DepEd-Cordillera favors suspension of mother tongue-based learning in K-3

Baguio City, Philippines – The education department in the Cordillera Region favors the proposed bill suspending the implementation of mother tongue or first language as the medium of instruction from Kindergarten to Grade 3.

The use of regional and native languages as the medium of instruction for students in said levels was institutionalized in 2013 with the passage of Republic Act No. 10533, amending the Enhanced Basic Education.

With the lack of learning materials written in the mother tongue language in schools, House Bill No. 6717 was introduced to address such a matter and to likewise ensure accessibility of quality education to learners in basic education.

The Department of Education expressed support for the proposal to suspend the use of mother tongue as the medium of instruction for Kindergarten to Grade 3.

The region has 115 dialects and chose Iluko as its medium of instruction but what is being used in the learning materials is the lowland Iluko which is different from the Ilokano that is commonly used in the Cordilleras.

“We talk, we converse sa Ilokano. Yung Ilokano na not necessarily yung Iluko. So, yung mga studyante hindi naman talaga maintindihan kung ano yung nakalagay sa Iluko version na mother tongue as a subject at tsaka yung medium of instruction,” said Regional Director Estella Cariño in her interview with the press recently.

“Okay lang siguro pag sa stories lang yun pero sa lahat ng subject area, para i-translate mo, mawawala yung context, mawawala yung laman kasi verbatim na tina-translate at dahil yung mga guro naman, di naman sila trained so dapat hindi tina-translate lang,” she added.

HB 6717 was approved in February 2023 by the House of Representatives and has been transmitted to the Senate where it remains pending as of writing.

In case of the measure’s approval, the regional education department hopes for its implementation this school year to lighten the load of teachers affected.

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