DepEd’s ARAL Program alters class schedules; Tupi NHS implements structural changes
With the nationwide implementation of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program by the Department of Education (DepEd) reshaping school systems across the country, Tupi National High School (Tupi NHS) adjusted its daily schedule to prioritize reading intervention for struggling learners.
During a mini press conference on February 23, 2026, ARAL Program coordinator Edna Quinolog explained how the school restructured its academic timetable to integrate the mandatory reading component of the program.
Class Schedule Adjusted for Daily ARAL Sessions
To accommodate the 30-minute reading intervention, regular class periods were reduced from 60 minutes to 55 minutes.
“In Tupi National High School, we started from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. That’s why our class schedule was changed. Don’t wonder why your class starts at 8:00 a.m., because the ARAL Program was included,” Quinolog said during the briefing.
The daily intervention focuses on strengthening foundational literacy skills before students proceed to their regular academic subjects.
Teachers Serve as ARAL Tutors
Local teachers were designated as ARAL tutors and attended seminars to prepare for the implementation.
“Who are the tutors of the ARAL Program? Our local school teachers. We have seminars and volunteer teachers who can teach in our ARAL Program,” Quinolog stated.
The program provides free tutorial support for students identified as struggling in reading, ensuring that intervention sessions are conducted consistently within school hours.
Part of National Academic Recovery Effort
Institutionalized under Republic Act No. 12028, the ARAL Program was established to address learning gaps among Filipino learners from Kindergarten to Grade 10.
While the policy is national in scope, its impact is directly seen in schools like Tupi NHS, where schedule restructuring and daily remediation sessions have become part of regular operations.
The adjustments, according to Quinolog, reflect the school’s commitment to prioritizing foundational literacy as the first step toward broader academic recovery.
