified individuals of good character (Sec. 7). DM 061 lists ten categories that schools may consider, and sets which ones the school head assesses (items 10, 11, 13, and 14):

For a pre-service teacher’s exemption, the school head verifies a certified true copy of the MOA, or a certification from CHED or the institution, before exempting the applicant (item 14). Applicants who are assessed submit an expression of intent and a customized Personal Data Sheet (DM 061, Annex A) as mandatory requirements, plus what the Call for Applications asks (item 11). The school head may also ask for supporting documents (item 12). DM 061 summarizes the documents by type of applicant (Encl., item 15; “Required” marks a mandatory document, “If asked” one the school head may require):

As printed, the summary marks a LET eligibility and a permit from the Professional Regulation Commission as mandatory for pre-service teachers without a MOA and for other applicants, who usually have neither, while item 11 lists only the expression of intent and the Personal Data Sheet as mandatory for applicants who are assessed. DM 061 does not reconcile the two. Before posting a Call for Applications, ask the SDO which documents it will require, and state them in the call (item 9.e).

Every tutor must meet four minimum qualifications (IRR, Sec. 12; DO 018, Item 50):

• Background: a teacher, para-teacher, pre-service teacher, non-licensed education graduate, retired professional teacher, other licensed professional, college graduate, or another person DepEd identifies.
• Competency in teaching the areas they will handle, assessed during hiring, with tutoring, remedial, or teaching experience preferred.
• Mandatory training from DepEd or an accredited institution, covering learner-centered pedagogy, psychological first aid, learners with diverse needs, and educational technology.
• Good moral character, with “no record of any criminal offense or behavior that would question their suitability to work with children”.

Residence in the school’s barangay and a specialization in Reading, Science, or Mathematics may be preferred (DM 001, Encl., item 14). Except for teachers, tutors are not considered to be practicing the teaching profession under RA 7836 (RA 12028, Sec. 7).

DepEd teachers as tutors

• Voluntary. The engagement of DepEd teachers “shall be subject to existing teacher workload policies and shall not be mandatory” (DM 061, Encl., item 6.d). The May 11, 2026 clarification adds: “Teachers shall not be compelled to serve as ARAL tutors where such engagement would result in teaching overload beyond the allowable two (2) hours of teaching overload per day” (item e).
• The school head may prioritize teachers with less than six hours of actual teaching load, provided they do not tutor their own learners and the assignment is consistent with DO 005, s. 2024 (DM 061, Encl., item 6.d). Specialization remains the primary consideration (DM 001, Encl., item 29), and a teacher with a light load but no matching specialization may instead support the ancillary tasks of the teachers who tutor (DM 001, Encl., item 31).
• Tutoring is teaching load, counted by the actual hours of tutorial instruction (DM 001, Encl., item 30; DM 061, Encl., item 31.a.i) and written into the teacher’s program (DO 018, Item 81).
• External tutors first when workload cannot absorb it. “Schools shall prioritize the engagement of external tutors in instances where ARAL tutorial sessions cannot be accommodated within teachers’ workload”, or where expertise or capacity is lacking (clarification of May 11, 2026, item e).

The guide to the six-hour teaching load and the teacher loading toolkit explain how to fit tutoring into a teacher’s program.

How a school engages external tutors and support aides

Step 1: Work out how many tutors the school needs

DM 061 sets the count (item 6):

1. Count the learners who will undergo ARAL.
2. Using the tutor-to-learner ratio, decide how many tutorial classes to organize per learning area and grade level.
3. From the number of classes, compute the number of tutors.
4. Determine how many DepEd teachers are willing and available.
5. Fill the rest with external tutors through a Call for Applications and the other engagement options.

Example. A central elementary school has 50 Grade 2 and 46 Grade 3 learners at Low or High Emerging in the CRLA, and 54 Grade 4 to 6 learners in ARAL-Reading Basic. Key Stage 1 learners are grouped by grade (DM 064, Encl. 2, item 6), at up to 15 per class: four Grade 2 classes (50 ÷ 15 = 3.3, rounded up) and four Grade 3 classes (46 ÷ 15 = 3.1, rounded up). Basic groups of ten or fewer need six groups (54 ÷ 10 = 5.4, rounded up). If each tutor takes two of the 14 classes, the school needs seven tutors (14 ÷ 2 = 7). Four teachers with less than six hours of load volunteer, so the school calls for at least three external Reading tutors. The class counts follow DM 064’s grouping rules; how many classes each tutor takes is the school head’s decision.

