July 24, 2024 - The Senate has passed a bill that will discontinue the mandatory use of the mother tongue as the medium of instruction in Kindergarten to Grade 3. Senate Bill No. 2457, which was approved on final reading on Tuesday, will revert the primary language of instruction to Filipino and English.
The bill, championed by Senator Win Gatchalian, is a response to challenges encountered in the implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) program. Despite the theoretical advantages of teaching in a familiar language, difficulties arose in diverse classrooms and regions due to the lack of materials and teacher training.
Under the new legislation, the mother tongue may still be used in monolingual classes as an option. The bill aims to address the concerns of educators and students by providing a more consistent and effective learning environment.
The passage of Senate Bill No. 2457 marks a significant shift in the country's education policy and is expected to undergo further deliberations with the House of Representatives before final enactment into law.
Key points of the bill:
- Discontinues mandatory use of mother tongue as medium of instruction in Kindergarten to Grade 3
- Reverts primary medium of instruction to Filipino and English
- Allows optional use of mother tongue in monolingual classes
- Aims to address challenges in MTB-MLE implementation