FILE PHOTO: Students and teachers at the General Roxas Elementary School in Quezon City conduct a dry run of face-to-face class in this photo taken on February 8, 2022, to familiarize the students with the new rules in the conduct of classroom learning in the time of the pandemic. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — In a Pulse Asia survey commissioned by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the local language in an area was found to be the least preferred medium of instruction for students in grade 1 to grade 3 at 38%.
The national language Filipino was found to be the most preferred at 88%, with English at 71%, according to the survey.
“The survey, which was conducted from September 17-21, 2022, asked 1,200 respondents their opinion on which language or languages should be used as the primary language of instruction for students in the Primary Level or Grades 1 to 3,” said Gatchalian in a statement on Saturday.
A total of 50% of respondents came from Visayas and 53% from Mindanao prefer their local language, while only 18% and 33% in Metro Manila and Luzon respectively prefer likewise.
“The survey also says less than half of respondents across classes ABC (41%), D (36%), and E (48%) prefer the local language as a medium of instruction for Grades 1 to 3 learners,” said Gatchalian’s statement.
Gatchalian, who serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said that he will push a review of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE), which is required by the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or the K to 12 Law.
The senator has previously expressed such concerns in October 2022, after a study from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies showed that only 10% of schools in the country are ready to implement the MTB-MLE.