The school head reports the need for tutors and for support aides to the SDO (DM 061, Encl., item 8).

Step 2: Issue the Call for Applications

The call states the school, the functions, nature of engagement, and incentives, the qualifications and specialization needed, the selection criteria, the documents and deadline, the number of external tutors needed per learning area, and the timeline (DM 061, Encl., item 9).

Step 3: Receive applications through the online platform

Applications go “through the prescribed online platform”, received by the school’s Administrative Officer II or other authorized personnel, who check completeness and authenticity (DM 061, Encl., item 16). The school helps applicants who need support with the platform and may set up computer terminals; where online submission is not feasible, applicants may submit at the school (item 16). DepEd launched ARAL TutorKo in August 2026, a web-based platform for tutor application, onboarding, deployment, attendance monitoring, and session tracking (Philippine News Agency, via SunStar, August 7, 2026). Tutors engaged before DM 061 who were not processed on the platform must register on it, without prejudice to their engagement (DM 061, Encl., item 50).

Step 4: The school head evaluates and selects

“The constitution of a Screening Committee (SC) in each schools district is hereby discontinued to expedite the engagement of external ARAL Tutors” (DM 061, Encl., item 17). Under DM 001 that committee was chaired by the Public Schools District Supervisor (DM 001, Encl., items 19 and 20). Now “The selection of the ARAL Tutor applicants shall be exercised by the School Head” (DM 061, Encl., item 20), assisted by the Administrative Officer II as needed (item 18). For applicants who must be assessed, the school head uses two tools (item 19):

• Document review, preferring LET or PBET eligibility, a relevant bachelor’s degree, relevant training, and previous experience such as tutoring, with past performance ratings considered.
• An interview, which “can be done formally or informally by the School Head”.

The school head may write the tools and rubrics for each specialization (item 19).

Step 5: Endorse the list to the SDO

The school head approves the final list and endorses it to the SDO using DM 001’s Annex C, the Registry of External (Non-DepEd) ARAL Tutor Applicants, and Annex D, the Registry of ARAL Tutors per Learning Area (DM 061, Encl., item 18.d).

Step 6: The SDO processes the engagement agreement

The SDO’s Human Resource Management Office facilitates the ARAL Tutor Engagement Agreement (DM 001, Annex E), and the HRMO endorses it once the SDS approves it (DM 061, Encl., items 21 and 27). In the agreement, the tutor attests to not having been dismissed from government service for an administrative offense and to not having reached the compulsory retirement age of 65; pay is subject to taxes and to deductions for tardiness, undertime, and absences; either party may pre-terminate on 30 days’ written notice; and DepEd may terminate at once for unsatisfactory performance or conflict of interest (DM 001, Annex E, items 4, 13, 15, and 16). Read literally, the age attestation excludes retired teachers aged 65 or older; DM 061 does not address the point.

Step 7: Train, onboard, and deploy

The SDO ensures orientation and training before deployment (DM 061, Encl., item 29), and “ARAL tutors shall complete the required orientation and training prior to handling ARAL sessions” (Joint Memorandum of August 28, 2026, item 6). The school head then conducts the final validation, onboarding, and deployment, including teaching loads and class schedules, on the platform (DM 061, Encl., item 28). All tutors, whatever their funding, work “under the direct supervision of the School Head” (DM 001, Encl., item 10.g).

Other ways to engage tutors

To complement the Call for Applications, a school may use four other modalities (DM 061, Encl., item 34). For each, the school head first secures an Authority to Engage from the SDS (item 35).

Tutors and support aides from sponsoring institutions are first screened by the sponsor, which endorses them to the SDO; they still register on the platform and work under the school head (DM 061, Encl., items 22 and 26). The guide to the Local School Board and the SEF explains how to request SEF support.

