Instead of outright suspending the Mother Tongue-Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE), a group of teachers called on the government to improve its implementation.
(DepEd file photo)
“Children, especially those in the early grades of education learn better if the language used in teaching is the language they know and use on a daily basis, a fact that is undeniable,” said Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) National Chairperson Benjo Basas.
Basas also recognizes the inclusion of the MTB-MLE in the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum, which according to him, is a “significant advancement not only in education but also in the sociocultural context.”
For the first time, Basas noted that a law enacted by Congress “recognized the diversity of our country's languages and officially guaranteed them space in educational institutions throughout the country.”
Basas said that while there are only two recognized official languages in the country, the foreign English and the Tagalog-based Filipino, its “linguistics is not confined to these two dominant languages because there are over a hundred languages that exist and are utilized by the people on a daily basis.”
Improve the implementation
While TDC pushes for the continuation of MTB-MLE, the group also acknowledged shortcomings in its implementation.
Basas said that years after the program was introduced, many of people's expectations “have not been met.”
The MTB-MLE, he added, also already “received criticism” from parents, local politicians, legislators, DepEd employees, and even teachers.
Given this, Basas noted that the focus should be on how to “fix the perceived flaws” of the program.
What can be done?
While the TDC recognizes the difficulties in implementing the program, particularly in areas with linguistic and cultural overlap, the group noted that outright suspension should not be the only option “as it would serve as a handy justification for not carrying out a program with good intentions.”
“If the suspension of the MTB-MLE is justified because it is not being carried out in accordance with the spirit and letter of the law, the K to 12 Program should also be halted in its entirety,” he added.
Instead of suspending MTB-MLE, the group is pushing for the evaluation of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) implementation through the years.
TDC said sufficient funding for the production of resources, publications, modules, and comprehensive teacher training and preparation should also be provided.
Launching a thorough study with the assistance of linguists, anthropologists, historians, child psychologists, sociologists, and other experts using information from prior studies and other national and international resources will also help the implementation of the MTB-MLE, the group said.
Among the recommendation of TDC is to raise awareness by employing both mainstream and alternative media to inform and educate the general public using their vernaculars.
TDC said developing pertinent curricula and readily accessible printed and online learning resources with the assistance of pedagogy experts and with the participation of leaders of the relevant cultural communities would also help.
“The cultural identity that is primarily represented in our mother tongue is an important part of our individual personality and collective identity as Filipino people,” Basas said.
“Thus, it cannot be eliminated by prohibiting young pupils from learning in their native language,” he added.
Basas also noted the continued presence of Filipino and mother tongue subjects in the educational system serves as a “reminder of who we are as Filipinos.”
“The state, especially our public education system is constitutionally mandated to maintain, promote and further enrich our languages, our inherited heritage,” Basas added.