Press Release
January 26, 2012

MOTHER-TONGUE INSTRUCTION TO IMPROVE LEARNING -- ANGARA

Senator Edgardo J. Angara, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, expressed his support for the Department of Education's new policy on the use of the student's mother tongue as a medium of instruction from Grades 1 to 3 under the K-12 curriculum.

"Studies show that students who were taught with their mother tongue learn faster as they were able to grasp concepts more easily," stressed Angara.

He added, "I'm glad that the DepEd is taking concrete steps to raise the quality of Filipino education through the implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education. It helps the students become more receptive to their lessons as it effectively facilitates learning English or any new language."

Angara authored and filed last year Senate Bill 2802 or the Early Years Act (EYA) which proposes the use of the child's mother tongue or the language first learned by the child and customarily used at home as a mode of instruction in the early years of elementary schooling.

"It is a step closer to becoming a law after Congress passed the measure designed to improve the quality of education and make Filipinos competitive worldwide," he explained. The measure has been transmitted to the House of Representatives for the signature of the Speaker and Secretary-General, and will be subsequently transmitted to the Office of the President.

Angara believes the measure will complement the government's K-to-12 curricula, which will make kindergarten mandatory and add two years to the basic education program to improve the overall quality of education in the country.

Angara has long been a champion of early education for our nation's children. He authored Senate Bill No. 2024 or the "Pre-School Development Act of 2010" early in the 15th Congress. Said measure seeks to provide universal access to quality care and education for Filipino children six years old and below.

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