Support aides

Support aides give non-instructional help: assisting tutors, supporting vision screening, feeding, or meals, and providing logistical support (DM 001, Encl., items 8.e and 11). They serve “strictly on a voluntary basis” and must be physically fit, of good moral character, and willing to serve under the school head (DM 061, Encl., item 24). They apply with a letter of intent (DM 001, Annex B), and the school head evaluates them and submits the final list to the SDO (DM 061, Encl., items 23 and 25). They keep the same attendance and accomplishment records as tutors (DM 061, Encl., item 30).

What ARAL tutors are paid

The clarification of May 11, 2026 states the overload rule plainly: “No overload pay shall be granted if the teacher’s total teaching load, inclusive of ARAL tutoring duties, does not exceed six (6) hours” (item b.i). Payment follows DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024 and DepEd Memorandum No. 053, s. 2024 (DO 018, Item 83). The VSC rules come from DepEd Order No. 013, s. 2024, and ARAL credits “shall not be counted within the thirty (30)-day or forty-five (45)-day annual limitation” (DM 061, Encl., item 31.a.ii).

The FY 2026 rate for external tutors. DM 061 computes the PHTR as the annual salary of a Teacher I divided by 1,600 hours and multiplied by 1.25, using the FY 2026 salary of ₱380,460.00 under Executive Order No. 64, s. 2024, and prints “PHTR = PhP 297.14” (item 31.b). Worked out exactly, ₱380,460 ÷ 1,600 × 1.25 is ₱297.23 (computed), nine centavos more an hour. The printed ₱297.14 is the rate DepEd’s ARAL memoranda use, including the May 11 clarification and the June 3 Joint Memorandum. The rate changes when a new salary schedule takes effect (item 31.b). The teaching overload pay guide explains where the two figures come from.

Worked examples (computed from DM 061’s rules):

The papers behind every peso

Tutors and support aides submit a Daily Time Record (DM 001, Annex F) and a monthly Accomplishment Report (Annex G), both “required” and both generated through the online platform; “Duly wet-signed hard copies” go in for payment (DM 061, Encl., item 30). The school head or ARAL focal person verifies the time record, and the school head reviews and approves the accomplishment report, which lists the learners served, the sessions, and progress (DM 001, Encl., items 35 and 36). For DepEd teachers on weekends and vacations, the VSC process of DO 013 applies; the VSC guide walks through the forms.

SDOs choose whether they pay external tutors directly or through implementing units, to which they download the Program Support Funds (DM 061, Encl., item 42). Unpaid claims from earlier periods are to be “consolidated and processed through a separate issuance” (Joint Memorandum of August 28, 2026, item 5). Compensation for services before DM 001 “remain eligible for payment in accordance with applicable transitional provisions” (clarification of May 11, 2026, item c).

Renewal

Renewal depends on the school’s continued need and the school head’s assessment of performance: completion of the assigned sessions and timely submission of all reports (DM 061, Encl., items 32 and 33). Only tutors and aides who meet both may be recommended (item 33).

The contract behind an external tutor’s pay

DO 018 allowed para-teachers and other trained individuals to be engaged under a contract of service or job order “for a minimum period of six (6) months up to one (1) year”, at pay “not below the minimum daily wage rates” of their region (Item 84). DM 001 then specified job orders for external tutors and hourly pay at a Teacher I’s PHTR (Encl., items 10.e and 39.b), and the June 3, 2026 Joint Memorandum applies CSC-COA-DBM Joint Circular No. 1, s. 2025 on contract of service and job order workers (Sec. VI.1.d). The hourly PHTR, not a daily wage, is the rate DepEd’s memoranda now set for external tutors.

Funds for ARAL

ARAL money comes in several releases, each with its own rules:

The learning-resource funds and the June 3 Program Support Funds must be obligated and disbursed by December 31, 2027 (Joint Memorandum of April 21, 2026, item 9; Joint Memorandum of June 3, 2026, Sec. V.10). PSF use gives priority to “the actual conduct of ARAL tutorials” (Sec. V.1). Regions may download PSF to SDOs or schools, and a unit that runs short may ask the Office of the Undersecretary for Learning Systems for more (Secs. V.2 and V.6). Donations to ARAL through DepEd are exempt from donor’s tax and deductible from the donor’s gross income (RA 12028, Sec. 19).

