Bisaya to be used as medium of instruction

CEBU, Philippines -  The Department of Education Region-7 (DepEd) in coordination with the Akademiyang Bisaya Foundation (ABF) will fully implement the ‘Sinugbuanong Bisaya’ as a medium of instruction for pre-school to grade three in the school year 2012.

This is in accordance with DepEd’s Department Order No. 74 Series of 2009 which mandates the use of ‘Sinugbuanong Bisaya’ the mother tongue in regions 7 and 8, Masbate and the majority of the provinces of Mindanao as the medium of instruction in the preparatory schools and in Grades I, II and III of the elementary level.

A forum on the complete discourse of the program was held yesterday at the DECS-Ecotech Center Pavilion in Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City.

The desired outcome of the Department Order is to make the learners functionally literate through the use of their mother tongue.

“I for one, motuo gyud ko nga mas madali and pagpasabot sa mga bata kung ang language nga gamiton mao ang mother tongue nato,” said Edgardo Casquejo, college director of Cordova Public College.

Casquejo added that while using Cebuano language as medium of instruction in schools is good, he wants the DepEd and ABF to supply adequate instructional materials and references aside from Cebuano dictionaries.

According to ABF president, Atty. Adelino Sitoy, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia already purchased 1000 Cebuano dictionaries last year to be distributed to all elementary schools in the province. He added the ABF will assist the DepEd in acquiring additional instructional materials for the teachers.

ADF is a non-profit, non-stock, non-sectoral corporation registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 26, 1995. The foundation is composed of well-meaning personalities headed by Sitoy. In addition, the foundation advocates the enrichment of ‘Sinugbuanong Pinulongan’ vocabulary and promote its proper usage.

For her part, Negros Oriental DepEd Superintendent Dr. Milagros Velez, said they already started implementing the program last year. In the entire region, she added Negros Oriental is the first province to use the ‘Sinugbuanong Bisaya’ in schools.

ABF and DepEd are now starting the preparations for the full implementation of the program through seminars and workshops among school officials and teachers. (FREEMAN)