Learning Recovery Through Distributed Leadership: A Review on the Implementation of Deped’s Aral Program

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions in education, resulting in severe learning losses among Filipino learners, especially in foundational literacy and numeracy skills. In response, the Department of Education (DepEd) launched the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program to bridge learning gaps and accelerate academic recovery nationwide. However, the success of such a large-scale initiative depends on effective leadership and collaboration at all school levels. This review examines the implementation of the ARAL Program through the lens of Distributed Leadership Theory, which emphasizes shared responsibility, collective agency, and contextual adaptability among multiple actors—school heads, teacher-leaders, tutors, parents, and local government units (LGUs). Drawing on recent literature and policy reports, the paper argues that distributed leadership fosters stronger ownership, adaptability, and sustainability in learning recovery efforts. When leadership is shared and collaborative, ARAL becomes not only a remedial intervention but a community-driven movement that empowers schools to respond effectively to learners’ diverse needs.