SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE PHILIPPINE LANGUAGES-IN-EDUCATION ISSUE
NAPOLEON B. IMPERIAL Chief EDS, Education and Manpower Development Division, Social Development Staff, National Economic and Development Authority
Presented to the Linguistic Society of the Philippines Forum on “First Languages First: The Challenges of Multilingual Education and Literacy in the Philippines
Some Concerns on the Efficiency of
Basic Education
Grade Performance Indicators
Level SY 2006-2007
Cohort Survival Rate Dropout Rate Repetition Rate
I 100.00% 14.75% 5.76%
II 84.34% 7.23% 2.87%
III 78.07% 6.02% 2%
IV 73.27% 6.08% 1.46%
V 68.75% 6.43% 1.22%
Competency levels of the Population in
Basic Learning Needs
SIMPLE LITERACY
•Number of those who could read and write increased along with the increase in the population of 10 years old and above
Competency levels of the Population in Basic
Learning Needs
FUNCTIONAL LITERACY
•Number of functionally literate Filipinos increased consistently through all the three FLEMMS
Social and Financial Cost of Inefficiency
Social Exclusion: Greatest Cost of Educational Failure
●
The greatest cost of widespread lack of education
is the hardening and perpetuation of social
exclusion as the uneducated also become the
poorest, those most vulnerable to shocks, the
voiceless in culture, the powerless
in politics
and those denied access to health
and
Social and Financial Cost of Inefficiency
Financial cost implications
• Using SY 2003-04 of CSR and RR,for a typical
The MOI Issue in
Social Development Planning
Before the MTPDP 2004-2010 UPDATES, the issue of MOI was “too hot” to handle in both DepEd plans and previous MTPDPs
● The EDCOM and PCER recommendations were practically
ignored.
● The road to a definitive and rational education language policy
had been a difficult one in light of the earlier filed “Gullas Bill” (which proposes the adoption of English as a medium of
Instruction (MOI) starting from pre-school and teach all subjects in English from Grade 3 onwards) and the presidential directive in
2006, which prompted Sec. Lapus to issue a DepEd Order
The MOI Issue in
Social Development Planning
The Education Chapter of the MTPDP 2004-2010
● Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA) – package
of policy reforms to bring about vibrant changes to improve basic education performances. Medium of Instruction and Language of teaching and learning is a Key Result Thrust (KRT).
● Education for All (EFA) 2015 – defines functionally literate
Filipino as the educated Filipino, acknowledged the loophole in student achievement with the use of English.
● BREAKTHROUGH: Mother Tongue-based language policy
The MOI Issue in
Social Development Planning
The Culture Chapter of MTPDP 2004-2010:
With the understanding that culture is
embedded in language, this behooves both
education and language policy to assert the
constitutional mandate on the use of Filipino
and the different Philippine languages in
The MOI Issue in
Social Development Planning
MTPDP listed MLE Bill as one of the key
legislative agenda items
● Aims to safeguard and institutionalize a fundamental
education policy on the medium of learning and
language learning, which constitutes the foundation of the so-called basic learning needs (BLNs)
● Will mandate the use of the mother tongue as the
NEDA’s Other Involvements in the MOI
Policy
● Participated in the 1993 Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM), which articulated the need for an education language policy that will put in place the
appropriate phasing of language use
● Eventually supported recommendations on mother
tongue learning, especially in the early grades (in relation to its participation in the 1993 EDCOM and 2000 PCER)
NEDA’s Other Involvements in the MOI
Policy
● Participated in the first-ever Biennial National Education Congress in January 2008, wherein the
participant-stakeholders adopted the BESRA
recommendations, paving the way for the adoption of the mother tongue
● Provided technical inputs on the BESRA’s National Learning Strategies (NLS) on language
● Participated in the Southeast Asian EFA Mid-Term Policy Review Conference in Jomtien, Thailand last February 2008 – in the global celebration of the International Year of Languages – wherein countries affirmed their
commitment to this fundamental education policy of
NEDA’s Other Involvements in the MOI
Policy
● Participated in the first technical hearing in the HOR Basic
Education Committee to harmonize the different education language bills
● Participated in the Roundtable Policy Forum on Language of
Learning and Instruction organized by SEAMEO-INNOTECH last June 2008 to help generate the policy notes to be presented to the National EFA Committee
● NEDA’s endorsement to MLE Bill on August 12, 2008 for
Why NEDA Supports the MLE Bill
●
The utilization of the mother tongue as a
“fundamental tool to enhance the learning
process itself and improve the relevance of
basic education.”
●
It is one major social legislation that has been
based on scientific research and numerous
international evidences, congruent with
Why NEDA Supports the Bill
● It is urgent because it will put in place a very critical
basic education reform – students will have the best learning tool for Science, Mathematics, English, and other subjects.
● With the principle that Learning is primarily mediated
by language, hence, unless the rightful language policy reforms are undertaken, the much-desired improvement in the quality and relevance of
Why NEDA Supports the Bill
●
Adopting the policy through legislation will be
cost-effective. It is expected that the
Government can realize savings by
addressing the learning inefficiencies (high
repetition rate, high dropout rate, poor
NEDA’s Recommended Revisions of the
MLE Bill and future implementation of the
policy
1. School/LGU Initiatives in Materials Development in the MLE Bill
● -All schools which are willing and financially capable
to implement their own multilingual education
program on the basis of the distinct and dominant language spoken in the community, shall be
empowered to develop their learning resources including but not limited to workbooks and other
printed materials using indigenous and local content and materials subject only to the approval and
The Papua New Guinea Model
- A country with more than 800 languages (2004 Human Development Report)
- Its DepEd implemented a major education
reform in 1993 by introducing mother tongue education in the early years of schooling.
- By 2001, 369 languages have already been
introduced in 3,600 schools.
- Simple learning materials in local language as developed and produced at community level.
NEDA’s Recommended Revision of the
- Materials development and production need not be expensive by mobilizing strong community support in the development and production of
cheap local materials, teaching process, and creating a learning environment conducive for mother tongue learning.
- Can be rationalized within the School based Management (SBM) Framework of the BESRA.
NEDA’s Recommended Revision of the
2. That the language of teaching-learning shall also be the primary language with which the learners will be tested shall be specified by the law.
-Following international practice, the consensus in
the sub-group on assessment of the BESRA TWG on
Quality Assurance and Accountability is that if learners are
taught in the mother tongue or national language, the
assessment or examination of that learning should also be conducted in that language. (ex. TIMMS)
NEDA’s Recommended Revision of the
NEDA’s Recommended Revision of the
MLE Bill and future implementation of the
policy
3. The law will provide more room for flexibility on the part of the implementing agency for future purposes.
NEDA’s Recommended Revision of the
MLE Bill and future implementation of the
policy
4. While allowing flexibility and leaving the matter of
curriculum development and implementation to the DepEd, the law should specify the stage of the introduction and
pacing of the development of the National Language in accordance with the Constitution.
What Can the DepEd, Social Sciences
Community and Academe Do
● Address the fundamental arguments of the pro-English
proponents.
● Present convincing proofs that parents are supportive of the
measure.
● Prove that Filipino as the national language has arrived.
● Louder and larger social mobilization and advocacy
What Can the DepEd, Social Sciences
Community and Academe Do
● Contribute to the “ultimate political moves” (Options)
1. Senate to take the Pro-MLE position (work with Senator sponsor).
2. Senate to craft the workable compromise bill.
3. The President to certify it as priority
administration measure and influence congress to
