Only around four in 10 Filipinos prefer the local language as the medium of instruction for students in the primary level, or Grades 1 to 3, according to a recent survey by Pulse Asia.
The survey, which was commissioned by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and conducted from September 17 to 21, asked 1,200 respondents about their opinion on which language should be used as the primary language of instruction for students in Grades 1 to 3.
It showed that 38% of the respondents preferred the local language spoken by the people in a particular region, while Filipino is the most preferred at 88%, followed by English at 71%.
The survey also found that at least 50% of the respondents in Visayas and 53% in Mindanao preferred the local language as the medium of instruction for Grades 1 to 3.
Only 18% of the respondents in the National Capital Region and 33% in Luzon expressed the same preference.
The survey said less than half of the respondents across classes ABC (41%), D (36%), and E (48%) preferred the local language as a medium of instruction for learners in Grades 1 to 3.
Gatchalian, who is the chairman of the Senate committee on basic education, said he would pursue a “thorough and rigorous review” of the implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE), which was mandated by the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or the K–12 Law (Republic Act 10533).
Under the law, the education, teaching materials, and assessment from kindergarten up to Grade 3 shall be in the regional or native language of the learners.
Gatchalian said the Department of Education (DepEd) is mandated to develop a mother language transition program from Grade 4 to Grade 6 so that Filipino and English will be gradually introduced as languages of instruction.
He said these two languages will become the primary language of instruction at the secondary level.
“Batay sa nakikita natin sa kakayahan ng ating mga paaralan at sa sentimyento ng ating mga kababayan, kinakailangang pag-aralan natin kung ano ang mga susunod na hakbang natin sa paggamit ng mother tongue,” the senator said in a statement on Saturday.
(Based on what we see in the capabilities of our schools and the sentiments of our countrymen, we need to study what our next steps are with regard to the use of the mother tongue.)
“Kung ipagpapatuloy man natin ang polisiyang ito, kailangan nating tugunan ang mga hamong kinakaharap nito,” he added.
(If this policy is to be maintained, we must address its challenges.)
Last year, the senator filed proposed Senate Resolution 5 to review the implementation of the K–12 Law. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