Funds for later years depend on appropriations and a separate memorandum (DM 061, Encl., item 41). The proposed FY 2027 national budget carried no allocation for ARAL, and DepEd asked Congress for ₱15.98 billion to continue the program (Daily Tribune, September 7, 2026).

The two FY 2026 releases by region (Joint Memorandum of June 3, 2026, Annex A; Joint Memorandum of April 21, 2026, Annex A):

The regional PSF figures include two tranches for tutors and session materials (₱1,776,721,740 and ₱1,968,020,000) and ₱22,600,000 for monitoring and evaluation (Joint Memorandum of June 3, 2026, Annex A). Neither table lists BARMM.

No one pays out of pocket

“Under no circumstance shall a learner or teacher be required to shoulder the undue burden or be compelled to pay for teaching-learning resources or any activity in place of a performance task or project in any learning area” (DO 018, Item 111). The August 28, 2026 Joint Memorandum extends this to tutors: schools must ensure that using older or supplementary materials “does not require tutors to incur personal expenses for printing, reproduction, or preparation of learning resources” (item 7).

Learning resources

Schools use available resources such as decodables, leveled readers, storybooks, and activity sheets, and every resource must be learner-centered, skills-based, inclusive, developmentally appropriate, relevant, gender- and culture-sensitive, and contextualized (DO 018, Items 66 and 67). Quality assurance runs by governance level: “school head at the school level”, the Curriculum Implementation Division at the division, and the Curriculum and Learning Management Division at the region (Item 69).

For SY 2026-2027, DM-OULS-2026-248 (June 15, 2026) keeps the technical specifications of 2025 and sets the schedule of use:

Regional and division offices distribute resources based on the number of learners and tutors in each school (DM-OULS-2026-248). Schools may also use resources from earlier cycles and other supplementary materials aligned with the competencies and quality standards (Joint Memorandum of August 28, 2026, item 7).

The ARAL School Readiness and Responsiveness Audit

DO 018 requires every participating school to conduct a School Readiness and Responsiveness Audit (Item 87), and DM 056, s. 2025 sets how. The school head is “the official ARAL focal person responsible for coordinating the audit process” (DM 056, Encl., Sec. III, item 7). The school:

• organizes an ASRRA School Audit Team of teaching and non-teaching staff (Sec. VI.D, item 1);
• audits five domains: learner readiness, teacher or tutor readiness, school environment readiness, parental readiness, and system support readiness (Sec. V.A);
• conducts the audit at least three times a year, each one mandatory: BOSY, recommended within 30 days after the BOSY assessments; MOSY, “during the fifth month of the school year”; and EOSY, recommended within 30 days before the school year ends. “Timing may be adapted to local calendars” (Sec. V.D and Table 1);
• submits the audit through the official online forms (Sec. VI.D, item 8) and uses the findings for resource allocation, instructional design, and community engagement (Sec. VI.D, item 9).

SDOs use the results to give schools technical assistance (DM 064, Encl. 1, item 23).

Health and vision screening

ARAL-Reading starts with vision screening and other health assessments, and eyeglasses are given on an optometrist’s or ophthalmologist’s recommendation (DM 064, Encl. 1, items 18 to 20). For SY 2026-2027, DepEd Memorandum No. 059, s. 2026 makes vision screening mandatory for Kindergarten and puts ARAL learners not yet screened next in line after Grades 1 and 4 (Encl. 1, Sec. B, item 3.a.v). It also notes that Program Support Funds have been downloaded for health screening of ARAL learners under a memorandum of the Office of the Secretary dated June 11, 2026 (item 13).

ARAL Summer Programs: what DO 010, s. 2026 required

DO 010 ran the 2026 Summer Remediation Programs from May 6 to June 2, 2026 (item 2). It “shall take effect immediately and apply solely to the implementation of the 2026 SRPs” (Encl., item 73), so summer 2027 needs a new issuance. As of November 9, 2026, none has been issued; DO 009’s calendar marks the start of the EOSY Intervention Program for May 10 to 14, 2027 (Annex B).

