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Monday, July 17, 2006
DepEd vows to enhance English program for it boom
By Roberto L. Bacasong
MANILA -- The Department of Education (DepEd) is considering Bacolod City as the training center for English instruction in the Visayas.
Alice Pañares, deputy director for National Educators Academy of the Philippines (Neap), said that the DepEd may provide trainings to teachers from the elementary and high school levels in order to further develop their English communication skills.
"We did this already in other DepEd offices in the country which include the cities of Bacolod and Sagay in Negros Occidental, Davao, Cebu and some parts of Mindanao," said Pañares.
She added that they have seen the poor English teaching efficiency in most schools in the country even when the country is known to be the center for English learning by neighboring Asian countries like Korea, China and Japan.
"Our President has realized how important is the English medium in the BPO industries," said Pañares.
She claimed that 19 percent or 54,000 teachers nationwide in the high school level did not pass in their English proficiency test.
She also added that for every 15 students, six passed the elementary level but only four actually made it to high schools. Of the four, only two were able to make it to college.
"Our English is much better in the 1950s because the American really taught Filipinos of adopting English medium as the major language," said Pañares.
She added that DepEd has imposed stiffer standard of qualification to applicants for teaching.
These include passing the licensure examinations for teachers, English capability, teaching demonstrations and oral interaction.
On the other hand, Information Technology School Network (ITSNet) chairman Anthony Visitacion said that there is a big potential in the BPO industry especially that Bacolod is now considered as one of the BPO center of development by foreign countries.
ITSNet is composed of 40 colleges and universities all over Negros Occidental.
These includes the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, University of St. La Salle, Visayan Maritime Academy and the MTC-Academy.
"We are primarily tying up with the call center companies in order to help the City's English communication and at the same time to make the city as IT ready," Visitacion said.
He added that they also coordinated with Tesda in the implementation of the scholarship given by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
He is also encouraging Bacoleños to prioritize English.
Pañares said that call center companies like the Convergys are helping the DepEd in giving free English training for teachers in the elementary and high school level.
Bacolod City Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue also believes that investments will flow in Bacolod once the IT Focus Team and other concerned group will cooperate in achieving one goal.
In a separate interview, Michael Alexander Ang, honorary consulate of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, said he is willing to help DepEd in uplifting the standard of English language in the country.
(July 17, 2006 issue)
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