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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Youth tutors to boost reading recovery in schools under DOLE-DepEd partnership

Youth tutors to boost reading recovery in schools under DOLE-DepEd partnership

Published Jul 12, 2025 02:49 pm

At A Glance

  • The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Education (DepEd) have signed an agreement to deploy youth tutors to public schools nationwide.
  • A total of 2,000 beneficiaries from DOLE's Government Internship Program (GIP) and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) will support DepEd's Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program.
  • The initiative aims to assist at least 60,000 learners with reading and comprehension difficulties.
  • Tutors will aid early-grade teachers in conducting remedial sessions and monitoring learner progress, particularly in underserved areas.
  • The program also provides short-term employment for qualified senior high school learners, graduates, and former ARAL beneficiaries.
  • Full deployment is expected in the first week of August, with school assignments to be finalized by DepEd and DOLE regional offices.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma (right) and Education Secretary Sonny M. Angara (left) sign a memorandum of agreement at the DOLE Central Office in Intramuros, Manila, on June 23, 2025, for the deployment of beneficiaries under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) and Government Internship Program (GIP) to support the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program in public schools nationwide. The initiative aims to improve reading outcomes while providing short-term employment for youth. (Photo: DOLE)
Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma (right) and Education Secretary Sonny M. Angara (left) sign a memorandum of agreement at the DOLE Central Office in Intramuros, Manila, on June 23, 2025, for the deployment of beneficiaries under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) and Government Internship Program (GIP) to support the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program in public schools nationwide. The initiative aims to improve reading outcomes while providing short-term employment for youth. (Photo: DOLE)
Thousands of young workers will be deployed to public schools beginning in August under a nationwide tutoring initiative jointly launched by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Education (DepEd) to help address the country’s worsening literacy crisis.
Under a signed agreement, 2,000 beneficiaries from DOLE’s Government Internship Program (GIP) and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) will support the implementation of DepEd’s Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, which targets at least 60,000 struggling learners across the country.
The initiative opens short-term employment opportunities for qualified senior high school learners, graduates, and former ARAL beneficiaries who will serve as reading tutors in schools identified to have high numbers of non-readers and learners with low functional literacy.
“This is a targeted intervention that brings together employment support and education recovery under a unified goal,” said DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma.
A 2022 World Bank report revealed that 91 percent of Filipino 10-year-olds are unable to read and understand age-appropriate texts.
In a separate international assessment, the Philippines ranked last in reading among 79 participating countries in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), highlighting the depth of the country’s education challenges.
Tutors will assist early-grade teachers in conducting focused reading sessions, tracking learners’ progress, and delivering remedial instruction, particularly in underserved communities affected by prolonged learning disruptions.
GIP offers internships for youth aged 18 to 30 in government offices, while TUPAD, which traditionally provides temporary livelihood, has been expanded to include education-related roles under this collaboration.
DepEd is finalizing the list of participating schools in coordination with DOLE’s regional offices, with full deployment scheduled for the first week of August.
Officials described the initiative as a whole-of-government approach that leverages youth potential to respond to critical education needs while generating meaningful work opportunities nationwide.

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