Sources: DO 010, s. 2026, Encl., items 7, 13 to 20, 26, and 27.

The 2026 rules a school head had to apply:

• Who ran it: the school where the learner completed the grade (Encl., item 11).
• Schedule: Monday to Friday, with Fridays for home-based learning and for teachers’ preparation and documentation; two hours per learning area per day; a maximum tutor-to-learner ratio of 1:10 (Encl., items 29 to 31).
• Attendance: mandatory for identified learners. “Consistent non-attendance may result in retention at the current grade level” (Encl., item 35).
• Limits on load: incoming Grades 2 to 4 could join at most two programs, incoming Grades 5 to 11 at most three (ARAL Summer-Reading and up to two SARP classes, excluding English), and incoming Grade 12 at most two (Encl., items 21 to 23).
• Tara, Basa! participants did not need to join ARAL Summer-Reading (Encl., item 10).
• Monitoring: daily attendance, weekly progress reports to the school head, and an Individualized Intervention Plan for each learner (Encl., items 36 and 37); an endline assessment with the EOSY tools (Encl., items 39 and 40).
• Support: nutritious snacks for Key Stage 1 learners, vision screening with eyeglasses as needed, and orientation for learners and parents by the school head before the start (Encl., items 46, 49, and 51).
• Tutors: DepEd teachers and external tutors under DM 001, with pre-service teachers prioritized (Encl., items 41 and 42). DO 010 gave one day of VSC for every six hours of tutoring or training, outside the yearly limit (Encl., items 56 and 57). The May 11, 2026 clarification, issued while the summer programs ran, applied DO 013’s rate of 1.5 hours of VSC per hour to ARAL tutoring “including summer periods” (item b.ii), and DM 061 repeats it (Encl., item 31.a.ii); for the other 2026 summer programs and for training, only DO 010’s rate applied. The VSC guide compares the two.

The Summer Academic Remedial Program follows its own rules: the Remedial Class Mark is averaged with the final grade, and the Recomputed Final Grade must be at least 75 for promotion (Encl., item 28.1).

What the first year showed

DO 010 reports that “Initial results are encouraging” in reading (Encl., item 2), and that the EOSY 2025-2026 results still showed many learners below the minimum (Encl., item 4):

In mathematics, Key Stage 3 had the largest share at the two lowest levels, 78%. Key Stage 4 is outside ARAL, which ends at Grade 10; in summer 2026, incoming Grade 12 learners at those levels were covered by the Senior High School Remediation Program (DO 010, Encl., item 18).

A third-party evaluation by the World Bank and Youth Impact, part of a technical assistance package to DepEd, compared reading gains in SY 2025-2026 with the progress expected without ARAL (Angrist, Bayangos, Buchel, Perlman, and Umali-Trinos, 2026). It reports that DepEd’s EOSY data showed 4.5 million fewer struggling readers and 2.5 million more learners at grade-level readiness, and estimates that ARAL itself accounted for a “9 percentage-point reduction in Struggling Readers”, about 1.37 million learners, and a 4.8 percentage-point increase in grade-level proficiency, about 730,000 learners. The data are school-level aggregates, so they “cannot follow individual learners over time”. Its recommendations, such as a daily ARAL session in the school calendar and coaching in place of monitoring, are recommendations to DepEd, not rules.

Learner protection and complaints

Tutors and support aides must uphold the Child Protection Policy and “are strictly prohibited from engaging in any form of abuse, exploitation, discrimination, bullying” or any act harmful to learners, in school or in authorized alternative modes (DM 061, Encl., items 36 and 37). When a violation is reported, the school head documents the complaint, takes immediate measures to protect the learner, and endorses the matter to the SDS (item 38). Depending on due process and gravity, the actions include suspension from ARAL activities pending investigation, termination or non-renewal, disqualification from ARAL and other DepEd programs, and referral to the proper authorities (item 38). Cases within its coverage follow DepEd Order No. 49, s. 2006, the Revised Rules of Procedure in Administrative Cases (item 39).

Learner data follow the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173): schools may use assessment information to identify and group learners only within its rules (Joint Memorandum of August 28, 2026, item 3), and tutors may not share data from the engagement without DepEd’s approval (DM 001, Annex E, items 10 to 12).

