DepEd urged to reinforce English as medium of instruction

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker on Sunday said English was not being taught effectively in elementary and high schools in the country, leading to the dismal performance of Filipino students in global reading, math, and science assessments.

In a statement during the International Day of Education, Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas said we have to go “all out in reinforcing English as the medium of instruction in all school levels.”

Gullas said poor English reading and comprehension skills “have handicapped our students in math and science.”

He explained that our math and science manuals are in English, that’s why learning becomes difficult if the student’s English is lacking or not good enough.

“Clearly, a student who cannot readily understand English will have difficulty solving math or physics problems couched in English,” he said.

Gullas urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to allot more funds for the English language training of educators. INQ