By Merlina Hernando-Malipot Despite challenges early in its implementation, the Department of Education (DepEd) remains keen on continuing to implement Mother Tongue-Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE). Secretary Leonor Briones (FACEBOOK / DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION / MANILA BULLETIN) Education Secretary Leonor Briones, in the meeting of the House of Representatives’ committee on basic education and culture last week, said DepEd will review and update the MTB-MLE transition program. Republic Act No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act directs DepEd to adhere to the principles and framework of MTB-MLE in its curriculum development. Kindergarten and Grades 1 to 3 learners are required to receive instruction, teaching materials, and assessment in their respective regional or native language. Meanwhile, Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio said DepEd has “already produced teaching and learning resources for 19 languages of the Philippines” which cover almost 80 percent of the learners’ population, and “are focused to develop resources for indigenous peoples (IPs) languages.” “This year, we hope to be able to do at least 20 IP languages and our roadmap by 2027, all of the estimated 180 IP languages will have their own learning resources for MTB-MLE,” San Antonio added. As part of the ongoing K-to-12 curriculum review, the DepEd will also conduct a nationwide conference of education practitioners and experts on March 25 to tackle improvements of the curriculum, including the implementation of MTB-MLE. One of the conference’s agenda is to review and update the program. K to 12 curriculum review almost complete San Antonio also noted that Phase 1 of the review of the K to 12 curriculum is near completion and is set for presentation in the conference in March. He explained that the review is in three phases: curriculum as implemented, curriculum as assessed, and curriculum as attained. “This is an initial review but complete in terms of Phase 1,” he said. “There is really a need to come up with transitional strategies to address congestion in the curriculum.” Earlier, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines pointed out that one of the flaws of the “problematic” K to 12 program is the “faulty implementation” of the MTB-MLE manifested in the short supply of learning and teaching materials and the tendency to translate existing materials instead of creating new ones. Other problems related to the MTB-MLE also include the teacher’s low proficiency in the spoken and academic language and the confusion caused by teaching the mother tongue subject of Tagalog while also teaching Filipino, which is Tagalog-based, as a subject.