CEASING mother tongue as a medium of instruction from Kindergarten to Grade 3 is part of the MATATAG Curriculum, the Department of Education (DepEd) XI said Wednesday.
DepEd XI spokesperson Jenielito Atillo said they needed to remove the mother tongue in all subjects to fully implement the curriculum.
“When we implemented the Matatag curriculum, on a phase scheme basis, mother tongue is no longer part of the learning areas,” he said.
The official clarified that the mother tongue can still be used, provided the class is monolingual- students speak a single dialect- and no other medium is used.
“We continue to provide what is appropriate for the children. We continue to look for more interventions for our children,” he said.
Republic Act 12027 or the Act discontinuing the use of mother tongue as a medium of instruction from Kindergarten to Grade 3, providing for its optional implementation in monolingual classes, and amending for the purpose Sections 4 and 5 of RA 10533, otherwise known as the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.” was passed on Thursday, October 11, without the signature of the President.
The law provided that the medium of instruction will revert to Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English. Regional languages will serve as a supplement.
DepEd Davao City division rolled out the MATATAG curriculum to kindergarten and grade levels 1, 4, and 7 in all public schools in the city for the Academic Year 2024-2025 on July 29.
One of the highlights of the MATATAG curriculum is decongesting the subjects in the grade levels hence mother tongue will no longer be a learning area in the new curriculum. Previously, Mother Tongue was a stand-alone subject.
For grade one, from seven subjects in the previous curriculum, they will only have five subjects: Language, Makabansa, Reading and Literacy, Mathematics and Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC), and Values Education.
Meanwhile, for grades 4 and 7, the subjects are as is with Mathematics, GMRC/ VE, Araling Panlipunan, English, Science, Filipino, Music, and Arts, Physical Education & Health, Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan/ Technology and Livelihood Education.
