Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda said Thursday the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program gives struggling learners a fair chance to recover and succeed through targeted interventions in reading, mathematics, and science.

Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education and co-chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), recently joined a site visit, to observe the program’s implementation.

“As Chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, I want to see firsthand how our policies are being felt by learners inside the classroom. The ARAL Program is crucial because it gives children who struggle in reading, math, and science a fair chance to recover and succeed. Every hour of teaching can change the course of their future,” Legarda said.

The ARAL Program was established under Republic Act 12028, which Legarda co-authored and was signed into law on Oct. 16, 2024.

It provides tutorial sessions, learner-centered intervention plans, accessible delivery modes, trained tutors, and holistic support mechanisms for learners who need additional help.

The program is operationalized through Department of Education Order 010, series of 2026, covering ARAL Summer Reading, ARAL Summer Mathematics, and Senior High School Remediation Programs.

During the visit, Legarda observed elementary and secondary classes under the ARAL Summer Reading and Remediation Programs, focusing on classroom environment, learning resources, and teaching strategies.

“The most important guidance for us comes from the voices of parents, teachers, and the learners themselves. Their experiences with ARAL will help us refine the program and make it more effective,” she said.

Legarda said feedback from communities would help ensure that learning recovery efforts respond to the actual needs of learners.

She said EDCOM II data showing reading gaps across grade levels highlights the importance of programs that provide timely and focused support to students before they fall further behind.

The four-term senator also delivered a lecture on Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which she authored and principally sponsored, reminding students that schools also play a key role in building environmental responsibility.

She said proper waste segregation and responsible garbage disposal help instill discipline, civic responsibility, and care for the environment among learners.

The site visit ended with a plenary discussion facilitated by EDCOM II as part of continuing efforts to recommend reforms that will strengthen Philippine education and improve learner outcomes. (PNA)