Records and reports at a glance

The LIS also holds the names and academic background of tutors and each learner’s pre- and post-assessment scores (RA 12028, Sec. 10; DO 018, Item 79).

What this means for school heads

ARAL turns a school head into a program manager: identifying learners, staffing tutorial classes, protecting teachers’ workload, securing funds, and reporting results. The steps by phase:

Before sessions start

1. Organize the ASRRA School Audit Team and finish the BOSY audit about 30 days after the BOSY assessments, as DM 056 recommends (Sec. V.D).
2. Run the CRLA, Phil-IRI, and RMA within the BOSY window (June 8 to July 10, 2026 for SY 2026-2027), check LIS Balik-Aral tags, and refer learners with signs of developmental challenges.
3. Group learners by profile, finalize the Key Stage 1 reading groups, and submit them to the SDO.
4. Count the tutorial classes and tutors needed, ask which teachers volunteer, and report the gap and the need for support aides to the SDO.
5. Issue the Call for Applications, evaluate applicants, and endorse the list with Annexes C and D. Use the other modalities, with an Authority to Engage from the SDS, when applicants are few.
6. Confirm every tutor has finished orientation and training before the first session.
7. Write ARAL into the class programs, the SIP and AIP, and School Form 7, in after-class or dedicated slots.
8. Orient parents and learners, and document the orientation for the SDO.
9. Secure rooms, learning resources, and vision screening.

While sessions run

1. Verify Daily Time Records and approve Accomplishment Reports each month; forward wet-signed copies for payment.
2. Keep daily attendance and watch the IRIPs and IMIPs; regroup learners as they progress.
3. Use collaborative expertise sessions or the LAC for assessment results and adjustments.
4. Act on referrals of learners who do not progress, and on any complaint against a tutor or aide.
5. Run the MOSY assessments and the MOSY audit, and decide exits and continuations collaboratively.

At the end of the year

1. Run the EOSY assessments and the EOSY audit.
2. Submit the ARAL-Reading reports within 30 calendar days after the EOSY assessment and the ARAL-Mathematics end-of-year report.
3. Recommend renewals only for tutors and aides who completed their sessions and reports.
4. Identify learners for the summer programs once the 2027 guidelines are out.

What a school head may not do

• Require a teacher to tutor. DM 061 makes it voluntary (Encl., item 6.d), and the May 11, 2026 clarification adds that teachers “shall not be compelled” where tutoring would push overload beyond two hours a day (item e).
• Assign a teacher to tutor their own learners (RA 12028, Sec. 7).
• Schedule a teacher for more than two hours of overload a day, or certify overload when the day’s actual teaching, tutoring included, is six hours or less (DO 005, s. 2024, Sec. V.A.2, item 2; DM 061, Encl., item 31.a.i; clarification of May 11, 2026, item b.i).
• Let a tutor handle sessions before completing orientation and training (Joint Memorandum of August 28, 2026, item 6).
• Ask learners, teachers, or tutors to pay for materials (DO 018, Item 111; Joint Memorandum of August 28, 2026, item 7).
• Run a school-year session longer than one hour per learning area on weekdays, or two hours on weekends (DO 018, Item 61).

Where ARAL meets the PPSSH. ARAL is a learner-development program (indicator 1.5.2, “Implement programs in the school that support the development of learners”), built on assessment data (indicator 3.4.2, “Utilize learning outcomes in developing data-based interventions to maintain learner achievement and attain other performance indicators”). Assigning tutors within the six-hour rule is staffing work under indicator 2.4.2, and managing PSF, SEF, and MOOE for ARAL falls under 2.2.2. The readiness audit and progress tracking serve indicator 1.7.2, the parent orientation and partnerships serve 5.5.2, and protecting teachers’ overload and VSC entitlements serves 4.7.2. The domain guides explain each indicator: Domain 1, leading strategically, Domain 2, managing school operations and resources, Domain 3, focusing on teaching and learning, Domain 4, developing self and others, and Domain 5, building connections.

Frequently asked questions

Is ARAL tutoring mandatory for DepEd teachers?

