Thursday, December 25, 2008 Editorial: Return of English in classrooms
THERE is much to be said about the recent realization of the need for Filipinos to restore English as medium of instruction in primary and secondary school levels in the country.
Let us just say that for more than half a century now, the English language appeared a “victim” of the rise of nationalism in the aftermath of Philippine independence.
Looking back at it now against the backdrop of this republic’s contemporary social, political, and economic condition, it would seem as if the people was beguiled by a resurgent nationalist ideal that arose from the anti-American sentiment ridden on by an emerging communist movement.
Philippine independence, after all, was granted with some conditions.
Most significant among them were the Parity Rights, and the continued presence of us military bases in the Philippines.
Nationalism
In an effort to prove the republic’s sovereignty, so-called nationalist ideologues agitated for anything that would prove we are a free country.
The imperatives of national identity came forth with the need for a national language, an amalgam of our major languages.
It was argued that English should be replaced with the national language as medium of instruction in our schools in the hope that it would make Filipino students deeply nationalistic.
The national language, as agreed, was based on Tagalog even if there were more Cebuano-speaking Filipinos.
House measure
Now, decades after the government’s national language policy was implemented, we are not more nationalistic and patriotic than we were before, but our people have become the poorer due to the loss of their facility in the use of the English language.
And where before the Filipinos were recognized as the most articulate speakers of English—now the global lengua franca—in Asia, the mushrooming call centers are said to be hard put in recruiting workers.
Finally, House Bill 5619 has been filed in Congress, dubbed an “Act Strengthening and Enhancing the Use of English as the Medium of Instruction.”
Authored by Cebu’s first district representative, HB 5619 is assured of passage with at least 202 members of the House as sponsors of the committee report seeking immediate plenary consideration and approval, a move that’s been truly long in coming.
It is a bill that restores the English language in its rightful place in our basic education.
