LOILO CITY — The Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas has launched a large-scale summer remediation program for nearly 92,000 public school students struggling in reading, English and mathematics.

The intervention, known as the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program, is designed to close learning gaps before the start of the next school year.

Hernani Escullar Jr., regional information officer, said Friday that students were selected based on year-end assessments that classified them as “not proficient,” “low proficient” or at a “frustration” level.

“The program aims to provide free, targeted tutoring and remediation, especially for those needing interventions,” Escullar said. “They need targeted support to cope with the next grade level.”

The reading intervention targets students entering grades 2 through 11, while mathematics remediation focuses on those entering grades 2 through 4.

Additionally, incoming grade 12 students who showed weak performance in English and mathematics are undergoing senior high school remediation classes.

A separate initiative, the Summer Academic Remedial Program, is open to students across all grade levels who failed one or two subjects during the previous academic year.

To ensure focused instruction, the department has assigned school personnel as tutors with an ideal ratio of one instructor for every 10 students.

The program began 6 May and is scheduled to run through June 2. Each subject session lasts two hours daily.

Escullar said the initiative is part of a broader effort to address learning losses and ensure students are prepared for the upcoming academic year.        Fraye Cedrick Anona