No. DM 061, s. 2026 states that engaging DepEd teachers as ARAL tutors “shall not be mandatory” and is subject to workload policies (item 6.d). Teachers with less than six hours of teaching load may be prioritized, and schools turn to external tutors when sessions cannot fit within teachers’ workload (clarification of May 11, 2026, item e).

How much is an ARAL tutor paid per hour?

External tutors receive the Prime Hourly Teaching Rate of a Teacher I for each actual tutoring hour, paid monthly; DM 061, s. 2026 prints ₱297.14 for FY 2026 (item 31.b). DepEd teachers receive no extra pay for tutoring within their six hours, overload pay for up to two hours beyond six on school days, and VSC of 1.5 days per eight hours on weekends, holidays, and vacations (item 31.a).

Can a teacher tutor their own learners in ARAL?

No. RA 12028 allows teachers to be tutors “Provided, That teachers shall not be tutors of their own learners” (Sec. 7), and DM 061, s. 2026 repeats the condition (item 6.d).

How long is an ARAL session, and when is it held?

During the school year, no more than one hour per learning area on weekdays and two hours on weekends (DO 018, s. 2025, Item 61). Under the three-term calendar, sessions run after classes for 30 to 60 minutes, two to four times a week, and on the first five days of the End-of-Term Block, which for SY 2026-2027 means September 2 to 8 and December 7 to 14, 2026 (DO 009, s. 2026, items 13 and 33; Annexes A and B).

Is Catch-up Friday still implemented?

No. DO 018, s. 2025 repealed DM 001, s. 2024 on the Implementation of Catch-up Fridays, together with DO 013, s. 2023 on the National Learning Recovery Program (Item 115). Reading and mathematics remediation now runs through ARAL, and DO 010, s. 2026 states that the National Learning Camp “shall no longer be implemented” (Encl., item 9).

Sources

Laws

• Republic Act No. 12028, An Act Establishing an Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program and Appropriating Funds Therefor, approved October 16, 2024: Secs. 2 to 7, 10, 13, 15, 19, and 21. Also on Lawphil.
• Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 12028, signed December 16, 2024, effective January 17, 2025, disseminated as the enclosure to DepEd Memorandum No. 058, s. 2025: Secs. 4, 10, 12, and 17.

DepEd orders

• DepEd Order No. 018, s. 2025, Implementing Guidelines of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program, June 13, 2025: Items 4 to 13, 19 to 25, 28, 31 to 39, 44 to 50, 58 to 69, 79 to 87, 103, 111, 115, and 117.
• DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2026, Guidelines on the Implementation of the Three-Term School Calendar in Basic Education, April 16, 2026: items 13 and 33; Annexes A and B.
• DepEd Order No. 010, s. 2026, Guidelines for the Implementation of the 2026 Summer Remediation Programs, April 28, 2026: item 2; Encl., items 2, 4, 7 to 31, 35 to 42, 46, 49, 51, 56, 57, and 73.
• DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026, Revised Guidelines on Classroom Assessment, Grading System, and Awards and Recognition for the K to 12 Basic Education Program, June 4, 2026: para. 68.
• DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024, Rationalization of Teachers’ Workload in Public Schools and Payment of Teaching Overload, April 29, 2024.
• DepEd Order No. 013, s. 2024, Revised Guidelines on the Grant of Vacation Service Credits for Teachers, September 18, 2024.
• DepEd Order No. 022, s. 2024, Revised Guidelines on Class and Work Suspension in Schools During Disasters and Emergencies, December 23, 2024.
• DepEd Order No. 020, s. 2025, Policy on the Medium of Instruction for Kindergarten to Grade 3 Effective School Year 2025-2026, July 3, 2025.
• DepEd Order No. 013, s. 2023, Adoption of the National Learning Recovery Program in the Department of Education, July 5, 2023 (repealed by DO 018, s. 2025).
• DepEd Order No. 49, s. 2006, Revised Rules of Procedure of the Department of Education in Administrative Cases.
• DepEd Order No. 044, s. 2021, Policy Guidelines on the Provision of Educational Programs and Services for Learners with Disabilities in the K to 12 Basic Education Program, November 2, 2021.

