DepEd eyes removal of mother tongue subject

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has proposed early teaching of English and the removal of the separate Mother Tongue subject in the primary level.

Based on the draft of the revised basic education curriculum released by the DepEd last week, English will be taught as early as the first quarter for Grade 1 students, earlier than the current third quarter.

“Anchored on the language framework of the K-12 curriculum, the enhanced English curriculum reflects the dynamic nature of the language and to distinguish Philippine English from the English of, not one of and not for, the native speakers,” the DepEd’s draft-shaping paper for the revised English curriculum read.

“Philippine English is a variety of English used in various discourse forms (oral, written, visual, digital) influenced by the country’s unique historical, multicultural and diverse linguistic backgrounds and used widely in literary, academic, journalistic and business correspondence,” it added.

Meanwhile, Mother Tongue will no longer be offered as a separate subject in Grades 1 to 3 and instead will be used to teach other subjects, primarily English and Filipino.

“The Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) is a salient part of the implementation of the K-12 Basic Education Program,” the DepEd’s draft general-shaping paper for the revised curriculum read.

“It underscores the importance of learning using the language and literacy resource that the child knows best and can use most effectively in order to establish a strong foundation for further education and literacy development,” it added.

In teaching literacy, the DepEd proposed a language framework that identifies Mother Tongue as a “base subject and literary resource.”

“Filipino and English are offered simultaneously starting in Grade 1 to primarily develop learners’ literacy. The curricula for both languages are MT-based as oracy and literacy skills in the first language serve as the foundation in transitioning learners’ oracy for literacy to Filipino and English,” the draft released for public feedback read.

“Knowledge in and of the first language serves as a resource for learning Filipino and English in order to learn through those languages,” it added.

Republic Act 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 that institutionalized the K-12 system, mandated that “kindergarten and the first three years of elementary education, instruction, teaching materials and assessment shall be in the regional or native language of the learners” or mother tongue.

A separate Mother Tongue subject was later included in the K-12 curriculum, with the DepEd at the time saying that the “goal of the subject is to develop learners who are able to use the mother tongue appropriately and effectively in oral, visual and written communication.”

‘Diluting nationalism’

For the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), the proposed revisions in the curriculum “dilute” nationalism in the foundational grades.

“The ACT agrees that the development of foundational literacy skills should be ensured in the primary grades. However, the proposed abolition of the Mother Tongue as a subject runs counter to this objective,” ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua said.

“The teaching of Mother Tongue as a subject is foundational in developing literacy skills as learners can learn to read and write the easiest with the language that they use and most understand. Mother Tongue also enhances the awareness and appreciation of learners of their cultural identity and preserves and nurtures our own culture,” Quetua added.

The DepEd’s plan to teach English earlier by two quarters also “messes up with the logical transitory framework of the mother tongue as the first language, Filipino as the second language and English as the third language in learning,” he said.

The ACT official also scored the proposed merging of Araling Panlipunan with Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH) in Grades 1 to 3, saying it “cuts down teaching time for a very diverse set of subject areas that are essential in developing national and cultural identity, critical thinking, nationalism, as well as a healthy lifestyle.”

“Giving ample time to teaching social studies and MAPEH should not be seen as a hindrance, but as additional areas that can help develop reading, writing and arithmetic skills,” he said.

The ACT may have expressed support for the DepEd’s move to declutter the current curriculum, but the teachers’ group stressed that it should prioritize the “must-have” than the “nice-to-have” competencies.

“Mother Tongue should continue to be taught as a subject, and the DepEd should rectify its errors in the problematic implementation of the Mother Tongue program. All subject areas should be designed to incorporate the development of literacy skills,” Quetua said.

“More importantly, subjects that ingrain nationalism and promote national identity and culture should not be sacrificed to favor the English language. Instead, Philippine History as a dedicated subject in high school should be restored, and the contents of Araling Panlipunan and Filipino subjects should be strengthened,” he added.

The DepEd and other stakeholders have identified the low literacy of Filipino students as a major concern for the country’s education sector.

The revised curriculum seeks to streamline learning competencies and strengthen the teaching of literacy skills, especially in the primary level.