MANILA, Philippines — The groups Save Our Schools Network and ACT Teachers partylist, together with Lumad students joined in calling the Department of Education (DepEd) to make the Filipino language as the main medium of instruction in schools.
They noted it is wrong to just make the national language a single subject in schools and to make English the medium of instruction for complex subjects like math and science.
“Filipino language is becoming more marginalized because it is not being used in science and math and engineering. So the societal view that when you use Filipino, your knowledge is weak, and that you know less,” said Dr. Melania Lagahit Flores from University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Language Planning Division .
Dr. Flores said there are science books that use Filipino language, noting it would not be a problem to use it as a medium of instruction instead of English.
“The center for the Wikang Filipino has been founded, and within several decades it produced books from science, biology, botany, all written in Filipino,” said Flores.
Some students are in favor of this proposal.
“It’s okay to use Filipino as the medium of instruction because it is our national language. In teaching, our teachers use the language. It never gets lost in our community,” said Liga ng Mga Iskolar ng Bayan – Compostella Valley chairperson Beverly Goffredo.
“It’s important to know the Filipino language. It’s our national language,” said Jinky Malibato, a student of Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc. (MISF) Academy Davao del Norte.
The groups said they want the Filipino language to be taught in all school levels so its use would become more prevalent.
For now, there is a pending bill in Congress which seeks to make English the medium of instruction in schools. — Rajel Adora | UNTV News & Rescue
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