Influence of School Heads' Instructional Leadership and Systemic Determinants in the Implementation of the ARAL Program

Abstract

Abstract The Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program was institutionalized in the Philippines to provide structured learning intervention for learners with gaps in reading, mathematics, and science. This study examined the relationship of school heads' instructional leadership and systemic determinants with ARAL Program implementation in selected public elementary schools in the Second Congressional District of Misamis Occidental during School Year 2025-2026. A quantitative descriptive-correlational design was used with 93 school heads and 186 teacher-respondents selected through proportionate stratified sampling. Researcher-developed questionnaires measured instructional leadership, systemic determinants, and ARAL Program implementation using a four-point scale. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Spearman's rho. Results showed that instructional leadership was rated very high across defining mission, managing instruction, positive learning climate, supervision, and monitoring learner progress. Systemic determinants were also rated very high, particularly administrative and supervisory support, policy alignment, instructional resources, teacher competence and professional development, and stakeholder engagement. The ARAL Program was perceived as fully implemented, with monitoring and evaluation obtaining the highest rating. Instructional leadership had no significant relationship with ARAL implementation (rho = -.038, p = .463), whereas systemic determinants had a moderate, positive, and significant relationship with implementation (rho = .478, p < .001). Findings indicate that ARAL implementation is more strongly associated with school-level support systems than with instructional leadership alone. Strengthening resources, teacher development, policy coherence, stakeholder partnership, and monitoring systems is recommended to sustain learning recovery.