Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 4) — The Department of Education (DepEd) has left it to lawmakers to decide if the use of the mother tongue as a medium of instruction for Kindergarten to Grade 3 should be suspended or not.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed on second reading House Bil 6717, seeking to suspend the mother tongue as the teaching language for K-3.
Education spokesperson Michael Poa, however, said there are studies that show students can learn easily if they are taught in the language they truly understand.
Deped earlier revealed it is looking at removing Mother Tongue, which refers to someone’s native or first language, as a separate subject for K-3, but will retain it as the medium of instruction.
Poa said that while lawmakers are tackling the measure, DepEd is working on strengthening its English program.
“Right now, of course, DepEd would like to focus on strengthening ‘yong English program natin [our English program],” Poa told CNN Philippines.
“But when we say that, we mean we’d like to strengthen our English program while recognizing linguistic diversity kasi iba-iba talaga, talagang ang dami nating lenguahe at local dialects and mother tongue dito sa Pilipinas,” Poa explained.
[Translation: But when we say that, we mean, we’d like to strengthen our English program while recognizing linguistic diversity because we have so many languages, local dialects, and mother tongue used in the Philippines.]
