The term “castration” refers to the removal, by surgical or other means, of the reproductive organ of an animal. The intention is to prevent the animal from spreading an “undesired” genetic trait in succeeding populations.
Pagsurat-Bikol, a three-day seminar-workshop held in Legazpi City last week by education stakeholders, is part of a series of activities designed to accomplish what has never been done before: to establish working orthographies in the mostly unwritten languages and dialects in Kabikolan. The more than 20 writing systems being developed are to be used for making primary teaching materials in those language varieties. In addition, Bicol teachers are scheduled in April to be trained in the use of these locally developed materials in time for the opening of classes in June.
Last month, I was invited to talk to kindergarten and elementary teachers in three places in the Cordilleras about the whys and wherefores of Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBMLE). I first went to Baguio, then to Buguias and Kibungan in Benguet. On every occasion, the discussions turned to complaints regarding lack of materials in the first language (L1) and lack of training in using these materials to teach the new K-to-12 curriculum.
I CANNOT understand why the Department of Education in its media releases about the K-12 bill exclusively harps on the end goal of adding a couple of years to basic education. As I have always held, it is the NEW curriculum with mastery thereof as its focus that makes K-12 a compelling necessity for our country.
When declared martial law, Ferdinand Marcos ushered in the bilingual setup of using two second languages (mostly English) in education. Marcos saw the education system as his primary vehicle to perpetuate the warped values of his so-called New Society, with disastrous historical consequences.
A few days ago, Deputy Majority Leader Magtanggol Gunigundo of Valenzuela City sent me an e-mail about the K to 12 bill pending at the 15th Congress and its repercussions to mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTBMLE). The measure was taken up at the joint meeting of the committees on higher education and on basic education with Education Secretary Armin Luistro and Commission on Higher Education Chair Patricia Licuanan in attendance.
People in the know are flabbergasted by the headlong rush of the Department of Education to implement mother tongue-based education in ALL public schools in the coming school year.
Department Order No. 74, issued in 2009, institutionalized mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTBMLE) as a fundamental policy in our formal and non-formal education.
One of 10 things that President Benigno Aquino promised to fix in the country’s basic education relates to the medium of instruction. While campaigning for the presidency in 2010, his exact words were: “From pre-school to Grade 3, we will use the mother tongue as the medium of instruction while teaching English and Filipino as subjects. From Grades 4-6(7), we will increasingly use English as the medium of instruction for science and math and Filipino for Araling Panlipunan (social studies). For high school, English should be the medium of instruction for science, math and English; Filipino for AP, Filipino and tech-voc education.” (Emphasis supplied.)
UP HISTORIAN Dante L. Ambrosio recently passed away and left us a monumental study on Philippine ethno-astronomy—the knowledge, ideas, beliefs and lore of the country’s ethnic groups about the heavenly bodies. In his book, “Balatik,” Ambrosio demonstrated the richness, breadth and depth of this traditional wisdom. He showed that not only the Tagalogs, Bisayans and [...]
“THE USE of the child’s language in education means more classroom interaction, deeper learning, lesser dropouts and also a regained sense of pride among language speakers” said Leyte Normal University president Dr. Evelyn Cruzada. Citing a recently completed project on Winaray phonetics and a spelling guide for instructional materials, Cruzada reiterated the university’s commitment to [...]
