OCT.

03, 2013

NR # 3245

English as medium of instruction in schools pushed

A lawmaker wants English as medium of instruction in schools under a bill seeking to raise the English language proficiency level of Filipino students and graduates in order to increase their employability and global competitiveness. Rep. Raul Del Mar (1st District, Cebu City), author of House Bill 366, said Filipino students should be equipped with the English proficiency to communicate in simple, clear and descriptive manner which their world of work would normally require. The key to better jobs here or overseas is English, not because it is the language of foreigners but because it is the language of research, science and technology, areas which global business and employment is very much into, Del Mar said. Del Mar said the measure seeks to provide for the use of English as the medium of instruction in pre-schools, elementary and high schools and to prescribe the teaching in specialized English in tertiary levels. The pre-school and elementary levels are crucial because the language proficiency must start at the childhood stage, the formative years; it would be more difficult to do so in older years, Del Mar said. The bill requires English, Filipino or a native language to be used as the Medium of Instruction (MOI) in all subjects from preschool until Grade III. English and Filipino shall be taught as separate subjects in all levels in the elementary and secondary levels. Likewise, English shall be the MOI in all academic subjects in the elementary grades from Grade IV to Grade VI and in all levels in the secondary. Del Mar said English shall also be encouraged as a language of interaction in the school. The organization of English clubs like book, oratorical, debating, writing and related associations shall be encouraged, and in school publications, the use of English shall be given priority, Del Mar said. Del Mar said government examinations and entrance examinations to public school and state colleges and universities at all level shall use English as the language of assessment. Under the bill, questions in Filipino may be included for which the credit shall not exceed ten percent of the total points in the examination. The bill mandates the Department of Education (DepEd) to formulate, develop and provide all the requirements, devices and support facilities needed to strengthen, enhance and develop English as the MOI. The bill also provides training and orientation seminars for teachers, manuals, learning modules and workbooks, textbooks, audiovisual aids and other auxiliary teaching and learning materials. (30) jc