DepEd memoranda

• DepEd Memorandum No. 056, s. 2025, Supplemental Guidelines on the Implementation of the ARAL School Readiness and Responsiveness Audit, July 18, 2025: Encl., Secs. I, III, V.D, and VI.D.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 058, s. 2025, Dissemination of Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Republic Act No. 12028, August 1, 2025: item 2.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 064, s. 2025, Implementing Guidelines for the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program in Reading for Key Stages 1 to 3, August 1, 2025: Encl. 1, items 3 to 41 and Annex A; Encl. 2, items 3 to 23, Tables 2 and 5, and Annex A; Encl. 3, items 5 to 39, Figure 2, and Tables 1, 3, 5, and 6.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 001, s. 2026, Guidelines on the Engagement of Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program Tutors and Support Aides, January 8, 2026: Encl., items 3, 8, 10, 11, 14, 19, 20, 29 to 31, 35, 36, 39, and 40; Annexes B to F.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 059, s. 2026, Guidelines on the Delivery of School Health Services for School Year 2026-2027, September 26, 2026: item 13; Encl., Sec. B, item 3.a.v.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 060, s. 2026, Guidelines on the Implementation of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program in Mathematics, September 28, 2026: item 2; Encl. 1, items 3 to 36 and Tables 1 and 2; Encls. 2 and 3.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 061, s. 2026, Amendments to DepEd Memorandum No. 001, s. 2026, September 29, 2026: item 3; Encl., items 6 to 42 and 50.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 001, s. 2024, Implementation of Catch-up Fridays, January 10, 2024 (repealed by DO 018, s. 2025).
• DepEd Memorandum No. 053, s. 2024, Implementation Guidelines for DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024, September 27, 2024.

Other DepEd memoranda (no DM number)

• Memorandum, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Undersecretary for Curriculum and Teaching, and Office of the Undersecretary for Finance, Guidelines on the Budget Allocation and Fund Utilization for the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program for SY 2025-2026, July 17, 2025: items 2.0 to 4.0.
• Joint Memorandum, Office of the Secretary and Office of the Undersecretary for Learning Systems, Guidelines on the Utilization of Directly Released Funds for the Provision and Distribution of ARAL Program Teaching and Learning Resources, April 21, 2026: items 1, 2, 4, 9, and Annex A.
• Memorandum, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Undersecretary for Learning Systems, and Office of the Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development, and Infrastructure, Clarification on the Implementation of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, May 11, 2026: items a to e.
• Joint Memorandum, same offices, Guidelines on the Utilization of Program Support Funds (PSF) for the Implementation of the ARAL Program for FY 2026-2027, June 3, 2026: Secs. III to VI and Annex A.
• Memorandum, Office of the Secretary, Downloading of PSF for Health Screening Activities under the ARAL Program, June 11, 2026, as cited in DM 059, s. 2026, item 13.
• Memorandum DM-OULS-2026-248, Office of the Undersecretary for Learning Systems, Reiteration of the Technical Specifications for ARAL Teaching and Learning Resources, June 15, 2026.
• Joint Memorandum, Office of the Secretary and Office of the Undersecretary for Learning Systems, Implementation Support Arrangements for the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program for School Year 2026-2027, August 28, 2026: items 1 to 11.

Reports and news

• Angrist, N., Bayangos, M., Buchel, K., Perlman, J., and Umali-Trinos, E. (2026). Evaluation shows education reforms in the Philippines lifted millions of learners’ foundational reading skills through the ARAL Law. Policy brief, Youth Impact, with the World Bank.
• DepEd. Para muling mahalin ang Math: guro, tutor at magulang nagkaisa para sa ARAL. News release, October 28, 2026.
• Philippine News Agency. DepEd rolls out Aral TutorKo platform to ease learning recovery. SunStar, August 7, 2026.

Written by Mark Anthony Llego for NASH Reviewer. Sources: RA 12028 and its IRR; DepEd Orders No. 018, s. 2025, No. 009, s. 2026, and No. 010, s. 2026; DepEd Memoranda No. 056, 058, and 064, s. 2025, and No. 001, 059, 060, and 061, s. 2026; DepEd memoranda and joint memoranda of 2025 and 2026 on ARAL funds and implementation.