Using first language (L1) is crucial for quality education

It’s “Buwan ng Wika,” and discussions about the language used in schools resurface. It’s evident that the use of the child’s first language (L1) in school is not just about the right to learn in one’s own language, but it’s also about the right to quality education. Why is it impossible to achieve quality education using English as the language of instruction?

The Department of Education’s Teacher English Proficiency Test report paints a concerning picture. It was reported that 45.95 percent of our teachers have low English proficiency, while 51.09 percent are nearly proficient. Only 2 percent are proficient, and this hasn’t improved over the past decade. Graduates from other courses likely have a similar language profile. Since our graduates have a basic grasp of English, they can find job opportunities abroad, particularly in the service industry.

However, teachers need more than a basic grasp of the language they will use to impart knowledge. English is used to teach math, science, and technology, so teachers should be competent in the language to enable students to comprehend and demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills. But because of language limitations, our performance in the English-medium assessments like Programme for International Student Assessment and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study falls behind. This is so tragic because our teachers and students can do far better if only given the chance to display what they know in their languages. Our neighboring countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam excel because they teach literacy and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects in their own language (while teaching English extensively as a second language).

This concern was already raised in 1925 by the Paul Monroe Commission, which found that the English medium of instruction was the primary reason for students’ underperformance in schools. It’s not too late since we have already made some steps forward by using L1 for early literacy/numeracy and Filipino for social studies. Representing STEM in our own languages is the next strategic move.

Maria Mercedes “Ched” E. Arzadon, LPT, Ph.D.,

associate professor,

University of the Philippines Diliman